THE ROOT OF THE RIGHTEOUS WILL GIVE THE LATEST ACHIEVEMENTS OF OUR TEACHER AND RAV IS THERE WATER ABOVE THE FIRMAMENT?...

Transcription

1 CONTENTS Contents SOME WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT... 3 IMPRESSIONS OF A JOURNEY ABROAD... 9 THE ROOT OF THE RIGHTEOUS WILL GIVE THE LATEST ACHIEVEMENTS OF OUR TEACHER AND RAV JTHE GAON AND TZADDIK RABBI YITZCHAK KADURI ZT L IS THERE WATER ABOVE THE FIRMAMENT? THE NEED TO STUDY THE LAWS OF MODESTY JERUSALEM HAS LOST A JEWEL THE LESSON OF SELF-SACRIFICE AND ITS IMPORTANCE FOR THE FUTURE THE HILLOULA OF RABBI HAIM PINTO ZT L A TZADDIK HAS LEFT THIS WORLD THE GAON RABBI NISSIM REBIBO ZATZAL THE PASSING OF RABBI NATHAN BOKOBZA THE DISASTER EFFECTS OF CARELESSNESS THE ADMOR OF SATMAR HARAV MOSHE TEITELBAUM ZT L A FEW GOLDEN RULES UNDER AEGIS OF RABBI DAVID HANANIA PINTO CHLITA ISRAEL - ASHDOD OROT HAÏM OU MOSHE REHOV HA-ADMOUR MI-BELZ 41/6 ASHDOD ISRAËL TEL: FAX: ISRAEL - JERUSALEM KOLLEL OROTH HAIM OU MOSHE KOLLEL MISHKAN BETSALEL YÉCHIVAT NEFESH HAIM REHOV BAYIT VAGAN 97 JERUSALEM ISRAEL TEL: FAX: U.S.A - CHEVRAT PINTO 8 MORRIS ROAD - SPRING VALLEY NY U.S.A TEL: FAX: PARIS - ORH HAÏM VÉMOSHÉ 11, RUE DU PLATEAU PARIS FRANCE TEL: FAX: LYON - HEVRAT PINTO 20 BIS, RUE DES MÛRIERS VILLEURBANNE FRANCE TEL: FAX: DVOR TORAH IN HEBREW The Pinto Associations around the world, along with Rabbi David Hanania Pinto Shlita, send you their best wishes for an exceptional new year Shana Tova! May we all be inscribed in the Book of Life. Amen. Responsable de publication: Hanania SOUSSAN Mise en Page: Hanania SOUSSAN Impression: Imprimerie de Chabrol Web Site :

2

3 SOME WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT Some Words of Encouragement for the Yamim Noraim Given at the Orot Haim OuMoshe Kollel in Ashdod - Sunday, Elul 28, 5765 We are approaching Rosh Hashanah, which is the Day of Judgment. A person must feel, however, that each day is a miniature Rosh Hashanah (hence there is no allusion in the Torah to the fact that the first day of Tishri is the day of judgment, for a person must feel that Hashem is judging his actions each day), as we say in prayer: In His goodness He renews each day, continuously, the work of Creation. We must feel renewed each day, as the Sages have said: That the words of the Torah shall be new to you, as if they were given just today (Tanhuma Yashan, Yitro 7). Thus a person must feel that each day is a new one for him, at which point he will experience a great spiritual elevation. Similarly, we feel renewed when we wear a new article of clothing and recite Shecheyanu, for everything new opens the mind, and when the mind is more open, joy is awakened. Hence we should have our minds opened on Rosh Hashanah. Yet that is not the case, for instead we are seized with fear (as the Gemara states, On Rosh Hashanah, the more a man bends his mind, the better it is [Rosh Hashanah 26b]). Why is this so? It is because we haven t broadened our minds during the entire year. However if we feel renewed each day throughout the year, then on Rosh Hashanah we will not be subjected to anxiety or fear. In reality, Rosh Hashanah is a day of fear, since it is the Day of Judgment. Yet if a person feels renewed in his Torah study, he will experience the Creation each day, and he will perceive the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is written: Know before Whom you stand. He will certainly feel something on Rosh Hashanah, for on this day we make Hashem our King. However the reality is that such a person has already made Him his King each day through his prayers and 100 times a day through his blessings, as we recite: Blessed are You, L-RD our G-d, King of the universe. True, we hear the sound of the Shofar on Rosh Hashanah. However when we study Torah aloud each day, this too is like the sound of the Shofar. Unfortunately, because of our many sins the power of habit makes a person lose his sensibilities, and therefore he feels renewed fear on Rosh Hashanah. If we feel renewed each day, we will certainly feel Rosh Hashanah, but it will not be a terrible sensation or a dread of the Day of Judgment. In fact we really have nothing to worry about, since the Torah speaks of joy in reference to Rosh Hashanah, as it is written: Also in the day of your joy, and in your festivals, and at the beginnings of your months, you shall sound with the trumpets [Numbers 10:10]. Therefore joy has a place on Rosh Hashanah. 3

4 4 An idea came to me concerning the following passage in the Gemara: Three kings and four commoners have no portion in the World to Come. The three kings are Jeroboam, Ahab, and Manasseh. Rabbi Judah said: Manasseh has a portion in it, for it is written, He prayed to Him, and He was entreated by him and heard his supplication, and He returned him to Jerusalem, to his kingship [II Chronicles 33:13]. They answered him: They restored him to his kingship, but not to the World to Come! (Sanhedrin 90a). Ahab also did teshuvah, as it is written: When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes and placed sackcloth upon his skin and fasted. He slept with the sackcloth, and he walked about slowly. The word of the L-RD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying: Have you seen that Ahab has humbled himself before Me? (I Kings 21:27-29). The Sages explain that Ahab repented completely. He summoned Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, and stuck him every day. The Gemara states, Because he used to benefit scholars with his wealth, half [his sins] were forgiven (Sanhedrin 102b). Thus the question becomes, how we can possibly group Manasseh and Ahab with Jeroboam the son of Nabat? According to all opinions, Jeroboam has no portion whatsoever in the World to Come, for it is clear that he neither submitted to Hashem nor listened to the words of the prophets: When [Jeroboam] heard the words of the man of G-d who had called out to the altar in Bethel, [he] stretched out his hand from upon the altar and said, Seize him! (I Kings 13:4). Such was not the case with Ahab, who believed in the prophets and yielded to rebuke. How can we group all three men in the category of those who have no portion in the World to Come, since Ahab repented and Hashem accepted his teshuvah by saying, Have you seen that Ahab has humbled himself before Me (see Shaarei Teshuvah, Gate 1, Section 29)? We read that after his repentance, There were three years without war between Aram and Israel (I Kings 22:1). The Ralbag states that this occurred because Ahab had submitted himself to Hashem. Immediately after this, there was the battle of Ramoth-Gilead, in which Ahab was killed, though we see no indication that he reverted to his previous way of life. And what can we say about Manasseh, who was foremost among the Ba alei teshuvah (as the Jerusalem Talmud tells us in Sanhedrin 10:2), for the Holy One, blessed be He, secured a portion for him under the Throne of Glory. Hashem also heard his supplications, as it is written: He prayed to Him, and He was entreated by him. Of Jeroboam it is written: At that time, Jeroboam s son Abijah became ill. Jeroboam said to his wife, Get up now and disguise yourself so that people will not know that you are Jeroboam s wife, and go to Shiloh. Ahijah the prophet is there, the one who spoke of me as becoming king over this people. He will tell you what will happen to the boy. Jeroboam s wife did so. She arose and went to Shiloh, and arrived at Ahijah s house. Now Ahijah could not see, for his eyes were dim because of his age. When Ahijah heard the sound of her feet coming in the door, he said: Enter, wife of Jeroboam! Why do you disguise yourself? I have a harsh message for you [which he proceeded to give]: I am bringing evil upon the house of Jeroboam, and I will eliminate all male offspring from Jeroboam. Jeroboam s wife arose and left, and she came to Tirzah. As she entered the threshold of the house, the boy died. (I Kings 14:1-17). We have no indication that Jeroboam repented, whereas we see self-effacement with Ahab and Manasseh. Therefore how could the Sages group all three of them in the same category? Numerous explanations have been given for this. There is one explanation, however, that stems from the direct sense of the text: The teshuvah of a person who knows his Master but rebels against Him is not easily accepted. Someone who studied in yeshiva and received a religious education from his father, yet falls into sin and then repents, is judged even with regards to his teshuvah. How can a person do such a thing, since he studied Torah and knew that what he did was forbidden? How could he still have done it? The Sages have taught, Manasseh interpreted the Priestly Law in 55 different ways, corresponding to the years of his reign. Ahab [in] 85, and Jeroboam [in] 103 (Sanhedrin 103b). Consequently, how can someone interpret the Torah in 85 ways and still transgress it? This is why Heaven placed Manasseh in the same category as Jeroboam the son of Nabat, for one who knows his Master and rebels against Him is judged strictly. I have seen that Rav Shach cites Rashi on the verse, For G-d will judge every deed, even everything hidden (Ecclesiastes 12:14). Here Rashi explains that Hashem will judge a person even for his unintentional sins. We also read: The School of Rabbi Yanai said, This refers to one who gives alms to a poor person in public (Chagigah 5a). In fact when Rabbi Yanai saw a man giving a penny to a poor person in public, he said to the giver: It would have been better if you had not given to him. Here was a man who gave tzeddakah, yet erred by giving it in public, since he forgot that giving in this way is forbidden. Even for doing that, he will have to give an accounting, a frightening prospect indeed. A person is giving tzeddakah, yet instead of simply giving it discreetly, he makes the mistake of giving in public. Although he did give, Hashem is going to punish him for it? This is the meaning of the expression, even everything hidden. It concerns someone who knows that it is forbidden to give tzeddakah to a poor person in public. He will therefore be reprimanded even if it was done by mistake, and G-d will demand an accounting from him. That being said, imagine what kind of judgment there will be for sins that are done deliberately, not to mention for sins that are committed out of sheer rebellion! Thus the Holy One, blessed be He, blamed Ahab and Manasseh for their sins even after they did teshuvah. At the very start He accused them of their sins, asking how they could have done such things. True, Ahab annulled himself and repented, but it was not enough to erase

5 his rebellion against G-d, for he knew his Master and still rebelled. That being the case, even his teshuvah was not enough to atone for his rebellion. Manasseh also repented, and when Hashem gave him back his kingship, he took every idol and threw them away. Nevertheless, he is still placed in the same category as Ahab and Jeroboam the son of Nabat, their judgment being that they shall have no portion in the World to Come. This is the meaning of, One who studied and denied [Hashem] is the worst of all. Naturally, this is not dealing with someone who lost his senses and therefore transgressed the Torah, as the Sages have said: A person does not commit a transgression unless a spirit of folly enters him (Sotah 3a). Such was not the case with the three kings in question, for they all retained their kingship. This demonstrates that they were all mentally stable, for a king cannot reign if he has gone mad, and Hashem knows exactly who has lost his mind. We sometimes try to excuse a person of his sin by saying, He must have gone mad! Yet this is not for us to decide, since only Hashem can make that judgment. He knows who has gone mad and who has not. Ahab and Manasseh had not gone mad, for they could interpret the Torah in 55, even 85 ways. The book Be er Mechokek, written by one of the great masters of Mussar, discusses the passage in Parsha Nitzavim in which Moses tells the Children of Israel, You are standing today, all of you, before the L-RD your G-d for you to pass into the covenant of the L- RD your G-d and into His imprecation that the L-RD your G-d seals with you today (Deuteronomy 29:9-11). The author asks, How is it possible for Moses to have brought them into a covenant, since they already had a covenant? Exactly what covenant were they entering into on that day? The author also states that before his death, Joshua assembled all the tribes of Israel in Shechem and warned them, Now, fear the L-RD and serve Him with wholeheartedness and truth. Remove the gods that your forefathers served on the other side of the river and in Egypt, and serve the L-RD. If it is evil in your eyes to serve the L-RD, choose today whom you will serve: The gods that your forefathers served across the river, or the gods of the Amorite in whose land you dwell. As for me and my house, we will serve the L-RD. The nation responded and said, It would be sacrilegious for us to forsake the L-RD, to serve the gods of others (Joshua 24: 14-16). Afterwards it is written, Joshua made a covenant with the people on that day and he set down decrees and laws for them in Shechem (v.25). Here the book Beer Mechokek asks exactly which covenant this is referring to, for they already had a covenant with Hashem at the giving of the Torah. The book also questions the verse, Samuel gathered the people to the L-RD at Mizpah. He said to the Children of Israel: Thus said the L-RD, the G-d of Israel: I brought Israel up from Egypt. I rescued you from the hand of Egypt and from the hand of all the kingdoms that oppressed you (I Samuel 10:17-18). He again assembled them at Gilgal and said to them, And now, stand and I shall reason with you before the L-RD concerning all the righteous acts that He did for you and for your forefathers (ibid. 12:7). Here too Samuel concluded a covenant with them, and the nature of that covenant also needs to be understood. The book Beer Mechokek provides its own explanation. However I thought I would give a straightforward explanation: Simply put, whoever studies Torah must conclude a covenant with the Holy One, blessed be He. In fact the evil inclination is strong in a person who studies Torah, and therefore he must daily renew a covenant with Hashem by means of the holy Torah. When Moses concluded a covenant with the Jewish people (in Parsha Nitzavim), it was to teach us that when there is no Torah, there is no covenant: If not for My covenant, I would not have appointed days and nights, the decrees of heaven and earth (Jeremiah 33:25). This means that it s true that Hashem concluded a covenant with them at Horev (at the giving of the Torah), yet the covenant was conditional. That is, there is a covenant if we fulfill Torah. Similarly, when a man and a woman get married, they conclude a covenant that is concretized by a ketubah. If they wish to get divorced, a get is made for them. The get splits man and woman apart, divorcing them from one another. The covenant that Hashem concluded with the Children of Israel is renewed at each instant with every Jew who studies Torah. In such a situation, the Holy One, blessed be He, cannot send the Children of Israel away. (Even when there is a weakening in the study of Torah, Hashem does not send the Children of Israel away. Instead He leaves them, much like an abandoned wife, as it is written: Thus said the L-RD: Where is your mother s bill of divorce, by which I sent her away? [Isaiah 50:1]. In commenting on this verse, Radak explains that the bill of divorce mentioned in the book of Jeremiah [see Jeremiah 3: 8] was addressed to the Ten Tribes, signaling that they would no longer have a king. However the bill of divorce given to Judah corresponds to one that a husband makes to send his wife away.) What can this be compared to? It is like someone who purchases a car. From time to time his car requires a tune-up, meaning that he must periodically change the oil, fill up the radiator and wiper fluids, and do everything needed to properly maintain it. Similarly, a covenant that Hashem concludes with man must constantly be renewed, which is what Moses told the Children of Israel: For you to pass into the covenant of the L-RD your G-d. This refers to the renewal of the covenant that Hashem concluded with them at Horev. It was not a new covenant, but the renewal of the first covenant they entered into. This is what Joshua and Samuel did as well. They warned the Children of Israel against transgressing the covenant, for without Torah there is idolatry. That is, if we fail to renew ourselves daily in the study of Torah, we will arrive at idolatry. The evil inclination is so powerful that each day it can make us forget the covenant that Hashem concluded with us on Mount Sinai. It does this by making us neglect the Torah. What hap- 5

6 6 pens then? We must realize that things will end very badly. We learn this from Jeroboam, Ahab, and Manasseh. How did they become so morally corrupt, such that the Sages stated that they have no part in the World to Come? How did all this happen? It is quite simple: They failed to renew the covenant. Thus if someone renews his covenant with Hashem each day, the fear of Heaven will come upon him and he will not fall into sin. How can a person conclude a covenant with Hashem and live with Him? It is by studying Torah. One who studies Torah lives with the Holy One, blessed be He, much like a man lives with his wife. Without Torah, there certainly remains a vestige of a covenant, but the two parties are separated from one another, with each living in a different place. What good is a covenant like that? Moses said to the Children of Israel: The covenant that Hashem concluded with you at Horev, if it is to be effective and enduring, it must be renewed each day. Otherwise things become dangerous. This is precisely what Joshua said: Serve Hashem or serve idols! What is idolatry? It is distancing oneself from Hashem be it through sports, watching television, playing games, or any other useless pursuit of this world that is the idolatry of our generation. Tomorrow night is the day of judgment. Do we really understand what the day of judgment is about? When someone receives a court summons, he becomes tense and worried. Although we haven t received a summons, deep inside we know what the day of judgment is about. We are not like one who doesn t understand what we mean when we say that he will be summoned to court tomorrow night. Such a person has no idea what we are talking about, and he asks which court convenes at night. To this person we say, No, not that kind of court. Rather, Hashem will judge the entire world. He will then begin to laugh, for he knows absolutely nothing about the day of judgment. This morning I was thinking about the simanim [signs] that we prepare for the night of Rosh Hashanah. We eat pomegranates, dates, lamb, and other things. What is the meaning of these simanim? This is what I thought: We say, One who begins a mitzvah, he is told to complete it. What does it mean to begin a mitzvah? It means that we approach Hashem and say: We want to begin a mitzvah, but we ask You to finish it for us. We want to repent and do good, but please come and help us. Please finish it for us. Things are difficult in our time, for we live with the evil inclination. Life is not at all easy. This morning I was at Rashbi Yeshiva, and there I saw 150 avrechim in a kollel who were immersed in Torah study and learning aloud. All of them had families, and they could have been working to earn a living, some with important jobs, others with less important jobs. Instead they were content on living with little, content on studying Torah day and night. At that point I said to Hashem, Look at Your children, who are studying Torah with enthusiasm. This certainly gives You satisfaction, and if only for that, inscribe them for a good life and for peace! One who begins a mitzvah is told to finish it. We want to repent and begin a mitzvah, but You, Hashem, open our heart open my heart to Your Torah open my mouth so I can speak with You. Open my lips and finish the mitzvah for me, for I cannot finish it. I don t know Your will, nor what I should be doing. Who may ascend the mountain of the L-RD? Who knows what Hashem wants of us? I don t know why I ve come, so how can You rebuke me for things that I don t know? I beg You, Hashem, please help me! I will start, but please finish for me! This principle applies to everything concerning man s relationship to his Creator. What is essential is that a person begins, for if he comes to purify himself, help is given to him (Avodah Zarah 55a). I have started, but now I don t know where to go, for I m in a world that is too vast for me. Because I m blind, I don t see the path to follow. Therefore please guide me! We eat dates during the Rosh Hashanah Seder, which alludes to the verse: The righteous will flourish like a palm tree (Psalms 92:13). From the fact that we eat these dates as a siman [sign], we are telling Hashem that we want to bring Him satisfaction, that we want to become tzaddikim. Also present on the table is a head of lamb. What is an animal s head doing on the table? The lamb s head is man s way of telling Hashem, Have I changed for Rosh Hashanah? If so, then good. If not, I am like the head of this animal. Therefore please help me to change and become a man! As for the pomegranates we eat, just what do they signify? The word rimon ( pomegranate ) is formed by the same letters as the world maron. A person eats and drinks on the night of Rosh Hashanah. He eats Swiss chard, leeks, pumpkin, sesame seeds, apples dipped in honey, and dates. He then eats a pomegranate in order to awaken him, for on that night people are to pass before Hashem like sheep (bnei maron), and He will examine them. He does not look at appearances, but rather at the heart. He determines if we have repented, what resolutions we have taken, and whether we have changed or remained rebellious. This is what the pomegranate alludes to. The Sages said that there are 613 seeds in a pomegranate. Have you taken it upon yourself to fulfill the 613 mitzvot? If so, you will pass before Hashem in peace. If not, you will have simply eaten a pomegranate without receiving anything in return. You will have simply eaten a head of lamb without changing anything within yourself, and you will have simply eaten dates without aspiring to anything. In that case Rosh Hashanah will have been useless for you. In the same way that the previous Rosh Hashanah went by without any change in you, so too will this Rosh Hashanah go by. On Rosh Hashanah we are supposed to renew ourselves and present ourselves before Hashem like new creations, like new people. What I was on Elul 29, I am no longer on Tishri 1. I am different; I am no longer the same person who committed those deeds (Rambam, Hilchot Teshuvah 2:4).

7 How can we be declared innocent on the day of judgment? It is by taking the decision to improve our relationship with others. Showing love for people, helping our friends and giving them good advice loving one s fellow Jew there is nothing that brings greater merit on the day of judgment. When a person does this, Hashem will tell him: Go towards a good life and peace. You are counted as Mine! As the tzaddik, the Ohev Israel of Apt, once said to a chassid who came to him for a tikkun: I have no tikkun for you. The only and best tikkun that you have is to love your fellow Jew. You are standing today, all of you, before the L-RD your G-d, the heads of your tribes from the hewer of your wood to the drawer of your water. The term today refers to Rosh Hashanah. The expression, You are standing today means that to merit standing before Hashem in judgment, you must feel that great and small are the same with regards to loving your fellow Jew. As we are told, You shall not honor the great (Leviticus 19:15) and, Small and great alike shall you hear (Deuteronomy 1: 17). Give a place to the small in your mind, give them a place in your heart, and care for them as well. It is only in this way that we will merit to stand before Hashem on Rosh Hashanah. If He examines us when we possess a love for our fellow Jew, He will say, Proceed, for you are righteous. If Hashem were to examine our teshuvah, it is very doubtful that He would want to accept it. In fact we need to repent to such a degree that Hashem, Who knows all that is hidden, will declare that we will never return to our sin, as it is written: We shall never again say to the work of our hands, You are our gods (Hosea 14:4; see Rambam, Hilchot Teshuvah 2:2). Who will be able to stand on the day of judgment? Who will be righteous before the Creator (Messilat Yesharim ch. 4)? It is only by working together that we will, by this very merit, be saved (see Ohr Israel by the gaon Rabbi Israel Salanter). We still have not resolved the difficulty concerning Manasseh, who repented of his sins and never returned to them. That being the case, why did the Sages believe that he has no part in the World to Come? The answer is that his repentance was not complete. True, he stopped worshipping idols, but he did not destroy them. He simply tossed them outside the walls of Jerusalem, which was not very practical. In fact his son Amon, who succeeded him as king, worshipped these very same idols. If Manasseh s repentance had been complete, why did he not completely destroy these idols? It is like someone who has done teshuvah, yet takes his television and puts it in storage. What does he accomplish by this? After he dies, his son will come and put it back in the house. We also see that Ahab committed wrongdoing before he died. When he heard Micaiah the son of Imlah prophesizing his death, he had him imprisoned and given meager quantities of bread and water until he returned safely. Ahab said, If I return safely, I will kill him. And if what he says comes true, set him free. We therefore see that Ahab doubted the words of the prophet, for he did not believe in him as he should. My friends, to prepare ourselves for the day of judgment, we must renew the covenant with Hashem. We must take it upon ourselves to grow in the fear of Heaven and to love our fellow Jew, a resolution that will be gladly accepted by Hashem. We must firmly cling to these resolutions, and they must not only stem from a fear of the judgment, for otherwise we will return to our old ways once the danger has passed. This is what Ahab and Manasseh did, and it is also what was done by the generation of Jeremiah: All the leaders and all the people who entered into the covenant listened that every man should send forth his bondsman and every man his bondswoman as freemen, not to enslave them further they listened and they sent them off. But they reneged after that and brought back the bondsmen and the bondswomen whom they had sent forth as freemen, and they subjugated them as bondsmen and bondswomen. The world of the L-RD then came to Jeremiah from the L-RD, saying, Thus said the L-RD, the G-d of Israel: I sealed a covenant with your forefathers on the day I took them out of the land of Egypt, from the house of slaves, saying, At the outset of the seventh year, each of you shall send forth his Hebrew brother. Today you repented and did what is just in My eyes, for every man to proclaim freedom for his fellow, and you sealed a covenant before Me in the Temple upon which My Name is proclaimed. But then you reneged and desecrated My Name, and every man brought back his bondsman and every man his bondswoman, whom you sent free on their own, and you subjugated them to be bondsmen and bondswomen to you. Therefore, thus said the L-RD: You did not listen to Me to proclaim freedom, every man for his brother and every man for his fellow. Behold, I proclaim you to be free the word of the L-RD for the sword, for pestilence. I will return [your enemies] to this city and they shall make war against it, conquer it, and burn it in fire. I shall make the cities of Judah desolate, without inhabitant (Jeremiah 34:10-22). Thus destruction was decreed, for they had acted in an extremely evil way. Hashem does not tolerate people repenting and then returning to their previous ways, especially when they know that what they are doing is absolutely forbidden. This is something that is completely unacceptable to Hashem. In fact King Solomon said, For G-d will judge every deed, even everything hidden, whether it is good or evil (Ecclesiastes 12:14). Hashem will judge every deed, even if it is hidden from the person himself, and even if it is done by mistake, something that is truly frightening! This is because a person knows what is forbidden and permitted, since he studies Torah. Therefore how can he make this mistake? Why has the Torah that he learned not prevented him from making this mistake? This is a profound accusation. May it be Hashem s will that we all perform a complete teshuvah. May He transform all our inadvertent sins into merits, and may we all merit the complete Geula. Amen, may it be so! 7

8 8

9 IMPRESSIONS OF A JOURNEY ABROAD VISITING THE GRAVES OF THE TZADDIKIM IN THE UKRAINE AND MOROCCO ELUL 5765 (FROM RABBI DAVID PINTO SHLITA) I would like to share my impressions with you as I describe the journey that I took in Elul, when I went to pray by the graves of the tzaddikim in the Ukraine with a few friends. The trip began in Paris on Tuesday, Elul 16, and after traveling through the Ukraine, it ended in Morocco with the Hilloula of the Saba Kadisha, Rabbi Haim Pinto Zatzal, may his merit protect us all, who left this world for the celestial academy on Elul 26, Elul is called the month of mercy and forgiveness. It is a time when a person can feel close to Hashem, more so than at any other time of the year, for it is during this month that Hashem is among us. He is like a king who spends most of the year in his palace, but ventures out at special times. It is then that his subjects have a chance to see him. However not everyone gets a chance to do so, for only those who put a great effort into getting past all the barriers surrounding the palace can get close to it. Similarly, Hashem is close to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. It is true that during these special days, Hashem is quite close to us. Yet a person who calls upon Him in truth will benefit from His very presence. The verse, You are standing today, all of you (Deuteronomy 29:9-11) refers to Rosh Hashanah, which is called today, the day when everyone stands before Hashem. To better explain this, Shahrit in the Beith Midrash of Rabbi Nahman from Breslev Welcome from the jewish school of Kiev consider that before the sun shines at full strength at noon, there first comes dawn and then sunrise. In other words, a small degree of light emerges and increases until sunrise, after which a great degree of light appears. The same applies to these days as well. Rosh Hashanah is like daytime, yet preceding it is the month of Elul, which is like dawn and sunrise, for light already begins to emerge at that point because of Hashem s special closeness to us, a closeness we benefit from at that time. On Rosh Hashanah, we need good defenders and advocates to plead our case, for it is the day of judgment, a day in which all living beings are examined. It is a judgment that none can escape. This is why we repent as best we can, increasing our prayers and giving money to tzeddakah. We also visit the graves of the tzaddikim during this time, for they have the ability to annul evil decrees. Thus someone who improves his conduct during the month of Elul will emerge safely from the judgment and be inscribed in the book of the tzaddikim. 9

10 10 On the grave Rabbi Itzhak Levy from Berditshev The Sages say, In death the tzaddikim are called alive, for their souls, which have ascended to the abode of supernal beings, are alive and have a tremendous influence on our world. This is why praying by the graves of the tzaddikim is a special segula for obtaining forgiveness on the day of judgment. In fact their living souls have the ability to defend every Jew. We began our journey in the Ukraine by visiting a school with some 800 Jewish children. Unfortunately, most of these students came from assimilated families, a result of the spiritual Holocaust that ravaged the former communist nation. From these children we heard stories of families with incredible valor, people who secretly preserved the embers of Judaism and engaged in Torah study and mitzvot performance despite great hardship. Today there are many organizations that have taken up the difficult task of returning lost souls to the bosom of Judaism, having unselfishly launched numerous activities to that end. These children, wearing large kippahs on their heads, welcomed us with a powerful Baruch Haba Beshem Hashem! The emotion we felt upon hearing this song, sung with tremendous purity, was indescribable. By their decrees, the Communists brought darkness upon Soviet Jewry, and in this way they emulated the actions of the ancient Greeks, who also clouded the vision of the Jewish people so as to prevent them from fulfilling Torah mitzvot. Fortunately, the Jewish people were never forsaken, and it was the Soviet Union that disappeared from the earth. The light that it had tried to obscure is now starting to reappear, for the Communists, who wanted to extinguish the light of the Torah, were themselves extinguished. They ended up like Haman, who in the end was hanged on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordechai the Jew. Stalin is certainly rolling in his grave because of the spiritual rebirth that is occurring in our time. When a tree is pruned, it remains bare for a certain time. Yet because the roots are still alive, the tree s sap has the power to keep it alive, until finally new branches and buds appear. The nations repeatedly try to break the Jewish people and make them lose hope. However they have never succeeded, for the breath of Jewish life still echoes within them, and the waters of the Torah will make them rise once again by infusing them with renewed energy. In the former Soviet Union itself, we traveled for two entire days without stopping other than for prayers and meals. It was a journey that was filled with words of Torah, words that encouraged everyone, especially those who needed to renew their strength. From this school, we traveled to the grave of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev Zatzal, the defender of the Jewish people. It is said that Rabbi Levi Yitzchak once ventured outside on Shabbat and saw a Jew who was smoking. When he spoke to him to express his astonishment at his desecration of Shabbat, the man replied that although he was aware of the seriousness of his action, he was unable to overcome his desire to smoke. When Rabbi Levi Yitzchak heard this, he spread out his hands to the sky and said, Master of the universe, look at how greatly Your children cling to the truth! This Jew could have found numerous excuses for his action, but instead he chose to speak the truth. And You, Hashem Whose seal is truth and At the grave of Baal Chem tov

11 At the Synagogue of Baal Shem Tov Who abhors falsehood do not overlook this. Save Your people Israel from exile by the merit of this Jew, who steadfastly clings to the truth! While traveling to Berditchev, we had stopped by the side of the road to pray Mincha. It was amazing to see how we can pray in public places today without having to fear the authorities. Upon arriving at his grave, we poured our hearts out to Hashem, and I said a few words of Torah to my friends. I mentioned that we must ask Hashem to show mercy to His children and deliver them. I also said that we must ask the tzaddik to intercede for us with Hashem, for when we are in exile the nations of the world think that they are superior to the Jewish people, and thus Hashem s honor is profaned in the world. This is why we must ask for our exile to end as quickly as possible, so that His Name is no longer profaned in public. We then lit candles by the grave of the tzaddik, with the hope that Hashem would answer our prayers. From there we continued our journey toward the grave of the holy Baal Shem Tov. Arriving at around three in the morning, I was overcome with emotion when I saw his grave. I used to constantly talk to my family members and close friends about this great Jewish figure, and now I was fortunate enough to be standing in front of his grave! We stayed to pray, and afterwards we went to a mikveh. From there we left for Uman, where we would find the gravesite of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, may his merit protect us all. There too we prayed, as well as by the gravesites of all the tzaddikim of the region. Thus for two entire days we traveled from gravesite to gravesite and were constantly engaged in prayer. We ended our journey in the Ukraine by the grave of the Baal HaTanya, and from there we traveled to the airport to return to Paris. It was from Paris that we set off for Morocco, where we would attend the Hilloula of Rabbi Haim Pinto, may his merit protect us all. Our entire journey was made possible by a Jew named Cesar. He celebrated with me at my son s wedding, and there he presented me with a request: He was ready to do anything I wanted, on condition that I would go with him to visit the graves of the tzaddikim in the Ukraine. From there we would travel to Paris 11

12 and then to Morocco for the Hilloula of my ancestor. In explaining his request, he said that he believed that our journey would bring about the arrival of Mashiach. In spite of all the money it would cost him, he said this from the bottom of his heart, with authentic Jewish devotion. I asked him what would happen to his business, given that he was going to be away for so long. He said that he was putting his business in his brother s hands, even if it meant that he was going to make no money during that time, and even if it meant losing money. I thought of what was best to do in this case, for it was a difficult journey that he was proposing. It was going to be very uncomfortable, to the point that it would be extremely difficult to even take a shower. Furthermore, during the Hilloula in Morocco that was to follow this journey, thousands of people from around the world would be arriving, and I would have to greet and speak with all of them. After such a long journey, that would be extremely difficult. This Jew, however, claimed that our journey would bring about the Geula, and if I refused, he would think that I was a man of little faith. Each time that he would see me, he would remember that I prevented the arrival of Mashiach because I refused to go with him. Therefore how could I refuse? I asked this Jew, If I go with you, and Mashiach still doesn t come, how will you react? He said, That s a real problem, one that I don t have the strength to solve. I said that I was ready to accompany him on this journey, not because it would bring about the arrival of Mashiach, but because his sincere faith would bring it about. As the Rambam says, Even if he tarries, I will still wait for him. One of the principles of our faith is to believe in the arrival of Mashiach. I told him of my father Zatzal, who waited for Mashiach his entire life with the certainty that he would come during his lifetime. Because of this Jew s utterly pure and sincere faith (not to mention that I was amazed by his 12 At the grave of Baal Ha Tania

13 devotion and the fact that he was ready to spend a considerable amount of his money for this goal), I agreed to join him on his journey. We arrived in Morocco to an atmosphere of great enthusiasm, and we were eager to meet Jews from the United States, South America, Israel, Europe, and all around the world. There I heard stories of miracles that occurred by the merit of the tzaddik Rabbi Haim Pinto Zatzal. A man by the name of Sami has been attending the Hilloula each year, and two years ago we were all praying for him to become a father, since he and his wife had been childless despite being married for many years. At last year s Hilloula, he told me that his wife was about to give birth in a few days, which is why she did not accompany him that year. He told me that he was praying for his child to be born before Elul 26, which is the yahrtzeit of the tzaddik. However he felt that his request would not be granted, because it was already Elul 25, which was Shabbat, meaning that his wife only had until the end of Shabbat to give birth. I said to him, Be happy with what you already have, for when we ask for too much, we receive nothing! Nevertheless, Sami clung to his views. I asked him for the time, and he said that it was two in the afternoon. I told him that there was still some time before the evening, and that perhaps his wife was giving birth at that very moment, meaning that his prayer was about to At the grave of the Rashav be answered. Sami was not inclined to believe me, saying that his wife s actual delivery date was Rosh Hashanah, which is why he felt it unlikely that his prayer would be answered. As it turned out, before we left for the cemetery at the end of Shabbat, we saw Sami singing and dancing for joy! He explained that he was just told that his wife had given birth to a boy on Shabbat, a few hours before Elul 26. Thus his prayer had been fully granted, for his wife gave birth to a boy, and he was born before the set date. This year we actually saw his baby boy, whom he named Haim, after the tzaddik whose merit brought this miracle about. The three days that we spent in Morocco for the Hilloula were spiritually uplifting, a time filled with singing and joy. The Shabbat we spent there was also a foretaste of the World to Come. Everyone spoke of the miracles they had seen on account of the tzaddik. The Moroccan government also contributed to the success of the Hilloula, for it ensured our complete security during all the time that we were there. A great sanctification of Hashem s Name occurred when Selichot were recited in public, and the Moroccan residents of the region paid great respect to the participants of the Hilloula. King Mohammed VI, may Hashem exalt his glory and elevate his kingdom, a man known for his kindness toward Jews, sent his representative to deliver a speech, and he spoke at great length about peace and unity. This representative added that Morocco needed Jews, and that Jews should feel at home there. These were words that truly warmed the heart. The Hilloula itself took place in a spirit of holiness and purity, with the merit of the tzaddik certainly contributing to this. What merit did Rabbi Haim Pinto Zatzal have, such that thousands of people from around the world came to pray by his grave! I thought that in this we have an indication of the resurrection of the dead. In fact the concept of the resurrection of the dead can be interpreted in two ways: Either literally, or by the fact that there are tzaddikim who, when they die, are forgotten and their graves abandoned, yet after a few centuries an awakening takes place and crowds gather around their grave. This is truly a resurrection of the dead. Since my father left Morocco, there was almost no one who took care of the gravesite of the Saba Kadisha, be it because they were 13

14 afraid or for some other reason. Yet now, all of a sudden, we have people from around the world coming to pray by his grave. In this we can truly see a resurrection of the dead. A person can be moved to tears from the stories that we heard during those three days. Some 20 years ago, a man was struck with a terrible illness that was spreading through his body. In fact at one point he was told that he only had a few days to live. In his misery, this man went to pray for his life by the grave of my grandfather Zatzal, and when he returned, his illness began to recede, until it left his body and he was completely cured. While in Morocco, a man told me that he was literally moved to tears when he picked up our annual magazine and saw pictures of our Torah center in Ashdod. He explained he had a strange dream in the same year that my father died. In his dream, he saw my father running toward a plot of land on his Hilloula. He then asked my father if he was alive or dead, and my father told him that he was alive, since the tzaddikim are called alive even in death. The man then asked my father where he was running. My father replied that he was going home, and that on this plot of land a great edifice would be built, a home in which he would dwell. My father Zatzal showed him a drawing of the building, and it turned out that the edifice which we later built constructed for the elevation of my father s soul, a Torah center called Orot Haim Ou- Moshe was exactly the way the man saw it in his dream! In fact we were fortunate enough to establish, in front of the local cemetery, a district that carries his name. It is a place that is pure and holy, a place from which the light of the Torah spreads to the entire region. I told myself that coming to Morocco just to hear this story was worth every effort. From this dream we learn just how true it is that the tzaddikim are 14

15 called alive even in death, for even before we envisioned buying this plot of land and building a kingdom of Torah on it, my father had already selected it as a dwelling place. The Sages say that when the Children of Israel went up to the Temple, they were so numerous that they stood tightly squeezed. However when they bent down in order to pray, they all had ample room. In fact no one ever said that there wasn t enough room in Jerusalem. The same goes for Rabbi Haim Pinto s mausoleum. Normally a maximum of 20 people can fit inside. However on the day of his Hilloula, there was close to 400 or 500 people there, not including myself and the person in charge of opening the mausoleum. The tzaddikim testify to their very nature, and they have no need to attract attention, for it comes to them on its own. You really have to see it to believe it. In general, people are afraid of venturing into an old cemetery because it is gloomy and deserted, especially at night. Yet where a tzaddik is buried, fear has no place because he is considered to be alive, and his living spirit hovers above his grave. We find that one who takes an interest in stories of the tzaddikim, it is as if he attended to the Celestial Chariot. This is an astonishing statement. How is it possible to compare the two? The answer is that the tzaddikim are Hashem s representatives in this world, and their sole purpose is to serve Hashem in the greatest possible way by annulling themselves. The tzaddikim are the foundation of this world, and thanks to them we (insignificant as we are) can learn to serve Hashem in truth, not for selfish reasons. Hence the tzaddikim have the merit to intercede before Hashem. Furthermore, the tzaddikim can influence the ways of Heaven, insofar as they can annul Hashem s decrees. One who offends the honor of the tzaddikim is severely punished, for by doing so he also offends the honor of Heaven. To conclude, let me describe the tremendous miracle that occurred to a Jew from the United States during the Hilloula. I know that many people won t believe it, but it was actually witnessed by thousands of people. On the evening of the Hilloula, which took place right after Shabbat, this person (who had greatly helped me during the entire Hilloula) lost his cell phone. Although we looked for it everywhere, and despite the fact that numerous people were involved in the search, it was not to be found. When we were about to leave the cemetery, the owner of the cell phone began to scream, for he found it lying at his very feet! How it got there is impossible to explain, for we looked dozens of times in the same place that he was standing. We even dialed the cell phone s number to make it ring, but without success. How could it have turned up at his very feet? As the Torah states, the hidden things are for Hashem our G-d! On one hand, this event demonstrates man s insignificance, for he can sometimes become blind. On the other hand, it demonstrates the holiness of the tzaddikim, who have the power to perform miracles. May it be Hashem s will that the merit of the prayers recited by the graves of the tzaddikim be accounted to us and to all Israel. May these prayers ascend before Hashem and have an effect in Heaven, and may this year be one of blessing and good decrees! Amen. 15

16 THE ROOT OF THE RIGHTEOUS WILL GIVE I t is written, The root of the tzaddikim [righteous] will give fruit (Proverbs 12:12). The Vilna Gaon states that whoever stems from the tzaddikim naturally gives to others and does good for people. However a tzaddik who does not stem from this root will not naturally give, and instead he must force himself to do so. It is in the nature of everyone who stems from this root to give, for the verse states that he will give (i.e., it is in his nature to do so). Blessed be the G-d of Israel, Who has given us life and enabled us to record the great concepts and deeds of our Rav, Rabbi David Hanania Pinto Shlita. For many years he has worked to bring the Jewish people closer to Torah, to bring the hearts of Israel back to their Father in Heaven. The majority of this work has been accomplished in France, where he sanctified G-d s Name and brought thousands of people to repentance. The Rav has established Torah institutions in France and throughout the world, in addition to financing and maintaining existing institutions. In fact he has broken the power of the evil inclination and improved the spiritual condition of Jews in France. The Jews of France, who number about 600,000 (may they increase in number), come mainly from North Africa. These Jews have always stood out for their religious observance and righteousness through the generations, even though they suffered in this exile more than other Jews. Indeed, the Ohr HaChaim HaKodesh wrote that we suffered more in the exile of the infernal west than in any other exile. These Jews lived with tremendous righteousness and a strong belief in the Creator. In fact in Morocco and nearby lands, it often happened that there were no doctors to consult, and whenever a member of the household became ill, someone would go to the cemetery and light a candle by the grave of a tzaddik, and that was their doctor. They all had a strong and tangible belief in the Creator, and they were meticulous in observing mitzvot. They also acted with great piety and wholesome innocence. However the Satan managed to have an influence on the vineyard of Israel, and the enlightenment movement brought with it the false promises of secular education and material pursuits, fooling these innocent Jews and taking their children away. Some 200,000 Jews were placed in schools that reeked with the spirit of the Gentiles, and thus they were separated from their religion and heritage. When they came to France, they faced the grave threat of assimilation among the Gentiles, whose ways they emulated, and thus many of them were assimilated. The same occurred in Israel, for the secular organizations that brought 700,000 Jews from Morocco and neighboring countries to Israel gave these new immigrants a secular education that alienated them from Torah. Now, thank G-d, we see that many of them are returning to Judaism and their holy roots. In his youth, our teacher the Rav learned Torah from the spiritual giants of Israel. First and foremost, he lived in the yeshiva of the holy and pious man, a master of Mussar in our gen- 16

17 eration, the saintly Rabbi Gershon Libman Zatzal. Rav Libman was from the great Novardok yeshiva, being one of the students of the Alter of Novardok, Rabbi Yosef Yoizel Horowitz Zatzal. Rav Libman was also among the great men of Bialystok in Poland before the Holocaust, having crossed into Poland from Russia together with the Steipler Zatzal in 5685, for they left their parents in Russia and exiled themselves to a place of Torah. Rav Libman was a holy flame, having dedicated himself after the Holocaust to the Jews of North Africa and instilling them with Torah and the fear of G-d. All his students were tremendously influenced by his great personality. Concerning Rav Yosef Kahaneman, the founder of the Ponevezh yeshiva in Bnei Brak and Ashdod, it is said that he would go and knock on people s doors for yeshiva donations. Rav Kahaneman stated that because of the public s great merit in supporting Torah, he was able to learn for half a year with the Alter of Novardok at his yeshiva. [Note: This occurred after the well-known dispute over teaching Mussar in Knesset Israel yeshiva.] Whatever he learned with his Rav was infused in his body and became like oil to his bones, all because of the merit that he was able to impart to the public. Clearly, this also applies to our teacher Rabbi David Hanania Pinto Shlita, who has bestowed and continues to bestow merit upon the Jewish people. Of course Rabbi Pinto learned all this from his great teacher, and thus the entire Jewish people have benefited from his tremendous endeavors. May he merit to continue building upon them. Rabbi Pinto also learned Torah in the Sunderland yeshiva with tzaddikim and Torah giants, including Rabbi Shammai Zahn Zatzal and Rabbi Zev Kaufman Shlita (presently the Manchester Rosh Kollel, may he live long), who himself learned from the tzaddik Rabbi Chaim Shemuel Lopian Zatzal. Rav Kaufman was able to teach the Rav a great deal, and he holds a great deal of affection for him. In fact Rav Kaufman enthusiastically endorsed the Rav s book, as he mentioned in a letter that he wrote during the week of Parsha Ki Tisa 5753: To my dear and beloved friend, who with great devotion makes souls, the pious Rav, son of holy angels of G-d, Rabbi David Hanania Pinto. I read his wonderful books on Sefer Bereshith almost every day, and they give me great pleasure. May Hashem help him to publish the remaining parts of Pahad David on the Chumash, so that many may walk in their light. In a letter dated Kislev 15, 5757, Rav Kaufman addressed the Rav with the following words: To my pupil, beloved of my soul, the offspring of great scholars and tzaddikim, a man familiar with all aspects of Torah, Rav David Hanania Pinto Shlita, from the holy 17

18 Jewish community of France and the Pinto institutions around the world. Rav Kaufman went on to praise the Rav s book, and then he wrote: Although writing is hard for me in my old age, nevertheless I will not refrain from expressing my great appreciation for the honor of this great and holy family among their generations. The Rav often mentions the words of his teachers and strives to walk in their ways, especially with regards to teaching Torah with enthusiasm, sanctifying the Name of Heaven, and doing the will of our Heavenly Father. Many years after living in their shadow, the Rav still mentions their words in his talks and Torah lectures to the public, as well as to those close to him. Obviously, the words of our Sages of blessed memory will be fulfilled in him, for they said, A person does not understand his Rav s intentions until he reaches the age of 40. He will also fulfill the statement of the Vilna Gaon on the verse, Take fast hold of Mussar [instruction], and do not let it loose. Guard it, for it is your life (Proverbs 4:13): Hold on to the Mussar that you started and strengthen it. Why is the word Mussar spelled with a Kamatz? To teach us that we must cling to the Mussar that we have already learned! Our teacher learned most of his Torah and fear of Heaven from his holy father, the spiritual giant and saintly Rav Moshe Aharon Pinto Zatzal, who continued the holy dynasty of Moroccan Sages from the Pinto family. Rav Moshe Aharon instilled his children with a true fear of Heaven, a reverence that was without limit. He did not deviate in the slightest degree from the ways of Torah or pious tradition, nor from the deeds of kindness that were emblematic of the holy Pinto family among their generations. In fact the Rav states that as soon as his father approached him and asked, My son, what is tachlit, his words infused him would a simple and strong faith, one without limits. The book Shir Yedidut cites Rabbi Haim Pinto Zatzal (the Rav s grandfather) as saying, I was shaken by the fear of the strong One Who overcame me. From this expression we see that his fear of Heaven was not a simple dread, but a reverential fear of G-d that stemmed from the attribute of Yirah. Indeed, as the verse states, A threefold cord will not be quickly broken (Ecclesiastes 4:12). That is, dwelling among great Torah figures at the Sunderland yeshiva, receiving tremendous inspiration from Rav Gershon Libman (a master of Mussar), and above all obtaining an education from his father Rabbi Moshe Aharon Zatzal have allowed our teacher Rabbi David Pinto Shlita to accomplish great things. These include enabling hundreds of avrechim to learn Torah, as well as bringing thousands of our Jewish brothers back to their Father in Heaven. We know that the deeds of the fathers are a sign for their children, who are drawn in the direction of their fathers deeds, as our Sages of blessed memory have said on the verse, My words will not leave your mouth, nor the mouth of your offspring (Isaiah 59:21). As Rabbi Chaim Palache wrote in the introduction to his book Rachamim LeChaim, And He shall give you mercy and have mercy over you. That is, whoever has mercy on others testifies that he is among the descendants of Abraham, and whoever does not have mercy on others testifies that he is not among the descendants of Abraham. As Rabbi Palache wrote, The reason is that our father Abraham always clung to the attribute of chesed [lovingkindness] by showing hospitality to guests, etc. It was this attribute that Abraham bestowed to his sons, as 18

19 it is written: For I have known him, because he commands his sons and his household after him, that they should keep the way of the L-RD to perform righteousness and justice [Genesis 18:19]. This was in order to fulfill the statement, Your sons shall be instead of your fathers, for they follow after their roots. Therefore when we see a person performing deeds of chesed, we can be certain that his fathers were ba alei chesed who handed this attribute down to him. So too with regards to our teacher Rabbi David Pinto, who established large organizations devoted to chesed. In fact with the Rav s help, the Shalhevet Mordechai organization was able to distribute close to 1 million shekels to the poor this past Nissan. It is certain that Rav David Pinto acquired this trait from his holy forefathers. We know that Rabbi Haim Pinto of Essaouira, one of the Rav ancestors, was wholeheartedly involved in deeds of chesed and charity during his entire life. As we mentioned earlier, the Vilna Gaon stated in his commentary on the book of Proverbs that whoever stems from the tzaddikim naturally wants to give. That is, it is in his nature to give. May Hashem s Name be forever praised, for He has not left Israel alone. He has placed holy people in the midst of the Jewish people, men who have illuminated the generations with their Torah, righteousness, and ascetic way of life. The head of the Pinto dynasty was a giant among giants, a gaon among gaonim and holy of holies Rabbi Yehoshiyahu Pinto Zatzal the author of the commentary Meor Einayim on the book Ein Yaakov. Known as the Rif, he also wrote Kessef Nivchar, Kessef Mezukak and others. He was known around the world as a miracle worker, a man who fought for the sake of Heaven. Rabbi Yehoshiyahu Pinto s son, Rabbi Shlomo Pinto Zatzal of Agadir, became the father of the great Rabbi Haim Pinto Hagadol, who in turn fathered four sons: (1) Rabbi Yaakov Pinto Zatzal, the author of the book Mikdash Melech on the Zohar (which G-d willing will soon be published along with other works from rabbis of the Pinto family); (2) Rabbi Yosef Zatzal; (3) Rabbi Avraham Zatzal; and (4) Rabbi Yehudah Pinto Zatzal (commonly known as Rabbi Hadane ). Rabbi Hadane fathered Rabbi Haim Pinto Hakatan, who in turn fathered Rabbi Raphael Zatzal, Rabbi Meir Zatzal, and Rabbi Moshe Aharon Zatzal. Rabbi Moshe Aharon lived in isolation for some 40 years, rising to lofty levels in the service of G-d. He fathered the Rav Shlita and his brothers, and was laid to rest in the holy soil of Ashdod, the city where he chose to live out his final days. Opposite his grave stands the Orot Haim OuMoshe Torah center, a glorious edifice that contains a Beit Midrash, a large kollel for 80 avrechim, and a ba alei batim kollel for about 20 individuals. There the Torah is studied from morning till night, and the words of our Sages of blessed memory are fulfilled there as well, for concerning King Hezekiah we read, The inhabitants of Jerusalem bestowed honor upon him at his death (2 Chronicles 32:33). Here 19

20 20 the Sages have said: This teaches that they built a yeshiva upon his grave. The book Shita Mekubetzet cites Rabbi Yosef Halevi Even of Gashi as stating, The honor they bestowed lies in the fact that they built a yeshiva upon his grave, the term yeshiva referring to many Torah scholars, for one or two do not constitute a yeshiva. G-d willing, a yeshiva ketana will be opened on the top floor of the Orot Haim OuMoshe center this coming Elul, and so the Torah of the young will join the Torah of the avrechim. May their Torah ascend to Heaven and be accepted as a pleasing odor to Hashem. The Rav has funded all these endeavors, as well as others in Israel and around the world, through the merit of his holy fathers. Many people come to him for his advice and blessing, testifying to the fact that the merit of his fathers is with him. Our Sages of blessed memory cite Rabbi Eliezer as saying that if you see a tzaddik who is the son of righteous men, he will not quickly sin, for he will realize that it is better for him to overcome his evil inclination for a short time, rather than to lose his world for an hour. He can therefore escape the judgment of Gehinnom, as it says: The root of the righteous will give (see Yalkut Shimoni 247:947). In Ashdod the Rav has succeeded in increasing Torah learning and deeds of chesed in a marvelous way. Besides the large kollel that he founded, the Rav supports dozens of institutions both openly and behind the scenes, and it is commonly known that he funds both talmudei Torah and yeshivot ketanot. The tzaddik Rabbi Moshe Aharon Zatzal had great merit with his sons, especially with regards to our teacher Rabbi David, in that they are part of a prophecy that is becoming a reality in our day. As the prophet Zechariah states, Strangers shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines (Zechariah 9:6). Here the Targum explains that the Jewish people who never settled in Ashdod and were therefore considered as strangers in it will inhabit the city. Fortunate are we to see this prophecy coming true in our day! We also see a prophecy from the previous verse coming true, namely: And a king was lost from Gaza (v.5). That is, we all know that the leadership in Gaza is becoming increasingly unstable, thank G-d, and therefore let us hope that the verse, He dug a hole and fell into the pit he made will also come true. Rabbi David Pinto has also established a yeshiva gedolah in Jerusalem, as well as a kollel for outstanding avrechim. His praises are sung throughout the country, for he supports many yeshivot and Torah institutions in Jerusalem and Bnei Brak. May Hashem grant him added strength to continue supporting the study of Torah. We see that the Rav s institutions are succeeding and growing despite all the hardships they encounter each day. Maintaining his Torah centers and charitable institutions demands enormous financial resources, as well as a great deal of effort and self-sacrifice. In all his endeavors, we see that David was wise in all his ways and the L-RD was with him (I Samuel 18:14). There are several reasons for the Rav s success, reasons that we shall attempt to list. First of all, aside from financially supporting the study of Torah and being involved to a great degree in teaching it himself, the Rav is also involved in a wide variety of charitable activities. He devotes a great deal of his time and energy into accomplishing deeds of chesed and encouraging others to wholehearted do so as well. Hence the Torah institutions that he supports are also flourishing, as our Sages of blessed memory have said: I shall walk in the path of charity the Torah said, Hashem walks only in the path of those who do charity and chesed. That is, the Torah endures only with those who engage in deeds of kindness. Thus we see that successfully supporting Torah study depends on deeds of charity and chesed. Such were the traditions of the Rav s fathers, as the Torah scholar Rabbi Maimon Abuchbut Zatzal wrote about his grandfather, Rabbi Haim Pinto Zatzal: This tzaddik, our master and Rav, the saintly Kabbalist Rabbi Haim Pinto may his merit stand for us and for all Israel used to perform deeds of charity and justice even in his old age, for he was as full of chesed as a pomegranate is of seeds. He was infused with the

21 trait of performing deeds of kindness, and he was filled with compassion for the people of his town. Indeed, he would always attend their funerals and weep for the departed (see Pahad David for details). We see that the Rav s success also stems from his strong faith and confidence in Hashem. When he meets wealthy individuals who support his institutions, he does not specifically ask them for donations. Instead he speaks words of Mussar and Torah with dik Rabbi Yehoshiyahu Pinto Zatzal in his book Kessef Mezukak. In it he cautions against relying too much on our own efforts, but instead advocates strengthening our faith in Hashem. He states, The eyes of Hashem are upon the entire Jewish people in order to save them from their enemies Not by military force and not by physical strength, but by My spirit, says the L- RD of hosts [Zechariah 4:6] since He is the One Who fights for them and saves them. We must therefore put an them, not relying too much on his own efforts, as his father Rabbi Moshe Aharon Zatzal taught him. The Rav often travels by plane from city to city and from country to country, knocking on the doors of wealthy individuals to fund Torah institutions that do not even belong to the Rav, institutions such as the Mir Yeshiva and others. In doing so, the Rav places his complete faith in Hashem, for he is not afraid that those who donate to other institutions will stop supporting his own. In fact the verse tells us, Cast your burden on the L-RD and He will support you (Psalms 55:23). Those who donate to the Rav give of their own free will; he does not specifically ask them for donations. We find the same behavior described by the gaon and tzadeffort into placing our faith in Hashem, for chesed belongs to Him and He can easily save us. Thus we find that Scripture states, When you go out to war against your enemy (Deuteronomy 20:1) not when you go out to fight your enemy an allusion to the fact that Hashem can save us, for He is the One Who fights our wars. The Jewish people are simply to go out to the war that Hashem will wage. We will end up defeating our enemies, though our victory will come from Hashem. He will arrange things such that our enemies will fall before us and we will be honored, as if we ourselves had attained this victory on our own. Thus we see that the secret of our success lies in exerting minimum effort and maximum faith in Hashem. The Rav also fulfils the verse, And his heart was uplifted in the ways of the L-RD (2 Chronicles 17:6). He does his utmost to make the Jewish people meritorious, fulfilling in his person the words of Rabbi Yehoshiyahu Pinto Zatzal in his commentary on Parsha Bamidbar: In matters concerning the service of Hashem, mitzvot observance, and Torah learning, a person has to consider his soul s place before the Creator, as the verse states: My portion is Hashem. I said that I would observe Your words (Psalms 119:57). If he humbles himself before Hashem alone, his soul will not be complete, for he must humble himself before every person as well. He must not feel superior to them in any way, and if a mitzvah should present itself to him, he must not think, Why should I do this? Rather, every person should hasten to perform a mitzvah. The Rav travels from one part of the globe to another in order to support Torah institutions, virtually running to perform mitzvot. He fulfills the words of the Malbim, who explained the verse, And Abram went into the south (Genesis 13:1) as meaning that he traveled with the intention of sanctifying G-d s Name. Another teaching that applies to the Rav comes from the words of our Sages of blessed memory, who stated: From where do we learn that Hashem has mercy on whoever has a son that toils in Torah? It is from the verse, My son, if your heart has grown wise, my heart too will rejoice [Proverbs 23:15]. For years the Rav has been supporting avrechim and Torah scholars who learn in numerous Torah institutions around the world. He founded these centers with great effort, and he does not maintain them just because of the mitzvah to support those who study Torah, but because he loves them dearly. In fact he relates to them as a father does to his sons. This is why he succeeds, for he works with great selfsacrifice to do as much as he can for them and more! 21

22 THE LATEST ACHIEVEMENTS OF OUR TEACHER AND RAV 22 The latest achievements of Rabbi David Hanania Pinto Shlita in the city of Ashdod have become famous. Since the Rav came to dwell in Eretz Israel, our city has become a city that never stops, a place brimming with Torah and mitzvot. Everything revolves around the luxurious Torah center that stands at the entrance of the city, an edifice that the Rav built. It is a miniature Temple, serving as a spiritual lighthouse for the entire area. It is also the largest and most luxurious synagogue in the entire city. The sounds of Torah that emanate from it can be heard far and wide, from sunrise until late into the night. The highlight of Shabbat Kodesh is the three main Torah lectures that the Rav gives in shul. One takes place Friday night, another following Shacharit, and the third at sundown. Everyone eagerly listens to and absorbs the words of the Rav, who stands on the bimah with authority, showering us all with words of Torah and the fear of Heaven. With his captivating words, he knows just how to reach the hearts of his listeners, employing lessons from our Sages of blessed memory and delving deeply into the weekly parsha. What s amazing is that everyone, both young and old, can relate to his words. To the young, the Rav describes interesting events from our Sages, and to the intellectuals among the audience, he provides a penetrating look into the parsha, asking deep questions and providing profound answers. Inside the large and luxurious Torah center is a kollel where more than a hundred avrechim study Torah. These are the most gifted Torah schol- ars in the city, having been accepted into the kollel only after an in-depth test by its directors. The voices of the avrechim can be heard throughout the day, voices filled with Torah and the fear of Heaven. I remember when an important Torah figure entered the kollel. He was one of the most prominent Torah scholars in Jerusalem, and when he heard the powerful sounds of Torah emanating from this marvelous kollel, he said with great enthusiasm, I feel like I m in the holy city of Jerusalem! Indeed, this dear corner of Ashdod is the city s holy pearl, and all because of our Rav. His soul intention and only wish is to spread Torah, and he devotes himself entirely to that end, traveling around the world for the sake of our holy Torah. Our Rav never remains idle for a minute, for he is always advancing. He came to Ashdod and declared that a Friday kollel would be started, for he knows just how lofty Torah study is on that day, and he is willing to pay handsomely for those willing to engage in it. The Rav does this because he knows just how great the power of Torah truly is. The Rav does not stop there, for every night the avrechim gather from all corners of the city to study Torah in the evening kollel, where the sounds of Torah can be heard until the wee hours of the morning. Because a love for Torah burns in the heart of the Rav, he is constantly seeking those who wish to study it. The Rav s love for Jews is legendary, for they are dear to his heart. In fact the essential aspect of the Rav s speeches is the love he expresses for Torah scholars, and it is obvious to see how much love and admiration he holds for them. Of course love alone is not enough for those who toil in Torah, since they need to put food on the table for their families. Therefore the Rav also generously funds them so they can be free to study Torah without worry. Everything is done with tact and respect so as not to hurt their feelings. From time to time the Rav holds special campaigns to garner financial support for Torah learning. Even today, people still remember the Torah celebration that he held on Israel s Independence Day. Because the Rav wanted to attract as many people as possible from the street in order to hear G-d s words, he wisely set up a raffle with a first prize of 10,000 NIS, a second prize of 7,000 NIS, and a third prize of 5,000 NIS. The Rav invited the best rabbis and lecturers to the event, and they were all delighted to see that after a full day of Torah talks and lectures, the shul was still full at 11 PM, an hour before midnight! About 300 people were sitting in the shul at that time and listening to words of Torah and the fear of Heaven. The delight that the Rav felt stemmed from his love of G-d and the Jewish people, a love that burns in his heart like a flame. The great kindness that the Rav shows to people is also legendary. He does everything with humility; nothing is done for show. In his speeches the Rav often mentions the hardships faced by people who come to him for help. It is easy to see how he shares in their sorrows, listens to

23 their plight, and helps them as best he can. In fact the Rav has saved entire families from dire financial conditions. He even gives regular donations to the needy every month, for it is difficult for him to see them living in hardship. All these activities are in addition to the various kollelim (daytime, nighttime, and Friday) that the Rav maintains. We also can t forget the ba alei batim kollel, where more than 70 pensioners come to learn for the entire day instead of wasting their time doing nothing. The expense required to maintain these kollelim comes to a small fortune. About two weeks before Shavuot, the Rav gave a speech in which he declared that whoever came and studied during the entire night would receive $50 for the holiday. The Rav committed himself to doing this because a love of G-d burns within him, and also because he wants to draw everyone to the sweet taste of Torah on this holy night. In fact some 300 people avrechim and G-d-fearing ba alei batim signed up to study on that night. Activities such as this also add to the Rav s tremendous budget. The Rav does all he can to improve the financial condition of the avrechim. Besides the monthly support that they receive, he also provides them with chicken and meat products in abundance. This also costs the Rav a great deal. The Rav has not forgotten youngsters and children. He established a youth club because, despite the fact that they learn Torah in the morning at the Talmud Torah, after school they might wander into the street and get involved in detrimental activities. Therefore after they finish learning, they go to the club and participate in various social activities, constantly playing and amusing themselves. They are protected in this way from harmful outside influences, as well as from the evil inclination. It s no wonder that everyone comes to the Rav s door with an invitation to give a lecture at their institutions. They want to hear his sweet words and grow spiritually; they want to hear the words of G-d and be encouraged. Leaders of both yeshivas and organizations devoted to ba alei teshuva all yearn to hear the Rav speak. The Rav was once invited to speak to a group of ba alei teshuva. When he arrived, he was stunned to find himself in the city square surrounded by hundreds of ba alei teshuva. He therefore stood on a stage in the middle of the city and watered them with words of Torah, which they eagerly drank in. This occurred because people listen to someone who is infused with the fear of Heaven, and the Rav is literally overflowing with a love for Torah and the fear of Heaven, for these are his goals in life. May it be G-d s will for the Rav to succeed in all his endeavors. May G- d help the Rav to sanctify His Name, and may he continue to lead his institutions and receive nachas from his entire family. Amen! 23

24 THE GAON AND TZADDIK RABBI YITZCHAK KADURI ZATZAL RAV KADURI S DAY ENDED AT 11:00 PM. HE WOULD THEN SLEEP FOR A VERY BRIEF SPELL, UNTIL THE TIME FOR RECITING TIKKUN CHATZOT ARRIVED. HE WOULD THEN ARISE LIKE A LION TO SERVE HIS CREATOR ONCE AGAIN. NOW THAT WE HAVE LOST RAV KADURI, WHAT WILL BECOME OF US? His Birth in the Shadow of the Ben Ish Hai 24 Born in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad over 100 years ago, our great teacher Rav Yitzchak Kaduri Zatzal entered this world in holiness and sanctity. His parents, Rabbi Ze ev Diba and his wife Tafcha, made their living in the spice trade. Although the exact year of his birth is not known, according to his followers and only son, Rabbi David Shlita, he was born in the year From his childhood, our teacher distinguished himself by his tremendous abilities, including a quick and penetrating mind. Naturally, he used these gifts only for studying Torah, and he was already a recognized Torah scholar in his youth. As a young man, he devoted himself to learning Torah in the Beit Midrash of the Zilka Yeshiva in Baghdad, where Torah scholars would gather around Rabbi Abdallah Somech Zatzal and the Ben Ish Hai Zatzal. When Rav Kaduri was seventeen years old, he was already speaking before leading Torah figures in Baghdad, who lavished him with praise. Those who knew him later admitted that his abilities were so great and unusual for such a young man that certain Torah scholars anticipating his brilliant future in the world of Torah asked him to keep a low profile and not speak in public too often, lest the evil eye attack him. Some of them also feared envoys of the reform movement, who targeted young Jewish men, particularly the gifted ones, throughout Iraq and the Middle East. Their goal was to make them stray from the paths of Torah. Rav Kaduri s son, Rabbi David, said that when his father was not yet ten years old, he would go and listen to the Ben Ish Hai s speeches. This gives us an idea of Rav Kaduri s age. Rabbi David also cited his father as saying that on Shabbat HaGadol and Shabbat Shuvah, more than 10,000 people would gather to listen to the Ben Ish Hai s sermon. He added that the Ben Ish Hai s voice was so strong, everyone could hear him as he spoke for hours. Rav Kaduri had lasting memories of those glorious sermons, for he was seated with the other children in a circle around the Ben Ish Hai, listening to everything he said. Rav Kaduri also received a personal blessing from the Ben Ish Hai (the teacher of all the exiles), a blessing that accompanied him throughout life. May the memory of the tzaddik be blessed. His Arrival in the Holy Land In his youth, Rav Kaduri traveled to the Holy Land twice. During his second trip in 5683, he decided to live there permanently. Upon his arrival, he was drafted into the English army against his will. However Hashem arranged things such that

25 he was not sent to the front lines, for he was a skilled interpreter. Upon his release from the army, Rav Kaduri studied at the Shoshanim LeDavid Yeshiva, where many of his friends, especially Iraqi immigrants, studied Kabbalah. He then continued his studies at the Beit Midrash of Porat Yosef Yeshiva in Jerusalem s Old City. It was there that the greatest Torah figures of his generation could be found, Torah giants led by Rabbi Ezra Attiya Zatzal. Rav Kaduri expanded his knowledge of the revealed Torah to such a point that he became a gaon in all Torah fields. When asked about a particular Sugyah or Halachah, he knew exactly where to find it and which page it was on. His understanding of Kabbalah was just as impressive, an understanding that he retained to his final day. Rav Kaduri studied with the Rosh Yeshiva in the Old City during that time. He especially studied with his Rav, the gaon and kabbalist Rabbi Ephraim Cohen Zatzal, and his teacher the gaon Rabbi Salman Eliyahu Zatzal. They were among the greatest scholars studying Kabbalah at the Porat Yosef Yeshiva. The rabbis at the yeshiva made sure that students had a perfect grasp of the Talmud and Poskim. They also ensured that students learned Kabbalah according to the Arizal s method. His Connection to Great Torah Figures It is important to note that from that time on, Rav Kaduri created and main- tained close relationships with the greatest representatives of Sephardic Judaism. These were men who sat on the same bench in the Beit Midrash with him. Included among these were gaonim such as Rabbi Ben Tzion Atoun Zatzal (the father of the gaon Rabbi Atoun Shlita, the Rosh Yeshiva of Reshith Chochma), the gaon Rabbi Salman Mutzafi Zatzal, the gaon Rabbi Ovadia Hadaya Zatzal, as well as other great teachers of Torah and Kabbalah. A picture once captured the sight of these great figures all studying Kabbalah together. Beside Rabbi Attiya Zatzal, the greatest among them, this picture shows the gaon Rabbi Ezra Ades (the grandfather of Rav Ades Shlita, the Rosh Yeshiva of Kol Yaakov) sitting down and listening attentively. It also shows the gaon Rabbi Mansur ben Shimon (the father of great Torah figures from the Ben Shimon family), the gaon Rabbi Ben Tzion Atoun, and our teacher the gaon Rav Yitzhak Kaduri. May all their memories be blessed. At Porat Yosef Yeshiva, Rav Kaduri met the light of Israel, Rav Ovadia Yosef Shlita. His connection to the Yosef family was so strong that Rabbi Yaakov Ovadia Zatzal (the father of Rav Ovadia Yosef) celebrated the Kiddushin and marriage of Rav Kaduri, who in turn taught Gemara to his son for an extended length of time. Rav Kaduri s mother was also a close friend of Rav Ovadia Yosef s mother. Thus longstanding bonds of love and affection developed between the two families. We should point out that Rav Ovadia Yosef admired and respected Rav Kaduri so much that for many years he visited him on Chol HaMoed at the Nachalat Yitzhak Yeshiva. He did this in order to honor the head and founder of the yeshiva, the kabbalist Rav Yitzchak Kaduri. Rav Kaduri also had a great deal of affection for the great Torah figures of other religious communities. For years he visited the Baba Sali Zatzal at his home. In fact a few years before his passing, he asked for the Baba Sali s blessings. For his part, the Baba Sali also had great respect for Rav Kaduri, and as a measure of this respect he would stand in his presence. It was fascinating to see these two great lights matching one another in modesty by demonstrating respect for one another and asking for blessings from each other. In the end, these two giants of Kabbalah blessed one another like a single man with one heart. It is very possible that their relationship went back many years before. In fact when the Baba Sali was 31 years old, he arrived in Eretz Israel for the first time. During the year that he remained in the Holy Land, the leading Torah figures of the generation visited him to pay their respects. At the time, the Baba Sali studied Torah and Kabbalah at Porat Yosef Yeshiva in the Old City. There he became acquainted with kabbalists and great Torah figures of the generation. In fact he met the greatest kabbalist of the time, the holy Rabbi Alfandri Zatzal, who had a tremendous influence on him. In light of this, we cannot discount the possibility that the Baba Sali also studied Torah with Rav Kaduri, who would later become the greatest kabbalist of his time. By the year 5694, Rav Kaduri was living in the Bucharim neighborhood, built not long before. He usually studied at Porat Yosef during the week, returning home only for Shabbat. Binding and Memorizing Books by Heart At the time, the Porat Yosef Yeshiva was the only Sephardic yeshiva of its kind in the world. It was also unique by virtue of the power of its Torah and the great scholars that emerged from it. In fact it was a worldfamous center for Torah learning. Studying within its walls were hundreds of students, 25

26 26 ranging from 12-year-old youngsters to 100-year-old kabbalists. Everyone studied diligently, being guided by the gaon Rabbi Ezra Attiya Zatzal. At the time, the yeshiva included an excellent library that contained many rare books and manuscripts written by gaonim and tzaddikim who were unique in their own way. In the years preceding the fall of the Old City to Arab hordes, the economic situation in the country was unbearable. In order to support his family, Rav Kaduri began to work as a bookbinder. The rabbis of Porat Yosef provided him with a suitable apartment near the yeshiva, and in exchange Rav Kaduri promised to bind all the yeshiva s books and care for the library s collection of rare manuscripts, even making copies of them if necessary. For these extra responsibilities, the directors of the yeshiva doubled the salary that Rav Kaduri was earning as a member of the kabbalist group to which he belonged. The fact that he had to earn a living in no way detracted from his great diligence in learning Torah. Those who knew him at the time noticed that he was particularly fond of his new task, for his soul clung to sacred books. He took great joy in providing them with a respectable cover and binding, one worthy of their glorious contents. Besides his bookbinding work, Rav Kaduri enjoyed studying rare and ancient books that he discovered while working. In fact it was not uncommon to find him deeply studying a book that was brought to him to be rebound. Here was where his incredible memory came into play, for he could recall entire volumes in his head, works that he could cite at any time. His students loved to tell of the marvels of his extraordinary memory, marvels that they witnessed every day. Not only did he possess a deep understanding of the Talmud, he also knew it by heart. He could cite various rare works, such as those on Kabbalah by the Acharonim. Many of these works were ones that he only glanced at during the time he lived in poverty. After a certain time, and as soon as it was feasible, he sold his bookbinding tools to one of his friends (Rabbi Yechezkel Ezra Dori Zatzal) and devoted himself entirely to studying the holy Torah. When the Jordanian army later took control of the Jewish quarters, a fire destroyed the yeshiva along with all its precious books, as well as the surrounding houses. Rav Kaduri then realized that all the books he had worked on had been destroyed. This caused him great anguish, for he loved them dearly. At that point Rav Kaduri returned to the Bucharim neighborhood, living on Zichron Yosef Street. Rosh Yeshiva of Porat Yosef and Beit E-L The war of 5708 had a disastrous effect on people s lives. The country suffered through a time of poverty and want, as widespread shortages struck every sector of the economy. Immigrants from Europe and the Middle East began to fill transit camps, and the first immigrants also started enrolling at the yeshiva. As if that weren t enough, the yeshiva s beautiful edifice in the Old City fell under Jordanian control and was burned to its foundations. The yeshiva was forced to seek other premises, as its students relocated from one synagogue to another. Everything was temporary, including a makeshift study room in the Tziofiow home within the Bucharim neighborhood. Eighteen months after the war, the Rosh Yeshiva of the kabbalists, the gaon and tzaddik Rabbi Ephraim Cohen Zatzal, passed away, leaving behind a great void. Rav Kaduri was then appointed by his teachers and friends (who were well aware of his profound understanding of Kabbalah) as the Rosh Yeshiva of Kabbalah students in Porat Yosef. As such he oversaw a select group of scholars. At the time, the directors of Porat Yosef were rock-solid in their support of its students, enabling them to maximize their efforts in learning the holy Torah. Many of the yeshiva s students became rabbis and spiritual leaders in other parts of the country, which was then in the process of being rebuilt. Many of them also traveled overseas to become spiritual leaders elsewhere. It was precisely at this time that the yeshiva s directors decided to educate a generation of Torah scholars with the ability to reason and judge righteously, thereby assuring the yeshiva of continued greatness. Thanks to Hashem, some generous patrons purchased a plot of land for the yeshiva in Jerusalem s Geula neighborhood. A great wave of enthusiasm swept across the entire community when the Rosh Yeshiva, the gaon Rabbi Yehuda Tsadka Zatzal, made an appeal for funds to finance the construction of a beautiful edifice, a building that would house hundreds of students. In 5716 the construction of this new edifice was completed, and it was inaugurated with a magnificent opening ceremony. The directors of the yeshiva, the gaon Rabbi Yehuda Tsadka and the gaon Rabbi Ben Tzion Abba Shaul Zatzal, felt that it was absolutely necessary to include the yeshiva of kabbalists in their new edifice. Therefore they devoted a small Beit Midrash within the yeshiva to the study of Kabbalah. It was there that Rav Kaduri studied Kabbalah and taught it to his students and those who came to see him. It is important to note that the yeshiva of kabbalists did not join Porat Yosef without

27 reason. In fact the former was an integral part of the latter, as well as one of the reasons for its existence. According to Rav Mutzafi Shlita, the gaon Rabbi Ben Tzion Abba Shaul Zatzal said: When our holy yeshiva was established before the Kotel in the Old City of Jerusalem in 5683, one of the primary goals of Rabbi Yosef Avraham Shalom Zatzal, who arrived in the Holy Land from India, was to establish a yeshiva called Oz Vehadar. This yeshiva was to be dedicated to the study of Kabbalah, and it was intended to be an integral part of Porat Yosef. As he said in a letter written in Nissan of 5671, just before his death: How much trouble have I gone to, and how much effort and money did I invest until Hashem gave me the merit to build a place of glory on Mount Zion before the walkway of the Temple and the Kotel! Hashem has given me the merit of building a Beit Midrash for Torah scholars, one that allows them to study and observe the mitzvah of learning Torah day and night. They receive a yearly stipend that I set aside for this express purpose. Therefore in the Name of Him Who dwells in Zion, which was before them, and by the holiness of this place that was so close to them, I made them swear those responsible for this great mitzvah not to close their eyes to this Beit Midrash. They are to fulfill the conditions specified in my will, and their goal is to strengthen the Torah in Zion and G-d s word in Jerusalem, in this holy place of which it is written: My eyes and My heart shall be there perpetually [I Kings 9:3]. This is what was said by the man who established the foundations of the yeshiva. Rabbi Ben Tzion Abba Shaul was very troubled when he saw that Porat Yosef s kabbalist yeshiva was being neglected and relegated to a corner. He said, Who knows why we decided to build the kabbalist Emet VeShalom Yeshiva and to support it as best we could? Until his dying day, the gaon and kabbalist Rabbi Yehoshua Sharabi traveled to Porat Yosef Yeshiva in the Geula neighborhood from his home in Baka. He risked his health by doing this, and even when it became difficult for him to travel by foot, since he was 98 years old, he took a taxi back and forth every day. When I asked him why he was going to all this trouble, since there were several synagogues and yeshivot in his neighborhood, he replied: You should know that I was living in Jerusalem when the yeshiva was first established. While the Ben Ish Hai was still alive in 5666, a benefactor asked him for some advice because he wanted to bring satisfaction to Hashem and hasten the Final Redemption. The Ben Ish Hai told him, Go to Jerusalem, buy a piece of land as close as possible to the Kotel, and build a yeshiva there with at least 10 G-d-fearing Torah scholars to learn Kabbalah every day. This will certainly hasten the Final Redemption. However it should be done cleverly: First open a large yeshiva for studying the revealed Torah, and add to it a yeshiva for learning Kabbalah. Not long after the death of the Ben Ish Hai in 5669, World War I began and lasted several years. Only after it ended was this benefactor able to start and complete the construction of the building. He died not long afterwards. In 5683 the yeshiva opened its doors, and I participated in the first minyan of the kabbalists who studied in the yeshiva. I can still clearly remember the oath that the benefactor asked the administration to swear to, and this is why I force myself to come to the yeshiva every day and spend time studying there in order to carry out the tzaddik s wishes. Such was the account given by the great gaon Rabbi Ben Tzion Abba Shaul Zatzal. This helps explain the respect and importance that the yeshiva of kabbalists and its leader held in the eyes of his contemporaries. After 5730, when the Porat Yosef Yeshiva discontinued its affiliation with those who studied Kabbalah, Rav Kaduri was called upon to lead the kabbalist Beit E-L Yeshiva on Rashi Street, where he served as Rav for a few years. Afterwards he was able to establish his own yeshiva, called Nachalat Yitzchak, which still exists today. The Death of the Rebbetzin On Lag BaOmer 5749, the Rebbetzin Sarah Kaduri, a woman who spent her entire life by the Rav s side as his devoted wife, passed away. The Rebbetzin was known as a righteous woman, one who devoted her entire life to mitzvot. She took care of their poor and modest home, where she lived until her final day. It was there that she warmly welcomed thousands of people who came to their door for blessings and advice. The passing of the Rebbetzin brought tremendous sorrow to the entire family and all who admired her. Thousands of people from all around the country attended her funeral, which took place on Lag BaOmer. Her husband, the tzaddik Rav Kaduri, led the procession in the presence of leading Torah figures, including great Chassidic leaders, avrechim, and bnei Torah. The large crowd was comprised of those who observed mitzvot and those who did not yet observe them, but had visited his home for many years. A few years after the death of the Rebbetzin, the wife of his youth and mother of his children, Rav Kaduri followed the Gemara s advice and the recommendation of Kabbalah by not remaining alone. His second wife, may she live long, was from the Ben Yehudah family. 27

28 28 Demonstrating Kindness to Every Jew Rav Kaduri s great fame began around the time that the Old City was taken. Following the death of his teacher, the gaon Rabbi Ephraim Cohen Zatzal, Rav Kaduri became known as a kabbalist capable of performing miracles, a man whose blessings bore fruit. As the years passed, the demand for his blessings and amulets grew. He usually inscribed amulets using Rashi script, sewing them in a special envelope. He would also distribute bottles of olive oil as a segula, and sometimes he would advise people to replace a mezuzah or to verify a sacred object. Visitors to his home would always leave with their faces beaming with encouragement and faith, having been infused with a fear of Heaven that sprang from the Rav. Many of those who urgently sought his blessings loved the fact that he spoke to them in a cheerful way, for he loved to smile and demonstrate kindness to every Jew who approached him. Rav Kaduri gave his blessing to the Shas movement and worked a great deal to strengthen it. Together with Rav Ovadia Yosef, he strongly encouraged the bnei Torah movement, which in our times is one of the best ways to strengthen the walls of faith, education, and Halachah. During various elections campaigns in Israel, Rav Kaduri did not spare any effort despite his great age. Flying by helicopter, he would travel to various places throughout Israel to address people. On such occasions, supporters of the religious party could see his radiant face and receive his blessings. As Rabbi Ovadia Yosef stressed during Rav Kaduri s funeral, the Rav always defended the Jewish people in his prayers. He loved Jews and wanted only their good. In fact three months before his death, he summoned Rabbi Eliyahu Yishai, the Chairman of Shas, and asked him to describe the movement s activities for Judaism and Torah study. He also wanted to hear about the opening of talmidei Torah and the restoration of mikvaot. Rav Kaduri loved to hear such things, reacting to the good news with utter joy. He gave a warm blessing to Rabbi Eliyahu Yishai, saying that he should continue this work and succeed in increasing the study of Torah and sanctity. According to Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, Rav Kaduri always encouraged these types of activities, insisting that with G-d s help they would succeed. Apart from this, Rav Kaduri rarely spoke of politics. Only on a few occasions did the subject come up, such as when rumors spread that he had tacitly accepted some unworthy students to study Kabbalah. On another occasion he was so upset by the poverty affecting so many Jews, he said that price increases were an extremely grave issue. The public desecration of Shabbat also caused him a great deal of pain, forcing him to break his usual silence. He told his followers that opening movie theaters on Shabbat was liable to bring numerous disasters upon the Jewish people. His Extraordinary Use of Time As Rav Kaduri s greatest students often said, although he was publicly known as a kabbalist and miracle worker, what was most impressive about Rav Kaduri was that at home he never stopped studying Torah (this amazing fact is born out by the gaon Rabbi Benayahu Shmueli Shlita). In fact Rav Kaduri completely mastered the Talmud, to the point of being able to pinpoint any source used by the Poskim. Rabbi Benayahu Shmueli testified that there was always an open book before Rav Kaduri. He studied with tremendous diligence, and nothing but learning the holy Torah held any interest for him. Rabbi Benayahu also said that Rav Kaduri insisted upon students in the Kabbalah yeshiva learning Talmud and the Poskim every morning. It was only in the afternoon that he wanted students to learn Kabbalah. He was able to educate a generation of kabbalists, all while being opposed to teaching Kabbalah to those who were unworthy of it, or to those who did not study properly. Rav Kaduri was also very meticulous when it came to managing his time. At midnight he would arise to pray and study without interruption until dawn. After being awake at sunrise, as recommended by the Shulchan Aruch, he would go and rest a little. At 7:00 am he awoke and prayed Shacharit at the Nachalat Yitzchak Yeshiva. As Shacharit progressed, individuals would gather around him, until finally at the end of the service there were dozens of people who wanted his blessing. It was easy to see that the Rav, out of the goodness of his heart, never refused anyone. Fortunate are those who witnessed this sight! At around 10:30 am, the Rav returned home carrying his tallit and tefillin. He would then begin to study the revealed Torah, learning one page from the Babylonian and Jerusalem Talmud each day. In the morning, however, he reviewed a daily chapter from Chok LeIsrael. At noon, Rav Kaduri would have something to eat and then begin receiving visitors. Unfortunately, there was never enough time to meet everyone who wanted his blessing, and at 3:30 pm his assistant had to close the front door. Thus there were always people who were waiting to receive the blessing of the elderly Rav, people who would once again have to wait for the gates of salvation to open. It is interesting to note that Rav Kaduri never had a fixed limit for learning after Arvit, and sometimes it could go on until 8:00 or 9:00 pm. Even if the Rav was tired, he would not stop learning, normally studying Gemara during this time. Afterwards, people could again come and ask him for his blessing. Rav Kaduri s day ended at 11:00 pm. He would then sleep for a very brief spell, until the time for reciting Tikkun Chatzot arrived. He would then arise like a lion to serve his Creator once again. Now that we have lost Rav Kaduri, what will become of us?

29 IS THERE WATER ABOVE THE FIRMAMENT? IT IS WRITTEN, AND G-D MADE THE FIRMAMENT, AND HE DIVIDED THE WATERS THAT WERE UNDER THE FIRMAMENT FROM THE WA- TERS THAT WERE ABOVE THE FIRMAMENT. AND IT WAS SO (GENESIS 1:7). Needless to say, during the thousands of years since the giving of the Torah until the era of modern science, astronomers have never accepted what the Torah states concerning this subject. Although scientists, especially astronomers, show respect for the Torah, they clearly do not believe in the existence of water in space. If that were not enough, it turns out that the Torah is not content with just telling us what is written in the written Torah, for it has also explained the subject in detail through the oral Torah (i.e., in the Midrash, which was put to writing more than 2,000 years ago). There it states, The upper waters exceed the lower ones (Bereshith Rabba 4:5). This means that there is more water in space than there is on earth. Given the great amount of water that exists on the entire planet (the sum of all the water in the oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, chasms, etc.), this is even more surprising! Yet to their astonishment, since space research has greatly progressed through the use of powerful telescopes, scientists have made certain discoveries. The following was taken from the most authoritative reference work on space exploration, The Cambridge Atlas of Astronomy: On the morning of June 30, 1908, a huge explosion occurred in the heart of Siberia. Witnesses say that they saw an immense meteor in the sky for a few seconds, which then struck the earth. People standing 60 kilometers from the impact site were thrown to the ground from the massive explosion. Seismic vibrations were recorded around the world. A block of ice weighing 30,000 tons collided with our planet, and the ensuing explosion released energy equivalent to a 12-megaton nuclear bomb (a 1-megaton bomb having the power of 1 million tons of TNT). If this block of ice had landed on London or New York, rather than an uninhabited region of Siberia, the results would have been catastrophic. Space researchers were greatly puzzled by this incident, for they didn t know where this immense block of frozen water originated. Were there still huge blocks of ice in space? Detailed research revealed that the 30,000-ton block of ice that crashed into Siberia was most likely a fragment from Comet Encke. 29

30 30 THE NEED TO STUDY THE LAWS OF MODESTY IN OUR TIME, SINCE WE LIVE IN A DECADENT, MORALLY-STAGNANT WORLD IN WHICH INDECENCY IS PLACED ON A PEDESTAL, IT IS TREMENDOUSLY DIFFICULT FOR A JEWISH WOMAN TO PROTECT HER HONOR AND DIGNITY. In our previous issue, we spoke at length about the importance of modesty in terms of a woman s conduct and her clothing. Everyone is thereby obligated to act and dress in accordance with the laws established by our Sages. In our time, since we live in a decadent, morally-stagnant world in which indecency is placed on a pedestal, it is tremendously difficult for a Jewish woman to protect her honor and dignity. Given the atmosphere of impurity that fills the outside world, the evil inclination grows more powerful in its attempts to make a Jewish woman sin. The only way for her to maintain her purity and safely escape this trap both her and her household, as well as her community is to strengthen herself and maintain the utmost vigilance and respect for the laws of modesty. This will serve as a shield, protecting her from constant attacks that occur each day. Yet for a Jewish woman to do this, she has to know the laws of modesty. Otherwise how can she perfect herself with regards to these laws? First of all, let us recall the main reason why we study the laws of modesty. The Smak (Sefer Mitzvot Katan, Mitzvah 57) counts modesty as a Torah commandment. We must decent people, as it is written: Your camp shall be holy (Deuteronomy 23: 15) and, Walk humbly with your G-d (Micah 6:8). We must act with discretion, not immodestly, in all things. Acting with discretion is not simply a hiddur mitzvah (adornment of a mitzvah), nor even a chumra (stringency), but an actual positive commandment, one of the most important that the Torah explicitly states. We will be strongly encouraged upon realizing this, for this realization will be a source of spiritual enrichment and genuine satisfaction. Here within our reach is a commandment that allows us to acquire tremendous merit. Each instant in which a woman is dressed modestly and discreetly, she fulfills a positive Torah commandment! In this way a woman (who is liable to feel unfairly treated in the completion of never-ending household tasks) can perform hundreds of mitzvot each month and thousands per year. Here is a source of numerous intercessors on our behalf for present and future generations! All this occurs when a woman wears appropriate and decent clothes each day. Can there be an easier way of acquiring merit than by conforming to the laws of modesty? Other than this great merit, how much more does modesty add to a woman s grace, beauty, and dignity! As our Sages said, Nothing is more beautiful than tzniut [modesty]. Studying in order to understand these laws, and exerting the will to adhere to them, are the two principle ingredients that enable a woman to shine in all her splendor. The Gemara cites Hashem as saying, I created the evil inclination, but I created the Torah as its antidote (Kiddushin 30b). Now we all know that studying Torah is the best way for men to fight their evil inclination. Nevertheless, although it may come as a surprise, we as women must understand that we have a part to play in studying Torah. We have a duty to study all the laws that concern us, namely the laws of kashrut, the laws of niddah, and also the laws of tzniut. Just as men must study Torah in order to fight their evil inclination (the minimum being to study some Torah during the day, and the ideal being to study it day and night), so too must women fight the evil inclination by respecting the laws of modesty, for women are also led astray by the evil inclination. By doing this, it will have no power over them, and they will save themselves from the ravages of the crafty evil inclination. As the Gemara in Sotah states, the Torah protects and rescues a person from the evil inclination and from sin. This is why it is imperative to study Halachah and to learn with rabbis when we have a doubt on the appropriateness of some clothing. Rabbi Falk Shlita notes that in general, women are aware of their lack of knowledge with regards to the laws of Shabbat and kashrut, and whenever they have a question concerning these topics, they immediately go see a rabbi. On the other hand, when they have a

31 question concerning the kashrut of some article of clothing (such as the length of a dress), they feel that they themselves are capable of deciding whether it is kosher or not, someone they wouldn t even think of doing when it comes to the kashrut of food or the laws of Shabbat! Now doing this is a mistake, for as we said the laws of Shabbat, kashrut, and tzniut have their source in Torah. Another error that we must completely avoid is to think that because Poskim are spiritually lofty and tzaddikim in relation to us, they are cut off from the material world and completely out of sync with women s issues. By making this mistake, a woman will think that she is under no obligation to follow their decisions in the realm of modesty (G-d forbid). In fact they completely understand, even better than women themselves, a woman s need to feel good about herself. In addition to this, they also know what the Torah permits and forbids. What the Poskim say is no less important than the word of Hashem, and refusing to listen to Hashem s word automatically results in a loss of Divine protection. Now if we drive the Shechinah away, how will we survive? How can we trivialize the word of Hashem that comes from the great figures of the generation? How can we ignore those who strive to make us understand when something is indecent to wear, when it is abhorrent to Hashem, and when it pushes the Shechinah away? If someone were to tell a person that some food was poisoned, would he taste it if the poison came with sauce? A minimum degree of common sense would dictate that he wouldn t even touch it. In fact he should get as far away as possible! In addition to this, both the material and spiritual situation of the entire Jewish people depends on tzniut. In other words, all our problems (everything from murders to earthquakes) are due in large part to a lack of modesty in our conduct and clothing. Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetsky Zatzal (known as the Steipler) said that in his opinion, Roads in Israel are dangerous not because drivers are worse than elsewhere, but because the behavior of those who use these roads is completely estranged from the norms of modesty, thereby driving Divine protection away. It is precisely this message that the Torah teaches us by stating, For the L-RD your G-d walks in the midst of your camp to rescue you and to deliver your enemies before you. Therefore your camp shall be holy, so that He will not see an erva [indecent] thing among you and turn away from you (Deuteronomy 23:15). In one of her Torah classes, Rebbetzin Bamberger recounted a statement of the Chafetz Chaim based on the above verse. In his time, the Chafetz Chaim could foresee the horrors of the coming Holocaust, and he would constantly repeat: If Hashem hands us over to our enemies, it is because we have pushed Him away by transgressing the prohibitions regarding indecency. Furthermore, in his famous letter (published in Sefer Chafetz Chaim, p. 353), the Chafetz Chaim underlines that this same lack of modesty is at the origin of disease, calamities, wars, and misery. In order for Hashem to protect the entire Jewish people from suffering, we have to put more effort into demonstrating our love for Him. Finally, there are many women who really want to progress in the area of modesty, thank G-d. Unfortunately, the fear of what others might say halts their progress and dampens their enthusiasm. This satanic argument often attempts to thwart the good intentions of those who want to draw closer to Hashem. Such women must first realize that this excuse is nothing but a vicious blow of the evil inclination, which is trying to prevent them from growing spiritually. We must remember that at least the evil inclination is successfully carrying out the mission that G-d gave it. What reason do we have to listen to it? Haven t we a mission to carry out on earth as well? We have to realize that nothing can resist our will, meaning that where s there s a will, there s a way, especially when Hashem helps those who want to progress (see Shabbat 104a). Would anyone refuse a $50 million lottery prize because they were afraid of what people would say? On the contrary, lottery winners can barely be restrained from shouting from the rooftop! Similarly, would anyone refuse to enter the World to Come because of what some wretch might say? Obviously, a person with any common sense would disregard what others might say in such a case. Yet before committing a sin, he should certainly worry about what people would say, and he can even imagine that all the greatest Sages are behind him. Then at least he will have put this fear to good use. We should pay attention to what other people say, but only with respect to fulfilling Hashem s will. We must take these things to heart and deepen our understanding so as not to transgress or make others transgress. In order to progress in tzniut, a Jewish woman must constantly remind herself of her innate status as the daughter of the King, a status that she must truly feel. Emanating from within her is tremendous dignity and grace, her soul s reflection of her Father s glory, as it is written: The daughter of the king is all glorious within (Psalms 45:14). 31

32 32 By understanding this, a woman will realize that strengthening her observance of the laws of tzniut will only highlight her noble status. Furthermore, it is good for women to reflect upon the beneficial consequences of observing the laws of tzniut, both for themselves and their families. Observing these laws is beneficial to women themselves, for a modest woman finds greater favor in the eyes of her husband. Her fear of Heaven increases and her inner beauty shines out. In addition to this, a woman s tzniut makes her worthy of having children who will become talmidei chachamim (illustrious Torah scholars). Her children will possess great insight and be known for their good deeds, as it is written: Your children will be like olive shoots (Psalms 128:3; see Bamidbar Rabba 8:9). The Psalmist states, Your wife will be like a fruitful vine in the inner chambers of your home (ibid.), for a woman must find her place within the home. What happens when she does? Your children will be like olive shoots surrounding your table. Why are her children described as olive shoots? It is because an olive tree never loses its leaves, not even in winter. Therefore just as it is superior to other trees throughout the year, so too will her children be superior to other people. What s more is that the husband of such a woman will be blessed in all things, above and below, in children, grandchildren, and wealth. The psalm goes on to state, Behold, in this way will the man who fears the L-RD be blessed: The L-RD will bless you from Zion, and you shall see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life. You shall see your children s children and peace upon Israel (Psalms 128:4-6). For some women, changing the kind of clothes they normally wear seems hypocritical, even though they really want to act in accordance with Halachah. Such women think that dressing in a way that is above their level will make them feel uncomfortable, not really themselves. What good is it to dress like the ideal Jewish women, they argue, if a person really isn t? True, Rabbi Falk explains, the intention of these women is understandable. However their actions are incorrect. In fact they are completely erroneous. Actually, any hypocrisy in this situation would consist of a woman who intentionally claims to be tzaddeket through her external conduct, though she has absolutely no intention of truly being one. Such a woman will only act in this way around other people, pretending to be someone who is good in public, while at home she is the complete opposite. On the other hand, a woman who yearns to appear modest, according to the norms of Halachah, must realize that this desire is not hypocritical in any way. This applies even if she is far from perfect. The important thing is her desire to progress, not just to play the role of some fictional tzaddeket. Furthermore, if she chooses do dress modestly (again, in accordance with the norms of Halachah), then the feeling that she is not acting like herself that she is acting hypocritically will progressively fade away and eventually disappear. The same applies to any woman who does not really feel like progressing in tzniut: She should put an effort into acting and dressing with greater modesty, and then her actions will change her own desires. Such a woman will eventually do everything for the sake of Heaven, meaning by the sanctification of G-d s Name. On June 5, 2005, Rabbi Falk Shlita hosted a conference on the subject of strengthening the observance of tzniut. During this conference, Rebbetzin Toledano cited Rabbi Matityahu Salomon s four golden teachings on how to fight against and be protected from worldly influences that slowly eat away at the holiness of the Jewish people. First of all, as we mentioned earlier, a person needs a guide, meaning a rabbi to whom he or she can consult whenever questions arise. A person s friends can also serve as guides in determining which actions to take. However a person must know how to choose true friends, meaning the right kind of company to keep. These are people from whom one can take and give advice, those who can mutually help one another and spiritually advance. [NOTE: We must be careful not to reject people who are at a lower spiritual level than ourselves, for nothing fuels a person s ego more or destroys all hope of progressing. On the contrary, we must demonstrate kindness to everyone, to each of our brothers and sisters (males helping males, and females helping females, needless to say). We must encourage and help them to learn what they do not know, for this is all included in the concept of you shall love your fellow as yourself. Nevertheless, our closest relationships should be with people at a high spiritual level in order for us to progress.] Another suggestion, which is a segula for protection from the impurity of the outside world, is the mezuzah. When passing a mezuzah, we shouldn t forget to kiss it and say E-L Sh-dai yevarech uti ushmore oti veyitn li rahamin ( May Hashem grant me His blessing, His protection, and His compassion ). The fact of pondering the danger of impurity in our era, as well as praying for protection from such danger, in itself provides us with great protection. Therefore before returning home, or leaving

33 one s home, we should not hesitate to ask Hashem to hear our prayers and make us immune to impurity. We must also adopt the policy of constantly and aggressively countering the negative influences of the outside world. That is, we must wage a war against its ideas, against the erroneous way of looking at things from the perspective of the outside world. By doing this, tumah (impurity) will not affect us. Our Sages explain that this principle is related to the Halachah which states that a body that rejects something treif cannot simultaneously absorb something treif. Thus if we act in such a way as to reject tumah (which is nothing other than spiritual treif) by distancing ourselves from all potential pitfalls, we will be unable to absorb or be influenced by the impurity of this depraved, consumer-driven society and its corrupt values. One last piece of advice, which is among the most important, is that we must pray for help, just as King David said in his psalms. Each of us should pray for protection from the impurity that reigns outside as well as from the pressures exerted by the evil inclination so as not to transgress or make others transgress. A woman can also pray to be granted a desire to progress in tzniut. Once again, this desire will only be granted to a woman if she infuses herself with an understanding of modesty s importance, and this she can only do by studying its laws. Other than a Jewish woman s duty to respect the laws of modesty, we note that she must also ensure that her friends share her views, for the deeds of each Jew, male or female, have an influence on the entire Jewish people. This is why a Jewish woman must speak gently, respectfully, and pleasantly to others as she tries to explain and encourage them to avoid the traps that are placed before them. If she succeeds in helping others, there is no way to describe her splendor and reward! However if she is unable to help others through her advice, she will at least have done everything she could. No woman should say, Let everyone do what they think is best, because I have my own way of dressing or, Men won t look at me if I dress modestly. Such a woman is like a person on a lifeboat who starts boring a hole under his seat. The panic-stricken people around him will ask what he s doing, and in his great wisdom he will say that it doesn t concern them, since he s making a hole under his seat, not theirs. Everyone on the lifeboat will then scream at him, You fool! You re putting us all in danger. A hole under your seat will cause the entire lifeboat to sink! Similarly, when a breach occurs in the walls of modesty, should a Jewish woman remain silent? When she sees a friend boring a hole in the lifeboat of the Jewish people, should she say nothing? Thank G-d, today we have everything we need to study Torah. The famous book of Rabbi Falk Shlita, the great Posek, is studded with the words of our Sages and examples that we can all learn from. Rabbi Falk makes the concept of tzniut appealing, offering practical solutions and advice for all kinds of problems, as well as words of encouragement and blessing. What could be better? This is precisely what we need. Furthermore, classes are regularly given to girls on this subject. Women go to the many schools of the Jewish community of Paris and its suburbs in order to transmit this message, guiding young women in matters of tzniut and sanctifying Hashem s Name. We have everything we need, and all that remains is for everyone to add their own finishing touch. Without a woman s will to follow the laws of modesty, nothing can endure. In fact the Vilna Gaon explains that the six letters composing the word Bereshith (the first word in the Torah) are the initials of the six basic requirements for the acquisition of Torah: Bitachon (faith in G-d), Ratzon (will), Ahava (love for others), Shtika (not speaking in vain), Yirah (fear of G-d), and Torah (the study of Torah). This supports our view that a woman s desire to progress is essential for her to internalize her knowledge and better herself in matters of tzniut. This desire is also connected to Bitachon, for by annulling her own will, she will be able to fulfill Hashem s. We learn this principle in the Mishnah, where it is stated: Annul your will before His, so that He may annul the will of others before yours (Perkei Avoth 2:4). Since the evil inclination can also be included in the category of others, we may interpret this Mishnah in the following way: Because of our desire to fulfill G-d s will (i.e., to conduct ourselves with modesty), we will benefit from immense Divine help in order to overcome obstacles that the evil inclination places before us in this area. Hashem will also gladly shower us with blessings from Heaven in our time, blessings such as long life and success, both in the spiritual and material realm. Thus by the merit of tzniut, the Jewish people will be blessed with the arrival of Mashiach, our righteous redeemer. Amen. 33

34 JERUSALEM HAS LOST A JEWEL HIS SOUL DEPARTED AT EHAD IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF APRIL 26, THE GAON RABBI MOSHE HALBERSTAM ZATZAL WAS RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL IN CRITICAL CONDITION. A FEW HOURS LATER, HE RENDERED HIS SOUL TO THE CREATOR AS HIS STUDENTS TEARFULLY RE- CITED SHEMA ISRAEL. 34 Shortly after the passing of the Satmar Rebbe, Rabbi Moshe Teitelbaum Zatzal (President of the Edah HaCharedit and twelfth Rebbe in his line from the time of the Baal Shem Tov), the Charedi world lost another Torah giant, the gaon Rabbi Moshe Halberstam Zatzal, whose home was open to Jews from every religious movement. Tens of thousands of people from around the world came to attend the funeral of Rabbi Moshe Halberstam, forming a procession that was infused with deep emotion. Charedi Jews were in deep mourning over the loss of Rabbi Moshe Halberstam, a member of the Edah HaCharedit s Badatz (Beit Din Tzedek). His family called for an ambulance when they realized that he was having a difficult time breathing, for the gaon was in a critical state. First aid was administered on the spot, and the tzaddik lost consciousness on the way to Jerusalem s Bikur Cholim Hospital. When the ambulance got there, a medical team began emergency procedures to revive him. At that point, members of the gaon s family began to arrive at the hospital. Included among them were his brother the Rebbe Shlita, the chairman of Hatzolah Israel, and other great rabbis. The leaders of the Galicia Kollel, which Rabbi Moshe Halberstam directed, also arrived when they learned the news. The entire medical team at the hospital, including Dr. Gottlieb, Rabbi Moshe Halberstam s personal physician, tried everything to revive him. Despite all their efforts, however, Rabbi Moshe Halberstam rendered his soul to the Creator as all his chassidim prayed and wept. Upon hearing the news, the gaon Rabbi Tuvia Weiss, the Chief Rabbi of the Edah HaCharedit, as well as its other members (including Rabbi Moshe Sternbuch, Rabbi Ulman, and other chassidim) immediately went to the hospital. The line of people stretched all the way from the hospital to the Torah center on Yeshayahu Street. Kaddish was recited at the hospital by Rabbi David Greenwald, the chairman of Hatzolah Israel, Rabbi Roz, and the hospital chaplain. When the Soul Leaves the Body In the hall next to the intensive care unit, several chassidim gathered to read Tehillim aloud in teary voices. When people were told that the gaon was in his final moments, they began to recite Nish-

35 mat Kol Chai followed by Shema Israel. Everyone cried out with tears as they recited these words in unison, a sight to melt the heart. It was all broadcast live via Hakol Charedi radio. Within a few minutes, word that the gaon had passed away spread in the Torah world, as well as throughout Israel and overseas. The burial was scheduled for 3:30 in the afternoon, as police and security officials closed certain traffic routes in the area. An hour before the funeral, some streets were opened so that leading Torah figures, including great Rebbes, could arrive and join the procession, which traveled by way of the Mount of Olives. Numerous eulogies were delivered to describe the greatness of this Torah giant, a man with unsurpassed middot, especially with regards to helping one s fellowman. Rabbi Moshe Halberstam was a member of the Edah HaCharedit and the President of Hatzala Israel. Even as a member of the Edah HaCharedit, he welcomed and gave advice to members of all other Charedi groups without distinction. He listened to each and every person, lavishing his advice on anyone who asked, whether it concerned personal issues, family problems, or anything else. Members of the Knesset, physicians, and hospital directors did not hesitate to consult him. The Final Signature Rabbi Moshe Halberstam s chassidim told us that his home was open to everyone. He always arranged things in such a way that his visitors did not have to wait in order to see him. His major concern pertained to modern-day education. Educational leaders did not hesitate to come to him for advice, and he spent many long hours solving family problems and educational conflicts. Simply put, he gave the best of himself to solve people s problems. Sometimes the directors of welfare services entrusted desperate cases to him, ones that seemed hopeless. Due to his compassion and understanding, he did everything in his power to rectify every case he was presented with. After his passing, someone said: Who can we go to now? Who will solve our problems? Rabbi Israel Aharon Kalskin was the last person to visit him for a blessing. He asked to see Rabbi Moshe Halberstam because his son was about to become Bar Mitzvah. Rabbi Halberstam said that he wasn t feeling very well, and he postponed their meeting until the next day. Rabbi Kalskin said to us, The Rav warmly welcomed me and my son. He blessed the Chattan Bar Mitzvah and said some words of Torah. Then he gave my son an autographed book along with a warm handshake and a few words of encouragement. I was told the news not long after we left his office. Rabbi Halberstam s family told us that when Rabbi Kalskin left their home, the Rav went to the kitchen, recited a blessing over a glass of water, drank, and then collapsed. 35

36 THE LESSON OF SELF-SACRIFICE AND ITS IMPORTANCE FOR THE FUTURE (BY RAV WEISSMAN) 36 IT IS WRITTEN, AND G- D TESTED ABRAHAM (GENESIS 22:1). WHAT IS A TEST, AND WHAT IS ITS PURPOSE? Today the word test implies an examination, the purpose of which is to assess a person s knowledge and abilities. For example, take someone who was hired to fill a certain position. His employer may very well say, Since it s my responsibility to ensure that you suit this position, you ll be working on a trial basis at first. It is obvious that the Creator of the universe does not resort to these kinds of tests, for He already knows the abilities of each person and has no need to evaluate them through testing. Therefore with regards to G-d, the concept of a test has a different meaning. Tests are also used in the world of sports. Suppose that a coach tells someone to jump over an obstacle 100 times in a given period of time. What is being tested in this case is the person s ability to maintain his tempo. In this context a test has yet another meaning, for an obstacle forces the person to exert himself. By successfully doing so, he will realize that he possesses strength and abilities that he was aware of. He will also progress to a greater level of fitness in this way. To summarize, we know that everyone possesses enormous spiritual powers, and it is up to each person to put them to good use. In other words, a person can only overcome the obstacles that face him if he exerts himself. By doing so, he advances to a higher spiritual level and becomes more righteous. These obstacles are called tests, and their goal is make us exert our spiritual powers in order to realize our potential. By putting them into practice, we grow spiritually. The Teachings of Our Sages Concerning the verse, G-d saw all that He had made, and behold it was very good (Genesis 1:31), our Sages have said that very good refers to the evil inclination (Bereshith Rabba 9:7; Kohelet Rabba 3:15). This is difficult to understand. After all, isn t the evil inclination wicked, rather than good? The explanation is the following: The evil inclination was created in order to put man to the test, for it is then that he calls upon abilities that he didn t even know he had. By overcoming obstacles, people put these abilities to use. Such a test is very good, for a person truly becomes righteous when he strives to overcome. Hence the evil inclination helps the good inclination to blossom. In the Psalms it is written, The L-RD tests the righteous (Psalms 11:5). Only a person who possesses, deep down, immense spiritual strength will be put to the test. In this way he will put his wealth of talent into action. The Creator only sends trials upon a person who possess the strength to overcome them strength that is nestled deep within for G-d has no desire to test a person who is incapable of prevailing (Ramban). We are all familiar with the concept of sports, a concept that has a very positive connotation. We may, for example, say that the Creator gave us this concept as an analogy to use for our spiritual trials in life. The evil inclination puts an obstacle before us, and we must exert an effort in order to overcome it. By doing so, we can attain the level of being called a tzaddik ( righteous ). Some ask, What benefits result from our spiritual powers being put to the test? The answer is found in the fact that man is made in the image of G-d. This means that man resembles his Creator in certain areas, meaning in his ability to create, his free will, and his eternal soul. The Master of the universe, blessed be He, is completely self-sustaining, having no need to exert Himself. Thus a person must strive for perfection in his being, and it is with this goal in mind that obstacles are placed before him. As such he must overcome his evil inclination and become greater and more closely connected to his Creator. An Additional Example In the world of sports, when a person has successfully tackled every obstacle in his path, the media writes about him. He becomes popular and is judged to have used his physical strength to the utmost degree. In the spiritual domain, a person becomes known when he overcomes a trial and heeds G-d s word. He then becomes an example to others so they can take the same path, one that is described as sanctifying Hashem s Name. This process is called a test. According to Rashi, the meaning of the word nisayon is a miracle occurred (ness leitnossess). The explanations of the Ramban and Rashi are two parts that follows one another: Putting one s abilities into practice, and becoming popular in the eyes of others. The goal of Creation is to exalt and spread the Name of the Almighty. With this in mind, man was created in order to emulate his Creator and sanctify His Name throughout the world. In the world of sports, when someone s achievements make him famous, he receives gifts from all around, for human beings admire a person who uses his abilities to overcome obstacles. In the spiritual realm, a person can merit to enter Gan Eden in the World to Come. This is the reward granted to a person who exerted effort to overcome obstacles and who continued walking in G-d s ways. Now it s clear that if we perform deeds that require no special effort, there is no reason for us to receive a reward. Should someone who eats fruits and vegetables for health reasons be rewarded for it in the World to Come? We shall now examine the difference, with regards to spiritual benefits, between

37 exerting and not exerting an effort in order to overcome trials. Man is Unique An angel existing in the supernal world is, in principle, greater than man, for all its actions are based entirely on good, and it has absolutely no desire to do wrong or follow the evil inclination. Nevertheless, our Sages of blessed memory tell us that man is greater, for obstacles are placed in his path, obstacles that he must constantly overcome. Angels possess no free will. They cannot choose to obey or disobey G-d s orders, for they were created to simply do what they are told. Hence they only do good. Regardless of an angel s spiritual power, it is impossible to say that it has a good or evil inclination, for it cannot choose to do good or evil. On the other hand, man can choose to chase away his evil inclination. That is, instead of seeing this entity as an insurmountable obstacle, he can decide that he will overcome it. He can summon his spiritual powers and confront his evil inclination. He will then overcome and replace it with the good inclination. Such a valuable conclusion stems from a decision on his part from his own free will for it cannot arise on its own. Since he decides to act for the sake of his Creator, he becomes greater than an angel. In the book Nefesh HaChaim, several examples of this kind are given. They enable us to see just how a person s achievements can strengthen the entire world, all due to man s free will. He has the ability to say no to his evil inclination and yes to his good inclination. This is an ability that belongs to a higher realm. And G-d tested Abraham Since Abraham s test was also Isaac s, the question becomes why the Torah does not say, And G-d tested Abraham and Isaac. Nevertheless, we realize that Isaac s name is mentioned in our prayers. It is therefore up to us to understand why Isaac is not mentioned in the Torah s account of the test itself. It is also up to us to reflect upon why the order given to Abraham the command to sacrifice his son is considered a test. Perhaps Abraham only obeyed G-d because he was infused with a great degree of prophecy. That is, perhaps he simply decided to follow G-d s will. After all, could he have done otherwise? If so, which test did Abraham have to overcome? First Clarification Concerning the verse, Abraham called the name of the place, The L-RD will see (Genesis 22:14), the Yalkut Shimoni states that Abraham said the following: Master of the universe, when You said to me, Take your only son Isaac, I could have protested by saying, Just yesterday You promised that my son would give rise to a great people, but now You are telling me to sacrifice him? Yet I kept quiet and suppressed my fatherly emotions in order to perform Your will. In the future, when Isaac s offspring are under the yoke of oppression, I beg You to remember what I have done and show them mercy. Acting in accordance with his Creator s will was a natural and spontaneous reaction for Abraham. In fact Abraham received two directives from Hashem, one being incompatible with the other. The first was that a great people would emerge from his son Isaac. This meant that Isaac was to continue Abraham s line and give rise to the Jewish people. The second directive was to take Isaac and offer him as a sacrifice. This meant that he was going to die, G-d forbid. In terms of a father s compassion for his son, Abraham should have asked G-d what were the reasons for such an inconsistency. Otherwise he should have postponed the sacrifice because of a doubt. Yet once Abraham received the order, he did not hesitate for a moment in carrying it out. He suppressed all his feelings to serve the Almighty and not ask any questions. Therein lay Abraham s sacrifice, for he forsook his feelings for his son. This is why Abraham told Hashem that just as he had suppressed his feelings in order to obey Him, He should suppress His wrath and show mercy to his descendants, measure for measure. This was the additional and most important element in the entire test. Our father Abraham taught us a beautiful lesson by this: If we do not understand the reason for a commandment, then that is our problem. It should not, however, cause us to postpone its fulfillment. This is where all the faith of the Jewish people resides. Hence it was Abraham s test, not Isaac s, for both of Hashem s orders lay with him. There was only one order for Isaac: To obey G-d concerning the Akeidah. That is, he was to agree to be sacrificed. Given their tremendous spiritual level, it is obvious that both of them would have fulfilled Hashem s orders. Consequently, the test was more Abraham s than Isaac s. Second Clarification It is written, You shall not do so to the L-RD your G-d, for everything that is an abomination to the L-RD what He hates they have done to their gods. They have even burned their sons and daughters in the fire for their gods (Deuteronomy 12:31). Abraham lived in that era, a time when it was common to see heathens offering their children to their idols. Nevertheless Abraham taught them to believe in one G-d. He taught them that Hashem is entirely good and wants only good for His creatures. He also taught them that sacrificing children was an abomination to the concept of having faith in the one true G-d. Thus for Abraham to be ordered to sacrifice his own son was abhorrent to him. Doing so was liable to destroy all the spiritual foundations he had established among the heathens, who would believe that Judaism sanctioned child-sacrifice, G-d forbid. This also constituted a test for Abraham, for was he to postpone the sacrifice of his own son in order to save the Jewish people, or was he simply to obey G-d? Here too Abraham teaches us a lesson: We are not to fear anything, for the main thing is to obey Hashem. Once we do that, He will deal with the rest. This test is not connected to Isaac either, but only to our father Abraham. He was the one who established the first monotheistic community, which placed its faith in the one true G-d. Hence the test applied solely to him. We may also ask why Abraham s act was so special, since heathens burned their own children on their altars. First Answer In the world of idolatry, heathens forsook their children when they sacrificed them to their idols. They offered their children for the benefit of their idols, not for Hashem. Therefore if Abraham had sacrificed his son in the same way, it would not have been considered an offering. 37

38 38 Abraham was told, Take your son, your only one, whom you love (Genesis 22:2). Thus Abraham was not ready to forsake his son, given his love for him. Nevertheless, he was ready to act for the sake of his Creator. Abraham s test consisted of not finding excuses to help him forsake his own son. Isaac was worried that his father Abraham did not have an excuse, and he willingly accepted his father s decision. He therefore said, Father, and Abraham replied, Here I am, my son (Genesis 22:7). Is there any doubt that Abraham was the father and Isaac the son? According to Rashi, the people of that time were saying that Sarah gave birth to a son through Abimelech. Thus Isaac could have thought that his father was influenced by this lie, G-d forbid, and therefore it would have been easier for Abraham to sacrifice him. This is why Isaac asked Abraham, Are you my father? and Abraham answered, You are my son. In other words, I know that you are my beloved son, my only one. Abraham also worried that Isaac might believe that he would forsake and sacrifice him. Abraham told Ishmael, Stay here with the donkey (Genesis 22:5), yet when is someone told to stay next to a donkey? Rashi explains that Abraham was implying, You belong to a people who are like a donkey. Now donkeys are useful in moving carts, and the only language they understand is that of the whip. Why else did Abraham compare Ishmael to a donkey? It was in order to clearly demonstrate that Isaac was his only son, for Ishmael was the son of his maidservant, a son who resembled a donkey. Abraham therefore demonstrated that Isaac was his beloved son, and in this way his love for Hashem grew. Second Answer The Gemara explains, Rabbi Levi bar Hama says in the name of Rabbi Simeon bar Lakish: A man should always incite the good inclination to fight against the evil inclination, for it is written, Tremble and sin not [Psalms 4:5]. If he subdues it, well and good. If not, let him study Torah, for it is written: Reflect in your heart [ibid.]. If he subdues it, well and good. If not, let him recite Shema, for it is written: While on your bed [ibid]. If he subdues it, well and good. If not, let him remind himself of the day of death (Berachot 5a). A well-known question asks: If remembering the day of death is the ultimate weapon in the fight against the evil inclination, why doesn t a person remind himself of it immediately, rather than using it as his third resort? The answer to this question is also well-known: Even the wicked know that everyone dies, and this fact encourages them to follow their passions. Since everyone is destined to die, they reason, better to take advantage of today. Their motto is, Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die. This is why a person is not to be immediately reprimanded concerning his final day, for people are not always ready to face this eventuality. Our Sages taught that we must first study Torah, and only then recite Shema. In this way we recall the importance of life and its ultimate goal, as well as the fact that the material world is but a means to an end, not an end in itself. A person must finally recall the day of death, for then he will understand that his time is short. At that point he will realize that he must quickly rectify his soul before leaving this world. The difference is that a person who lives by the idea, Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die will view suicide (G-d forbid) as a way of ridding himself of heavy burdens. On the contrary, a person who lives by emet (faith) does not see material pursuits as his goal in life. He has no burdens to bear, and he regards every moment in life as being precious. Despite his burdens, he is not ready to give up on life. In fact much to the contrary, he is fully aware of the significance of life, and each second holds great importance for him. We now understand the difference between the Canaanites, who sacrificed their children to idols, and Abraham, who obeyed G-d during the Akeidah. For the former, materiality constituted life itself, and they sacrificed their children like they would kill an animal. For the latter, life was something extremely precious, for one hour of Torah study and mitzvot performance in this world are greater than all the life of the World to Come. Furthermore, Abraham knew that Isaac was to perpetuate the service of Hashem. Thus how could he forsake his son? It was absolutely necessary for Isaac to live and continue to love his father for that reason in order to perpetuate his ways. Despite all these requirements, Abraham s love for his Creator was even greater, which is why it is described by the word akeidah ( binding, i.e., sacrifice). After the Akeidah, G-d told Abraham, Now I know that you fear G-d (Genesis 22:12). This test served as a way to make the whole world know just who Abraham was. Today everyone knows what Hashem knew at that point, namely that Abraham was a G-d-fearing man. The statement that you fear G-d is said following the Akeidah. Yet why is it not made following Abraham s fulfillment of the mitzvah of hospitality? On the third day following his circumcision, Abraham stood by the door of his tent waiting to invite people into his home. The Gaon Molana replies that chesed (lovingkindness) occurs through the natural trait of compassion that springs from the heart. Man s natural sentiments enable him to fulfill this mitzvah. On the other hand, the Akeidah required Abraham to distance himself from the natural compassion that people feel for others. In fact it was a tremendously cruel and inhumane thing that Abraham was being asked to do (Berachot, Agra). Another explanation: In the account of the Akeidah, the Torah uses the expression I know that you fear G-d to describe Abraham. An angel said to him, Do not lay your hand upon the lad, nor do anything to him (Genesis 22:12). Here the phrase, nor do anything to him seems redundant. Rashi explains, Do not lay. To slaughter [him]. He [Abraham] said to Him, If so, I have come here in vain. I will inflict a wound on him and extract a little blood. He said to him, Do not do the slightest thing to him. Do not cause him any blemish! This seems unclear, for did Abraham really want to wound Isaac? Actually, Abraham had to obey two commandments at that point: The first was to sacrifice his son, and the second was not to lay your hand upon the lad. Abraham tried to find a solution that would enable him to fulfill both. To him, Hashem s commandments were a reality in themselves, and he felt compelled to fulfill them. As a result, he asked if he could extract some

39 blood in order to fulfill the first divine commandment. Hence the Torah states, I know that you fear G-d, for a person who tries to find a way not to forgo a divine commandment is definitely someone who fears Hashem. Abraham didn t ask G-d any questions, but instead he immediately obeyed His commandments in order not to delay the fulfillment of a mitzvah. It was only after the Akeidah that Abraham tried to understand things (see Likutei Shimoni, kaf beit). Hashem said to Abraham, I told you to place him on the altar and then to take him down. We may think that the Akeidah was a test and that no sacrifice actually took place. This is a mistake, for a sacrifice did occur. There is a vast difference between sacrificing an animal and sacrificing a human being. An animal is made entirely of flesh and blood, and sacrificing it means sacrificing its body, which is burned on the altar. Such is not the case with a human being. A human being possesses a soul, and when he denies himself for G-d, this constitutes his sacrifice. When Abraham bound Isaac on the altar, his self-sacrifice in serving Hashem was revealed. This action was therefore called a sacrifice, a description reserved solely for man. Similarly for Isaac, his complete acceptance of being offered on the altar also constituted a sacrifice on his part. Hence in our prayers we say, When in anger remember the Akeidah. Another Explanation According to our Sages, a sacrifice literally took place during the Akeidah. Rabbi Yehuda said, From the fact that Abraham laid his hand on his son, the soul of Isaac left him, and when the second phrase was uttered Do not lay your hand on him his soul was returned to him. At that point Isaac stood up and said, Blessed are You, Who resurrects the dead, for he understood that the dead would be resurrected like this in the future. When his soul left him, the Akeidah took place, which is why we say in our prayers, Remember the Akeidah. When G-d returned his soul to him, the first Isaac died and a second Isaac emerged after the Akeidah, a great miracle from G-d (Likutei Shimoni, kaf). The Akeidah stands on two pillars: The makeup of the Jewish people and their journey through time. The first means that our limited understanding of G-d s ways does not hinder our performance of mitzvot. We continue to perpetuate the faith of the Jewish people in G-d. The second means that from the example of the Akeidah, Jews are encouraged to give of themselves. This is the basis for all instances of Mesirut Nefesh (self-sacrifice) in the history of the Jewish people. The description of the Akeidah begins with the words, Please, take your son (Genesis 22:2). Please is an expression of pleading and supplication. Why would the Almighty express Himself in this way to Abraham? Our Sages have said, Imagine a king of flesh and blood who has waged many battles. In his army is a valiant and powerful warrior who could defeat anyone. When a difficult battle presents itself to the king, he says to his brawny warrior, Please, help me once again in this battle so that people will not say that you are incapable of leading it. Thus Hashem told Abraham, You stood firm in the face of several tests, and you survived them all. Please accept this test as well, so that people will not think that you are incapable of overcoming it (Likutei Shimoni, kaf). Please, Accept this Test There were several reasons why Abraham could have refused this test: 1. The inconsistency of being commanded to sacrifice his son. 2. The resulting cessation of Judaism, G-d forbid. 3. The requirement to forsake his only son, whom he greatly loved. Because of his great love for his son, Abraham had to ascend to still greater heights and express even greater love for Hashem in order to fulfill His will. This demonstrated Abraham s phenomenal character traits. Since Abraham was a tzaddik, he could have prayed to annul the decree to sacrifice his son, for it is written: The tzaddik decrees and the Holy One executes. G-d therefore addressed Abraham with a supplication so that he would not annul this decree. Why did Hashem do this? This test was necessary in order to build one of the most important pillars of the Jewish people, namely the acceptance of G-d s commandments without asking questions, as we see in the Akeidah. Just before this account, the Torah states: And it was after these things (Genesis 22:1). Which things were these? Our Sages said, Rabbi Levi stated: After Ishmael s words to Isaac. Ishmael said to Isaac: I am more righteous than you in good deeds, for you were circumcised at eight days, but I at thirteen years. [Isaac replied,] Were the Holy One, blessed be He, to say to me, Sacrifice yourself before Me, I would obey. At that point G-d tested Abraham (Sanhedrin 89b). The point of contention was the following: Which of them exhibited complete devotion to the observance of the mitzvot? We see that from the time of Abraham until today, Jews have excelled in every area, especially with regards to inheriting the land of Israel. In Islam, the description of the Akeidah is different. Muslims say that it was Ishmael, not Isaac, who was placed on the altar, meaning that his devotion was greater than Isaac s. In our time, terrorists inspired by the Koran are ready to die as suicide bombers. They claim that Jews must be punished for having stolen the land of Israel, and in their minds they are continuing Ishmael s duty to sacrifice himself. As far as we are concerned, self-sacrifice does not mean seeking revenge. The Jewish people will win this spiritual war by always demonstrating Mesirut Nefesh (i.e., complete devotion) to G-d, acting in holiness for Him just as our father Abraham taught us. This message will be the key to our victory. 39

40 THE HILLOULA OF RABBI HAIM PINTO ZATZAL AT ESSAOUIRA, MOROCCO ELUL 5765 (SEPTEMBER 2005) 40 Among the faithful followers of Rabbi David Hanania Pinto Shlita, it has become traditional to visit the grave of Rabbi Haim Pinto Zatzal in Essaouira, Morocco just before Rosh Hashanah. Thus on Thursday, September 22, 2005 at Charles de Gaulle Airport, we see the regular participants getting reacquainted with one another, a completely new experience for first-timers. For everyone present, the atmosphere is filled with solemn and joyous emotion at the thought of soon being able to pray by the grave of the tzaddik Rabbi Haim Pinto Zatzal. Participants have come together from the four corners of the earth from Argentina, Mexico, the United States, Great Britain, France, Israel, and other countries with the same goal in mind, and soon they will all be in the small Moroccan coastal town of Essaouira. They have come to participate in the Hilloula of Rabbi Haim Pinto Zatzal, a man known around the world for his great holiness and life of piety. He is also known for the miracles he performed both in life and in death, for even in death a tzaddik is called alive. A special flight from Air Horizons brings us to Essaouira, where we land shortly before 5:00 pm local time to a very warm reception. In fact, it is Rabbi David Pinto himself who welcomes every participant of the Hilloula as they descend from the plane. The Rav is standing on the tarmac at the Essaouira airport, waiting below the steps leading off the airplane to greet each person. He is like a head of state welcoming dignitaries on an official visit, meaning that he pays great attention to each of the participants gathered here today. We must warmly thank all the Moroccan authorities for this opportunity, beginning with His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco. We also have to thank royal officials and members of the army and police, as well as representatives from the Province of Essaouira. We must also thank everyone whose actions, either directly or indirectly, contributed to making this year s Hilloula for Rabbi Haim Pinto Zatzal an unforgettable experience. Once the participants had settled into the Ryad Mogador Hotel in Essaouira, we got ready to visit the city s Jewish cemetery. In fact all the participants were waiting in the hotel s large conference hall for

41 the trip to the cemetery on our first night there. Joining us was the Governor of the Province of Essaouira, as well as civilian and military authorities. Everyone who participated in this event could see just how important it was to the Moroccan authorities. During the course of the evening, greetings were offered by Mr. Patrick Alloul, whom we must thank for constantly making himself available to us in order to facilitate relations between Hevrat Pinto and the Moroccan authorities. In his welcoming remarks, the Governor of Essaouira stressed that the Rabbi Haim Pinto pilgrimage testified to the brotherhood, love, peace and humanity of the city of Essaouira, its inhabitants, and all the Moroccan people. He added that more than 2,000 years of a Jewish presence in Morocco is a strong witness to the fact that Morocco is a country that is open to everyone and all religions and ethnic groups, for Jews had come here to spiritually recharge themselves and pray to the same G-d, for there is only One. The Governor expressed his hope that the Baraka ( Beracha ) of the holy and venerated Rabbi Haim Pinto of Mogador would rest on all the participants, and that their prayers would be granted for them, their families, and their friends. Representatives of the Moroccan authorities hoped that the participants in Essaouira would transmit a message of peace on their behalf when they returned home. Finally, the Governor expressed his hope that the Eternal would bless the land of Morocco, a land of tolerance, and that He would exalt His Majesty King Mohammed VI and bless Princes Hassan and Moulay Rachid. The Governor also evoked the memory of former Kings Mohammed V and Hassan II. In response, Rabbi David Pinto Shlita blessed King Mohammed VI, making it clear that the merit of the tzaddik Rabbi Haim Pinto Zatzal would ensure that his prayers are answered. He then blessed the Moroccan government, the entire Moroccan people, and everyone present. The Rav was clear about the essential role played by the royal family and all the Moroccan authorities over the generations for their protection of the Jewish community, which enabled it to blossom. After the customary blessings, the Rav stated that he would never forget the just and sincere words of the Governor of Essaouira. The Rav also noted that Rosh Hashanah this year, 5766, coincided with the beginning of the Islamic month of Ramadan. Rabbi David Pinto then went to reflect by the grave of his ancestor, Rabbi Haim Pinto Zatzal, accompanied by representatives of the Moroccan authorities. After dinner, at about 1 in the morning, selichot were recited at the cemetery. These prayers were marked by special sanctity, having been recited in unity and being spurred on by Rabbi David Pinto. The participants then recited the Psalm of parnasa. During this event, hundreds of men and women assembled to invoke the merit of the saintly Rabbi Haim Pinto in their prayers. Everyone asked the tzaddik to be their advocate, their representative before Hashem at this time, on the eve of Rosh Hashanah, the day of judgment. At that late hour, Rav Pinto told us that he had just returned from a four-day journey to the Ukraine, where he and about 20 people (most of whom were from South America) made a pilgrimage to the tzaddikim buried in the Ukraine. Among the graves they had visited were those of the Baal Shem Tov, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev, the Maggid of Mezritch, and the Baal HaTanya of Lubavitch and his son. Thus Rabbi Pinto replenished himself with a full measure of kedusha, which he was ready to transmit to us. Rav Pinto made it clear that the graves of the tzaddikim are a fitting place to receive the help of the Holy One, blessed be He. Thus the very fact of going there takes on special meaning, for just as we honor the tzaddikim during their lifetime, 41

42 42 so too is it fitting to honor them after they have died. Given that Hashem modifies nature to create wonders, He also gives the tzaddikim the ability to perform miracles. Since the Sages state that the tzaddikim are even greater in death than in life, they are really telling us that in death the tzaddikim are even closer to Hashem, being like angels or even greater. By their merit, they intercede for us and infuse our prayers with power. The Rav asked us to transmit this kedusha upon returning home to our families and friends, with the hope that Mashiach will arrive in our days. Amen. He admitted that he agreed to travel to the Ukraine when his friend Cesar, who was from Argentina, had a dream in which the Rav hastened the arrival of Mashiach by going with him to visit the graves of the tzaddikim. Since we are all believers and children of believers, we know that nothing is impossible for Hashem. Therefore none of us can say that an extra mitzvah can t swing the balance to the good side and help the Jewish people. Rabbi David Pinto Shlita blessed each participant, giving them a sweet gift by the merit of his ancestor, the saintly and venerated Rabbi Haim Pinto Zatzal. After a few hours of sleep, the Friday morning prayer service began in a large conference hall. Rabbi Albert-Avraham Knafo led the service, delighting us with a tefillah that was recited with great emotion. Those listening to him were wellaware of the significance of this event, the Hilloula of the tzaddik Rabbi Haim Pinto Zatzal. We once again salute the efforts of the Moroccan authorities for having provided the greatest degree of security for this event. A local taxi driver told me that he had never seen such a deployment of policemen and military officers before. We especially want to thank everyone, both near and far, who were involved in the success of this visit to the tzaddik Rabbi Haim Pinto Zatzal, especially Mr. Knafo, Mr. Afryat, Patrick Alloul, Mr. William Marciano, and the caterer who treated us to the finest Moroccan dishes. We also can t ignore the work done by the staff of the Ryad Mogador Hotel in Essaouira. After the morning service, Rabbi David Pinto headed towards the mausoleum of the tzaddik Rabbi Haim Pinto. In his speech, the Rav insisted that each participant should make an effort to write down all the requests they had for the tzaddik. The participants followed one another to the grave of the tzaddik of Mogador in an atmosphere of calm reflection. Some read psalms, while others prayed there or lit candles in designated places. Then at about 10 am on that Friday morning, the participants returned to the Ryad Mogador Hotel for breakfast, where they were greeted with a festival of bright colors on each table. At 10:30 am, a large number of participants, about two entire busloads, had the

43 merit to travel to the gravesite of the tzaddik Rabbi Nissim ben Nissim, the miracle worker who is buried in the mountains between Essaouira and Marrakech, about a half-hour drive from the hotel. This was an opportunity for those who had never gone to the grave of the tzaddik (especially those who did not know of him) to perform this beautiful mitzvah. They also had the opportunity to be blessed by Mrs. Pinto, may Hashem grant her a long life, the mother of Rabbi David Pinto and the wife of the late Rabbi Moshe Pinto Zatzal, who is buried in Ashdod. At 1:45 in the afternoon, we met up with the participants who had stayed in Essaouira and sat down for a meal of fresh sardines, salad, and royal couscous. The afternoon was devoted to preparing for Shabbat, with some participants taking the opportunity to immerse themselves in the mikveh of the Atlantic Ocean. At the same time, others went into town to buy souvenirs. At 6:00 pm, women began lighting candles for Shabbat. After Mincha, Shir Hashirim was recited by the most talented liturgical singers, who took their place next to Rabbi David Pinto on this Shabbat evening. Thus besides our friend Judah Lugassy, who is well-known by residents of Paris and Marrakech, we had the opportunity to hear Mr. Afryat and Elie Melloul. Let s not forget that Mr. Melloul and his orchestra made this Hilloula even more enjoyable for all the participants. At the end of the Friday night prayers, Rabbi David Pinto gave a Torah speech in which he stressed the two gifts that Hashem gave to the Jewish people. The first gift is the Torah, and the second is Shabbat. These two gifts are inseparable from the Jewish people, and one cannot go without the other. A person must not be enslaved to his work. He must serve Hashem as much in the study of Torah as in the performance of mitzvot, for these allow a person to better himself. The Rav took the opportunity to say that man helps the Holy One, blessed be He, the King of kings. Referring to the animal world, all things being equal, the Rav spoke about the work that ants do for their queen throughout the day, as well as what bees do for their queen and the role that she and all bees play in the construction of the hive. Does the Mishnah not say, Do not be like servants who serve their master for the sake of receiving a reward, but rather like servants who serve their master without the intent of receiving a reward (Perkei Avoth 1:3), as well as, Your Employer is trustworthy to pay you the reward for your labor, but know that the giving of the reward to the righteous will be in the World to Come (ibid. 2:16)? The Rav then used this opportunity to speak about the parsha of the week, which was Ki Tavo. While reading this parsha, we note the strong connection between Hashem and the Jewish people around the performance of mitzvot. When a person no longer respects them, there are serious repercussions for the Jewish people. The Rav spoke about the spirit of kedusha that we were experiencing during the Hilloula in Essaouira, especially this year. He 43

44 again advised everyone to focus on writing down, after Shabbat, what they wanted to ask the Almighty through the intermediary of the tzaddik Rabbi Haim Pinto, and to read these requests at the cemetery on Saturday night. Friday night was filled with singing and joy. In fact the large conference hall in the Ryad Mogador Hotel was infused with simcha. That night was among the most memorable experiences of the Hilloula, for in a place in Morocco where few Jews lived, we saw a Jewish community coming together in the space of one Shabbat and one Hilloula. Rabbi David Pinto encouraged all the participants to sing that evening, especially Rabbi David s favorite song (which he calls the song of Mashiach) Habibi Ya Habibi. We heard singing in Ladino from the participants who came from South America and the Spanish-speaking areas of Morocco, for they arrived in large numbers to spiritually recharge themselves by the tzaddik. Dinner continued until 11:30 pm (which was already 1:30 am in France). During this memorable evening, we could see how Rabbi David Pinto is admired by people around the world, since participants had come to Morocco for this event from the Unites States, France, Belgium, Israel, Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico. The Rav travels a great deal around the world, contributing in this way to the spreading of Torah. He spreads emunah and encourages those who come to him for guidance, advice, or blessing. The participants regulars described the life of the tzaddik Rabbi Haim Pinto to the newest participants, noting that Rabbi Haim Pinto and his family moved to Essaouira (formerly called Mogador) when he was only 10 years old. His reputation as a holy man of G-d quickly spread throughout Morocco, and many sick and troubled people came asking him to pray on their behalf, prayers that resulted in deliverance and success. We can only stand in awe at the numerous miracles that have occurred by his gravesite. The night was short, and for the most courageous participants, Shabbat would begin with Torah lectures at 7:00 am. During the prayers of Saturday morning, the Rav stressed the idea that the 44

45 curses mentioned in the weekly parsha do not deal with those who fear Hashem and remain loyal to observing mitzvot. The morning service progressed to the sound of magnificently sung prayers and under ideal conditions. Furthermore, Rabbi David Pinto was able to infuse everyone with special enthusiasm, which moved the hearts of all. It was almost half past noon when the morning service ended, after which the participants sat down for lunch. To the fine dishes being served, the participants added enthusiastic singing, with one song following the next. For those who were up to it, the afternoon was devoted to Shabbat learning. For others, the afternoon afforded them time for a short nap. Mincha was followed by Seuda Shelishit, which was enjoyed by the pool. The selection of cakes was so vast that almost no one could taste all the varieties being offered. Before the prayer service began on Saturday evening, Rabbi David Pinto emphasized that we should all be ready to fully participate in the Hilloula that would begin that night. During the course of the evening, the Rav evoked Psalms 130, which we recite between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, being connected to the ten days of repentance. During this time, people call upon Hashem and implore Him for forgiveness. The Jewish people place their hope in G-d, for He is the One Who frees Israel from all sin. During this time, the Rav said that we shouldn t go to synagogue like a tourist who visits one place after another and views them all in the same light, for the danger is that he gets used to it. In his speech, the Rav said that the month of Elul is particularly favorable for teshuvah, and that the Torah must be a Jew s life on a daily basis. He also said that emunah ensures that obstacles in our way are removed. Referring to the tzaddik Rabbi Haim Pinto Zatzal, Rabbi David explained that his ancestor had the merit of studying with Eliyahu HaNavi, a fact supported by many eyewitness accounts. For example, Rabbi Makhlouf ben Lisha once came to the home of Rabbi Haim Pinto to speak about problems concerning the Jewish communities of Mogador. Given the seriousness of the subject, he didn t hesitate to visit him in the middle of the night. When he entered Rabbi Haim Pinto s room, however, he saw that his face was shining. He also saw someone else with Rabbi Pinto, someone who looked like an angel. Rabbi Makhlouf wanted to come a little closer, but he was suddenly overcome by a feeling of sheer terror, and therefore he fled. The next day Rabbi Pinto said to him, Fortunate are you my son, for you had the merit of seeing the face of Eliyahu HaNavi. Rabbi Makhlouf lived to the age of 110, and he described what he saw in his prayer book. At the end of Shabbat, the Hilloula began with the sale of mitzvot. The money collected by this event helps a large number of Jews in difficult situations. It also aids various Torah institutions in numerous countries, for Hevrat Pinto funds not only its own Torah centers, but a good number of yeshivot and kollelim around the world. Following the activities at the Ryad Mogador Hotel on that night, the participants climbed aboard buses for a trip to the cemetery. The time was just before 1:00 in the morning. Selichot were recited with special fervor at the cemetery, with the sounds of the Shofar echoing into the night. In the mausoleum of the tzaddik, the men preceded the women as everyone prayed and expressed their anxieties and aspirations. At the end of a short night s rest, the participants assembled for the morning prayers, with two services taking place. Breakfast was served around the pool, and then everyone packed their suitcases to leave. For most, the flight to Paris was scheduled for the beginning of the afternoon. A last visit to Rabbi Haim Pinto s mausoleum took place on that morning, with participants invoking the merit of the tzaddik of Mogador, may his merit protect us all. Prayer, song, and the sound of the Shofar accompanied the participants, and as the hours ticked down for their return, they began to feel somewhat sad that it was all coming to an end. The Jews who participated in this year s pilgrimage to the tzaddik of Mogador, Rabbi Haim Pinto Zatzal, had marked an important chapter in their lives, a time that brought them to Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Rabbi Haim Pinto helps us in life, for he intercedes with Hashem on our behalf, as well as for our families and the entire Jewish people. May his merit truly protect us all! Amen. 45

46 A TZADDIK HAS LEFT THIS WORLD THE GAON RABBI NISSIM REBIBO ZATZAL BY RABBI DAVID HANANIA PINTO EACH TIME THAT A TZADDIK LEAVES THIS WORLD, IT IS DEPRIVED OF ONE OF ITS FOUNDATIONS, FOR IT IS SAID: THE TZADDIK IS THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD (PROVERBS 10:25). IT IS WRITTEN THAT THE WORLD ENDURES BY THE MERIT OF TORAH, AND BY THOSE WHO STUDY IT DAY AND NIGHT. 46 French Jewry is still in shock. It has yet to realize the great loss that it incurred with the passing of the tzaddik, our teacher Rabbi Nissim Rebibo, may his merit protect us all. He is gone forever, having left us to our sorrow. Not only was he one of the greatest Poskim of our generation, he also possessed such extraordinary middot that words cannot do justice to him or his deeds. Woe to us, for the world has lost a pious man and a tzaddik. Who can take his place? He left us suddenly and at a young age, giving us no chance to prepare ourselves for his passing. If he had departed in the usual way, not suddenly, then perhaps we would have been able to bear his passing. Yet now we have incurred a great loss, one that is forcing us to reflect upon our ways. Our pain is immense because we didn t appreciate his true greatness. It is only after his death that we discovered the greatness of his holiness, his Torah, his faith, and his middot. The pain is still intense, and tears are still shed over the passing of the tzaddik. Woe to us, woe to us! Who will defend and support us in difficult times? We know that the world endures only by the merit of Torah. Yet today, who in the world of Torah and among the rabbanim can take his place? I had the great merit of studying with Rabbi Nissim Rebibo for a few years at the Sunderland yeshiva. He was the lion and leader of our group, and all the rabbanim respected him and appreciated his Torah knowledge. We knew that he was born for greatness in Torah, yet he was so modest and self-effacing! In our generation, no other gaon and tzaddik could conceal his deeds as well as he did. Woe to us, for we have lost a spiritual father and are now helpless. Who can we rely on today? Who can lead us in the paths of the holy Torah? We know that the evil inclination attacks man with all its strength precisely when he studies Torah and kills himself for it, meaning when he is deeply immersed in learning Torah. We also know that it vigorously attacks a person who desires to humble himself before the Torah and man, a person who wants to grow in humility. Rabbi Nissim Zatzal possessed the two most important middot for achieving greatness: Diligence in Torah study and humility. He possessed these middot to such an extent that people were not aware of his greatness, for he concealed them in his immense wisdom in order not to fall into pride. Hence, This is why I cry! As youngsters living 30 years ago, whenever we looked for our teacher Rabbi Nissim Zatzal, we always knew where to find him. Be it day or night, during holidays or not, he was always in the Beit Midrash, hidden behind a pile of books that he was constantly studying. He was happy with his lot, and he never protested when Hashem sent him trials. In fact he never stopped learning To-

47 rah. When his wife the Rebbetzin fell ill, he studied with even greater diligence in order for her to recover by the merit of his Torah. Hashem heard his prayers, and in His mercy He sent her a complete healing. Our teacher was always hidden away in the Beit Midrash. It was almost as if he never wanted people to see him studying. He was always sitting in a faraway corner so that nobody ever knew that he was there. One day we met during an important event to raise funds for the kollel, and I asked him to speak in order to motivate the audience. The Rav replied that I was the one that he wanted to hear. Hundreds of books could be written about his life, his greatness in Torah, his humility, and his generosity. After we heard exceptional tributes from all the rabbanim delivering eulogies at his funeral, we understood the greatness of this giant among giants, a man who lived among us in our generation. It was then that we realized that there had been a great light in our midst, one that we never knew was there. I asked myself, Why, when he was alive, were we so blind that we didn t even perceive his greatness? Now that he is gone, we realize just how much we miss him. This is an indication that our generation was not worthy to benefit from his light, for we did not appreciate it. Today some of the greatness and splendor of his light has begun to spread. Of him it is written, They have gone to their world and left us to our sorrows. At the Sunderland yeshiva, I had the great merit of studying with Rabbi Nissim every night between Thursday and Friday. Everyone loved him, and he never had a dispute with anyone, for he was righteous in his dealings with G-d and man. May it be Hashem s will for Rabbi Nissim Rebibo to pray for us in Heaven, that we may repent and completely return to Hashem. By the merit of his Torah and holiness, may the Holy One, blessed be He, hasten the coming of Mashiach. May it be Hashem s will that he prays for his wife the Rebbetzin, for his sons and entire family, and also for the whole community. May he know in Heaven that we greatly miss him today, and may we merit seeing the resurrection of the dead. Amen and amen. I will recount a moving incident that happened to me, one that will show who the Dayan and tzaadik Rabbi Nissim Rebibo Zatzal really was. We will then understand just how Hashem conducts the world and directs our actions in the smallest detail. On Wednesday, July 29, 1998, the Dayan Rabbi Nissim Rebibo Zatzal, the Av Beit Din of Paris, called me with an invitation to a fundraiser for his kollel. I told him that I was scheduled to fly to Chicago, where many people were waiting for me. However Rav Rebibo insisted that I come, for my presence could convince people to give more generously. He asked me to accept this invitation for the love of Torah. I thought about the fact that I was ready to make every effort for Torah, without limit, because I grew up in an atmosphere of Torah in my father s home. At a very young age, the Sefat Emet of Ger was already a gaon. He wrote many books and became the Rebbe of thousands of Ger chassidim by the age of 23. He recounted the following parable: Someone wanted to climb a very high mountain, but the ascent was quite dangerous. For months he climbed without stop, and in the end he arrived at the summit completely exhausted. What did he see there? A child! He asked him, For months I labored with all my strength to climb this peak, so how did you get here? The child replied, You climbed up, but I was born here. The same applies to Torah. Some people have to invest many years to acquire Torah values and attain lofty heights. Others are born in a Torah environment. Such was the case with the Sefat Emet of Ger. Therefore I didn t refuse Rabbi Nissim Rebibo s offer to attend his fundraiser. I was born with Torah values, and I had grown up among great Torah figures and tzaddikim. I told him that I would participate in this event for the sake of Torah learning, and therefore I cancelled my trip to Chicago. Let s think about this for a moment: Who was the winner in all this, Rav Rebibo or me? If I had gone to Chicago, I could have collected significant funds for my Torah institutions. However since I cancelled my trip, I failed to collect them. On that night I spoke about Rav Rebibo s Torah institutions, and thank G-d a great deal of funds were collected. I encouraged everyone to give generously, and I gave them my blessing. If we look at things in this way, it was I who lost and Rav Rebibo who won. However the remainder of the story will show just how much I won! A month later, I began to prepare for my trip to New York. I was hesitating between taking a Geneva-NY flight on Sunday with a return on Tuesday, or leaving on Monday and returning on a NY-Geneva flight on Wednesday night. For four days I prepared myself for this trip, but I later cancelled it. I then changed my mind and decided to leave, but then I cancelled it again. In the end, I flew to Chicago instead of New York. This happened because I wanted to visit Chicago, my initial destination before deciding to attend Rav Rebibo s fundraiser. It was then that a great miracle occurred. If I hadn t cancelled my New York-Geneva flight, I would have died, for that flight crashed and no one survived. If I hadn t accepted Rav Rebibo s invitation, I would have traveled to Chicago as planned, and one month later I would have gone to New York. In other words, I would have been on the flight that crashed. Thus by the merit of Rav Nissim, my life was saved! That s why I was the real winner in this whole story, all due to having faith in Hashem and a love for Torah. My faith was so strong, I could almost touch it. This story symbolizes something very important, which is that the evil inclination called the Angel of Death and the Satan (Bava Batra 16a) wanted to void my heart and mind of faith so that I would forget all of Hashem s kindnesses. This is why the Torah states Bereshith ( In the beginning ), meaning that we are the Jewish people at the beginning and the end, a people who act through faith, for without Israel there is no Bereshith. On Sunday, Nissan 4, 5766, and the request of Rebbetzin Rebibo, the widow of the tzaddik Rabbi Nissim Rebibo Zatzal, we organized an evening aimed at encouraging people to repent. This event was attended by the rabbanim of France and its leaders, and it was held in the memory of the tzaddik, may his merit protect us all. A friend of the tzaddik, who is alive and well, the gaon Rav HaRashi Shlomo Amar Shlita of Israel, came especially for the event. On that night I went to the podium and motivated everyone to donate generously. Our aim was to collect enough funds to publish four books of Talmud and Responsa written by the gaon, my friend Rabbi Nissim Rebibo Zatzal. I also pledged to finance one of his books. It was truly a sanctification of Hashem s Name that in a few minutes the audience donated enough to publish the books of the tzaddik, something that had never happened before. It was truly a great wonder. There s no doubt that this occurred by the merit of the holy Torah that our teacher Rabbi Nissim Rebibo Zatzal studied day and night. May the memory of the tzaddik be blessed. 47

48 THE PASSING OF RABBI NATHAN BOKOBZA 48 FOLLOWING A DIFFICULT ILLNESS, THE GAON RABBI NATHAN BOKOBZA ZATZAL PASSES AWAY AT THE AGE OF 42 IT WAS PRECISELY DURING BEIN HAZMANIM THAT HE WAS WELCOMED INTO OLAM HABA, ALONG WITH ALL THE TORAH THAT WAS TAUGHT ON HIS ACCOUNT. THIS IS OUR KORBAN PESACH! Following a Difficult Illness, the Gaon Rabbi Nathan Bokobza Zatzal Passes Away at the Age of 42 Who Shows Kindness to Thousands Each year during Bein Hazmanim, the gaon Rabbi Nathan Bokobza Zatzal gave classes to more than 700 avrechim at the yeshiva. In light of this, the gaon Rabbi Moshe Tsedaka Shlita (the Rosh Yeshiva of Porat Yosef) said the following during his eulogy for Rabbi Nathan Bokobza: It was precisely during Bein Hazmanim that he was welcomed into Olam Haba, along with all the Torah that was taught on his account. This is our Korban Pesach! When the gaon s passing was announced, tens of thousands gathered to hear the painful news, news that spread like wildfire through the country. At the time of his funeral, thousands of people joined the procession. Following grueling treatments, Rabbi Nathan Bokobza Zatzal succumbed to his illness at the age of 42. He passed away last Nissan, as his soul returned to his Creator on Shabbat at three in the morning. Rabbi Bokobza was initially a student of the gaon Rabbi Issachar Meir (the Rosh Yeshiva of Negev), and he later became an avrech at the kollel. After his marriage, Rabbi Bokobza founded a kollel in Netivot. He also committed himself to performing numerous deeds of chesed, establishing a large soup kitchen that provided food for widows, orphans, and the needy. The funeral procession began at his home in Netivot, where eulogies were delivered and Psalms recited. With a voice choked with tears, his Rav, the gaon Rav Issachar Meir, spoke: Not only was he my student, he was also a son to me. King David was completely devoted to tzeddakah, to deeds of kindness for poor and rich alike, doing this solely for the sake of pleasing his Creator. Likewise my student did not seek any honor for himself, but instead acted solely for the good of others. He did this because he wanted to please his Creator, and because it was His will. I once remember telling him that the yeshiva was in a difficult financial situation, and he immediately went out in search of funds! When I sent him young married couples, he was always able to provide them with what they needed, whether it was appliances or other things. When I paid him a visit a few days ago, he said to me: Each day of my life is a miracle. He was such an optimist! However the Creator of the universe decided otherwise, and He gathered up his pure soul. May it be the Almighty s will to spare us from the attribute of justice. May He judge us with the attribute of mercy, and may He keep us far from suffering. Amen. The gaon Rabbi Shlomo Amar said these words: G-d has given and G-d has taken away. Blessed be the Name of the Almighty for all time. Today is a difficult day. The loss of a tzaddik is too hard to bear, especially when he passes away in his youth. He was always doing good, never wasting a minute of his time. He experienced suffering that few of us could endure, and during his illness he became a living book of Mussar [Rabbi Amar begins to weep at this point]. He never complained! He had such faith in the Almighty, and even on his sickbed he looked for ways to help those around him! His brother expressed himself as follows: My brother Rabbi Nathan, I m in agony! We were together for 42 years. Around the Shabbat table your children said, Daddy will be with us for the Seder. While clothing and shoes were being distributed in Netivot, Ofakim and Ashdod, a little girl began to cry when she didn t receive anything. My brother, your daughter ran towards her and gave her clothes that she had received. She said, The main thing is that Daddy gets well. Your son ran towards a little boy who wasn t on my list, and he presented him with a gift. He said, Don t worry. Take mine! All that mattered to him was doing chesed. The main thing to me, he said, is that Daddy gets well. Rabbi Nathan Bokobza Zatzal was laid to rest in the Netivot cemetery, not far from the monument of the Baba Sali Zatzal. May the memory of the tzaddik be blessed.

49 THE DISASTER EFFECTS OF CARELESSNESS The world was not meant to run on its own. There is a price to pay for every mistake, for each unintentional error, and for every act of carelessness. Take driving as an example. When we are focused on the road, our journey will certainly be safer. In that case, it is extremely likely that we will arrive at our destination safe and sound, happy and content. Yet if a person makes the grave mistake of drinking alcohol before driving, or if he is in need of sleep, he will drive much more dangerously. Not only will he be in danger, far worse is the fact that he will endanger those around him, meaning other drivers and pedestrians. A distracted driver is liable to become a ticking time bomb, the results of which nobody can foresee. We know all too well how many lives have been lost as a result. From here we come to a simple conclusion, chilling though it may be: Carelessness is equal to death. To be more precise, carelessness is likely to lead to a decree of death. Yet before that point is reached, intermediate decrees are issues, decrees that are less grave. Their purpose is to motivate a careless person to wake up and learn, to grab hold of the wheel with his two hands and rid himself of the lethargy that has overtaken him. Otherwise the results may prove catastrophic, even fatal. Carelessness of this kind applies to driving. Careless Students There are also careless students, of which we can discern two types: There is the careless, yet intelligent student who learns something once and always retains it. In general he succeeds in school because his natural abilities make things easy for him. He has to be reminded, however, that these abilities were given to him as a gift from Heaven, for he did nothing to receive them. Then there is the student who is both careless and possesses few natural abilities. Such a case is far more serious, for even a student who is careless yet intelligent will quickly realize that wealth is not forever, and that one, two, or even three achievements are not a measure of longterm success. His teachers will soon realize that he is bright, for his grades are the product of sheer intelligence, given that he puts absolutely no effort into studying. Yet when he will have to understand more and learn broader subjects when he has to give meaningful explanations or demonstrate creative zeal his inborn abilities will no longer be able to help him, and he will need to apply himself. Thus lazy individuals must pay a price for their carelessness, since a failure here and a failure there will quickly add up. Simply put, there is a price to pay for being careless, even if a person is intelligent and gifted. Carelessness is like a small, barely visible worm that burrows its way into the natural abilities of a person and makes them rot. Thus without paying attention, a gifted yet careless student will descend to the lowest levels. His situation is even worse than that of a careless student with few talents, for in the end he will know nothing but shame. Carelessness in the Workplace Because examples of carelessness are not lacking, we will not describe them at length. Suffice it to say that carelessness can be found in everything from construction work (flouting safely regulations) to journalism (writing articles without checking facts). In the latter case, ruining reputations stems from a desire to do wrong, a desire to transgress all the laws regarding Lashon Hara. We also find cases of carelessness in the banking profession. For example, some arrogant bank employees sometimes forget to record deposits, while others prefer to close their eyes and neglect their responsibilities, for they have no desire to demonstrate drive and initiative. In this way they cause serious, sometimes irreparable harm to those who need their help. Just to what point do the harmful effects of carelessness go? Extinguishing the Perpetual Light During Chanukah, we light candles in remembrance of the flask of oil that lasted for eight days. Yet let us try to remember why the Greeks issued their decree, one that prohibited Jews from learning Torah and practicing mitzvot. What is the source of the calamity that befell the Jewish people, and which led to the cessation of the Temple service and the extinguishing of the Menorah s perpetual light? What was the root cause of the terrible wave of Helenization that pushed the greater part of the Jewish people to lose their faith, until only Matityahu the son of Yochanan and his five sons remained? Indeed, it was carelessness simply carelessness! The Rambam writes in Iggeret Teiman, During the time of the Second Temple, the Greek Empire wanted to conquer Israel, and it enacted terrible decrees against the Jewish people to push them to abandon their faith. These decrees were in effect for close to 52 years. The Beit Chadash explains the root cause as follows: During Chanukah, the decree [against Israel] focused mainly on carelessness in the service of Hashem. Hence it was decreed that this service should stop. Measure for Measure It is generally known that people find it easier to perform mitzvot that occur only periodically. Such mitzvot engender enthusiasm and are anxiously awaited. On the other hand, constantly recurring mitzvot are liable to lead a person to perform them routinely, meaning in a less than enthusiastic way. The road from here to carelessness is not very long. Carelessness leads to paying less attention to mitzvot. Constantly recurring mitzvot, such as the continual burnt-offerings and the lighting of the Menorah, are obviously more difficult to undertake because of their repetitive nature. The very same priests who demonstrated carelessness in this regard understood the real reason for the decree against the Jewish people. Hence they literally gave their lives for it. They delivered their souls to death, which was enough for the Holy One, blessed be He, to miraculously deliver the Jewish people, saving them in a way beyond anyone s imagination. Hence it was inconceivable that a tiny flask of oil one barely enough to ensure a day s worth of light could last for eight days, just as it was inconceivable that the few could defeat the many. It follows that diligent effort, one that requires tremendous sacrifice on our part, has the power to annul Heavenly decrees. Thus from great darkness and spiritual ruin, a light will suddenly emerge, one that eradicates all darkness. Soul Searching Everyone should search his soul and carefully examine his life. He will then see the strong connection between his deeds of carelessness and his troubles. Coming to this realization, however, requires deep thought. Enthusiasm The Maggid of Mezritch said, The main satisfaction that Hashem derives from a mitzvah comes from our enthusiasm for it. 49

50 THE ADMOR OF SATMAR HARAV MOSHE TEITELBAUM ZT L (BY BETZALEL KAHN) 50 AN ENORMOUS CROWD TOOK PART IN THE LEVAYA LAST WEEK OF THE ADMOR OF SATMAR HARAV MOSHE TEITELBAUM, THE NEPHEW OF RAV YOELISH AND THE AUTHOR OF DERECH MOSHE. Moshe Teitelbaum was born in 5675 (1915) to HaRav Chaim Tzvi Teitelbaum, the rov of Sighet and the author of Atzei Chaim, and his mother, the daughter of HaRav Sholom Eliezer Halberstam, the son of the Divrei Chaim of Tzanz. One year after the outbreak of World War I with Hungarians fleeing in every direction, the Teitelbaums fled to Ratzpert, where their grandfather HaRav Sholom Eliezer Halberstam lived. Moshe s bris was held at his grandfather s beis medrash on the knees of the Admor of Belz HaRav Yissochor Dov, the father of the Admor HaRav Aharon. While he was a child, his father served as the rov of Sighet for several years. Various rabbonim regularly visited his father s home where they held involved conversations on matters of Torah and halochoh. On one occasion when the rov of Nirbator, HaRav Aharon Teitelbaum, arrived for a visit he asked his assistant to summon Moshe, who was sitting in cheder at the time. When the boy arrived he was told to take a look at the guest and then was immediately sent back to class. Many years later, after World War II, while HaRav Moshe was serving as the successor to his father in Sighet, he married the daughter of the rov of Nirbator following the loss of his first wife. Over the years Moshe s parents gave birth to 22 children but 12 died of illness and eight perished during the Holocaust, leaving only him and his sister (who later married the rov of Achuza in Haifa). Years later he said that his father never shed a tear at the various levayos for his siblings, but when his own mother the Admor s grandmother passed away he wept bit- terly. When asked to explain, his father had said he was not crying over his mother s petiroh but over the loss of the opportunity to fulfill the mitzvah of kibbud eim. When Moshe was just 11 his father passed away at the age of 46, followed by his mother a mere three months later. A short time later he traveled to the home of his uncle, the Admor of Satmar and the author of Vayoel Moshe, who offered the boy much encouragement. One year on Succos the boy went to the home of the Admor of Nassaud, the grandfather of HaRav Moshe Aryeh Freund and one of Hungary s elderly admorim. When he entered the room the Admor rose to his feet. When asked why he stood up for the young bochur he replied, I ve never seen such a clean esrog as this. As the young man matured, his uncle began to search for a shidduch for him, telling one shadchan that he was the product of 18 holy, pure generations and did honor to his heritage. Therefore a fitting shidduch should be sought. In 5696 (1936) he married the daughter of his uncle, HaRav Henoch Teitelbaum (Mayer), the rov of Kretzky, who was the son-in-law of the Kedushas Yom Tov. He spent the next four years in his father-in-law s home, during which time he started Yeshivas Beis Dovid. Later he was asked to serve as the rov of Simihali, but before he set out another rov was installed. His uncle consoled him by saying he was meant to occupy a more important post. Only many years later, when he was appointed to succeed him, did HaRav Moshe understand his uncle s intentions. A short time later he was made the rov of Zenteh, Yugoslavia. For several years he taught Torah and Yiddishkeit, starting a yeshiva that acquired a sterling reputation. The yeshiva was run by HaRav Y. Neuhaus, the brother-in-law of HaRav Yosef Tzvi Dushinsky. The town had two main botei knesses, one Ashkenaz and one Sfard, and he would divide his time between the two. In 5704 (1944) on the second day of Shavuos the Derech Moshe and his entire kehilloh were sent to Auschwitz. Despite the suffering there his emunoh was not weakened in the least. Instead he would offer chizuk and encouragement to the thousands of other prisoners. Even after losing his wife and three children, Hy d, he continued to teach Torah inside the camp until he was miraculously saved through chasdei Shomayim. On 25 Iyar 5705 (1945) he arrived at the displaced persons camp at Theresienstadt and from there returned to Sighet, Hungary. Upon arrival he began to rebuild the ruins of the kehilloh, appointing rabbonim and shochtim, setting up educational institutions and heading the beis din. During this period he married the daughter of the rov of Nirbator, HaRav Aharon Teitelbaum. In Sighet he managed to expand the kehilloh. During this period he regularly gave strident speeches against the Russians intentions to take control over Hungary, saying that they posed a threat to Jewish education. One day two Jewish officers from the Russian army passed near his home. When he related to them how he survived the concentration camps they said the Russian government had marked him as a troublemaker and advised him to leave as soon as possible. Taking no chances, a short time later he sailed the US. He landed in Florida shortly

51 before Rosh Hashana 5707 (1946). A few days later he traveled to New York after learning that his uncle was living there. HaRav Moshe wanted to daven in his beis medrash, but his uncle would not hear of it, instead naming him the Admor of Sighet, leading other refugees from Sighet who had arrived in the US and set up a shul. Thus he began to establish the Sighet kehilloh in the US, setting up Yeshivas Atzei Chaim in Boro Park. For many years he led the kehilloh and served as rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Atzei Chaim, which was named after his father. He would often engage in exchanges with gedolei Torah on various matters of Torah and halochoh. His talmidim recall that when his uncle once asked a pressing question relating to meat kashrus he was sent to discuss the matter with HaRav Moshe Feinstein zt l. When HaRav Feinstein later met his uncle he said, Your nephew is a real gaon. About one year after his uncle, the Admor of Satmar and the author of Vayoel Moshe, passed away in 5739 (1979) HaRav Moshe was named his successor. Known as a talented speaker he would deliver extended droshos and profound shiurim on gemora and halochoh. He penned a multi- volume set of commentary on the Chumash called Derech Moshe and additional volumes are currently scheduled for printing. Since his appointment he elevated the Satmar community. He initiated very low priced building projects for Satmar Chassidim in Jerusalem, Bnei Brak and Beit Shemesh as well as numerous projects in the US, going from one benefactor to another to raise funds for construction. Over the years he issued numerous takonos to strengthen the community both in ruchniyus and gashmiyus. Meanwhile he was appointed nosi of the Edoh Chareidis in Jerusalem, Keren Hahatzoloh, Kollel Shomrei Hachomos and the Union of Orthodox Rabbis of the US and Canada. As head of the latter organization he would take part in all of the meetings of gedolei Torah and admorim in the US and was among the prominent speakers on every issue that came on the agenda. HaRav Moshe Teitelbaum s tefillos were remarkable and his stately speech and mannerisms left a strong impression on everybody who came in contact with him. His thousands of Chassidim had access to him during all hours of the day and were always warmly received. He visited Eretz Yisroel on several occasions before becoming Admor and again in 5743 (1983) and 5754 (1994). On his last visit he met with Rabbenu Hagodol HaRav Shach zt l. He visited Maran at Yeshivas Ponovezh and later Maran repaid his visit at his residence at Kiryat Yoel in Bnei Brak. In 5747 (1987) he contracted a serious ailment in his leg. Satmar kehillos around the world pleaded for his recovery until he eventually regained his strength. In 5758 (1998) he again became ill and suffered for the next several years. During the past few months he was hospitalized at Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan and seemed to be on his way to recovery, but passed away last Tuesday evening, surrounded by his family members and many of his talmidim and Chassidim crying out Shema Yisroel. Before the levaya set out from the large Satmar beis medrash in Williamsburg bitter hespeidim were delivered by his son-in-law HaRav Dovid Berish Meislish, av beis din of Satmar Boro Park, his son HaRav Aharon, gavad of Kiryat Yoel, his son HaRav Lipa, av beis din of Kahal Derech Moshe in Williamsburg, his son HaRav Zalmen Leib, av beis din of Satmar in Williamsburg, his son HaRav Sholom Eliezer, rov of the Satmar beis medrash on 15th Avenue in Boro Park, and his son-in-law HaRav Chaim Yehoshua Halberstam, av beis din of Satmar in Monsey. Thousands were waiting at the large Satmar shul of Kiryat Yoel in Monroe when the aron arrived at about 3:00 am. There eulogies were given by his son-in-law HaRav Dovid Meislish, av beis din of Satmar of Montreal, HaRav Yisroel Chaim Menashe Friedman, dayan umoreh tzedek of Satmar in Williamsburg, HaRav Getzel Berkovitz, dayan umoreh tzedek in Kiryas Yoel, and HaRav Ezriel Glick, the faithful shamash of HaRav Yoel and HaRav Moshe for decades. At 6:00 am he was buried beside his uncle in the Kiryas Yoel Cemetery. HaRav Moshe Teitelbaum zt l is survived by his sons and sons-in-law, grandsons and greatgrandsons. With his petiroh the Jewish world lost one of the great admorim from the previous generations. 51

52 A FEW GOLDEN RULES FOR LIVING LONG AND STAYING HEALTHY 52 It s a good idea to avoid artificial sweeteners. For the most part, these chemical products are linked in one way or another to cancer, certainly in animals. We are uncertain, however, as to their effects on human beings. It s quite easy to get used to consuming drinks without sugar. In fact our tastes can change. Bottled water is not necessarily healthy or pure. There are various kinds of bottled water, each with different mineral contents that are usually indicated on the label. It is recommended to drink water that contains low amounts of nitrates and chlorine, and large amounts of calcium and magnesium. Bottled water contains no calories, which is also beneficial. Taking dietary supplements without guidance or a proper understanding of the subject can do more harm than good. People who are in good health and eat a varied diet do not need dietary supplements. If a person is sick or taking medication, he should ask a medical professional before taking any supplements. To increase the body s absorption of calcium, it is better to take it in smaller, more frequent amounts during the course of the day than to take a 1,000 mg pill once a day. Salt, alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, and large amounts of protein (as in a high-protein diet) limit the body s absorption of calcium and causes calcium levels to drop. We should eat fewer foods that contain phosphates (such as soft drinks), because a large intake of phosphates, coupled with a small intake of calcium, will cause the body to lose calcium. The body needs to consume a wide variety of food products. People who eliminate all fat from their diet cause irreparable harm to the body s organs, including the heart, because the body needs fat in order to produce hormones. When the body doesn t receive enough fat from dietary sources, it produces it on its own. The effect of such fat is much worse than consuming various kinds of fat (saturated, unsaturated, polyunsaturated, etc.) from dietary sources. Fasting on fruit juice is very healthy. Such a fast involves abstaining from solid food for a limited period of time. It is recommended to fast once a week (other than a work day), and to drink a great deal of water during this time. It is good to fast either once a week or once every 15 days, and at least once a month. When fasting on juice, be sure to dilute it with water. Also, make sure to use juice from fresh fruits and vegetables. It s not healthy to fast like this for more than three or four days, and a fast lasting any longer must only be undertaken with medical supervision. We have to do things in moderation, which is why miracle diets don t work in the long run. A sudden and drastic weight loss causes an unbalance between muscle tissue and water in the body. Losing weight too quickly is often only temporary, resulting in a yo-yo effect that causes an even greater weight gain. Fat that has accumulated over many years must be gradually reduced. A diet must be based on a variety of food products in order not to harm the body, and all diets must contain some fat. It is recommended to get a blood test from time to time and to take personal risk factors into consideration. Also, some forms of alternative medicine can increase the levels of calcium in the body. Medical researchers in the United States report a decrease in heart disease by treating patients with age-reversing methods including mediation, a healthy diet, medical care, and regular physical activity. We should decrease our exposure to the sun as much as possible. This will prevent premature aging and wrinkling of the skin. It will also help to prevent certain diseases such as skin cancer. In Israel, it is pointless to use sunscreens with a low SPF (sun protection factor). It is also important for people to see a dermatologist from time to time, especially people in high-risk categories. This includes those with a family history of skin cancer, those who had burns when they were young, and those who have warts or a history of warts. We should brush our teeth at least three times a day, as well as our gums and tongue, and we shouldn t forget to floss. Visiting the dentist once or twice a year is also a good idea, for the bacteria that accumulate in the mouth can lead to heart damage and other serious conditions.

53 53

54 54

55

56