This שבועות marks a monumental peak in RYNJ history. We have the opportunity to dedicate this student תורה journal to four of our greatest leaders

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1 בס"ד

2 This שבועות marks a monumental peak in RYNJ history. We have the opportunity to dedicate this student תורה journal to four of our greatest leaders this institution has deeply benefited from for many years. Scores of students have had the privilege to grow in תורה and מידות due to the selflessness and unyielding dedication of RABBI AND MRS. GOLDSTEIN, RABBI HORN, and MRS. MERMELSTEIN. The yeshiva is founded on their wisdom, compassion and endless love for each and every student, and it is our honor to have their students fill this journal with words of תורה passed down from them.

3 H onoring one s father and mother - Is this a mitzvah ben adam l chevro or a mitzvah ben adam l makom? Practically, the answer seems pretty obvious. We are human beings and our parents are human beings. Therefore, it must be a mitzvah ben adam l chevro. However, when we look at the Aseres HaDibros it is easy to walk away with a very different conclusion. Honoring one s father and mother is not listed amongst the mitzvos ben adam l chevro. It is is not listed with do not steal, do not kidnap, and do not murder. It is listed within the first five Dibros. With that said - the question remains: Why? Many people think that honoring parents is some kind of retribution for years of dedication and service. They believe that since our parents provided us with food, clothing and shelter then we should honor them. But, in actuality, this mitzvah was first given to a generation whose basic needs were not provided by their parents. The generation who wandered for 40 years in the Midbar, who received the Torah at Har Sinai, were automatically provided with their needs from HaShem. They ate manna that fell from the heavens. The Ananei HaKavod protected them and cleaned their clothes. 1

4 We see from this that the mitzvah of honoring parents does not depend on what your parents have done for you. It doesn t depend on how well they parented. Rather, we honor our parents because they gave us the gift of life. Chazal tell us that there are three partners in the development of a human being: father, mother and HKB H. By honoring our parents, we are in essence honoring our Creator as well. If we show our appreciation to our parents for the gift of life, how much more so we should be grateful to HaShem for creating and sustaining the world around us. This is why honoring one s father and mother is listed with the mitzvos ben adam l makom. The honor due to our parents goes hand in hand with our obligation to HKB H. This message of appreciation could not be more appropriate than at this time of year as we watch four valuable members of the RYNJ family retire after decades of heartfelt service to the Yeshiva. Rabbi and Mrs. Goldstein have been the architects of this Yeshiva. They gave their heart and soul to the Yeshiva. RYNJ is what it is today because of Rabbi and Mrs. Goldstein. Rabbi Horn and Morah Fran developed programs and oversaw curricula that have transformed children into bnei and bnos torah. Their positive impact will last for generations. With that in mind, we dedicate this journal in their honor. Rabbi Price 2

5 W as Avraham really chosen? What made him so special? (Parshas Lech Lecha). It wasn t that Hashem specifically singled out Avraham and chose him to be the father of His chosen nation. Although Hashem does have the power to see the future, and know that Avraham would be great, that s not how he chose the first Patriarch (I like that word. It makes me sound sophisticated). Really, Hashem tells everyone to Lech Lecha. He gives everyone the opportunity to follow Him and be great. But not everyone notices the signs. Not everyone can tell when Hashem is showing them that this is your moment to prove yourself! Avraham Avinu did hear the signs and did realize that this was his moment. And that was what made him so special. Not that Hashem told him to go, but that he listened. This D var Torah speaks to me because it comforts me to know that everyone has a chance to be as great as Avraham. It wasn t that Hashem chose to speak to Avraham, it was that Avraham chose to listen to Hashem. This comforts me because I have often looked at the stories of the Patriarchs (I feel doubly sophisticated right now), and am a little put down by how awesome they are. They serve Hashem, they have Ruach Hakodesh, and they re just all-around amazing human beings. And usually, when I read all the incredible stories written about them, I can t help but think that I can never be as great as they 3

6 were. But this D var Torah gives me hope. It gives me hope that if I just pay attention and look for Hashem s sign, I too, will have my moment. I too, will have my chance to follow Hashem and be great. And maybe, just maybe, I will be able to be just as awesome as Avraham Avinu. 4

7 ו א ת ה ה ק ר ב א ל י ך א ת אה ר ן אח י ך ו א ת ב נ יו א ת ו, מ תו ך ב נ י י ש ר א ל ל כ ה נ ו ל י: אה ר ן נ ד ב ו א ב יה וא א ל ע ז ר ו א ית מ ר, ב נ י אה ר ן. ו ע ש ית ב ג ד י ק ד ש, ל אה ר ן אח י ך, ל כ בו ד, ול ת פ אר ת. )תצוה כ"ח:א( I n Parshat Tetzaveh, we learn that the bigdei kehunah were created for Aharon and his four sons exactly as Hashem directed, using the language for glory and for beauty. Rabbi Sacks asks: Why is the Torah so specific and emphatic in this week s parsha, about the clothes to be worn by the Kohen and the Kohen Gadol? We learned three answers to this interesting questiontwo from Rabbi Sacks and a third from Rabbi Frand. The first answer from Rabbi Sacks that I really liked was that Jews believe in hadrat kodesh, the beauty of holiness, because beauty inspires love, and from love flows the service of the heart. Another response from Rabbi Sacks to the question was that the phrase in Tetzaveh, for glory and for beauty, meant for the glory and beauty of G-d and His Presence, not for the glory and beauty of the priest. The third and final answer from Rabbi Frand was that the only reason the clothing was beautiful was because it was made exactly the way Hashem wanted it. If it had deviated slightly from how Hashem instructed them to make it, it wouldn t be beautiful. Each of these answers inspires me in a different way. The first answer, which talks about the Jewish belief in the beauty of holiness, reminds me of an article 5

8 I read about pagan religions, who believed in the holiness of beauty. If something or someone was beautiful, that automatically made it holy. But in Judaism, even if something appears weird or ugly, it could be beautiful just because it is holy. That is a very meaningful lesson - it teaches that one should not focus on outer beauty, and instead concentrate on having more kavanah and being more holy, because true beauty is the inner light that shines the brightest when you serve Hashem in the right way. The second answer we learned is that when the pasuk says, for glory and for beauty, it does not mean for the glory and beauty of the Kohen, but rather for the glory and beauty of Hashem and His presence. It goes on to explain that the task of the Kohen and his clothing was to be a living symbol of the Divine Presence in the midst of the nation. That message really resonated within me, and I also liked it because it continued the general idea of the first answer. The third and final answer was that the only reason the garments were beautiful was because it was made exactly as Hashem wanted it. I would like to expand that to the idea that all human beings and animals are beautiful because Hashem made us exactly the way He wanted. No matter what anything or anyone looks like - we are beautiful because we were made according to His vision. I like how this D var Torah has many different ideas to connect to, each answer expanding on the previous ones. Each response teaches us something a little different, but with the same important message. The Torah teaches us to value the beauty of Hashem s creations because everyone and everything was created according to Hashem s vision. 6

9 זמן מתן תורתנו I זמן מתן n multiple places in the Shavuot davening, we describe Shavuot as the Time of the Giving of Our Torah. However, in the Parshat,תורתנו HaMoadim in Parshat Emor, where the Torah describes each of the Yomim Tovim, it describes Shavuot as הבכורים,חג Holiday of the First Fruits. The pesukim mention many aspects of Shavuot such as the culmination of Sefirah, the Korbanos brought on Shavuot, and that Melacha is prohibited. But there is no mention of the giving of the Torah in these pesukim. How could the Torah not mention the accepting of the Torah, the moment that we became the nation of Hashem? The Kli Yakar explains that even though the giving of the Torah took place at a certain time, we accept and renew the Torah every day. Rashi in Devarim (26:16) commenting on the word ה יו ם explains, יום יהיו בעיניך חדשים.בכל The Torah should be new in your eyes every day. This shows that even though Shavuot is a special day we don t diminish the Torah any other day. Similar examples to this are Mother s Day and Father s Day which are set aside days to honor your parents. However, for us Jews every day is Mother s Day and Father s Day because of the mitzvah of אב ואם.כיבוד We don t relegate the acceptance of Torah to one day a year. Rather, we should be excited to learn every day of the year as if we just received the Torah. This is why the Torah.זמן מתן תורתנו doesn t call it 7

10 I t says in Parashas Kedoshim, Ve'ahavta Le'ray'acha Ka'mo'cha, you shall love your fellow Jew as yourself. Rabbi Akiva said about this, Zeh klal gadol ba'torah, this is a very important rule in the Torah. And yet, all of his 24,000 students died because they didn't respect each other. Instead of giving up teaching, Rabbi Akiva taught five more students. He told them that his other students had died because they could not tolerate each other, and he warned them to be careful to do what they did. But that wasn't the reason they had died! The Ponovezer Rav, zt"l, explains that the reasons are the same. If someone has something you don't have and you can't tolerate him for that, it is really the same as not respecting one another. We need to accept each other for whom we are and what we have and that is true respect. 8

11 I n Sefer Devarim perek yud aleph, Hashem describes the land that B nei Yisroel will inherit. The parsha goes on in detail about how B nei Yisroel will only be successful if they keep Torah and mitzvot. Hashem was also very precise in the manner of eradicating the roots of all the previous residents who were.עובדי In Sefer Devarim perek yud aleph, Hashem describes עבודה זרה the land that B nei Yisroel will inherit. The parsha goes on in detail about how the B nei Yisroel will only be successful if they keep Torah and mitzvot. Hashem was also very precise in the manner of eradicating the roots of all the previous residents who were עבודה זרה.עובדי This generation was brought up in the,מדבר where Hashem took care of B nei Yisroel s every need, including: מדבר food, water, and shelter. Living in Eretz Yisroel was very different than the because B nei Yisroel would have to fend for themselves (perek chet). Instead of being involved with B nei Yisroel every second in the,מדבר Hashem would watch over them from afar. The biggest challenge for them would be to remember that their success would still in essence come from on Hashem. This concept reminds me of Israel and Jerusalem and how right now in elementary school we are sheltered by our teachers and our parents like B nei Yisroel were sheltered by Hashem in the.מדבר However, now we are going to high school, which is like Eretz Yisroel, where we have to fend for ourselves much more. The teachers will be watching us from afar, and we will have more responsibility and independence. Although there always needs to be a balance 9

12 between having אמונה in Hashem and being successful, no matter what we do, we have to believe in Hashem that He has a plan for each and every one of us and that we will ultimately succeed. 10

13 W hy do women perform the mitzvot of lulav, and shofar if it wasn't commanded for women to do them? The mitzvot really fall into a category of mitzvot aseh shehazeman grama - positive mitzvot dependent upon a set time - from which women are traditionally exempt. Why do women always go the extra mile to make sure they are at shul to hear the shofar and make sure they shake the lulav if they don't even need to according to Torah Law? The answer is עליהן כחובה,קבלו the women took it upon themselves to do these mitzvot. Even though women were not commanded to do these mitzvot an entire generation of women went out of their way and decided that these mitzvot resonated so much that they obligated all future generations of women to do them This idea stuck with me, because it makes me proud to be a woman. Sometimes when you do mitzvot that you are obligated in, you only focus on doing it because you have to. However, when we do mitzvot that we take upon ourselves it is easier to remember that the reason we are doing them, is to come closer to Hashem. We should try to remember the reason behind every mitzvah, not just the ones we are obligated in. 11

14 In פרשת וזאת הברכה it mentions צוה לנו משה מורשה קהלת יעקב,תורה which means that the Torah belongs to.יעקב Why does the Torah say Yaakov and not B nai Yisrael? Rav Yaakov Kaminetsky explains that Yisrael means the elite or high up, and Yaakov means heel. So we say that the Torah belongs to Yaakov since even someone who is low, like a heel, can do the mitzvos and learn Torah, as opposed to other religions where often only the elite are able to study their religion. It says Yaakov because the Torah and mitzvos should be learned whenever, not just when you are feeling spiritual. Even through everyday activities such as playing sports and eating you are always doing His mitzvos even though you are not on a high level. 12

15 Shavuos is the anniversary of B nei Yisrael s acceptance of the Torah at Har Sinai, specifically, the Aseret Hadibrot, popularly known in the wider world as the Ten Commandments. From these ten tenets of belief stem the basic principles of morality that have differentiated humanity from the rest of the world for millennia. But are they really ten? A cursory reading of the text would indicate that what we know as the first commandment is not really a commandment at all, but rather a lead-up to the prohibition against serving other gods! ו י ד ב ר א ל קים א ת כ ל ה ד ב ר ים ה א ל ה א נ כ י ל אמ ר מ ב ית ע ב ד ים ל א י ה י ה ל ך א לה ים א ח ר ים ע ל פ נ י ל א ת ע ש ה ל ך מ מ ע ל ה' א ל קי ך ו א ש ר ב אר ץ מ ת ח ת ו א ש ר ב מ י ם מ ת ח ת ל א ר ץ ה' א ל קי ך א ש ר הו צ את י ך מ א ר ץ מ צ ר י ם פ ס ל ו כ ל ת מ ונ ה א ש ר ב ש מ י ם ל א ת ש ת ח ו ה ל ה ם ו לא ת ע ב ד ם כ י א נ כ י קל ק נ א פ ק ד ע ו ן אב ת ע ל ב נ ים ע ל ש ל ש ים ו ע ל ר ב ע ים ל ש נ אי ו ע ש ה ח ס ד ל א ל פ ים ל א ה ב י ול ש מ ר י מ צ ו ת י And the G-d of Justice spoke all these words, to be upheld forever: I am your G-d, who took you from of Egypt, from the slave house. There shall not be for you other gods before me; you shall not make a graven image, or any image, of anything in the skies above or the earth below; you shall not bow down to them, nor shall you serve them in any other way, for I am Hashem your G-d, a 13

16 mighty G-d of jealousy, who holds sons accountable for the iniquities of their fathers, even three or for generations later, for My enemies, yet doing kindnesses for thousands of generations for those who love me and those who guards my commandments. These pesukim are universally considered to be the first and second commandments. However, what is the mitzvah contained in the first pasuk, All this seems to inform us is that Hashem is our G-d, who has taken?אנכי ה us out of Mitzrayim. And while this is a basic tenet of our faith, how is it considered a commandment? I believe the answer is this: the phrase Ten Commandments is a misnomer. Instead, these ten concepts are the core, integral cornerstones of our faith. But to say that we are commanded to believe in G-d would be untrue. No one, not a parent, teacher, or anyone else, G-d included, can command us to believe something. In Hebrew, the Ten Commandments are not called the המצוות,עשרת since they are not all commandments. Instead, they are called the הדברות,עשרת the Ten Concepts. The reason for this is that the first דברה is not a command. To command us to believe in Hashem would be a violation of free will. Instead of commanding us to believe in Hashem, Hakadosh Baruch Hu spent over sixty chapters describing how He created the world, guided our forefathers, and took us out of Egypt with great miracles. We are not commanded to believe in G-d. But with all the evidence presented in the Torah, and in the world itself, how could we not? 14

17 W hen Naomi tries to convince Rut to leave back to Moav, she uses the shoresh shin, vav, ves 3 times. The Chachamim say this is the time where Rut converted. Naomi tried to tell her for each time she says this shoresh, she s trying to discourage Rut to convert. One reason that she told her not to convert is that it s expensive to be a Jew (you need to buy a lot of things including Kosher Food, Sefarim, and more). Another way she tried to discourage her was that when you re Jewish there s no turning back, when you convert you can t unconvert. The third reason is if she converts, she d be joining a persecuted nation that everyone wants to kill the Jews. The Megillah doesn t show Naomi discouraging Rut, it only shows Rut s reply to what Naomi said. So what did Naomi say to Rut to make her say this? Rut first says Wherever you go, I will go. With this answer Rashi explains what Naomi said. According to Rashi, Naomi was telling Rut about the rules and boundaries of Shabbos. The next answer Rut gives is, Where you will sleep, I will sleep. Rashi explains that Naomi was telling Rut about the laws of Yichud. Rut then says, Your nation is my nation. The explanation of Rashi on this answer, is that Naomi told Rut about the 613 Mitzvot of Judaism. The final answer that Rut gives is Your G-d is my G-d. Naomi is telling Rut that there is only one G-d if you re Jewish and that you can t serve other gods. We learn a lot of rules about converting from this conversation between Rut and Naomi. 15

18 The Abarbanel on the Haggada notes that the Korban Pesach is essentially a korban todah - a sacrifice of thanksgiving. Normally, all korbanot todah are supplemented with chametz loaves of bread; on Pesach, the korban pesach is supplemented only with matzah. This gives us additional insight into the question Why on Pesach do we. שבכל הלילות אנו אוכלים חמץ ומצה הלילה הזה כולו מצה only supplement the korban Pesach with matzah, not with chametz. The Chafetz Chaim explains that chametz is a metaphor for negativity. It is symbolic of an inflated ego. Matzah is symbolic of positivity and purity - the way we ought to be. When we offer a thanksgiving sacrifice, we are thanking Hashem for the good He has done, but equally, the bad from which we learn to appreciate the good. However, on Pesach, there is no bad; even being enslaved served good purpose - it taught us how to be pure even within the bad enslavement to a human king (Pharoah). Galus Mitzrayim served a constructive purpose to ensure that when we received the Torah we would be able to understand and accept the concept of service towards Hashem, after serving Pharaoh. We answer that Pesach is a night of מצה כולו - there is no bad, only good. This topic connected with me, because of everything that 8th graders go through in their final year in elementary school. There is a lot of good, but also 16

19 not so good times. We learned from the good as well as not-so-good to appreciate each other and get stronger through our interactions. Adversity doesn t destroy you, rather it builds character. 17

20 There is a Mashal of a man who began having serious pains in his back. The man went to the doctor to try and find the cause, and after several examinations, the doctor concluded that the man had problems with his heel that were causing his back to hurt. The man was confused by this odd diagnosis. Doctor, my pain is in my back. Why did you tell me a problem with my heel? The doctor smiled at him and responded, Yes, I understand you had pain in your back. But if the base isn't stable, it can cause problems for the whole body. Our Chazal teach us that Torah is the basis of all mitzvos, and one who engages in Torah study is equal to one who has done all the mitzvos. This is puzzling because we usually assume it is harder to do something than to say it. Why then, does one who learns Torah get a reward equal to all the mitzvos?! Before Matan Torah, the Jewish nation did not exist. There was simply a ragtag group of former slaves who had escaped Egypt and were now wandering in the desert. When we received the Torah, we finally had a basis, a foundation, for our beliefs. With the Torah, we went from a group of nomads to a real nation. Torah is the base for all of Judaism. 18

21 When we learn Torah, it is harder because we have no base. If you don't know Torah, there is no compelling reason to learn Torah. Once Torah has been learned, the mitzvos are easy because we know why we are doing them. Learning Torah is equal to all the mitzvos because without Torah we wouldn't have a base on which the mitzvos can stand on! As we sit and learn Torah this Shavuos night, we should remember that Torah is the base for our entire belief. Chazal teach us that we should approach Hashem s commandments each day as though they were new. If this is so, we should also approach the Torah just as the Jews did so many years ago, as they proclaimed Naaseh Vimishma and became a nation. 19

22 In Parshat Tetzaveh, most of the parsha is talking about the holy clothing that the Kohanim wore, the Bigdei Kehuna. A regular Kohein wore four garments: the Michnasayim (pants), Kitones (Shirt), Avnate (Belt), Migbaas (Hat). The Kohein Gadol wore an additional four garments: the Mi eel (Coat), Afode (Apron), Choshen(Breast Plate), Tzitz(Headband). Clearly, the Torah thinks that what the Kohein wears is really important. But what is all the fuss about clothing? Shouldn t we just be interested in worshipping Hashem and not so interested in our appearances? Rabbi Sacks gives an inspirational answer to these questions. He says that since the Kohanim are representing Hashem, they must look holy and like a king. When serving in the Beit Hamikdash, the Kohanim are serving the King of kings, and, therefore, must look holy and dignified. This got me to thinking that RYNJ helps me do this every day. The way we dress should represent what we are doing and who we are. When we go to school and learn Torah and daven to Hashem, we are representing Hashem and must look put together and like the daughters and sons of a king. RYNJ made a dress code so that every single student can look like a queen or king, reminding ourselves and showing everyone else that we are representing Hashem, our G-d. 20

23 In Sefer Devarim, Perek 11, Pasuk 8-12, the Torah describes the land of Israel by comparing it to life in Egypt. Many questions could be asked about that such as; Why does Moshe compare the two lands when there is clearly a huge difference between them? Wouldn't you think that since B nei Yisrael had such an awful time there that comparing it to Egypt would be a given, since anything is better than being slaves? In class, we saw that B nei Yisrael were already comparing Egypt to the life they had. Whenever they were complaining, they manage to forget all of the terrible things that happened in Egypt and remember the few good things. Moshe wanted to remind them that all of the few good things in Egypt would be even better in Israel. Egypt was not the focus of Hashem s attention, the Nile always had water, and the food was just there, so in a way there was independence. However in Israel their actions are going to count, and if they do Avodah Zarah then they will not have rain. On the other hand, in the desert B nei Yisrael had nothing more than what Hashem provided for them each day. Because they relied so much on Hashem, the people lacked individuality and independence. It was probably hard to wake up in the morning knowing that nothing was expected other than to be good, and that they had nothing to do, nothing to work at. In Israel they will get a land full of natural resources that will give them the opportunity to work and create. This shows us that B nei Yisrael will get the best of both worlds, by 21

24 getting both their independence, meanwhile knowing that there is someone out there watching over them, and that everything they do counts. I think this lesson sends a very powerful and meaningful message to people. It teaches us the value of being able to wake up in the morning and being able to do something with ourselves. I think that the land of Israel was a perfect combination of both intense spirituality, yet still having the independence a person needs to have motivation I enjoyed this lesson because it shows us the importance of learning Torah and keeping mitzvot, while still being able to go through our day as individuals. It was interesting to see the way humans reacts under different circumstances, and I think that it was a fun lesson to learn, due to the fact that we could relate and contribute our own feelings and experiences in this topic. 22

25 The Gemara tells us, If you accept the Torah, good, but if not, you will be buried under the mountain. Why would the Gemara tell this story when two days before the Jewish people responded to the Hashem that we will accept the Torah? We had not changed our minds in the two days since the giving of the Torah! Maybe the Gemara is saying that as long as we Jews continue to accept the Torah and live according to the Torah, all will be well. Throughout the last 3,300 years, there have been perhaps 30 different movements trying to redefine what it means to be a Jew. They have all failed to provide the force and meaning to hold us together as a people. Only through learning Torah and fulfilling the commandments can we ensure our survival as a people and our identity as Jews. 23

26 The Midrash Lekach Tov asks, Why do we read the book of Rut on Shavuot, at the time of receiving the Torah? Because this megillah is all chesed and the Torah is all chesed, as it says in Mishlei 31:26, 'V'Torat chesed al l'shonah' (and the Torah of Chesed is on her tongue). How is this megillah all chesed? First, Elimelech did not want to stay in Eretz Canaan, because he did not want to do chesed and support the poor around him. So, he went to Moav, who were known for being people who were against chesed. We know this because it says about Moav in Devarim 4:7, Because they did not greet you with bread and water... do not seek their peace and good in all your days. For this reason there is a discussion that one cannot accept a convert from Moav and how Rut is an exception as she was a Moavi woman and not a man. This law only applied to men. The theme of chesed continues when Rut and Orpah were going to leave Naomi, and she said, Hashem should do chesed with you just like you did with the dead and with me. Despite coming from the people of Moav, Rut was a woman of chesed. The next example of chesed is the chesed that Boaz did with Rut and Naomi. The first chesed he did was performing the mitzvah of leket where he allowed them to pick up any stray wheat that was dropped. When Naomi heard that 24

27 Rut was at Boaz's field she says, Blessed is he to Hashem that did not abandon his chesed for the living and the dead. Boaz says to Rut when he meets her,... It was told to me of all you did for your mother in law... Hashem should repay you for your deeds... Here he was recognizing Rut's chesed. The final chesed was that Boaz became a goel (redeemer) as he does the mitzvah of Yibum and marries Rut. Ironically, Boaz turns to Rut, who reminded him of his obligation to marry her, "... blessed are you to Hashem, my daughter. This later chesed is greater than your first chesed. She did a chesed by allowing him to do this mitzvah. So, how is the Torah all chesed? There is not even one mitzvah in the Torah to do chesed? The answer is that everything in the Torah is based on chesed. The Ramban on the pasuk in Devarim 6: comments on the words, V'asita hayashar v'hatov, You should do the straight and good from the Gemara in Baba Metzia that says hayashar v'hatov means to live lifnim m'shurat hadin - more than that which is expected or necessary. That even what Hashem does not directly command you to do it, you should do if it is good and right (straight), because Hashem loves the good and right. That is what chesed is. Doing more than what you have to. That is chesed. The Mesillat Yesharim says in chapter 18 that this is what it means to give Nachat ruach l'yotzro - pleasure to Hashem. A person who truly loves Hashem won't just do what he is obligated to do, but will do more than what he is obligated to do. Just like a son who loves his father- even if his father didn't tell him to do something specifically, he will do what he thinks his father would like. That is what it means to give nachas to Hashem. This is what chesed is. 25

28 Hurting with Speech Since the interpretation of hurtful words often depends on the speaker s intention, the Torah concludes the pasuk with the words, And you shall fear Hashem. Neither the victim nor the bystanders know your intentions to hurt them, but Hashem knows what you mean when you say it or think it. You should always fear Hashem and refrain from using hurtful words. Avoiding Fights and Pursuing Peace The mitzvah of, He shall not be like Korach and his congregation, requires us to avoid stirring up a fight. We should do whatever it takes to get rid of fights and restore peace (as long as it does not include harming anybody in any way); you can even extend the truth if necessary. The only kind of machlokes that is acceptable is one that is le'shaim shamayim (argument on halacha, or what something is translated as in the Torah, etc.) that does not lead to any personal antagonism. Don't Hate Your Fellow Jew The Torah commands us, Do not hate your brother with your heart (Vayikra 19:17). This means that even if you stay quiet or don't show any resentment 26

29 towards another Jew (or anybody), you are still harboring hatred which is prohibited, and a violation of this mitzvas lo sa'aseh. The Torah delineates what constitutes sinah and advises us regarding how to deal with our negative feelings in an acceptable way. Sinas chinam is very dangerous and destructive, and can lead to a family breakdown (chas v'shalom), as well as of general Torah observance. Judge Your Jew with Righteousness Every time we judge someone, Hashem watches what we do so that when we are judged, He will make sure to judge us the way we judged that person. Such as if one judged someone righteously, then when Hashem judges him he will be judged righteously (and the same if you judge someone unfavorably). The mitzvah of judging with righteousness obliges us to judge questionable actions of others favorably, in keeping with the guidelines of halacha. At the same time, we should conduct ourselves in ways not to rouse the suspicion of others. Ve'ahavtah Lerayacha Kamocha The mitzvah of Ve'ahavtah Lerayacha Kamocha, emulates Hashem's middos by doing chesed for others. We act in accordance with the principle, Your life comes first. This applies in cases involving: financial loss, Torah study, retrieving lost objects, and many other matters. 27

30 W hy do we eat dairy on Shavuot? When the Jews received the Torah at Har Sinai, there were many laws about slaughtering the animal correctly, and the animals they already had slaughtered, weren t slaughtered and cooked the right way. You may ask why they couldn t just slaughter and cook new meat once they learned the laws. The laws of cooking and slaughtering meat, were revealed to B nai Yisrael on Shabbat, when you aren t allowed to cook and slaughter meat. 28

31 Twenty four thousand of Rabbi Akiva's students died since they did not behave respectfully to one another. How could this be - Rabbi Akiva was THE person who stressed va'havta lereacha kamocha and must have given many shiurim on that topic; how could they not have understood this message? An answer is that deep down, they did have respect for one another. The problem was that they did not act according to this mutual respect; they ignored it and instead acted without regard for each other. This is why the Gemara's expression is shelo NAHAGU (act) kavod zeh lazeh; they did have respect for each other - they just did not act it out. This plague ended at Lag B'omer. What changed? The Mishna reports that the best answer to Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai's challenge to find the best path was that of Rabbi Elazar ben Arach. He said, To have a good heart - for once one's heart and internal world is good, mitzvos will follow. The words lev tov have the gematria of 49 - the same as the days of the Omer; Lev is 32 and Tov is 17 ( = 49) Lag B'omer comes in the middle of those two words - it is the 33rd day. Thus, it is the day when we start managing to achieve a good heart. And since the sin of the students of Rabbi Akiva was that they disconnected their feelings from their actions, the correction was to readdress the balance and ensure that the feelings were pure and led to positive and constructive actions. This was Lag B'omer, when they began to regain their Lev Tov. 29

32 Are women obligated to learn and study Torah? No. Are women required to perform all the mitzvos? No. Is the responsibility to teach one s child Torah incumbent upon women? No. However, women, mothers, are the individuals who educate each member of the nation of Israel, in his or her youth, as to what it means to be like one person, with one heart. Women instill in their children the importance of loving one s fellow man and the importance of loving G-d. The nation of Israel was not ready for the acceptance of the Torah until they could be considered like one man, with one heart. Because women are the individuals who primarily impart this philosophy essential to the continuity of the nation of Israel, they were addressed first by Moshe. Hashem was explicitly indicating that women play the vital role in preparing the next generation for the acceptance of the Torah - and therefore, they needed to be the first group with whom Moshe communicated regarding Torah. 30

33 O n Shavuot, we received the Torah on Har Sinai. We all know the Midrash of the little mountain which was so humble and had the privilege to have the Torah rest upon it. The question is why was the mountain chosen because of these traits? This is because the little mountain s traits are the way we are supposed to act. We as the Jewish people are supposed to act with kindness and with humble personalities. Moshe Rabeinu was the best leader B nei Yisrael had and will ever had, and his most famous trait was his humbleness. We chose to write a D var Torah on this topic because you can see how important the traits of the little mountain are and you should work hard to imitate these traits. 31

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