Yeshivat Netiv Aryeh Newsletter Bamidbar/Shavuot (Naso in Israel) 1 of 7 In This Issue Shavuot Message from Rav Bina Bamidbar/Shavuot (Nasso in Israel) June 10, 2016 Visitors - Life Events Shabbat/Shavuot Schedule HaRav Nebenzahl on the Parsha - Shavuot Staff Dvar Torah by Rav Chaim Eisenstein SHAVUOT - WHY "FESTIVAL OF WEEKS" AND NOT FIFTY DAYS The Story Of The Jewish People by Rav Shai Gerson - Sefer Shoftim Tehillim List Links CHAG SAMEACH! Shavuot Message from Rav Bina In case you missed it, Rav Bina's Shavuot Message: yna.edu YNA Kollel.com Ask Rav Nebenzahl Suggestion Box Alumni Update Form Contact Us RavBeinishGinsburg.com SephardiParty.com CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO ShabbosYeshiva.com Visitors - Life Events Reb Zev's Riddle Who am I? Plain and simple, Riddled with hints, Derived out of context, Secrets within. ~~~ Last week's answer: I come into existence, when you try to undo; but all you accomplish, Visitors Mazal Tov Dr. Eric Pollack (5764-65) Chai Rosner (5772-73) Chanoch Harow (5750) Yeshivat Netiv Aryeh would like to wish a mazal tov to: Lee Schwartz (5774-76) on his engagement to Megan
Yeshivat Netiv Aryeh Newsletter Bamidbar/Shavuot (Naso in Israel) 2 of 7 is that one becomes two! Temura Contact Reb Zev Join Our List Pic of the Week MAKOT MARATHON Wasserstrom. Jonathan Brody (5772) on his engagement to Ariella Elias. David (5754-55) and Rivky Friedman on the birth of a baby girl, Sonya Dorothy. Kivi Medetsky (5761) on his engagement to Sheila Hadid. Rav Elie And Iris Zadok on the engagement of their son. Josh (5767) and Gabrielle Gold on the birth of a baby boy. Kivi Naiman (5771-72) on his marriage to Allie Buchsbaum. Rabbi Dr. John and Phyllis Krug on the marriage of their daughter. Rav Hirschorn gave shiur all day covering the entire Mesechet. Students came and went throughout to catch the dapim they were missing Send Us Your Announcements Please, if you have any smachot or chas v'shalom, less happy occasions, let our office know so we can keep everybody updated. Grand Siyum The Grand Gala Siyum will be on June 14th in Mitzpe Yericho. Alumni are invited to join us at the event. Please contact Elisha if you are interested in joining us. Shabbat Shavuot Schedule at the Yeshiva Download Printable Schedule Join us both nights for all night learning, in the Beit Midrash or by one of the many Shiurim! 7:06 PM Friday Candle lighting 7:25 PM Mincha Kabbalat Shabbat - On the Porch - Maariv 11:00 PM Oneg Shabbat- At the home of Rav Yoel Rackovsky SHABBAT DAY 5:00 AM Vatikin- In the Beit Midrash 8:30 AM Second Shacharit 4:30 PM Mincha- On the Porch SHAVUOT Not Before 8:27 PM Candle lighting - Sicha- Rav Bina
Yeshivat Netiv Aryeh Newsletter Bamidbar/Shavuot (Naso in Israel) 3 of 7 8:40 PM Maariv 11:30 PM Shiur - Rav Yoel Rackovsky Room 301 12:30 AM Shiur- Rav Amos Luban Room 301 1:30 AM Snack 1:45 AM Shiur- Rav Shragie Bomzer >Room 301 2:30 AM Special Guest Shiur- Rav Yosef Kalatsky, Rosh Yad Avraham, Manhattan Beit Midrash 3:30 AM Shiur- Rav Yitzchak Korn Room 301 4:25 AM Megillat Rut- Beit Midrash - Brachot 4:55 AM Shachrit 3:15 PM Mincha- Beit Midrash 7:50 PM Sicha- Rav Amos Luban Beit Midrash YOM TOV SHEINI 8:28 PM Candle lighting 8:40 PM Maariv 10:15 PM Simchat Chag- Rav Noach Cheifetz On the Porch 11:30 PM Shiur- Rav Kenny Hirschhorn Room 301 12:30 AM Shiur- Rav Mark Mays Room 301 1:30 AM Snack 1:45 AM Shiur- Rav Zev Bader Room 301 2:45 AM Shiur- Rav Ami Merzel Room 301 3:45 AM Shiur- Rav Ben Leybovich Room 301 4:50 AM Vatikin 3:15 PM Mincha 5:30 PM Neilat HaChag with Rabbonim On the Porch HaRav Nebenzahl on Bamidbar
Yeshivat Netiv Aryeh Newsletter Bamidbar/Shavuot (Naso in Israel) 4 of 7 PARSHAT BAMIDBAR (CLICK HERE FOR PARSHAT NASSO/SHAVUOT) "UNITY IN DIVISION" A significant portion of this week's parsha is devoted to the counting of Bnei Yisrael and then dividing them into groups: "the children of Israel shall encamp each man by his banner according to the insignias of their fathers' household" (Bamidbar 2:2). One camp was to the east, one to the west, Moshe and Aharon in the middle, one to the north and one to the south. We are taught that the Jewish people asked Hashem for a division similar to the angels being divided into categories. We may derive from here that each tribe has its own unique role and character. We find in the Gemara that there was a man who was quick to bring every dispute to Beis Din, the Gemara concludes that he must be from the tribe of Dan of whom Yaakov Avinu said: "Dan yadin amo" (Bereishis 49:16) where one of the meanings of yadin is to judge. Similarly there was another man who always wished to be by the sea, the Gemara concludes that he must be from the tribe of Zevulun bas we are taught: "Zevulun shall settle by the seashores" (ibid. 13). The pasuk states, and we recite it in the Shmone Esrei of Shabbos Mincha "mi keamcha Yisrael goy echad baaretz" (Shmuel II 7:23), "who is like Your people Israel one nation on earth". What is the meaning of "one nation on earth", are there not many nations on earth - there are the English, the French, and so many more? Many explanations have been offered, one of which is that with regards to other nations, their roles can be changed. One day a person is king, the next day there is a revolution and he becomes no more than an ordinary citizen. After the French revolution there was no king, or in some cases one who had an insignificant role is suddenly the king. This is not so with the Jewish nation - it is only the tribe of Levi which serves in the Beis Hamikdash and it is only the tribe of Yehudah which assumes the role of king. No other tribe may assume a role which is not designated for them. The nation of Israel is like a human being in the respect, a person cannot say that his feet are tired and he would now like to stand on his hands. Every part has its defined role and it works together in unison for a common goal. From this idea is also derived the principle of "kol Yisrael areivim zeh lazeh" "the entire Jewish nation is responsible for one another". This means that if someone in Kovno speaks loshon hara or someone in Paris desecrates the Shabbos then it affects the entire Klal Yisrael. Following the receiving of the Torah before Moshe Rabenu even came down; the Jewish people were guilty of worshipping the Golden Calf. Moshe Rabenu prayed not only on behalf of those who actually worshipped but on behalf of the entire nation. Hashem wished to destroy the nation, and even though He did not the relationship was not the same afterwards as it had been before. The Kohen Gadol represents the entire nation in his Yom Kippur service - however each person as a member of Klal Yisrael must do teshuva. During the days of Yehoshua, Achan took from the spoils of Yericho when it was forbidden to do so and the entire nation suffered a lost in the battle with Ay. It is up to each of us to improve ourselves for the sake of the Jewish people - that means to pray with more kavana, to answer "Amen Yehei Shmei Rabba" with more fervor, if we each do our bit then this could help bring Moshiach and bring about salvation for the entire nation. Last week we read about the terrible calamities that could befall the Jewish nation if they did not properly follow the ways of Hashem. In Parshat Ki Tavo we read that the reason for all these terrible calamities is: "because you did not serve Hashem, your G-d, amid gladness and goodness of heart" (Devarim 28:47). Note that the pasuk does not state that they did not observe the mitzvoth, perhaps they did observe the mitzvoth to the fullest however it was not with joy. Why is it so important to fulfill mitzvoth with joy? One reason is that when mitzvoth are kept without joy
Yeshivat Netiv Aryeh Newsletter Bamidbar/Shavuot (Naso in Israel) 5 of 7 then it cannot last. Even if a person himself is able to go through life with the "burden" of mitzvoth, if his child sees how much he does not like Shabbos and Pesach then he will have no desire to keep the mitzvoth. Even if the child manages to hold on, there is very little chance for the grandchild. It is very difficult to educate children to serve Hashem when it is presented without joy. Furthermore, one who does not feel true joy at mitzvah observance has shown that he does not believe that Torah and mitzvoth provide us with eternal life - with life in this world and the Next World. When a Jew performs mitzvoth he is maintaining the world, for the Jewish people are the heart of mankind. When the heart works then the entire being can work. When the Jewish people do not act properly then the entire creation is in danger. There are so many areas we can work on - the Gemara says "better one who smiles to another than to provide him with milk." Why is a smile better than milk, after all milk costs money and a smile is free. The answer is that the effects of the smile can last for generations. If a young man comes to Yeshiva and someone smiles at him, he will immediately love Yeshiva and then make sure that his children and grandchildren attend Yeshiva. The smile has benefited many generations, while the effects of a glass of milk are for at most one day. May we merit truly following the ways of Hashem and thereby hasten the arrival of Moshiach, speedily in our day. Amen. Staff Dvar Torah by Rav Chaim Eisenstein SHAVUOS - WHY "FESTIVAL OF WEEKS" AND NOT FIFTY DAYS Shavuos is the culmination of the Sefiras Haomer - the forty-nine day or seven week count towards Matan Torah. Why is Matan Torah referred to as Chag Hashavuos, emphasizing the seven weeks, rather than Chag Chamishim Yom - the festival of the fifty days? The mitzvah of Sefiras Haomer is described in the Torah in two ways. Firstly, in Parshas Emor we are commanded to count the days towards the offering of the Shtei Halechem. However, in Parshas Re'eh when the Torah commands us to observe the Yom Tov of Shavuos, only the weeks are mentioned. Harav Hershel Reichman Shlit"a once explained to me that the Yom Tov of Matan Torah corresponds specifically to the counting of weeks because a week represents the entire creation - Hashem created the world in a week. This is a strong parallel to Torah because Torah is the source of all existence, as we are taught by Chazal that Hashem "looked into the Torah and then created the world". (This is in contrast to the Shem MiShmuel who writes that the counting of days corresponds to improvement of one's character as symbolized by the Omer, a Mincha offering of coarse bran, being brought on the first day of the count, until on Shavuos at the conclusion of the count we offer the Shtei Halechem from fine flour). Thus the Yom Tov is referred to as Shavuos, rather than "fifty days" because the weeks represent the essence of Torah that includes the entire world as represented by a week. Similarly, the Zohar (Parshas Emor) explains that Shavuos is only a one day Yom Tov (in Eretz Yisrael) because it represents the unity of all human existence. We find in Chazal an argument which ensued between Moshe and the angels regarding whether the Torah should be brought down to mankind. Moshe argued that it serves as the conduit for unifying man's corporeal existence through
eshivat Netiv Aryeh Newsletter Bamidbar/Shavuot (Naso in Israel) 6 of 7 Torah and mitzvoth. Chazal cite a dispute among the Tannaim (Pesachim 68b) regarding how to resolve two seemingly contradictory psukim whether Yom Tov should be "for Hashem" or "for you". One Tanna explains that we have a choice - we can either devote the entire day "for Hashem" through learning Torah and davening, etc. or "for you" through festive more physical celebration. The other Tanna explains that a Yom Tov day should be divided "half for Hashem and half for you". However, the Gemara continues that all are in agreement that on Shavuos we require "for you", we must eat meat and drink wine in honor of the Yom Tov. Meshech Chochma explains, as we mentioned above, that the physical requirement on Shavuos is to emphasize that the celebration of Torah is about unifying all parts of our human existence. Perhaps this can also explain why there are no specific mitzvoth associated with Shavuos (outside of the offerings brought in the Beis Hamikdash). The mitzvoth of Pesach are said to represent the attribute of chesed, while the mitzvoth of Sukkos are said to represent gevurah. Shavuos, on the other hand is the unification of our existence as servants of Hashem and therefore is not limited to any sefirah or any particular category of good deed. Matan Torah is all about receiving and living Torah in every part of our lives and transforming not only our spiritual activities of learning and praying but also our physical activities of eating, sleeping, working, and relaxing. The Story Of The Jewish People by Rav Shai Gerson The story of the Jewish people as told by Tanach through the eyes of Chazal. SHOFTIM - CHAPTER VIII Part 2 We have discussed a working relationship and partnership between the Jewish people and Midian, Jews who did not work on the side of their brethren. This notion of the partnership of Jew and non-jew will be described la ter. The Midianites retreated to the depths of the desert, there is a certain feeling of safety there (similar to when the Arabs captured the Middle East they viewed the desert as a very strategic location and a place in which to retreat primarily because the settlement was comprised of people in agriculture who did not know how to survive in the desert). This is the meaning behind the words "the camp was complacent" (8:11) - they felt a certain comfort - Rashi notes that on the way there were Jewish settlements yet Gideom chose to bypass them, for fear that the neighboring enemy villages may come out to battle. Gideon captured the kings of Midian and returned during daylight "while the sun was light" (8:13). Radak suggests that the pursuit was at night and concluded during the daytime. It would appear that according the camp of Midian was attacked on the Western Jordan side but not at night, with the primary military battle taking place between Emek Yizrael and the Jordan, with the completion of victory being marked with the capture of the kings. Gideon returned to square up with those who refused to come to his aid during his time of pursuit - the members of the leadership of Sukkot was revealed by a captured young man. Gideon showed them the kings Zevan and Tzalmunah and unlike the kings of Midian there was no attempt to fight, unlike with the people of Tzalmunah who tried to battle and were killed. Regarding the differences in Gideon's approach - see Malbim. Gideon then goes to interrogate the kings - his questions and their answers are not clear. For
Yeshivat Netiv Aryeh Newsletter Bamidbar/Shavuot (Naso in Israel) 7 of 7 example, he asks them: where are the men you killed in Tavor? (8:18)" Was he referring to the dead bodies? The meaning of their response as well is not clear: "your appearance is like theirs, identical, like the form of the king's sons" (ibid.) How des this answer the question. Perhaps he is trying to simply find his brethren and no more. Malbim understood that we are speaking of a trial of having unlawfully killed them, see details in the Malbim. Based on their admission the kings of Midian are taken out to be killed. Gideon's son is asked by his father to perform this task and they demand that someone of stature carry out this act given their status as king. (This is the first time that Gideon is viewed as a king by someone, later on it will be formally suggested to him and his son Avimelech will attempt to put it into practice. Perhaps we can say that this time the question of kings comes up in the Jewish nation as an alternative to the leadership of the Shoftim). See Rashi in the name of the Targum that there were symbols of kingdom here similar to the crown being placed upon the head in Megillas Esther. Tehillim List The following members of our extended YNA family need our tefilot: Chana bat Bina Tzipporah bat Tzirel Sara bat Devorah Eliyahu Haim ben Chana Raizel Alter Mordechai Tzvi ben Eka Bryna Esther Miriam bat Chana Raitza Chana bat Rochel Leah Ora Leah bat Haya Rachel Rivka bat Esther Yitzchak bat Hinda Mazal bat Hanna David Zev ben Perl Yerachmiel Dovid ben Leah Rivka bat Leah Yisroel Aron ben Zisel Avital Yentel bat Reizel Shmuel ben Rachel Chaim Eliezer ben Shira Tzivia Yaakov Eliezer ben Yocheved Leebah Nechama bat Leah Tova Channah bat Baila Rivka Yehoshua Reuven ben Elisheva Keren Yitzchak ben Victoria Moshe Ben Miriam Sara Malka Bat Chana Leah Shimon Ben Miriam Hendal Chaim Dovid ben Deena Shaindel Chaim Avishalom ben Blanka (the Chalban) Dovid Tzvi ben Feigy Frimit Submit Names to the tehillim list. Are you visiting Israel?- Let us know! We'd love to host you for a Shabbat meal, davening, a shiur and would love for you to stop by. Shabbat Shalom, Rav Bina, Yeshivat Netiv Aryeh