סוכות reader
Including stories and Torah thoughts
Plus “Ushpizin” and their lessons!
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דבר תורה לחג הסוכות
The 4 Species and Us
On the Holiday of Sukkot the Torah tells us that we have a Mitzvah to take four species, each one different from the next. We are taught that each one represents a different type of Jew; Aravot, which has no smell and no taste, symbolizes a person who has no good deeds and no Torah. Haddasim, which has a smell, but has no taste, symbolizes a person who has good deeds, but no Torah. A Lulav (tree), which has no smell but gives off fruit that has a taste, symbolizes a person who has Torah but no good deeds, and an Etrog, which has a wonderful smell and a great taste, symbolizes a person who has both good deeds and Torah.
So all together the Arbah Minim represent all the different kinds of Jewish people. The Mitzvah of shaking the Lulav is so beautiful because we need to bring all of the species together to make a Bracha and fulfill our commandment. This shows that we the Jewish people, all stand together and are not judgmental. We need each other and we need to get along with each other.
Chag Shameiach
About the USHPIZIN
Sources: Sukkot: A Time Of Joy; Essence of the Holy Days
About SIMCHAT BEIT HASHO'EVAH
In the Holy Temple, every burnt and peace offering sacrificed was accompanied by a flour offering and by the pouring of a prescribed amount of wine on the altar. During the seven days of Sukkot, water too was poured on the altar as a libation accompanying the daily morning sacrifice. The celebration that accompanied this water libation was called Simchat Beit Hasho'evah ("the celebration of the place of the drawing of the water"). So great was this celebration that the Mishnah states that "whoever did not see the rejoicing of the Beit Hasho'evah never saw rejoicing in his lifetime."
Why was this celebration held on Sukkot? Among the many reasons are the following: (a) on Sukkot, judgment is passed with regard to the rainfall; (b) purified on Yom Kippur, we enter the Sukkah -- a tent of peace in which heaven and earth join together. This celebration bridges the gap between the "lower" and "upper" waters (i.e., between heaven and earth); and (c) we know perfect joy only when we leave to our source of eternal life - Hashem.
On Sukkot, we enter the Sukkah and come into the shelter of the Shechinah (Divine Presence) and stand united with our fellow Jews in cleaving to G-d - there could be no more joyous moment.
Sources: Artscroll; S'fas Emes: Joy of Succos; The Book of Our Heritage
A Sukkos Story:
Lulava
by Rabbi Paysach Krohn
Rabbi Shammai Parnes is one of the principal rabbis of the Israeli army. He is a deeply religious man who descends from a long line of Jerusalem families.
This story took place during the Yom Kippur War in 1973, when the Israelis were caught by surprise and attacked by Arabs on all fronts. One of the critical points of battle was near the Suez Canal. For days after Yom Kippur and throughout Sukkos, Rabbi Shammai and his assistants traveled throughout the Sinai desert and southward towards Suez, where they cautiously and caringly gathered the bodies of those who had fallen in battle.
Throughout the days of Sukkos, Rabbi Shammai traveled in his jeep, taking with him his prayer book, Tehillim (Book of Psalms), tallit (prayer shawl), and lulav and etrog (used to celebrate the festival of Succos). In every army camp where he stopped, soldiers approached him, asking for permission to use his lulav and etrog.
Infantrymen who were otherwise irreligious would pick up his siddur and say, "Rabbi Shammai, let us pray from your siddur ... Rabbi Shammai, let us say the Shema ... Rabbi Shammai, could we say some Psalms." He would help as many as he could, and at times he was detained from his work for more than an hour. Much to his regret, though, he eventually had to say to the young men, "I can't stay any longer. I've been summoned elsewhere."
On Hoshana Rabbah (the last day of Sukkos), Rabbi Shammai and his assistants were near the Suez. It was late morning, and as he drove towards a newly constructed army base in the wide-open desert, the thought occurred to him that because he had already used his lulav and etrog for the last time this Yom Tov, he could leave them in the army base.
Shortly after Rabbi Shammai's arrival at the base, a long line of soldiers began to form, waiting to use his lulav and etrog. As a crowd began to assemble, a young non-religious soldier, Arik Shuali, driving an ammunition truck, was making his way southward. Looking through his powerful binoculars he noticed a large crowd of fellow servicemen gathered in one area. Curious, he got out of his truck and made his way on foot to where the soldiers had assembled.
As he came closer, he asked someone, "What is all the commotion about?" They explained to him that Rabbi Shammai had come, and people were waiting for an opportunity to use his lulav and etrog. Arik was not interested in waiting around. However, when one of his friends mentioned that it was the last day to do this mitzvah, he agreed to wait his turn.
Three months later, Rabbi Shammai read a short notice in the Israeli army newspaper. It was an announcement stating that the wife of serviceman Arik Shuali had given birth to a little girl. The announcement included a statement by the new father. "I believe with every fiber of my being, that I am alive today and that I merited to see my new daughter only because of the mitzvah that I was doing at the time my truck was bombed."
To remember Hashem's goodness, he named his daughter Lulava.
(Names have been changed by personal request.)
דבר תורה לחג שמיני עצרת
Hashem and Us
ביום השמיני עצרת תהיה לכם כל מלאכת עבדה לא תעשו
(ויקרא כט:לה)
This is the holiday of Shmini Atzeret. Rashi (Bamidbar 29:35) tells us that the word Atzeret comes from the word Atzot which means 'stop'. After spending so long with our father the King, before we leave, Hashem invites us to spend just one more day with us because he loves us so much and it is too hard for Him when we are away from him. We have been with Him and spending all of our time together since Rosh Chodesh Elul, now we have a chance to spend that one extra day. With this in mind, we should look for something to walk away with from this time of happiness to help us through the rest of the year until we come home next year.
Mo’adim B’Simcha and Chag Samaiach!
דבר תורה לחג שמחת תורה - חזק
How great are you?
(דברים לד:י) ולאקם נביא עוד בישראל כמשה אשר ידעו ה' פנים אל פנים:
In Parashat Vezot Habracha, the Torah attests to the fact that "there has never risen a prophet like Moshe" (34:10), to which the Rambam adds that nobody has, or will ever raise themselves to that level, but everyone can be like Moshe.
The question asked is if the Torah says that no one will ever reach Moshe's level, how can the Rambam claim that anyone can?
One answer is that everyone has to accomplish what they can in life using the talents, abilities, and strengths that they were given. The difference between each of us is the actual talents, abilities, and strengths that we were given. In Moshe's case, he was given strength and wisdom beyond all others, and he used those to the maximum of their potential. It's only the combination of Moshe's gifts and him using those gifts to their fullest that made Moshe the best prophet the world has ever seen.
The lesson we can learn from this is that although Moshe's combination of strength and wisdom will never be duplicated, the ability to use our talents and strengths to the greatest capacity is within each of us. The Torah is telling us that although we'll never accomplish all that Moshe accomplished, the potential to be as great is within us, and ready for us to tap into.
As we dance with the Torah, we should think about this lesson and push ourselves to accomplish our true potential and rise to the greatness of Moshe in our own ways.
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סדר אושפיזין
Many people have the custom of reading the following
prayer each night as we welcome our guests, the Ushpizen.
עוּלוּ אוּשְׁפִּיזִין עִלָּאִין קַדִּישִׁין, עוּלוּ אֲבָהָן עִלָּאִין קַדִּישִׁין, לְמֵיתַב בְּצִלָּא דִמְהֵימְנוּתָא עִלָּאָה, בְּצִלָּא דְקֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. לֵעוּל אַבְרָהָם רְחִימָא, וְעִמֵּיהּ יִצְחָק עֲקִידְתָּא, וְעִמֵּיהּ יַעֲקֹב שְׁלִמְתָּא, וְעִמֵּיהּ יוֹסֵף צַדִּיקָא, וְעִמֵּיהּ מֹשֶׁה רַעֲיָא מְהֵימְנָא, וְעִמֵּיהּ אַהֲרֹן כַּהֲנָא קַדִּישָׁא, וְעִמֵּיהּ דָּוִד מַלִכָּא מְשִׁיחָא. בַּסֻּכֹּת תֵּשְׁבוּ, תִּיבוּ אוּשְׁפִּיזִין עִלָּאִין תִּיבוּ, תִּיבוּ אוּשְׁפִּיזֵי מְהֵימְנוּתָא תִּיבוּ.
הֲרֵינִי מוּכָן וּמְזֻמָּן לְקַיֵּם מִצְוַת סֻכָּה כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוַּֽנִי הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְבָּרַךְ שְׁמוֹ: בַּסֻּכֹּת תֵּשְׁבוּ שִׁבְעַת יָמִים, כָּל הָאֶזְרָח בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל יֵשְׁבוּ בַּסֻּכֹּת. לְמַֽעַן יֵדְעוּ דֹרֹתֵיכֶם, כִּי בַסֻּכּוֹת הוֹשַֽׁבְתִּי אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, בְּהוֹצִיאִי אוֹתָם מֵאֶֽרֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם.
תִּיבוּ תִּיבוּ אוּשְׁפִּיזִין עִלָּאִין, תִּיבוּ תִּיבוּ אוּשְׁפִּיזִין קַדִּישִׁין. תִּיבוּ תִּיבוּ אוּשְׁפִּיזִין דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא, תִּיבוּ בְּצִלָּא דְקֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. זַכָּאָה חוּלְקָֽנָא, וְזַכָּאָה חוּלְקֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, דִּכְתִיב: כִּי חֵֽלֶק ה' עַמּוֹ, יַעֲקֹב חֶֽבֶל נַחֲלָתוֹ. לְשֵׁם יִחוּד קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּשְׁכִינְתֵּהּ, לְיַחֲדָא שֵׁם י"ה בְּו"ה בְּיִחוּדָא שְׁלִים, עַל יְדֵי הַהוּא טָמִיר וְנֶעְלָם, בְּשֵׁם כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל. וִיהִי נֹֽעַם ה' אֱלֹקינוּ עָלֵֽינוּ, וּמַעֲשֵׂה יָדֵֽינוּ כּוֹנְנָה עָלֵֽינוּ, וּמַעֲשֵׂה יָדֵֽינוּ כּוֹנְנֵֽהוּ.
יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶֽיךָ, ה' אֱלֹקי וֵאֱלֹקי אֲבוֹתַי, שֶׁתַּשְׁרֶה שְׁכִינָתְךָ בֵּינֵֽינוּ, וְתִפְרוֹשׂ עָלֵֽינוּ סֻכַּת שְׁלוֹמֶֽךָ, בִּזְכוּת מִצְוַת סֻכָּה שֶׁאָֽנוּ מְקַיְּמִין, לְיַחֲדָא שְׁמָא דְקֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּשְׁכִינְתֵּהּ, בִּדְחִילוּ וּרְחִימוּ, לְיַחֲדָא שֵׁם י"ה בְּו"ה בְּיִחוּדָא שְׁלִים, בְּשֵׁם כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וּלְהַקִּיף אוֹתָֽנוּ מִזִּיו כְּבוֹדְךָ הַקָּדוֹשׁ וְהַטָּהוֹר, נָטוּי עַל רָאשֵֽׁינוּ מִלְמָֽעְלָה כְּנֶֽשֶׁר יָעִיר קִנּוֹ. וּמִשָּׁם יֻשְׁפַּע שֶֽׁפַע הַחַה'ם לְעַבְדְּךָ (פלוני) בֶּן (פלונית) אֲמָתֶֽךָ. וּבִזְכוּת צֵאתִי מִבֵּיתִי הַחֽוּצָה וְדֶֽרֶךְ מִצְוֹתֶֽיךָ אָרֽוּצָה, יֵחָשֵׁב לִי בְּזֹאת כְּאִלּוּ הִרְחַֽקְתִּי נְדוֹד. וְהֶֽרֶב כַּבְּסֵֽנִי מֵעֲוֹנִי, וּמֵחַטָּאתִי טַהֲרֵֽנִי. וּמֵאוּשְׁפִּיזִין עִלָּאִין, אוּשְׁפִּיזִין דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא, תִּהְה'נָה אָזְנֶֽיךָ קַשֻּׁבוֹת רַב בְּרָכוֹת. (וְלָרְעֵבִים גַּם צְמֵאִים תֵּן לַחְמָם וּמֵימָם הַנֶּאֱמָנִים.) וְתִתֵּן לִי זְכוּת לָשֶֽׁבֶת וְלַחֲסוֹת בְּסֵֽתֶר צֵל כְּנָפֶֽיךָ בְּעֵת פְּטִירָתִי מִן הָעוֹלָם, וְלַחֲסוֹת מִזֶּֽרֶם וּמִמָּטָר, כִּי תַמְטִיר עַל רְשָׁעִים פַּחִים. וּתְהֵא חֲשׁוּבָה מִצְוַת סֻכָּה זוֹ שֶׁאֲנִי מְקַיֵּם, כְּאִלּוּ קִיַּמְתִּֽיהָ בְּכָל פְּרָטֶֽיהָ וְדִקְדּוּקֶֽיהָ וּתְנָאֶֽיהָ, וְכָל מִצְוֹת הַתְּלוּיִם בָּהּ. וְתֵיטִיב לָֽנוּ הַחֲתִימָה. וּתְזַכֵּֽנוּ לֵישֵׁב יָמִים רַבִּים עַל הָאֲדָמָה, אַדְמַת קֹֽדֶשׁ, בַּעֲבוֹדָתְךָ וּבְיִרְאָתֶֽךָ. בָּרוּךְ ה' לְעוֹלָם, אָמֵן וְאָמֵן.
רִבּוֹן כָּל הָעוֹלָמִים, יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶֽיךָ, שֶׁיְּהֵא חָשׁוּב לְפָנֶֽיךָ מִצְוַת יְשִׁיבַת סֻכָּה זוֹ, כְּאִלּוּ קִיַּמְתִּֽיהָ בְּכָל פְּרָטֶֽיהָ וְדִקְדּוּקֶֽיהָ וְתַרְיַ"ג מִצְוֹת הַתְּלוּיִם בָּהּ, וּכְאִלּוּ כִּוַּֽנְתִּי בְּכָל הַכַּוָּנוֹת שֶׁכִּוְּנוּ בָהּ אַנְשֵׁי כְנֶֽסֶת הַגְּדוֹלָה.
יאמר תפילה קצרה זו בכל פעם שנכנס לסוכה לאכול.
אֲזַמֵּן לִסְעֻדָּתִי אֻשְׁפִּיזִין עִלָּאִין: אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק יַעֲקֹב יוֹסֵף מֹשֶׁה אַהֲרֹן וְדָוִד.
ביום הראשון בְּמָטוּ מִנָּךְ אַבְרָהָם אֻשְׁפִּיזִי עִלָּאִי, דְּיֵתְבוּ עִמִּי וְעִמָּךְ כָּל אֻשְׁפִּיזֵי עִלָּאֵי, יִצְחָק יַעֲקֹב יוֹסֵף מֹשֶׁה אַהֲרֹן וְדָוִד.
ביום השני בְּמָטוּ מִנָּךְ יִצְחָק אֻשְׁפִּיזִי עִלָּאִי, דְּיֵתְבוּ עִמִּי וְעִמָּךְ כָּל אֻשְׁפִּיזֵי עִלָּאֵי, אַבְרָהָם יַעֲקֹב יוֹסֵף מֹשֶׁה אַהֲרֹן וְדָוִד.
ביום השלישי בְּמָטוּ מִנָּךְ יַעֲקֹב אֻשְׁפִּיזִי עִלָּאִי, דְּיֵתְבוּ עִמִּי וְעִמָּךְ כָּל אֻשְׁפִּיזֵי עִלָּאֵי, אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק יוֹסֵף מֹשֶה אַהֲרֹן וְדָוִד.
ביום הרביעי בְּמָטוּ מִנָּךְ יוֹסֵף אֻשְׁפִּיזִי עִלָּאִי, דְּיֵתְבוּ עִמִּי וְעִמָּךְ כָּל אֻשְׁפִּיזֵי עִלָּאֵי, אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק יַעֲקֹב מֹשֶׁה אַהֲרֹן וְדָוִד.
ביום החמישי בְּמָטוּ מִנָּךְ מֹשֶׁה אֻשְׁפִּיזִי עִלָּאִי, דְּיֵתְבוּ עִמִּי וְעִמָּךְ כָּל אֻשְׁפִּיזֵי עִלָּאֵי, אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק יַעֲקֹב יוֹסֵף אַהֲרֹן וְדָוִד.
ביום הששי בְּמָטוּ מִנָּךְ אַהֲרֹן אֻשְׁפִּיזִי עִלָּאִי, דְּיֵתְבוּ עִמִּי וְעִמָּךְ כָּל אֻשְׁפִּיזֵי עִלָּאֵי, אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק יַעֲקֹב יוֹסֵף מֹשֶׁה וְדָוִד.
ביום השביעי בְּמָטוּ מִנָּךְ דָּוִד אֻשְׁפִּיזִי עִלָּאִי, דְּיֵתְבוּ עִמִּי וְעִמָּךְ כָּל אֻשְׁפִּיזֵי עִלָּאֵי, אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק יַעֲקֹב יוֹסֵף מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן.
The Ushpizen
What is the Garden of Eden? This is the place where worthy souls, having passed from this world, enjoy the light of the divine presence as they await entrance to the World to Come -- i.e. the post-Messianic age (Talmud - Shabbat 152b; Derech Hashem 1:3:11).
The Zohar, one of the books of Jewish mysticism, explains that the Sukkah generates such an intense concentration of spiritual energy, that the divine presence actually manifests itself there in a similar way to Eden. During Sukkot the souls of the seven shepherds of Israel -- Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, and King David -- actually leave Gan Eden to partake in the divine light of the earthly Sukkot (Zohar - Emor 103a).
Each day of Sukkot, all seven souls are present, but each takes his turn to lead the other six. Collectively these transcendent guests are known as Ushpizin, the Aramaic word meaning "guests." To welcome these illustrious souls, many have the custom to recite a lengthy mystical invitation upon entering the Sukkah for the first time. Additionally, many invite the Ushpizin each time they partake of a meal in the Sukkah. Some Sephardic Jews even have the custom of setting aside an ornately-decorated chair covered with fine cloth and holy books. Each of our guests represents a Middah (behavior) from which we can learn.
There are different traditions as far as the order of our guests.
· Abraham represents love and kindness
· Isaac represents restraint and personal strength
· Jacob represents beauty and truth
· Joseph represents holiness and the spiritual foundation
· Moses represents eternality and dominance through Torah
· Aaron represents empathy and receptivity to divine splendor
· David represents the establishment of the kingdom of heaven on earth
When we act in ways that manifest one of these spiritual attributes, the divine light shines down into the world and brings it closer to its completion (Derech Hashem 4:2:2,5). As the Talmud says: "With the very measuring cup that a person measures, are [the spiritual influences] measured out for him" (Sotah 8b).
FEEDING THE POOR
Similarly, Maimonides brings this as a matter of religious obligation: "While eating and drinking himself, one is obligated to feed the stranger, orphan, and widow, along with the other unfortunate poor... [One who does not] is not enjoying a mitzvah, but rather his stomach" (Laws of Yom Tov 6:18).
May the inspiration of the holy Ushpizin guests help us to fulfill the potential of the Sukkot holiday -- enjoying and uplifting both ourselves and the world around us!
Revised from aish.com
Day Guest Middah - Attribute
1 אברהם אבינו - Avraham represents love and kindness
2 יצחק אבינו - Yitzchak represents restraint and personal strength
3 יעקב אבינו - Yaakov represents Torah study and fulfillment of Mitzvot
4 (or 6) יוסף הצדיק - Yosef represents holiness and that Hashem controls everything
5 (or 4) משה רבינו - Moshe represents eternality and dominance through Torah
6 (or 5) אהרון הכהן - Aaron represents empathy and receptivity to divine splendor and peace
7 דוד המלך - Dovid represents the establishment of the kingdom of heaven on earth
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1st Day אברהם אבינו -
ביום הראשון בְּמָטוּ מִנָּךְ אַבְרָהָם אֻשְׁפִּיזִי עִלָּאִי, דְּיֵתְבוּ עִמִּי וְעִמָּךְ כָּל אֻשְׁפִּיזֵי עִלָּאֵי, יִצְחָק יַעֲקֹב יוֹסֵף מֹשֶׁה אַהֲרֹן וְדָוִד.
Avraham represents love and kindness:
We can learn from Avraham the Middah [attribute] of love and kindness from the following story from the Torah:
When Avraham learned of the capture of his nephew Lot, he took his trusted servant Eliezer and the two of them went to war to free Lot. The war that they needed to fight in was one with the odds against them, 5 powerful kings battling with 4 weaker kings. Even though Avraham knew that he was outnumbered, to help someone in need Avraham was ready to risk his own life. When they arrived at the battle, Hashem made a miracle and the sand that Avraham and Eliezer threw became arrows and soon the war was over, Hashem helped them win.
The following story illustrates true Chessed and kindness toward others. Like Avraham Avinu, this story shows us the Chessed is even to/with people that we do not know:
The Kindness That Came Back
by Yisrael Nathan
Chessed : (definition) an act of loving kindness done without any expectation of remuneration
Don't think that the really great stories are the ones that are written by the world's greatest writers. The really great stories are the stories that really happened to real people and they are really and absolutely true. The following is one of the many really great stories. Great because it's really true!
America had finally entered World War I. Troops poured into Europe to put an end to the war. The war was in its final stages. American troops were dispatched throughout Germany. The year was 1917.
A lone Jewish soldier from Duluth, Minnesota, Alex Lurye, found himself in a small German town called Seldes. It was Friday night. Being far away from home was lonely. The young Jewish soldier had some time on his hands. Feeling out of place, he decided to see what the local Jewish population was like. Entering the local village synagogue must have created a stir. An American soldier in uniform!. The Americans fought the Germans in bitter combat. The lone soldier felt out of place. He was greeted by a kind German Jew by the name of Herr Rosenau who made him feel at home in the synagogue.
After the services, Herr Rosenau invited the serviceman to his house for kiddush and the traditional Friday night meal.
Seeing the beauty of a traditional Shabbat together with the warmth and kindness of this German-Jewish family made a deep impression on this young soldier. He was a stranger, a foreigner, even an enemy Yet because he was Jewish he was invited to another Jew's home, given a delicious warm kosher home cooked meal, complete with wine and the traditional Shabbat songs. Herr Rosenau's family, together with his teenage daughter, gave the soldier the feeling that he was not alone, certainly not an enemy, even in such a far and distant land.
The soldier was never able to come back again to see this kind family again. However, the warm impression that he had received, the experience of the Shabbat in a warm and caring Jewish home did not leave him. It meant so much to this young soldier that when he finally returned to Duluth, Minnesota, his hometown, he took time out to sit down and write a letter to the German Jew who had touched his life with such kindness. This was is 1917. For some unknown reason, although Herr Rosenau received the letter it was never answered. It was placed in a desk drawer and there it rested for twenty-one years.
Time moves on. Ruth, the teenage daughter of the German Jew, has grown up and married a German Jew by the name of Eugen Wienberg. She now has three small children. The oldest is a boy of eleven. The time is a bad time for the German Jews. The year is 1938. The dreaded Adolf Hitler has taken hold upon Germany and anti-Jewish proclamations are being contrived and enforced on a continually regular basis. Herr Rosenau is now a grandfather. He is bothered about the dark and dismal future for himself and his fellow Jews in Germany. He doesn't pay attention to his eleven-year-old grandson, Sigbert, as he is rummaging through his desk looking for something of interest. Suddenly a foreign postage stamp catches his eye. He pulls out the envelope with the postage stamp from America. "Grandfather, can I have this?"
Twenty-one years have passed since he received the letter. "Yes, take it," the grandfather replies. After years of giving, an old forgotten envelope makes his grandson happy. He takes it home to his mother. "Look, look what grandfather has given me!"
The mother and her husband, Herr Wienberg eye the envelope with curiosity. The letter is still inside. They remove the letter and read it. It is the thank you letter from the American serviceman, from twenty-one years ago.
The mother remembers the young man. "Let's write to him! Maybe he will remember us and sponsor us, enabling us to immigrate to America" (It must be remembered that the U.S.A. did not let refugees come to its shores freely. However if someone would sponsor you, then there was a chance.)
Looking on the envelope, they saw that there was no return address only the name, Alex Lurye, and the city and state, Duluth, Minnesota. "We have no future in Germany, we must get out before this madman, Hitler ys"v begins to do worse things to the Jews".
So they wrote a letter addressed only as follows:
Alex Lurye
Duluth, Minnesota
What can you do? Can you send a letter to a person in a large city without a street address and expect it to be delivered? Of course not. You would have to be foolish to think that it would get to its destination. But sometimes it works out. In this case, Alex Luyre had become a wealthy businessman who was well known in Duluth, a town of over a hundred thousand people. The postmaster delivered the letter.
When Alex received it, after a lapse of twenty-one years, he quickly sent a return letter acknowledging his receipt of their letter and pledging to help bring the Wienberg family to Duluth. Alex kept his promise. The entire Wienberg family was brought over in that year and arrived in May of 1938. Shortly thereafter, the Rosenau family came over to America.
In Duluth, the Wienberg family began working hard to make life bearable through the depression era. Sometimes two jobs were necessary for both the father and mother in order to make it through the week. Yet in Duluth as in Seldes, Germany, the family made sure that the Shabbat would be joyously honored.
The rest of the family was quickly brought over to the states. Unfortunately, the horrible World War II swiftly came. The rest of German Jewry was destroyed.
Yet the kindness that Herr Rosenau had given to a stranger twenty-one years earlier had come full circle. Because of their kindness, without any thought of personal gain, Herr Rosenau and his family were spared from the horrible fate of their fellow German Jews. The chessed that they had so warmly given to others without desiring a payment in return had come back to them with dividends. The entire family was saved.
Today that family has sprouted and grown. A family blessed with many children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren (Bli Iyin Hara). All have taken upon themselves always to honor the Shabbat.
Doing chessed is the Jewish way. Helping another Jew, without trying to receive a thing in return. Pure and unadulterated kindness. It's for you and for me.
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2nd Day - יצחק אבינו
ביום השני בְּמָטוּ מִנָּךְ יִצְחָק אֻשְׁפִּיזִי עִלָּאִי, דְּיֵתְבוּ עִמִּי וְעִמָּךְ כָּל אֻשְׁפִּיזֵי עִלָּאֵי, אַבְרָהָם יַעֲקֹב יוֹסֵף מֹשֶׁה אַהֲרֹן וְדָוִד.
Yitzchak presents restraint and personal strength:
As we know, Yitzchak was brought on a Mizbaiach [alter] as a Kurban [sacrifice]. The challenge that he must have faced at that time is one that we cannot imagine but can learn from. Yitzchak agreed to be put there to honor the name of Hashem and to help his father fulfill the commandment of Hashem. We learn from Yitzchak how to grow past ourselves and overcome our challenges.... real strength, even in times of challenge.
The following story illustrates the ability to truly sacrifice one’s self for Hashem, the Torah, and all of the Jewish People:
The Convert Of Vilna
by Rabbi Dovid Meisle
Count Potocki, the owner of the city of Vilna and the surrounding province, had one son who was his pride and joy. From early on, the Count and his wife decided that their son would become a priest. At the age of 16 the parents enrolled him in the Catholic University of Vilna.
Young Potocki met a fellow student named Zarodny, the brilliant son of an impoverished family. With the passage of time, the two young men became close friends.
Early one morning Potocki commented to his friend, "I've had trouble sleeping for weeks."
"Is something on your mind?" Zarodny inquired.
"Yes," Potocki admitted. "I'm tormented by a baffling question."
"Why don't you tell me about it?" Zarodny suggested.
"There are three religions: Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. The Christians believe their religion to be the true faith, but so do the Moslems and the Jews. I've been wondering ? which of the three is the true faith?"
[Potocki persuaded his parents to give him permission to travel abroad, seeking to learn about the various cultures and religions. He traveled to the Vatican to meet the pope, and then to Istanbul to meet the chief mullah of Islam. Finally, he ended up in Amsterdam where the leading rabbi of the generation was residing.
After long and serious reflection, Potocki became a convert to Judaism, and was given the name Avraham ben Avraham.]
A thought struck Potocki one day. "I am so happy with my newfound faith. But millions of people in Poland are living in darkness, without any awareness of the truth. I must go back to Poland and spread the knowledge of Torah to those who are living in ignorance."
Potocki decided to return to Poland. His beard had drastically changed his appearance, but it would still be too dangerous to go to Vilna. Instead, he went to the village of Ilya, near Vilna, where he continued learning Torah in the local shul.
He became friendly with the rabbi of Ilya; to him alone, he confided his true identity. The rest of the Jews in Ilya knew only that the young man with the blond beard who learned so diligently in the shul was a convert...
[Once] a gentile happened to pass the shul; he overheard a few words, peeked inside? and was dumbfounded at the sight of the blonde young man in the shul. He was certain that the convert was none other than the long-lost son of Count Potocki!
The next day he went to Vilna to report his exciting find. "Your son is alive and well," he told the aged Count and his wife. "He converted to Judaism and lives in the shul in Ilya."
Hope battled with despair: Could it be true? Had their lost son finally been found? Hardly daring to believe it, the parents nevertheless ordered a company of soldiers to go to Ilya, arrest the young man in the shul, and bring him to their mansion.
Countess Potocki immediately recognized her son. "Where have you been? We've been searching for years! Why didn't you let us know that you were in Ilya, so close to home? Oh, my son, look at you? Appearing like some savage! Go shave and get cleaned up!"
"Mother, I was a savage when I believed the Catholic teachings," Potocki said quietly. "Now I am a Jew; I know the true G-d of the Jewish people."
"Think about it, my son," his mother pleaded. "If you come home with us, you'll be one of the wealthiest people in the country. You are our only son. You will inherit our entire fortune! If you remain a Jew, you'll be nothing but a poor beggar."
"For the sake of the true G-d, I am willing to give up all the riches in the world," Potocki replied resolutely.
The count pounded his fist on the table. "You're refusing to listen to reason! I'll have you placed in jail. There you'll come to your senses."
The convert was placed in solitary confinement in a dark cell in the Vilna jail. Day after day his father's private Catholic priest came to discuss religion, trying to make him renounce Judaism. But he remained steadfast in his faith.
"Just say 'I'm sorry.' That's all it will take to release you from prison," the priest implored.
It was to no avail. The convert remained firm.
"Remember," the priest threatened, "if you refuse to confess your mistake, you will be tortured and put to death."
The convert remained silent.
Exasperated at Potocki's stubborn refusal to return to the Church, the bishop decided to take him to court, charged with abandoning the Catholic faith. A trial was held, and Potocki was quickly found guilty.
The sentence: Avraham ben Avraham was to be burned at the stake. The execution was scheduled to be carried out on the second day of Shavuos.
Some say that on the morning of the execution, the Vilna Gaon visited the convert in prison, where he comforted him. "You have the merit of the greatest mitzvah sanctifying G-d’s Name. You have reason to rejoice. G-d is the Father of those who have recognized the truth of His word."
"I am ready to meet my death with dignity and faith," the convert replied.
At the last moment, his mother sent a messenger with a letter, asking the court to pardon her son and set him free. The messenger was somehow delayed, and by the time he delivered the letter it was too late. The death sentence had been carried out...
That Shavuos day, the Jews of Vilna lived in fear, afraid to leave their homes. The Catholic population of Vilna was seething with fury. Imagine, Count Potocki's only son had rejected the Catholic religion, sacrificing his life for the G-d of the Jews!
A few hours after the execution, a brave Jew, Reb Meir Sirkis, risked his life and gathered the ashes of the saintly martyr. The convert's remains were buried in the Vilna cemetery. With the passage of years, a tree shaped like a man grew at the gravesite, shading it with its outstretched branches. Today, only the trunk of the tree remains standing. [Prior to the Holocaust, all the synagogues of Vilna commemorated his yahrtzeit.]
Excerpted with permission from "SHAVUOS SECRETS." Published by Israel Bookshop.
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3rd Day - עקב אבינו
ביום השלישי בְּמָטוּ מִנָּךְ יַעֲקֹב אֻשְׁפִּיזִי עִלָּאִי, דְּיֵתְבוּ עִמִּי וְעִמָּךְ כָּל אֻשְׁפִּיזֵי עִלָּאֵי, אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק יוֹסֵף מֹשֶה אַהֲרֹן וְדָוִד.
Yaakov is called “a wholesome man who sat in tents” meaning that he was involved in Torah study and fulfillment of Mitzvot:
Yaakov teaches us the Middah of being living by the ways and the words of the Torah even in times when it would be easier to stray from its ways. We see this from many places in the Torah. From the time that he was young and spent time just learning to when he was settling near Sh’chem and chose to pay for the land near the city.
The following story illustrates the idea of how lucky we are to be able to learn Torah!
How Fortunate We Are!
Recently I heard this story from Rabbi Cooperman of the Phoenix Hebrew Academy. It made me think about how lucky we are that we are able to learn Torah freely in a school that provides us with the ability to learn and fulfill the Mitzvot.
Rav Yitzchok Zilber, founder of Toldos Yeshurun, an organization that re-educates estranged Russian Jews about the heritage that was snatched from them, is known as the Father of contemporary Russian Jewry. A native of Kazan, Russia, Rav Zilber was born just before the Russian Revolution in 1917, but was discreetly taught Torah by his revered father and not only completed Shas several times during his years in Russia, but also taught Torah to many others. During World War II, he was imprisoned in Stalin’s gulag, yet he managed to remain Shomer Shabbos despite the inhumane conditions. He later had to flee from the KGB, which wanted to arrest him for his Torah activities in Russia. In 1972, he emigrated to Israel.
After all of the years of struggle and starvation from his Jewish brethren, he could finally fulfill his lifelong dream; to live in our homeland - Eretz Yisrael! As he walked off the airplane in Ben Gorian Airport he was filled with emotion and with the excitement of a little boy getting a new toy he embraced the first Jew that he found.... the Israeli custom agent!
“Chavivi! My dear one!” shouted Rabbi Zilber as he gave the man a bear-hug embrace. “It is so wonderful to be here and talk to a Jew like a Jew!”
The man offered a polite smile and a pleasant Shalom, but was more than confused.
“Please tell me”, pleaded Rabbi Zilber with an intensity that seemed to announce a question whose answer would solve all the problems facing Jews for the millennia. “For years I am struggling with this problem. Please tell me, how did you understand the K’tzos haChoshen on the sugya (topic) of Areiv?” (The K’tzos haChoshen is a classical commentary on the Shulchan Aruch Choshen Mishpat, Code of Jewish Law.)
“Ma zeh K’tzos haChoshen.” “What is a K’tzos haChoshen?” came the reply from the irreligious agent.
Rav Zilber was puzzled. What was the man asking. Living in Eretz Yisrael, he did not learn Torah???? He tried another query. “Maybe you can explain how you understood the Mishnah in (tractate) Uktzin in the last chapter” he inquired.
“Mishnah? Uktzin? K’tzos? What are you talking about?”
Rav Zilber, recalled the difficulties he had trying to study Torah in Russia where Torah study was forbidden by the law and the only way to do it was in hiding to the memories of trying to fulfill a single Mitzvah while in prison!
In pain and in honest shock, he asked the agent, “how is this possible? You mean to tell me that you live here in Eretz Yisrael your entire life, with many Jews around you to teach and study the holy words of the Torah with, but you don’t know what the Ktzos HaChoshen is????? You never heard of Mishne Uktzin”?!??!
“I do not keep.....” began the agent.
Rav Zilber began to cry.
They say that the customs agent was so moved by Rabbi Zilber’s simple sincerity, that he began to study Torah.
How fortunate we are that we can study the words of Torah!!!!
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4th Day - יוסף הצדיק
ביום הרביעי בְּמָטוּ מִנָּךְ יוֹסֵף אֻשְׁפִּיזִי עִלָּאִי, דְּיֵתְבוּ עִמִּי וְעִמָּךְ כָּל אֻשְׁפִּיזֵי עִלָּאֵי, אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק יַעֲקֹב מֹשֶׁה אַהֲרֹן וְדָוִד.
Yosef represents holiness and the spiritual foundation:
Yosef was sold into slavery and kept as a prisoner. Yet, as we find at the end of Parashat VaYichi, he never helps his brothers responsible for any of the challenges that he faced. Yosef believed that everything that happened was done for a reason. It was all orchestrated by Hashem, our Father in Heaven.
The following story illustrates the idea the everything that happens is for a reason:
The “Accident”
By: Aryeh B. Taback
[Rabbi Moshe Berman of Johannesburg, South Africa was maintaining a hectic teaching schedule, and was looking forward to a much-needed summer vacation with his family.]
On Sunday morning, they left Johannesburg, stopping to spend the night on a small farm along the way. The next morning, Monday, they set out early to complete the final leg of their journey into the heart of the African bush. After a short while, the route took them off the main road and onto what appeared to be an ordinary gravel road. They drove for what seemed like an eternity until they felt as if they had traversed half the country on this meandering track which could scarcely be called a road.
Eventually, a farmer flagged them down and asked them where they were heading. On hearing that they were heading for iNgwalala, the farmer let out a low whistle and peered at the horizon, as if to say they were searching on the wrong continent. He then rattled off a complex set of directions, recommending that they not go back the way they had come; rather, since they were already so far off course, they should head off in an entirely new direction which would hopefully bring them safely at iNgwalala's front gate. Once again the Berman's rattled and bumped their way along another dirt road, trailing a large cloud of dust behind them.
For 20 minutes they drove along this road without seeing a single sign of human civilization, as if they had not only traveled into the countryside but had also traveled back 200 years in time. Baboons frolicked on the side of the road, and other wild animals skittered into the bush as the car rattled past. They noticed that the road they were traveling on had actually once been tarred, and had become completely covered with loose sand from disuse. A vague feeling of loneliness crept over the family.
A bend suddenly loomed in front of them. The car tried valiantly to follow the curve of the road. The tires scrabbled for grip. The car careened violently off course, skidded off the edge of the road, and came to rest upside down in a shallow ditch.
The dust settled, and for a few seconds, silence reigned. Then the children began screaming.
Rabbi Berman heard the sound of his wife's voice, calling from the seat next to him. Behind him, the children were crying hysterically. Miraculously, neither his wife nor any of the children were hurt. They all pulled themselves free of the car. Rabbi Berman, however, was in tremendous pain from a wound to his head, from which he was losing copious amounts of blood. Once out of the car, he wrapped his head with a piece of clothing and took stock of the situation, which appeared hopeless.
Miraculously, he was the only one hurt. However, the car was damaged beyond repair, and they had no means of communicating their plight to the outside world. [This was in the days before cell phones.] Walking was out of the question ? his head wound made sure of that? and besides, they didn't have a clue how far it would be to the next human habitation. With no other option, they huddled together on the side of the road beside the upturned car and began to pray. Silently, Rabbi Berman mouthed Viduy, the confession a person says just prior to death.
Four minutes later, a cloud of dust indicated the approach of a car and the answer to their prayers. They watched the car's progress eagerly, and a few moments later the young driver skidded his jeep to a halt and jumped out to see what had happened. He took one look at the rabbi's wound, and then went into action. He lifted Rabbi Berman carefully and laid him down on the front seat of the Jeep. Then, he helped the rest of the family into the back. Once everyone was in, he hopped into the driver's seat and floored the gas. He instructed Rabbi Berman to keep talking to him so as not to lose consciousness, while he tried to find his way to the Hoedspruit military hospital. From his tone of voice, Rabbi Berman understood that this, too, would require a small miracle.
At the hospital, a still-conscious Rabbi Berman was rushed into the operating room. There his condition was stabilized by the attending doctors who then placed him in an ambulance and dispatched him to Johannesburg for urgent attention. The ambulance attendants were instructed to monitor the rabbi's state of consciousness closely and were told by the doctors that should they notice any signs of deterioration, they should stop immediately at the nearest hospital for treatment.
Rabbi Berman described afterward how he painfully wrote his will on the back of an x-ray envelope as they rushed toward Johannesburg... Once there, the rabbi was admitted to one of the local private clinics where, with the help of some expert doctors, he staged a miraculous recovery. It was not long before he was discharged from the hospital, safely on the road to recovery.
A week later the Bermans' phone rang in Johannesburg. The young man on the line had a vaguely familiar voice, albeit tainted by a heavy Afrikaans accent. He wanted urgently to speak with Rabbi Berman. When Rabbi Berman came to the phone the young man introduced himself as Anton Wessels, the man with the jeep who had helped them at the accident site, and who had contributed to saving Rabbi Berman's life.
"I've come up to Johannesburg," said the man, "because I need to see you urgently." Rabbi Berman was taken aback. The journey from the Eastern Transvaal takes between five and six hours; it was obvious that this man had something important on his mind. They arranged a time to meet.
When the man arrived at the rabbi's house, he was welcomed and led to the rabbi's study. This is the story he told:
"I grew up on a farm together with my family, who are Afrikaans-speaking and devout Christians. In my youth, the road on which you had your accident was the main road through the district. We used to travel that road often. As I grew up, the road was bypassed by other newer ones and we slowly stopped using that road, as did most of the farmers in the area.
"I am now 20 years old, and three weeks ago I completed my national service with the South African Defense Force. While in the army, I had a chance to look back on my life and to remember the good times of my youth. Somewhere along the line, I remembered the road you were traveling on, and I made a decision to go and revisit the road of my childhood, to relive all the memories. Something of a pilgrimage, if you know what I mean.
"For two weeks I procrastinated, each day another distraction keeping me from my mission. Last Monday I finally got around to making the trip. That is how I came to find you." He paused for a moment to let his words sink in, and then continued:
"You should also be aware that not long ago there was another accident along that stretch of road. It wasn't until two weeks later that the battered car was found. Its occupants weren't as lucky as you. They waited for help which never arrived. You must realize that if I had decided to set out on my trip of nostalgia even a half-hour earlier, you could still be waiting there now. If I would have set out a half-hour later, you probably would not have survived your wounds."
The man studied the rabbi carefully as he continued talking.
"I have never been a very religious man. I've never given much thought to the events that occur in the world. After this whole business, however, I have seen that someone was looking after you, and I have decided that I would like to know more about the difference between Jews and gentiles. I would like to know what my responsibilities are."
For the next few hours, Rabbi Berman sat with this young man and reviewed with him the history of Christianity and Judaism. He then went on to explain to him what his obligations and responsibilities were as a non-Jew. Despite Rabbi Berman's attempts at dissuading him, within a few weeks Anton Wessels became adamant that he wanted to become a Jew.
One time, when Rabbi Berman had business to attend to in Israel, Anton Wessels accompanied him there in order to discover even more about what it means to be a Jew. Once in Israel, Rabbi Berman took the young man to meet some of the Sages and Torah leaders of the generation. Anton was truly captivated by all he discovered. Within three years he converted to Judaism and began attending one of the great yeshivot in Jerusalem, plumbing the depths of the holy Torah.
Rabbi Berman ended off his story by saying that he often had the desire to return to the exact spot on that deserted road so that he could make the blessing, "Who made a miracle for me in this place."
Anton would probably feel the same way.
Excerpted from "THE DIRECTOR." Published by ArtScroll/Mesorah Publications Ltd
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5th Day -משה רבינו
ביום החמישי בְּמָטוּ מִנָּךְ מֹשֶׁה אֻשְׁפִּיזִי עִלָּאִי, דְּיֵתְבוּ עִמִּי וְעִמָּךְ כָּל אֻשְׁפִּיזֵי עִלָּאֵי, אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק יַעֲקֹב יוֹסֵף אַהֲרֹן וְדָוִד.
Moshe represents eternality and dominance through Torah:
Moshe brought the Torah down to us and it is he who taught us that no matter what we do, we must follow the words that Hashem has given us in the Torah.
The following story illustrates the idea of how much one should follow the ways of the Torah:
At Your Command
by Bracha Toporowitch
Upon his return to London, my father opened a small factory, similar to the one in Birmingham. He was employed by the government to check the precision of various instruments and to produce munitions. My father was paid a salary by the government and was not permitted to accrue any personal profits from his work.
As he had done in Birmingham, he hired as many Jews and refugees as he could. This was a G-Dsend for many Shabbat-observant Jews; obtaining a job that did not require work on Shabbat in those times was next to impossible. The refugees he hired were saved the fate of being drafted or evicted from the country.
One Friday night, when my parents were sitting at the Shabbat table, a government official and two police officers came to their home.
"Where is Mr. Rabinowicz?" they demanded.
"I am Mr. Rabinowicz," my father answered.
"I am a government inspector," said the official. "I found that your factory is closed tonight. You must come with us." My mother protested and begged them to wait until after Shabbat, to no avail.
"All right," Father said. "I will come with you now, but I must walk since I do not ride in a vehicle on the Sabbath."
They had no choice but to agree. He walked while they rode alongside him in their police car to the nearest police station, which was not very close by.
The officer in charge gazed at my father with a stern expression on his face. "Mr. Rabinowicz, are you aware that all war production plants are required to operate seven days a week, 24 hours a day, in three shifts, in order to ensure maximum efficiency of our war effort?"
My father responded calmly, "Certainly, sir, I am aware of this fact. But you see, sir, as an Orthodox Jew I am a Sabbath observer. We are commanded to rest on the Sabbath. It is impossible for me to have my factory in operation on the Sabbath."
"Mr. Rabinowicz," the man bellowed, "you are charged with the crime of having your factory closed on Saturday. Your crime falls under the category of jeopardizing the safety of our country during wartime, a most serious offense. We will inform you when the court-martial will take place. You are advised to hire the best lawyer you can find, and you may be accompanied only by your lawyer in court. Remember that failure to appear at the court-martial is a serious infringement of the law. You may return home now."
The police officer who accompanied my father home tried to explain to him the ramifications of his crime. He told my father that he need not bother to retain a lawyer since the men in the tribunal that would try him were not judges by profession. They were army and naval officers, and in their eyes his offense was inexcusable. By jeopardizing the safety of the country, he would be found guilty of treason, which usually incurred the death sentence.
It was worse than that, my father thought to himself. He was not even a British citizen but was actually a former resident of Austria, an enemy ally. His travel permit classified him as "stateless," which implied that there was something suspicious about him...
Father decided to forgo the services of a lawyer (he didn't have the money for one anyway) and prepared his own defense. He spent the next few days and nights preparing the production records of the factory. He recorded all the orders he had received, when he had delivered the samples, and when he had filled the orders. His records were meticulous to the last detail.
The call finally came, informing him exactly when and where to appear in court. My mother was not permitted to accompany him, and she had an agonizing wait until he finally returned home at the end of the day. He announced simply that he was a free man and described the scene to her.
He had been led to a room containing a long table. There were many men sitting there, adorned with all sorts of medals. It was obvious that they were high-ranking army and naval officers. My father was asked where his lawyer was. He replied that he had prepared his own defense. Then he was asked to state his name, address, and occupation and to answer questions about the nature of his work.
He told them, "I have made a tremendous effort, working many extra hours, sometimes close to exhaustion, in order to meet my production deadlines. If you will examine the records I have brought of our production schedules, you will see that I have never missed my deadlines for government consignments by even one day."
They did a thorough examination of his records. One of the officers said, "Since you have been hired by the government as part of the war effort, and the law of the land is that any such enterprise must be in full production seven days a week, 24 hours a day, you are accused of jeopardizing the safety of our homeland, Great Britain. What do you have to say in your defense? Keep in mind that if you are found guilty you may incur the death penalty."
"I felt no fear as I looked into their eyes," Father told Mother. "I knew exactly what I was going to say. I told them, 'I may not operate my factory on Saturday. G-D does not permit me to work on the Sabbath'."
"We also have a Shabbat? Sunday? but we go to work. We are in the midst of a war!" his accuser countered... "How can you jeopardize the safety of an entire country for the sake of the Shabbat?"
"My dear, honorable officers, I am a newcomer to this land of England. I have chosen to live in this country because you are the defenders of democracy. You are fighting the forces of evil in the world and saving the lives of the many innocent brothers and sisters I left behind in mainland Europe. I wish for victory for our homeland surely as much as you do.
"What I realize, however, is that this war that we are fighting is not a war like other wars. It is not a natural war. It is not two nations or a number of nations fighting each other. I see clearly here that in this war a group of allied nations is fighting evil. In order to be able to successfully overcome this evil we must elicit the help of G-D in Heaven. He has the ability to destroy this evil and to allow the forces of democracy to rule throughout the world. And so I pray daily to our Father in Heaven that He deliver the enemy into our hands, to stop the deaths of our noble and good English citizens, and to allow us to end the war.
"But, my dear gentlemen, in order for me to find favor in G-D’s eyes, I must do His will. Why would He listen to me and answer my plea, why would He help me, if I disobey His word? I am a religious Jew, and our code of law is the holy Torah. One of the commandments of our Torah, as I am sure you are aware, is to honor the Sabbath. If I were to transgress the Sabbath, not only would I not find favor in the eyes of G-D, but He would certainly pay no attention to my pleas of mercy to Him. And so, as part of my efforts toward winning the war, I am doing whatever is in my capabilities to win G-D's favor and to get Him to fight our battle for us.
"And so, gentlemen, by keeping my factory closed on the Sabbath and fulfilling the will of G-D, I am actually helping you win the war. May G-D be with us and bring victory to our land."
The men were silent for a long moment as they absorbed my father's fiery words. Then they all stood up for him. They were visibly overcome with emotion, something the proud Englishman rarely exhibits. One by one they extended their hands to shake my father's. The death tribunal unanimously waived the charges against him.
My father's chief accuser said, "Continue working as you have until now, continue observing your Sabbath, and continue praying for our victory!"
From "AT YOUR COMMAND." Published by Targum Press - www.targum.com.
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6th Day - אהרון הכהן
ביום הששי בְּמָטוּ מִנָּךְ אַהֲרֹן אֻשְׁפִּיזִי עִלָּאִי, דְּיֵתְבוּ עִמִּי וְעִמָּךְ כָּל אֻשְׁפִּיזֵי עִלָּאֵי, אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק יַעֲקֹב יוֹסֵף מֹשֶׁה וְדָוִד.
Aaron represents empathy and receptivity to divine splendor:
Aaron was known for making peace around the camp of the Jewish people. In addition to this, he also brought a feeling of tranquility and splendor to all through the sacrificing of the Karbanot.
The following story illustrates the idea of bringing peace:
Peace Talks
by Rabbi Yosef Weiss
He discovered a religious Jew standing in front of a taxi, blocking the way, while the Israeli taxi driver was leaning out the window, shaking his fist.
"Let me through!" the driver demanded, followed by a stream of violent threats.
"I will not let you pass!" the religious Jew screamed. "It's Shabbos!"
Taken aback by the escalating voices and growing tension, Rabbi Grossman went over to the taxi driver. "Please, don't use this violent language," he said softly. "There are enough nations who seek to harm us."
Then he went over to the religious Jew. "You've made your point," he suggested. "You can leave him alone now"...
Rabbi Grossman went back to the driver. "Is it so necessary to fight with him? It's not nice to see two Jews quarreling like this."
Reaching into the back seat of his car, the taxi driver took out a tallis and siddur and waved them at Rabbi Grossman. "You see this?" he exclaimed. "Tomorrow morning I will go to shul with my children, the way my father took me. I work tonight so I can afford to send my children to religious schools, which costs a lot of money. He thinks he's more religious than I am, but he's not! I just don't have any alternative."
"It's a pleasure to meet a man who's so concerned for his family's education," Rabbi Grossman said warmly. "You are sacrificing everything for your children. That's wonderful! I would love to get to know you better. Perhaps you and your family can join my wife and I at the hotel tomorrow morning for the Shabbos meal?"
The man stared at him in disbelief. "You're not serious! That's a very expensive place."
"Don't worry about me," Rabbi Grossman reassured him. "I'm a rich American Jew."
But the taxi driver just shook his head. "No one understands. It's just a waste of time." And with that, he drove off.
Rabbi Grossman went back to the religious Jew, who was still looking angrily after the taxi. "Why didn't you let me take care of that man?" he snapped at him.
Rabbi Grossman countered: "You must judge him favorably. You never know. But tell me, please. Do you have a family?... I would like to get to know you better. So why don't you join me here as well for the meal tomorrow?"
"I heard what you told the taxi driver. You think he'll show up? He's not interested in Shabbos ? just in making more money!"
"Well, then you come," Rabbi Grossman said persuasively.
"No. I'm not coming." And then he left.
The next day, Rabbi and Mrs. Grossman lingered over their meal, hoping that at least one of their guests would show up.
They were about to give up when Rabbi Grossman noticed a familiar-looking man coming their way, followed by a woman and three children, all dressed in Shabbos finery. The taxi driver had arrived!
Rabbi Grossman jumped up, wished the man a "Shabbat Shalom," and quickly had the waiter put out new place settings.
The taxi driver, relaxed and happy, looked like a completely different person. "It was so nice of you to invite us. I felt that you were serious last night, and my family was excited about your offer. So here we are."
"I'm so glad you made it. Where do you live?"
"It's pretty far away," he said apologetically, "so we got here late. It's a long walk."
Rabbi Grossman was impressed that they had walked, rather than drive over.
After the family had begun their meal, the Americans and the Israelis began to chat with one another. The taxi driver remarked, "I bet you also invited that religious Jew to come over."
"You're right, I did," Rabbi Grossman admitted...
No sooner had he finished speaking than five new people walked into the room? The religious Jew, his wife, and three of their children. The taxi driver took one look, stiffened, and turned away. But Rabbi Grossman jumped up in delight at the arrival of his additional guests.
"Please, come sit down! We're so happy you made it!"
The conversation continued... The women were talking and the children got acquainted with each other. Before they knew it, four hours had gone by.
Rabbi Grossman stood up. "Will you join me here for the afternoon minchah service?"
The taxi driver demurred... The religious Jew also turned down the offer...
Rabbi Grossman accompanied his guests to the door, thanking them for coming and bidding them farewell. As he turned away, Rabbi Grossman noticed the two men in friendly conversation with each other, before they too finally went their separate ways.
In due time, the two became good friends, and the taxi driver increased his commitment to Torah observance. Years later, the two families became even closer, when they celebrated the wedding of their children to one another!
Excerpted with permission from "VISIONS OF GREATNESS." Published by CIS Publishers - Lakewood, New Jersey.
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7th Day - דוד המלך
ביום השביעי בְּמָטוּ מִנָּךְ דָּוִד אֻשְׁפִּיזִי עִלָּאִי, דְּיֵתְבוּ עִמִּי וְעִמָּךְ כָּל אֻשְׁפִּיזֵי עִלָּאֵי, אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק יַעֲקֹב יוֹסֵף מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן.
Dovid represents the establishment of the kingdom of heaven on earth:
We are taught of King David love for Hashem and how he tried to bring His great name to all corners of the earth. It is for this reason that we learn from King David how to spread Hashem’s awesome name wherever we may go.
The following story illustrates the idea of spreading Hashem’s name around the world:
Mohel in the Icy Wasteland
by Yair Weinstock
The train's wheels chugged along. The blast of the steam horn echoed through the air, clearing the way for the train racing from Warsaw on its way to Russia.
The railroad cars were jammed with hundreds of recruits in sparkling uniforms just out of the factory. Their crisp newness made a pleasant sound in the soldiers' ears. The air was lightly scented with the smell of fear mixed with burning steam from the powerful engine.
In the midst of this sea of humanity sat one figure completely different from the rest. A thick-bearded soldier leaned his head back upon his pack, which contained all of his possessions, and he gave a muffled sigh. He would have happily forgone the doubtful pleasure of being the lone Jewish soldier among this jumble of thousands of Russian and Polish recruits [in the Czar's army]...
The train's whistle announced an upcoming station.
"Where are we?" the passengers asked, their eyes still heavy with sleep.
"Everyone off immediately!" the officers shouted. "You've reached paradise. One of these days you're going to long for this black hole!"
"Black?" the recruits wondered. "There's nothing here but white snow!"
"But they're right," one of the soldiers explained nastily. "When you're 2,000 miles from home, everything is black."
Deep in the icy wasteland, thousands of miles from civilization, the soldiers descended, trembling from the cold that seemed to cut their flesh like swords. They were settled within a huge army camp. No one had the slightest idea of what he was to do in this forgotten place: Officers muttered something about continuing the journey to the borders of Manchuria, near China, to the battlefields of the Russo-Japanese War, but it seemed that even they were not certain of anything.
They stayed in the camp awaiting orders.
The group was sitting in the dining room eating their tasteless army meal. A tall figure entered the room, and caught the attention of the listless diners. The officer in charge jumped up respectfully and fearfully to greet the general, whose uniform glistened with medals.
The general motioned lightly with his finger. The officer quickly walked with him to a corner of the room. After a moment he returned to the soldiers, his face a mask of confusion.
"Is there a Jewish soldier here?" he asked hesitantly.
Hundreds of eyes turned towards Chaim Shlomo.
The officer took his arm with distinctly unmilitary gentleness. "Our esteemed guest, General Nikolai Fyodorov, wishes to speak with you."
Chaim Shlomo followed the general, who gestured to him to join him outside. A short and swift walk brought them to the edge of the camp. They stopped near the general's quarters.
"I have something confidential to tell you," the general said sternly. "But if you reveal a word of it --" The words he did not articulate could be clearly heard ripping threateningly through the frigid air.
"I am a believing Jew. You can have full faith in me," Chaim Shlomo declared ceremoniously.
"Okay, then," the general began, looking suspiciously around him [and began to relate his own tale of woe:]
The sound of wailing pierced the icy vastness. "You have a little boy," the army physician told General Fyodorov, the happy father.
The Jewish wife of the top officer shared his joy for only seven days. Her deceased father, who had been a G-d-fearing Jew in his life, had allowed his heavenly rest to be disturbed and had descended into her dreams. "Know, my daughter, that this son born to you is a Jew. You must circumcise him!"
The dream recurred night after night for several months. The general's wife almost lost her mind. How many times, after all, could a person see her dead father and remain sane? She beseeched her husband again and again, "You are a gentile but your son is a Jew. He must be circumcised!"
"And where am I to find a Jew in this frozen desert?" he would protest.
The argument began anew each day until today, when the wife had warned him, "If you can't find a Jew, don't bother coming back home!"
"And now that I've found you, do you know what to do?" The general pressed his fingers together until the tips turned white.
Chaim Shlomo could hardly speak; his heart beat wildly inside. One moment's illumination, and suddenly everything was magically clear. All the shadows and the darkness, all the suffering, and torture, all were destined just for this moment. To bring a child into the covenant of Abraham, here, at the very end of the earth.
"I am a professional mohel," the broken whisper, trembling with joy, barely came out of his dry throat.
The infant's cry of pain there in frozen Russia was obscured by the ecstatic weeping of the mother, who had finally merited to see her son circumcised. Remarkably, it even brought a sigh of pleasure to the gentile who was his father.
"What can I do to reward you?" the general asked, clearly moved.
"I don't need anything. I have but one request: Exempt me from the army," Chaim Shlomo answered. "I cannot keep my Torah in the army."
General Fyodorov was an important figure, and he used all his many connections for Chaim Shlomo's sake. After a short time, the young Jew was free.
"There are times when a person must travel to the ends of the earth to help a Jewish soul," his rabbi, the Sefas Emes, explained after Chaim Shlomo had happily returned home with his story of Jewish sacrifice. "Now you've done your duty as a soldier."
Excerpted from "TALES FOR THE SOUL" - classic stories with passion and spirit Published by ArtScroll/Mesorah Publications Ltd., Brooklyn, NY.
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When we leave the Sukkah for the last time we say a short Prayer asking Hashem to bring Moshiach.
May it be Your will before You יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶֽיךָ,
Hashem our G-d ה' אֱלֹקינוּ
and the G-d of our fathers וֵאֱלֹקי אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ,
just as I fulfilled כְּשֵׁם שֶׁקִּיַּֽמְתִּי
and I dwelled (sat) וְיָשַֽׁבְתִּי
in this Sukkah, בְּסֻכָּה זוֹ,
so I should merit כֵּן אֶזְכֶּה
in the year to come לְשָׁנָה הַבָּאָה
to dwell in the Sukkah לֵישֵׁב בְּסֻכַּת
of the skin of the Livyasan* עוֹרוֹ שֶׁל לִוְיָתָן.
In the year to come לְשָׁנָה הַבָּאָה
in Yerushalayim בִּירוּשָׁלָֽיִם.
לְשָׁנָה הַבָּאָה בִּירוּשָׁלָֽיִם!
* Hashem will make a Sukkah for the Tzadikim from the Livyasan’s skin in the time of Moshiach.
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