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CHUMASH
Parshas Acharei - Sheini with Rashi
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We are learning more about the Avodah of Yom Kippur:
On Yom Kippur, the Kohen Gadol does the Avodah in the Mishkan and the Kodesh Hakodoshim for Hashem to forgive the Yidden. We learned that in order to forgive the Yidden for not being careful enough with the tahara of the Mishkan and its keilim, he mixes the blood of his Korban Chatas with the blood of the Yidden’s Korban Chatas, and sprinkles it on the Paroches.
Today we learn how the Kohen Gadol is mechaper for any mistakes with the kedusha of the Mizbeiach Hapnimi, where the ketores was brought. The Kohen Gadol sprinkles the Mizbeiach Hapnimi with the same mixture of blood. This causes Hashem to forgive the Yidden in case the Mizbeiach became tomei by touching something tomei, or if the ketores had become tomei.
Then the Kohen Gadol goes out of the Kodesh and the person chosen the day before brings the goat for Azazel. The Kohen Gadol says vidui, asking forgiveness for all of the aveiros of the Yidden, leaning his hands on the goat’s head. Then he sends the goat to the desert with a kohen, to push the animal off the Azazel cliff. This takes away the aveiros of the Yidden.
The Kohen Gadol takes the fat of the korbanos to be burned on the Mizbeiach. Then he goes to the Mikvah to change back into the clothes of the Kohen Gadol that he wears all year (the Bigdei Zahav). He brings a Korban Olah for himself and for the Yidden. Then he brings seven sheep for the Korban Musaf of Yom Kippur.
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In today’s Tehillim we have a very interesting posuk: “Al Tig’u Bimeshichoi” — “Do not touch My anointed ones.”
The Chachomim tell us that one of the things that “Meshichoi” (My anointed ones) means is Yiddishe children.
The reason for this is since it is because of the children that Moshiach will come!
The Gemara (in Mesechta Shabbos) says that the reason the Beis Hamikdash was destroyed was because the Yidden weren’t careful that the children should learn Torah. Since that is the reason for the Golus, if we make sure that Yiddishe kinderlach DO learn Torah, it will make the Geulah come!
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TANYA
Likutei Amarim Perek Mem-Beis
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In this perek, the Alter Rebbe is teaching us how to have Yiras Shomayim. The Alter Rebbe told us that we get the koach of Yiras Shomayim from the neshama of Moshe Rabbeinu and the Moshe Rabbeinu (the “Rebbe”) of each generation.
In yesterday’s Tanya, the Alter Rebbe tells us that even though the koach of Yiras Shomayim is already there, hidden inside our neshama, if we want it to do its job and make us behave the way Hashem wants, we need to work to wake it up.
Why?
Because our neshama is inside of a body, which can cover up and hide this Yiras Shomayim. There are two things we need to do to wake up this Yiras Shomayim:
1) The first thing is to take away the distraction of the guf. (The Alter Rebbe calls this Yegiyas Basar.) How do we do this? By having thoughts of teshuvah which make us feel humble. These are the kinds of thoughts the Alter Rebbe taught us to think about in Perek Chof-Tes and Lamed.
In today’s Tanya we learn the second thing:
2) We need to train our mind to be able to spend time thinking about how Hashem is with us and watching everything we are doing. (The Alter Rebbe calls this Yegiyas Nefesh.)
Even though this might be hard, especially if a person has done certain aveiros, with the koach of teshuvah and learning and thinking about how Hashem is watching us, the Yiras Shomayim WILL wake up in the end.
If we try hard, we will succeed, like the Chachomim say — Yogati Umotzosi Taamin!
We can understand this with a mashal: If a person knows that a treasure is buried in a certain spot, he will dig and dig, not stopping, until he finds it! Even if it takes time, and is hard work, he knows it is there and worth all of his work. The same is true with our Yiras Shomayim: We know there is a treasure of Yiras Shomayim, buried inside of our neshama! If we keep “digging” by thinking about how Hashem is always with us and watching us, we will find this treasure! Our Yiras Shomayim will become active, and will make sure we are doing what Hashem wants us to do.
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Today is the sixth day of the Omer!
When we read Az Yashir in the Torah, we should stand up.
In Lubavitch, there is a minhag to stay up all night THREE times every year: Shvi’i Shel Pesach (that’s today!), Shavuos, and Hoshaana Rabbah.
The Frierdiker Rebbe said that, already from when he was nine, he stayed up on Shvi’i Shel Pesach!
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Today in Sefer Hamitzvos we learn the same mitzvah again (Mitzvas Asei #19) — that after we eat, we need to bentch. (In today’s Rambam, we learn the last two perakim of halachos that are related to this mitzvah.)
We learn this from a posuk in Parshas Eikev: וְאָכַלְתָּ וְשָׂבָעְתָּ וּבֵרַכְתָּ אֶת ה׳ אֱלֹקֶיךָ
The details are explained in Mesechta Brachos.
But since we also start a new set of halachos, Hilchos Milah, we learn another mitzvah too! This is the mitzvah (Mitzvas Asei #215) that every Jewish boy needs to have a Bris Milah.
We learn this mitzvah from a posuk in Lech Lecha: הִמּוֹל לָכֶם כָּל זָכָר
The details are explained in Mesechta Shabbos perek Yud-Tes and Mesechta Yevamos perek Daled.
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RAMBAM
Hilchos Brachos - Milah
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Perek Yud: In addition to making brachos before we enjoy things (Birchos Hanehenin), the Chachomim taught us that we need to say brachos to Hashem as a way of thanking and praising Hashem constantly (Birchos Shevach VeHoda’ah). Some examples for those are the brachos we say in Birchos Hashachar every morning, Shehecheyanu, and Hagomel. (Can you think of any other examples? In this perek of Rambam, you will see many more of these kinds of brachos!)
Did you know that there is a bracha for good news, and a bracha ALSO for things that don’t seem good at all? Because it’s a mitzvah to thank Hashem for NOT-good news just like we thank Him for good news!
At the end of this perek, the Rambam tells us to remember to ask Hashem for help, thank Hashem for what He does for us, and praise Him as much as we can!
Perek Yud-Alef: In this perek, we learn halachos about another type of brachos, called mitzvah-brachos (Birchos Hamitzvos), like the bracha for washing Netilas Yodayim, or the bracha for Tefillin. Usually we say the bracha before we do the mitzvah.
The Rambam finishes off this perek and section of halachos that we should try to say as many brachos as we can, but we should be careful not to say brachos that are not necessary. Like Dovid Hamelech says in Tehillim, “Bechol Yom Avarcheka, Va’ahalela Shimcha Le’olam Va’ed.” “Every day I will bentch You, and I will praise Your name forever.” (Do you know where this posuk is from?)
Now we start to learn Hilchos Milah, about a Bris Milah:
Perek Alef: We start learning about the mitzvah of giving a baby a Bris Milah when he is 8 days old. The halacha is that if the baby is sick, we don’t do the bris right away, because danger for life pushes away all mitzvos. We can do the bris later, when it’s not dangerous for the baby.
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We learn that saying that we will give Tzedakah is like making a neder, and we need to keep it. We also learn about a Goy giving Tzedakah, and finally about the great mitzvah of Pidyon Shevuyim, helping a Yid come out of jail. The Rambam says that there is no bigger mitzvah than this one!
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One year, the Rebbe told us something very special about today: Shvi’i Shel Pesach is the Rosh Hashana for Mesiras Nefesh!
Why?
Because on Shvi’i Shel Pesach, there was Kriyas Yam Suf. How did it happen? Because Nachshon ben Aminadav jumped into the water just because Hashem said to keep going.
This gives us a special koach for the whole year, to do what Hashem wants with Mesiras Nefesh!
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One of the parts of davening we say every day is Az Yashir, the song that Moshe and the Yidden sang at the time of Kriyas Yam Suf.
The word “Yashir,” though, doesn’t mean “he SANG.” It means that he WILL sing! If we are talking about the song that was sung by the Yam Suf, why does it say that Moshe WILL sing it? The Chachomim teach us that this is hinting to Techiyas Hameisim, that Moshe Rabbeinu and the Yidden will sing this song when Moshiach comes!
Why is Techiyas Hameisim hinted to specifically here, and not somewhere else in the Torah?
At the time of Kriyas Yam Suf, a special koach of Hashem’s name, Havaya, was shining. This name of Hashem includes the past, present, and future together! This name of Hashem includes all times together, including the time of Techiyas Hameisim. It gave the koach that this song of Az Yashir should last for all generations! That’s why Techiyas Hameisim is hinted to specifically in Az Yashir, because it is a tefillah that is relevant for all times!
This gives us the koach that every day, and especially on Shvi’i Shel Pesach, we can relive Kriyas Yam Suf. That way we can sing with true joy, the song of Az Yashir!
See Likutei Sichos chelek Chof-Beis, p. 30
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On the night of Shvi’i Shel Pesach, we have a minhag to stay up all night. On the night of Shvi’i Shel Pesach, the Yidden were also awake, crossing the Yam Suf. We stay up like they did, taking a part in the great nissim.
While we are awake, we should learn Torah, Niglah and Chassidus. But even if we can’t learn, it is still important to stay up.
The Frierdiker Rebbe told Chassidim to learn specific maamarim in Likutei Torah. One of those maamarim is “Hayam Ra’ah.” The Rebbe also said to learn the maamar “Veheinif,” which speaks about Kriyas Yam Suf and Moshiach!
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לעילוי נשמת הרה״ח ר׳ דניאל יצחק ע״ה בן ר׳ אפרים שי׳ מאסקאוויץ
שליח כ"ק אדמו"ר נשיא דורנו למדינת אילינוי
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The Haftora we say on Acharon Shel Pesach is from the Navi Yeshaya, which is a nevuah about Moshiach and the time of the Geulah.
Many of the things we know about the times of the Geulah come from these pesukim!
Here is one posuk:
וְגָר זְאֵב עִם כֶּבֶשׂ וְנָמֵר עִם גְּדִי יִרְבָּץ וְעֵגֶל וּכְפִיר וּמְרִיא יַחְדָּו וְנַעַר קָטֹן נֹהֵג בָּם
Vegar Ze’ev Im Keves — A wolf will lie down together with a lamb
VeNamer Im Gedi Yirbatz — And a leopard will rest with a goat kid
Ve’egel Uchefir Umeri Yachdav — And a calf, a lion cub, and a fat ox will lie down together
VeNaar Katon Noheg Bam — And a young child will lead them.
The Rambam tells us that this nevuah is a mashal that the nations of the world will live peacefully together with the Yidden. Even though nowadays the Yidden are compared to a lamb surrounded by 70 wolves that want to attack it, when Moshiach comes, no nation will try to hurt the Yidden.
Does that mean that the animals won’t rest together after all? The Rebbe explains that the Rambam isn’t saying that. But in the Rambam’s sefer of halachos about Moshiach, he only talks about the things that will need to happen according to halacha in the first stage of the Geulah.
Many more nisim will happen later too! One of the biggest ones is Techiyas Hameisim, which the Rambam also doesn’t talk about, since it happens later. At that time, this nevuah will also be literally true! Even the animals who usually eat each other and hurt each other will live together peacefully!
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לע"נ התינוק זאב ארי' ע"ה בן יבלט"א הרה"ח ר' שניאור זלמן שי' גליק
נפטר ב' מנחם אב ה'תשע"ג
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