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CHUMASH
Parshas Vayeira - Shlishi with Rashi
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In today’s Chumash, we learn how the malochim come to save Lot and his family before Sodom is destroyed.
The malachim who were sent to destroy Sodom had walked very slowly to give Avraham a chance to daven to save the cities. It was already night when they came to Sodom.
The people of Sodom chose Lot to be the judge that day, so he was sitting in his place at the gate of the city. When he saw the malachim, he invited them to sneak into his house so nobody would see, and they could rest and then leave early in the morning before people woke up.
The malachim said that they didn’t need to come to his house, they could sleep outside. But Lot, who had learned about Hachnosas Orchim from Avraham, begged them so much that they finally agreed to be his guests. Since it was Pesach, and Lot did some of the mitzvos, he made them matzah to eat.
The malachim asked Lot about the people of Sodom. Lot agreed they were not good people, but he made excuses for them.
Even before they went to bed, many wicked people of Sodom surrounded the house. Nobody tried to stop them, even though they knew they were going to do something mean.
They told Lot to send out the guests, and they would do something very not nice to them.
Lot wanted to take care of his guests, and would not agree. He offered to send out his daughters instead.
But the people told Lot they don’t want his daughters, they want the guests! They tried to break down the door and take them by force! The malachim pulled Lot inside, and made the wicked people blind so they couldn’t find the way into the house.
The malachim told Lot: “Now you can’t make excuses for them anymore! You see how bad they are! Tell us who else is in your family. They all need get out of here, because Hashem sent us to destroy the city!”
Lot told his sons-in-law to come, but they didn’t want to — they thought he was joking.
By now it was almost morning, the time for the cities to be destroyed. The malachim told Lot to at least take his daughters, or else he would be stuck in the city when it was destroyed!
Lot wanted to save his things, and he wasn’t ready to leave right away. The malachim grabbed his hands and his wife and two daughters, and pulled them outside the city. Then the malach in charge of them told them to run for their lives, and not to look — because they really deserved to be punished too. “Go run to Avraham!”
Lot didn’t want to run to Avraham, because he knew that next to Avraham, he looks very bad. So he asked if he could run to a different city, Bela, which was not as bad as the others. (Even though this was one of the 5 cities that were supposed to be destroyed, we will see that Hashem agreed not to destroy it as a favor to Lot.)
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Today’s shiur Tehillim is kapitelach Ayin-Beis to Ayin-Vov.
When we say Kapitel Ayin-Daled, one of the things we think about is how much we want the Geulah. It speaks to us about how the Mishkan and Beis Hamikdash were destroyed, and we don’t see nisim from Hashem anymore. We need the Geulah so much, and we cry out to Hashem “Ad Mosai!”
One of the pesukim in the Kapitel is “Ad Mosai Elokim Yechoref Tzar” — “Hashem, Ad Mosai? How long will You let the goyim say chutzpa’dike things?”
Still, even in Golus, there are times when Hashem shines in the world and we can see real nissim!
These nisim remind us that Hashem is WITH US in Golus and that the Geulah is coming very soon!
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TANYA
Igeres Hakodesh Siman Chof-Zayin
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The Alter Rebbe is explaining the words of the Zohar: “Tzadika De’ispater Ishtakach Bekulhu Almin Yatir Mi’bechayohi” — after a tzadik passes away, he is found in ALL of the worlds more than in his lifetime. The Alter Rebbe asked a question on this. We can understand that the tzadik is found more in the Ruchnius worlds. We can also understand that the tzadik’s zechus and brachos are here even in this Gashmius world. But how can you say that the tzadik’s life, which we don’t see b’Gashmius, is found MORE in this Gashmius world than before? Didn’t the tzadik leave the Gashmius world?
To understand this, yesterday the Alter Rebbe told us what a tzadik’s life is, and how it is different than a regular person — that the entire life of a tzadik is his neshama, his emunah, his Ahava and Yirah. The guf is only a way for it to shine in this world.
The Alter Rebbe continues:
When a tzadik is alive b’Gashmius in this world, a chossid is connected to the tzadik by listening to how the Rebbe teaches him to act, and trying to understand what the tzadik wants. But the tzadik’s neshama can only be in one place — in the holy guf of the tzadik. The Chassidim only get the shine of the tzadik’s neshama through his holy guf by watching and hearing the tzadik.
After the histalkus of the tzadik, each of the chassidim get a little piece of the tzadik’s neshama itself inside of them. So we can feel a little bit of the Emunah, the Ahava and Yiras Shomayim of the tzadik, and so the tzadik lives inside of us.
But there is a condition to be able to live with a part of the tzadik’s neshama inside of us! That is what it says in one of the Yud-Beis Pesukim: Yogaati Umotzosi Taamin, we need to work hard to be connected to the midos of the tzadik! We can learn how to do this by following what the tzadik taught.
When a Rebbe has a piece of his neshama — his life — in so many chassidim, his life is more present even in this Gashmius world than before.
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In today’s Hayom Yom, we learn that by being involved in “Ruchnius’dike parnasa” by strengthening Yiddishkeit, we get brachos from Hashem in a way that is higher than teva! The Rebbe will explain two pesukim, one from this week’s parsha and one from Tehillim, that will show this to us.
We learn in this week’s parsha, Parshas Vayeira, that Hashem spoke to Avraham before He destroyed Sedom and Amora. The Torah also tells us why Hashem told him — one reason is because Hashem loves Avraham.
Why does Hashem love Avraham? The posuk also tells us why! “Ki Yedaativ Lemaan Asher Yetzaveh Es Banav Ve’es Beiso Acharav, Veshamru Derech Hashem…” “Hashem loves him because he is going to teach his children and his family after him that they should follow the Derech Hashem (way of Hashem) … which will bring brachos to Avraham and his family.”
What is the “way of Hashem” that Avraham is teaching his family? The Rebbe tells us today that really there are two different ways to live in the world.
1) Derech Elokim — This is the way of nature. Elokim is the name of Hashem which hides Him in the world and makes it seem like the world runs by itself according to the rules of nature.
Living according to the Derech Elokim is living the way goyim live in the world.
2) Derech Havaya (Derech Hashem) — This is the way a Yid behaves in the world. We follow the laws of Torah and mitzvos, which don’t have to make sense in the rules of nature. (Havaya is the name of Hashem which is above nature.)
When we keep the Derech Hashem, doing mitzvos which don’t have to follow nature, then Hashem gives us brachos that are much more than would make sense in nature, too!
This helps us understand the meaning of a posuk in Tehillim: “MeHashem Mitzadei Gever Konanu Vedarko Yechpatz” — “Hashem sets up the steps of a person, because He wants His derech.” This means that Hashem puts every person in the place that they are, for a reason — because He wants us to follow the Derech Hashem! He wants us to keep the Torah and mitzvos, which will make the world a Dira Betachtonim, a comfortable place for Hashem.
So wherever we end up, we need to look for ways to follow the Derech Hashem. We need to work hard to find opportunities to strengthen Torah and mitzvos, just like we work hard to find ways to make money to live.
That is why Hashem loved Avraham, because he taught us, his children, to follow the Derech Hashem! This brings down brachos that are even higher than nature!
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(Mitzvas Asei #90) Today's mitzvah is that if a korban became tomei, we need to burn it.
We learn this mitzvah from a posuk in Parshas Tzav: וְהַבָּשָׂר אֲשֶׁר יִגַּע בְּכָל טָמֵא לֹא יֵאָכֵל בָּאֵשׁ יִשָּׂרֵף
The details of this mitzvah are explained in Mesechta Pesachim, and at the end of Mesechta Temurah.
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RAMBAM
Hilchos Pesulei HaMukdashin
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In today's Rambam, we learn more about the kavanah we have when bringing a korban. The wrong kavana can make the korban no good.
Perek Yud-Zayin: This perek teaches us what happens if someone had the wrong kavanah for PART of bringing the korban — like when sprinkling the blood, or when bringing one of a pair of two sheep as a korban. Sometimes the WHOLE korban becomes pigul and we can’t use it!
Perek Yud-Ches: It is a Mitzvas Lo Saasei that we are not allowed to make korbanos tamei, and a person is punished for it. But a person is not punished for making a korban pigul (for planning on doing something wrong with a korban), because a Beis Din can only punish someone for DOING something, not for thinking something.
Other problems for a korban are Nosar, meat left past the time we are supposed to eat it, and if a tomei person touches a korban. We learned these mitzvos in Sefer Hamitzvos during the last few days.
Perek Yud-Tes: Now the Rambam explains the halachos of what to do with tomei, nosar, Pigul, or posul Korbanos.
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Now the Rambam tells us many halachos about what the Beis Din should do when partners take each other to Beis Din.
All of these halachos help us keep the mitzvah of doing business the way the Torah teaches.
Mazel Tov! We have now finished learning this set of halachos!
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In today’s Hayom Yom, we learned about the Derech Hashem which Avraham taught to his children, to do tzedakah and Mishpat. We will learn a story from the Rebbe Maharash about the mitzvah of tzedakah:
A mean officer in Russia once decided to put a new, very high tax on the Jewish farmers. The tax was so high, that it looked like any farmer who wasn’t rich would have to find a new place to live, or even go to jail for not paying!
The Rebbe Maharash wanted to help all of these Yidden. He went to collect money from the rich Jews of Odessa and Kishinev, to help the Yidden pay the tax.
In Odessa, the Yidden gave generously to help. But in Kishinev, the Yidden didn’t want to give as much. The Rebbe Maharash was not able to collect as much from them.
The Rebbe Maharash said a sicha to these Yidden, to encourage them to give more:
Hashem made the world in a way that there is a Mashpia (a giver) and a Mekabel (a taker). For example, the sky is a Mashpia, because it gives rain. The earth is a Mekabel, because it takes this rain and soaks it up for the plants and trees. People also use this system. There are rich people who are Mashpia, and poor people who are Mekabel from them. The rich need to give, and the poor need to take. And this is good for them both! In fact, the Chachomim say that more than the poor person gets from the rich person, the rich person gets from the poor person. Hashem gives him so much bracha, worth much more than the money he gave for tzedakah!
It is Hashem Who decides who will be the rich ones, and who will be the poor ones. But the poor person has a complaint! He asks, “Why do I have to suffer so that the rich person can be a Mashpia? Why do his brachos need to come through giving me, when that means I have to be poor all the time? Hashem could give him brachos in a different way!”
This sicha made the rich people of Kishinev change their minds and give much more for tzedakah! With this money, the Rebbe Maharash was able to save the jobs of all of the farmers!
Yidden in other cities also heard about this sicha. It made a lot of rich Jews realize what a bracha they have to be the Mashpia. To thank Hashem for what they had, they started giving much more to all of their fellow Jews, with love and friendship.
See the complete story and letter of the Frierdiker Rebbe in Igros Kodesh chelek Vov, p. 254
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The posuk Ki Karov is the fifth posuk of the Yud-Beis Pesukim.
The posuk means that doing Hashem’s mitzvos is Karov, it’s something that isn’t too hard for us!
The Rebbe tells us that our Yetzer Hara might make us think, “Well, that’s only talking about adults. When I am older and I know a lot of Torah and have done a lot of mitzvos, then I’ll be able to serve Hashem properly! For now, I’m just a kid, and that’s too hard for me.”
But that’s not true! The posuk Ki Karov tells us that everyone can do it!
Ki Karov Eilecha Hadavar Me’od — It is very close to you and doable
Beficha Uvilvavcha— to use your words and to use your heart
Laasoso — to do mitzvos, with Ahavas Hashem and Yiras Hashem!
We might still be very young, but learning Torah and doing mitzvos with a chayus is something that is Karov Me’od, it is very possible for all of us to do!
See Der Rebbe Redt Tzu Kinder vol. 5, p. 279
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During Shemoneh Esrei, when we stand before Hashem, we keep our feet together.
One reason is so that we will stand like malochim. When the posuk speaks about malochim, it says they have one “foot.”
Another reason is taught by the Beis Yosef, which he learned from his teacher, the Mahari Abuhav:
We stand with our feet together during Shemoneh Esrei to show that we are not going anywhere! We have no plans to take care of anything else, and we aren’t interested in doing anything except for speaking to Hashem!
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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 name of something in Lashon Kodesh is more than just a name — it shows us what the thing really is.
If we look at the letters of “Golah” (Golus) and “Geulah,” we will see that they are almost exactly the same! The only difference is that Geulah has one extra letter: An Alef.
That’s because really, Geulah is made up of all of the things of Golus together with an Alef.
What does that mean?
Hashem created the world as an Olam, from the same word as Helem, hidden — a place of hiding. The world was made in a way that Hashem will be hidden, and the creations there can’t see that Hashem is the Creator.
Because of this, even though it’s such a beautiful world, many terrible things can happen. There can be wars, hunger, sickness and jealousy.
But the Alef changes all of this!
What is an Alef?
One of the things “Alef” means is “Aluf,” master.
When Moshiach comes, the Aluf, the Master of the world, won’t be hidden anymore. The Alef will appear! So even though all of the Gashmius of the world will be the same as it was in Golus, everyone and everything will recognize that Hashem is the Master of the world!
When Hashem isn’t hidden anymore at all, and the world is a world of Geulah, none of these things will be able to happen. There will be no more hunger, no more war, and no more jealousy. Everything will be good for everyone!
See farbrengen of Parshas Emor, Tof-Shin-Nun-Alef
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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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