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CHUMASH
Parshas Lech Lecha - Shlishi with Rashi
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Lot became very rich because he went with Avram. He had lots and lots of animals and tents.
In fact, he had so many animals, that between Avram’s animals and Lot’s animals, there weren’t enough grassy fields where they lived for all of the animals to eat!
Avram’s shepherds knew to only let the sheep and cows eat from grass that didn’t belong to anyone, but Lot’s shepherds gave the animals food even from other people’s fields! They thought that Eretz Yisroel belonged to Avram already, and since Avram didn’t have anyone to pass it down to except for Lot, they thought they could take any part of Eretz Yisroel already.
Avram’s shepherds argued with them, because taking grass from someone else’s fields is stealing! The Torah tells us that the shepherds of Lot were wrong — the land didn’t belong to Avram yet either, and the Canaani and Perizi lived there.
Avram didn’t want to be in a fight with his nephew, so he told him to maybe move a little bit further away, so that each of them have their own space. He promised to stay close by so he could always help him if he needed it. (As we will see later, that actually happened.)
Lot saw that Sedom and Amora had plenty of water, so things grew well there. It had lots of beautiful trees, like Gan Eden, where Adam Harishon lived when he was first created. It had lots of plants growing, like in Mitzrayim. Lot also saw that the people acted in not very tznius’dike ways, and he liked that too.
So Lot decided to move there, and also to move away from the way Avram served Hashem.
The people in the area were very not nice. They did aveiros on purpose, just to make Hashem angry. But Lot didn’t mind living with them anyway…
In the meantime, now that Lot moved away, Hashem spoke to Avram again. He promised him again that Eretz Yisroel would belong to his children, the Yidden. Hashem told Avram to look all over Eretz Yisroel, in all directions, and it would all belong to him.
Avram continued to travel through Eretz Yisroel, until he reached Chevron, where he built a Mizbeiach to thank Hashem.
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In today’s Tehillim, it says “Haysa Li Dimasi Lechem Yomam Valayla, Be’emor Eilai Kol Hayom Ayei Elokecha.” “My tears were like my food all day and night, when they say to me all day ‘Where is Hashem?’”
The Rebbe explains that this posuk is saying that for a person to really be close to Hashem, we need to be crying for Hashem ALL the time. We shouldn’t want to be close to Hashem just on Shabbos or only when we’re davening, but even when we’re eating or playing on a regular weekday!
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TANYA
Igeres Hakodesh Siman Chof-Vov
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The Alter Rebbe is explaining a piece in the Zohar which seems to be saying that the halachos of Torah are mixed with good and bad, and that we won’t learn them when Moshiach comes. The Alter Rebbe told us that this can’t be right, and today explains to us the right way to understand it.
The Alter Rebbe explains that the THINGS that the Torah talks about are mixed with good and bad (Eitz HaDaas Tov VaRa). When Moshiach comes, the not good part of it won’t be there anymore. But the HALACHOS themselves, the way they are in Torah, are FOR SURE always only from Kedusha (Eitz HaChaim)!
All of the Gashmius’dike things in the world come from kelipah. Many of them come from a kind of kelipah called Kelipas Noga, which has a mixture of good and bad. You can choose to use it for kedusha (if you do a mitzvah with it) or Chas Veshalom a person could use it for not good things. (It’s a little bit like pareve food — if you cook it with milchigs it becomes milchig; if you cook it with fleishig it becomes fleishig.)
(During the week, we need to have kavana, to think that you’re using the thing to serve Hashem, like if you play a game so you’ll have koach to learn Torah. On Shabbos, eating food is a mitzvah. So eating on Shabbos, even with out a special kavana, is kedusha!)
But the HALACHOS, even the halachos ABOUT tumah, are all part of Torah Shebaal Peh, which the Zohar says very clearly is a VERY high level of kedusha.
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There are three major ways we connect to Hashem: With Machshava (thinking), Dibur (speaking), and Maaseh (doing). But what comes first?
In the life of Avraham Avinu, his connection to Hashem started off with machshava, thinking about and discovering Hashem. He then went and taught about Hashem to others, dibur. Finally he did a mitzvah that Hashem told him to do, having a Bris Milah, which is maaseh.
Even though we are the children of Avraham Avinu, it is now after Matan Torah. So now we connect to Hashem using the opposite order — doing the mitzvah itself comes first, and afterwards dibur and finally machshava.
That’s why in the life of a Yid the order is that as soon as a baby is born their connection to Hashem begins with maaseh, getting a Bris Milah.
Then when we grow up a little and start to speak, we are taught to say words of Torah, beginning with the pesukim of Torah Tziva and Shema, which is dibur.
Only afterwards, when we are old enough to start understanding things, then we connect to Hashem through machshava, filling our thoughts with Yiddishkeit and understanding our connection to Hashem through Torah and mitzvos.
In the farbrengen of Parshas Lech Lecha in the year Tof-Shin-Mem-Ches, a Hakhel year, the Rebbe spoke about the word Hakhel in Lashon Hakodesh. The Rebbe explained that the word Hakhel is a “tzivui,” an instruction. It tells us: “You should gather others!”
Even though we can’t do Hakhel in the Beis Hamikdash, there is a Ruchnius kind of Hakhel that we can do nowadays — and the word Hakhel tells us that we should do it! We should do what we can to gather Yidden together for “Leyirah Es Hashem,” to inspire each other in matters of Yiddishkeit. As we see in today’s Hayom Yom, after Matan Torah we need to start with the maaseh, the action — for each of us to do what we can in the inyan of Hakhel.
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SEFER HAMITZVOS
Shiur #167 - Mitzvas Asei #43, #44, #45, #46, #47, #48, #50, #51
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Today we learn EIGHT mitzvos, about bringing eight special Yom Tov korbanos! We learn these mitzvos in Parshas Emor and Pinchas, where we learn about the Yomim Tovim.
1) (Mitzvas Asei #43) We bring an extra korban on each day of Pesach!
We learn this mitzvah, called the Musaf Chag Hamatzos, from a posuk in Parshas Emor: וְהִקְרַבְתֶּם אִשֶּׁה לַה׳ שִׁבְעַת יָמִים
2) (Mitzvas Asei #44) On the second day of Pesach, we bring the Korban Omer, which is made out of flour! This is also called “Minchas Bikurim.” We bring it together with a lamb as a Korban Olah.
We also learn this mitzvah from a posuk in Parshas Emor: וַהֲבֵאתֶם אֶת עֹמֶר רֵאשִׁית קְצִירְכֶם
The details of this mitzvah are explained in Perek Yud of Mesechta Menachos.
3) (Mitzvas Asei #45) 50 days after we bring the Korban Omer, we bring the Atzeres (Shavuos) Korban!
We learn this mitzvah from a posuk in Parshas Pinchas: וּבְיוֹם הַבִּכּוּרִים בְּהַקְרִיבְכֶם מִנְחָה חֲדָשָׁה לַה׳ וְגוֹ׳ וְהִקְרַבְתֶּם עוֹלָה לְרֵיחַ נִיחֹחַ
4) (Mitzvas Asei #46) On Shavuos, we bring two loaves of Chometz’dik bread, together with certain korbanos that are written in the Torah.
This mitzvah comes from a posuk in Parshas Emor: מִמּוֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם תָּבִיאוּ לֶחֶם תְּנוּפָה שְׁתַּיִם
The details of this mitzvah are explained in Perakim Daled, Hey, Ches, Yud, and Yud-Alef of Mesechta Menachos.
5) (Mitzvas Asei #47) On Rosh Hashana, we bring an extra korban, the Musaf Rosh Hashana!
We learn this mitzvah from a posuk in Parshas Pinchas: וּבַחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי בְּאֶחָד לַחֹדֶשׁ וְגוֹ׳ וַעֲשִׂיתֶם עֹלָה לְרֵיחַ נִיחֹחַ לַה׳
6) (Mitzvas Asei #48) We bring an extra korban on Yom Kippur!
This mitzvah also comes from Parshas Pinchas: וּבֶעָשׂוֹר לַחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי וְגוֹ׳ וְהִקְרַבְתֶּם עֹלָה לַה׳ רֵיחַ נִיחֹחַ
7) (Mitzvas Asei #50) We bring extra korbanos each day of Sukkos!
Even though the Torah says the korbanos of each day of Sukkos separately, all of the seven days of Yom Tov are only counted as one mitzvah.
This mitzvah is also from Parshas Pinchas: וְהִקְרַבְתֶּם עֹלָה אִשֵּׁה רֵיחַ נִיחֹחַ לַה׳
8) (Mitzvas Asei #51) On Shemini Atzeres we bring an extra korban!
The Chachomim explain that Shemini Atzeres is counted as its own Yom Tov, not just part of Sukkos, so the korbanos of the eighth day are counted as a separate mitzvah.
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RAMBAM
Hilchos Temidin U'Musafin
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In today’s Rambam, we learn more about how we bring these Korbanos.
Perek Vov: This perek of Rambam is like reading a story, about how the kohanim wake up in the morning and go do their Avodah!
Perek Zayin: We learn about bringing the special korban for Rosh Chodesh, and the Pesach korbanos and the Korban Omer. We hear how they would cut the barley for the Korban Omer: Erev Pesach, they would tie the barley into bundles while it was still growing, to make it easier to cut. After Yom Tov, everyone would come out to watch! They would ask each of these questions three times out loud to make sure everyone understood what was happening, and everyone would answer together:
- Did the sun set? — YES!
- Is this a sickle? (a special kind of knife to cut plants) — YES!
- Is this a basket? — YES!
- If it was Shabbos: “Is it Shabbos?” — YES!
- Should I cut the barley? — CUT!
They asked each question three times, and each time, everyone would answer out loud.
The Rambam explains why it was done with such a big deal: Because there were Tzedukim who explained the Torah differently, and the Chachomim wanted to make sure that evefryone understood the correct way to follow the words of the Torah.
The Rambam then tells us exactly how the korban was prepared!
Perek Ches: In this perek, the Rambam teaches us about the two Chometz’dike loaves of bread we bring on Shavuos.
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This perek teaches us about how a person can send a shliach to argue for him in Beis Din. (That’s like a lawyer.)
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In the times of the Beis Hamikdash, all of the Yidden had to travel to Yerushalayim to be Oleh Regel for Sukkos.
The Yidden didn’t start asking for rain until the last Yid got back home from Yerushalayim. That could take a long time — from Sukkos until today, Zayin Cheshvan!
Even nowadays, the Yidden in Eretz Yisroel don’t start asking for rain (Vesein Tal Umatar Livracha) until today!
(Outside of Eretz Yisroel, we wait until the time rain was needed in Bavel, which is based on the solar calendar. This year, it will be on December 4, the night going into Yud-Alef Kislev.)
The Rebbe tells us that we can learn a very big lesson in Ahavas Yisroel from this! Really, ALL of the Yidden in Eretz Yisroel needed rain right away for plants to grow. Only a few people who lived very far from Yerushalayim had such a long way to travel that they wouldn’t get home until today. Still, ALL the Yidden waited to ask for what they needed, so that even these last few people could get home from Yerushalayim easily, without having to go through a rainy and muddy path. This shows us how much we need to care about the pain of even one Yid, because all Yidden are really one.
See Likutei Sichos chelek Chof, p. 378
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One of the special things about Zayin Cheshvan is that by then, every Yid from Eretz Yisroel came home from spending Yom Tov in the Beis Hamikdash! Now everyone was able to use the inspiration they got from Yom Tov in their homes.
The Rebbe tells us that nowadays too, Zayin Cheshvan has a special koach to help us use everything WE got during the month of Tishrei every day!
What does that mean?
All of the Yomim Tovim of Tishrei are different. They each have their own mood and their own Avodah.
On Rosh Hashana, we were very serious. We realized that we wanted Hashem to be the King of the whole world, and we wanted to show Hashem that we are ready to do whatever He wants. We said a lot of Tehillim, showing that we are ready to give Hashem all of our time.
On Yom Kippur, we felt like Malochim. We spent the whole day feeling close to Hashem, and not even doing the regular things we do for our body! And we knew that Hashem was happy with our Teshuvah and would forgive us for anything we did wrong during the year.
During Sukkos we felt safe in Hashem’s hug, the Sukkah! We showed how we are connected to all other Yidden, and danced together on Simchas Beis Hashoeivah!
On Simchas Torah, we felt so happy to have Hashem’s special present, the Torah! We danced and sang the whole day, showing how much we love the Torah and want to live with it all the time!
Even though the Yomim Tovim ended, we take them home with us after Tishrei is over!
When we daven every day, we should think about Who we are davening to. We can think about how we felt on Rosh Hashana, and we’ll be able to daven in the right way!
When the Yetzer Hara tries to get us to do something wrong during the day, we can think about how we felt on Yom Kippur. We can remember how much we want to feel close to Hashem, and say NO to the aveira!
When we get annoyed with a friend or our brother or sister, we can think about how much fun we had and how good we felt to dance with each other during Simchas Beis Hashoeivah! We can remember how glad we were to be together.
When it is time to go to school, we can think about Simchas Torah. We can remember how happy we are to have the Torah! We can feel a real simcha that we are able to go to school where we learn and keep the Torah.
Zayin Cheshvan has a special koach for us to start using all of the days of Tishrei to make our Avodas Hashem in the best way it can be!
Based on rally Beis Cheshvan Tof-Shin-Mem-Gimmel
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When we want to learn something by heart, we need to review it many times! That’s why many people say the Twelve Pesukim every day after davening, or after saying Shema every night. They want to review the words many times so they will know them Baal Peh!
Since we need to not only know the WORDS by heart, but also the MESSAGE by heart, we will need to review what each posuk means many times! Let’s review the first two of the Twelve Pesukim and what we’re supposed to learn from them. Both of these pesukim are from the Chumash, and the Chachomim say that they are the first pesukim we should teach a child who has just learned to speak.
Torah Tziva — The first posuk is Torah Tziva. We say, “Torah Tziva Lanu Moshe,” the Torah which Moshe Rabbeinu commanded us, is “Morasha Kehilas Yaakov” — a yerusha to the whole Jewish people.
This means that the entire Torah, together with all of the parts of Torah that Moshe Rabbeinu got on Har Sinai, belongs to every single Yid!
The posuk teaches us that every Yid, even a young child, needs to know that the whole Torah is THEIRS, and it also teaches us that we should appreciate how precious the Torah is! That’s why right when a baby is born, we hang up words of Torah like Shir Hamaalos where the baby sleeps, and mothers sing songs about Torah, so the children will always know that “Torah iz di beste s’chora,” Torah is the best thing they can ever have!
This posuk includes everything from Torah.
Shema Yisroel — The second posuk is Shema. We say, “Shema Yisroel!” Listen Yidden! “Hashem Elokeinu,” Hashem is our Aibershter, and “Hashem Echod,” Hashem is one.
Besides for what we need to know for our own neshama, that Hashem gave us the Torah as a gift that is very special and very good for us, we need to know about the world too! When we go into the big world, which has seven heavens and stretches out so far in four different directions, we need to remember that it’s not something that exists on its own! It LOOKS like it exists by itself, but it was created by Hashem, and it was created for a reason!
The heavens and the earth, in all four directions, are all one with the Alef — with Hashem, the Alufo Shel Olam. The whole world is one with Hashem Who created it, and all of it is there so that we can use the special gift Hashem gave us, the gift of Torah and mitzvos! The whole world and everything in it exists so that we can use all of it in order to serve Hashem.
The Rebbe once said at a farbrengen that the posuk Torah includes everything we need to know about Torah, and Shema includes everything we need to know about Emunah!
See Der Rebbe Redt Tzu Kinder chelek Hey
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It is our minhag that Lechat’chila the first day we say Kiddush Levana is on Yom Zayin of the month.
The Rema writes that we dance and celebrate at Kiddush Levana the way we celebrate at a chasunah! Kiddush Levana is a sign for the Geulah of Yidden, when there will be the chasunah between Yidden and Hashem!
One of the last horaos we got from the Rebbe, in 5752, is to be extra careful with Kiddush Levana. We are careful to do it properly, at the right time, and if possible, we do it in a beautiful way — wearing nice clothing and together with other people!
See Shulchan Menachem, chelek beis, p. 206
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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 Gemara says that when a person does Kiddush Levana at the right time, it is like he is greeting the Shechinah!
What does Kiddush Levana have to do with greeting the Shechinah?
During Golus, we are not zoche to greet the Shechinah. But every month, when the moon begins to grow large again, we are reminded that Yidden will also become great again when Moshiach comes. Then we will be able to greet the Shechinah!
That is why one of the things we say in Kiddush Levana is “Dovid Melech Yisroel Chai Vekayam!” The kingdom of Dovid Hamelech is compared to the moon. Like the moon, Dovid Hamelech’s melucha will grow great again — when Moshiach comes!
See Shulchan Menachem chelek beis, p. 205
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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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