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CHUMASH
Parshas Noach - Revi'i with Rashi
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In today’s Chumash, we start to learn about what happened right after the Mabul.
Hashem told Noach that his family and all of the animals should go out of the Teivah now. On the Teivah, they weren’t allowed to have children, but now all of them will be allowed to again.
So Noach and his family, and all of the animals and birds left the Teivah. From now on, the animals would only marry the same kind.
Since Hashem asked Noach to bring 7 pairs of the kosher animals, Noach realized that Hashem wanted him to bring korbanos. Noach brought from each kind of kosher animal and bird as a Korban Olah — a korban that is all burned on the Mizbeiach.
When Hashem smelled these special korbanos, it brought Hashem a Nachas Ruach. Hashem now promised never to destroy the world again, “Ki Yetzer Leiv Ha’adam Ra MeiNe’urav” — because people are not perfect, they are born with a Yetzer Hara, and they deserve Rachmanus.
During the Mabul, aside for everything in the world being destroyed, the Mazalos in Shomayim stopped moving. The sun didn’t move, the moon didn’t move, the stars didn’t move. There was no day and night, and of course there could be no seasons!
Now Hashem said that from now on, the world will have seder. The Mazalos would start to move again, and continue forever! Every day would have a day and a night, and the seasons of the year would never stop — “Lo Yishbosu.”
Hashem tells Noach about SIX seasons! You probably only know four. The seasons Hashem says are (in order of how they happen, starting in the middle of Tishrei): Planting time (Zera), cold (Kor), winter (Choref), harvest (Katzir), summer (Kayitz), and hot (Chom).
Hashem gave a bracha to Noach and his family, and told them, “Pru Urevu” — to have many children and fill up the earth again! They don’t need to worry that Hashem will destroy the world, because Hashem promised not to. They also don’t have to worry about the animals. During the time when people started acting in a not nice way before the Mabul, the animals stopped being afraid of people. But now they don’t have to worry about it being dangerous to live in the world, because the animals will be afraid of them again.
Before the Mabul, people weren’t allowed to eat meat. Now Hashem is allowing them to eat meat, but with certain rules:
- A person isn’t allowed to eat Eiver Min Hachai, a part of an animal or its blood before it is killed.
- A person is only allowed to kill animals, not people. A person isn’t even allowed to make himself bleed for no reason! So if an animal kills a person, it will get punished, and if a person kills another person, Hashem will make sure he is punished. A person is made Betzelem Elokim, to look like Hashem. If a person is killed, it takes away part of the Tzelem Elokim from the world, and the world looks less like Hashem. Someone who does this doesn’t deserve to live.
Hashem now gave Noach and his sons a mitzvah — “Pru Urevu!” Go have children!
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Today we are starting the Sefer Tehillim again from the very beginning!
If you look in Kapitel Ches, you will see that posuk Beis and the last posuk have the same words in them! Why? Let’s see what the Gemara says about this:
When Hashem wanted to give the Torah to Yidden, the Malachim said: “You want to give such a special hidden treasure to PEOPLE?!” They said posuk beis of this Kapitel: “Hashem Adoneinu, Mah Adir Shimcha Bechol Ha’aretz, Asher Tenah Hodcha Al Hashomayim!” “Hashem, You are so great, put your Torah in Shomayim!”
Hashem told Moshe to answer the Malochim. Moshe answered, “The Torah says not to steal. Do Malochim have a Yetzer Hara that they would want to steal from each other?” After Moshe told them this and some more reasons why only Yidden can keep the Torah, the Malochim agreed.
They said this posuk again, saying how great Hashem is — but not asking Him to keep the Torah in Shomayim. They just said, “Hashem Adoneinu, Mah Adir Shimcha Bechol Ha’aretz.”
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TANYA
Igeres Hakodesh Siman Chof-Hey
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This letter from the Alter Rebbe explains something we learn from the Baal Shem Tov: If a person is the middle of davening, and someone tries to get him mixed up, he should think about how the Shechinah is in Golus inside of the one who is bothering him. Hashem is ready to go into Golus there for only one reason — so that he will need to use a lot of koach to have Kavana in his davening. The worse the Golus is (like if the Shechinah is inside of a Rasha), the more we should make sure to have kavanah, so Hashem won’t need His Shechinah to be there in Golus anymore!
The Alter Rebbe explains this vort, by teaching us how Hashem Echad Ushmo Echad — Hashem is one. The same Hashem that is giving chayus to the Yid who is davening, is also giving chayus to the Goy who is trying to get him mixed up. Hashem just made the chayus easier to see in the Yid who is davening, and more hidden and in Golus in the Goy who is bothering him.
It’s like Hashem is dressing up in a costume — it looks like something is RUINING our Kavana, but really Hashem is doing this to make our chayus in davening stronger! So we shouldn’t get angry at whatever is bothering us, we should realize that Hashem is making this happen to wake us up, and work harder to daven with Kavanah.
Yesterday we learned that the Shechinah is inside of the words of our davening.
Today the Alter Rebbe tells us that the Shechinah is also inside of the goy who is trying to bother us! But then, the Shechinah is in Golus.
Hashem wanted there to be two kinds of chayus in the world — one that helps us act the way Hashem wants, and one that is a challenge — that makes it hard for us to do it. The first kind of chayus is in our neshama, and it helps us do what we need to! But why do we need the second kind of chayus? It’s so Hashem can give us a special reward for our hard work!
Hashem is ready for that chayus to be in Golus, to make sure we will work hard with the strongest kochos of our neshama. That chayus is in the goy who bothers us in davening.
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In today’s Hayom Yom, we learn about something called Sod Habirurim, the secret of the Birurim.
What are Birurim?
All around the world, there are little pieces of kedusha stuck all over in different places. These pieces of kedusha are called Nitzutzos. When we use the opportunities we have to serve Hashem, wherever we are, then we are able to set those nitzutzos free!
Every person has a special shlichus from Hashem to free some of the Nitzutzos that are hidden and stuck.
But how do we know where to find our Nitzutzos?
This Sod Habirurim started with Avraham Avinu. Hashem told him to go far away from where he lived, to another place. There were Nitzutzos waiting for him there!
How can we find OUR Nitzutzos, since Hashem doesn’t tell us where to go?
Certain big Tzadikim know where their shlichus is, and they go there themselves — otherwise only Hashem knows! But we don’t have to worry! Hashem makes things happen Behashgacha Protis so we will end up in the right place to find our Nitzutzos and set them free.
The Rebbe Rashab said this to a melamed who moved from the Vilna area to a town in Cherson to have a job:
This melamed once came to the Rebbe Rashab in yechidus. The Rebbe Rashab asked him if there is a shiur Chassidus every day where he lives. He answered that the Balebatim have a shiur on Shabbos, but since they don’t really like to learn Chassidus they don’t have a shiur every day.
The Rebbe Rashab told him: Do you think you moved to your town just so that you can be a Melamed? Hashem could have given you students where you lived before, and you would have a job as a Melamed there!
Did you think about the fact that Hashem sent you there for a reason?
Then the Rebbe Rashab told him the message of today’s Hayom Yom, that Hashem makes every person end up where they are with a special shlichus they need to accomplish.
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Today we learn 3 mitzvos about EATING korbanos:
1) (Mitzvas Asei #89) It is a mitzvah for the kohanim to eat certain parts of the korbanos. Their eating it is part of the kapara for the person who brought the korban!
Part of this mitzvah is also that kohanim should eat Terumah and parts of korbanos which are called Kodshim Kalim, although eating those does not bring kapara.
We learn this mitzvah from a posuk in Parshas Tetzaveh: וְאָכְלוּ אֹתָם אֲשֶׁר כֻּפַּר בָּהֶם
The details of the mitzvah are explained in a few places in Mesechta Zevachim.
2) (Mitzvas Lo Saasei #145) It is asur to eat a Korban Chatas or a Korban Asham (called Kodshei Kodshim) outside of the Beis Hamikdash, and all other Korbanos (Kadashim Kalim) have to be eaten ONLY in Yerushalayim!
We learn this mitzvah from a posuk in Parshas Reeh: לֹא תוּכַל לֶאֱכֹל בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ
3) (Mitzvas Lo Saasei #148) Someone who is not a kohen is not allowed to eat from the korbanos that are Kodshei Kodshim.
We learn this mitzvah from the same posuk in Parshas Tetzaveh: וְזָר לֹא יֹאכַל כִּי קֹדֶשׁ הֵם
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RAMBAM
Hilchos Maaseh HaKorbanos
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In today’s Rambam, we are learning about specific kinds of korbanos and how we bring them:
Perek Zayin: In this perek, we learn how to bring a Korban Chatas! There are two kinds — some are eaten, and some are just burned. The Korban Chatas that we burn is burned outside of Yerushalayim.
Perek Ches: If anything touches the blood of a Korban Chatas before the blood was sprinkled on the Mizbeiach, it needs to be washed. (This is the only kind of korban that we need to do this for!) Whatever pot we use to cook the meat of a Korban Chatas (the kind we eat) needs to be washed, or broken if it is made of clay.
Perek Tes: The Rambam teaches us the halachos about a Korban Asham and a Korban Shelamim. At the end of the perek, the Rambam also mentions the Korban Pesach!
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The Rambam teaches us about not bothering people who live close to us with smelly or noisy things, and what happens if we already built something very smelly or noisy: Do we need to stop using it?
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In a farbrengen at the beginning of Cheshvan, the Rebbe spoke about this special month:
We just finished a very exciting month with many special Yomim Tovim.
But now that it’s all over, what is there to look forward to? We are back at school and our regular schedule, and it can feel boring.
Well, that’s what Chodesh Cheshvan (which today is its Rosh Chodesh), is all about. Of course having mitzvos that are exciting and fun is important, and Hashem wants us to have them. But being a Yid isn’t just during the times that are exciting. Hashem wants us to show how a Yid acts the way he should even on a regular day when there isn’t anything exciting happening. We don’t get a chance to show that until the month of Cheshvan.
Hashem said to the month of Cheshvan that when Moshiach comes it will get a special thing! What is it?
The Chanukas Beis Hamikdash Hashlishi will be in the month of Cheshvan!
And when we show how a Yid acts even when nothing exciting happens, we make that VERY exciting thing happen much sooner!
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Shlomo Hamelech built the first Beis Hamikdash. His father, Dovid Hamelech, had wanted to do it, but it was only built in the time of Shlomo Hamelech.
The Beis Hamikdash was a huge project! Tens of thousands of people worked on it, with over 3,000 people just in charge of making sure that the workers were doing it right! It took seven years to build it. When it was finally finished, Hashem had a permanent home in the world.
Do you know what month the Beis Hamikdash was finished in? It was in Cheshvan!
The Rebbe tells us that this is a special bracha for the month of Cheshvan — it has in it a segulah to get things of kedusha done! Just like the Beis Hamikdash, a house of kedusha, was completed in this month, this month has the segulah to help finish ALL kinds of Torah and mitzvah projects which spread kedusha in the world!
So if you have a project you want to do, this is the month to work on it. If you are studying for the Chidon, doing a private learning project, or trying to make a new Gemach, the koach of Cheshvan will help you get it done! We should make sure to use this koach as much as possible to accomplish great things in Cheshvan.
See rally Beis Cheshvan Tof-Shin-Mem-Gimmel
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Many times, the Rebbe spoke about a song that mothers used to sing to their little children. Part of the song is the words, “Torah iz di beste s’chora,” Torah is the best merchandise — the best thing you can get.
When adults go out to work, they look for things to buy and sell. They might want to have a lot of money, a big house, or a fancy car. But really, the BEST thing to have is Torah!
We all got a very special yerusha, something passed down for us to keep. It isn’t money, it isn’t land — it is something much, much better! We have the best s’chora in the world, the Torah for us to learn and keep!
When we say the first posuk of the Twelve Pesukim, Torah Tziva, we can think about this!
Torah Tziva Lanu Moshe — the Torah that Moshe Rabbeinu gave us, is Morasha Kehilas Yaakov — it is a yerusha for each and every Yid. And our yerusha, Torah, is the very best yerusha there could be!
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On Rosh Chodesh, we add Yaaleh Veyavo in Shemoneh Esrei. We ask Hashem for the special brachos of the day!
If we accidentally leave it out in the Shemoneh Esrei of Shacharis or Mincha, we might have to say Shemoneh Esrei again! It depends when we realize we missed it:
1) Vesechezenah: If we were in the middle of Vesechezenah, before saying the bracha, we go back to Yaaleh Veyavo and say Vesechezenah again afterwards.
2) After Vesechezenah: If we already said Hashem’s name in the bracha at the end of Vesechezenah (Hamachzir Shechinaso Letzion), we say Yaaleh Veyavo right there, and then go straight onto Modim.
3) Modim: If we already started Modim, and we remembered before finishing Shemoneh Esrei, we go back to Retzei (the paragraph BEFORE Yaaleh Veyavo), and then say those paragraphs again.
4) End of Shemoneh Esrei: If we already said the second Yihiyu Leratzon (the one after we say our name posuk, right before Oseh Shalom), we need to go back to the beginning of Shemoneh Esrei.
See Derech Hachaim, printed in the siddur
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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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In this week’s Chumash, Parshas Noach, we learn the story of the Yonah, the dove that Noach sent away three times.
The main way we learn Chumash is pshat, understanding the meaning of the story the way the Torah teaches it. There are also other ways to understand the stories of the Torah. One of these is called remez, hinting.
We learn a very interesting remez from the story of the Yonah:
Yidden are compared to a dove. We are like the yonah that was sent away. We were sent into Golus. The first time, we did teshuvah and came back, rebuilding the Beis Hamikdash. Again we were sent away into Golus, again coming back ourselves to the Beis Hamikdash.
Then the yonah was sent away for the third time, and it didn’t come back. This is like us in this last Golus. We were sent away into this long and painful Golus, but we won’t come back on our own. Instead, Hashem will BRING us back, so that we can enjoy the Geulah forever and never again be sent away!
See Yalkut Moshiach U’Geulah Al HaTorah, Parshas Noach
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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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