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CHUMASH
Parshas Shoftim - Shishi with Rashi
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Moshe Rabbeinu is farbrenging with the Yidden more about the mitzvos they will need to be careful with in Eretz Yisroel!
Of course we can NEVER steal, but in Eretz Yisroel there is an extra mitzvah to be careful not to steal someone else’s field by moving over the fence so your field is a little bit bigger.
It is very important to judge people right in Beis Din! That’s why there always have to be TWO witnesses before the Beis Din can punish anyone. (If there is an argument about money, one witness is enough to make the person need to promise using Hashem’s name.)
The Beis Din needs to make sure the witnesses are telling the truth! If a NEW set of witnesses proves that the first witnesses are lying, they are called Eidim Zomemim, and they get the punishment they were trying to make the person get!
When someone hurts another person, the Beis Din needs to make them pay for what they did.
Now Moshe Rabbeinu explains to the Yidden how to fight a war! We need to trust in Hashem when we fight, because it is Hashem who helps us win.
We are not allowed to be afraid when we fight a war Hashem wants us to fight!
The kohen who has the job of encouraging the Yidden is called the “Mashuach Milchama,” that he is anointed for war. He first comes to warn the Yidden not to be afraid, because Hashem fights with us!
Then officers tell everyone to go home if they are afraid of something — like if they just built a house, or planted a new vineyard with grapes, or just got engaged. All these things will make a person worried, because he wants to make sure he gets to use his house, or eat his grapes, or marry his wife, and he might be afraid to be killed in the war!
They also give anyone who is afraid of their aveiros a chance to leave. They are leaving because they are afraid that they don’t deserve for Hashem to save them, but they don’t need to be embarrassed. Everyone will think that they probably built a house or planted a vineyard or got engaged.
Then there are certain soldiers who get a job to make sure nobody runs away, because that will scare everyone else!
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Today we start the Tehillim again from the beginning! We say kapitelach Alef through Tes.
Many times when Yidden were in trouble, the Rebbe would speak about a posuk from one of today’s kapitelach: “Mipi Olelim Veyonkim Yisadeta Oz” — “from the mouths of children and babies You get koach to destroy the enemies.” The Rebbe explained that the koach of the Torah and mitzvos of children is what gives us koach to destroy all of our enemies!
From this posuk we learn that when even a very small child or a baby says words of Torah or does a mitzvah, it is able to protect Yidden everywhere!
This is why chinuch of small children is so important, because it helps keep all Yidden safe!
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TANYA
Igeres Hakodesh Siman Yud
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This letter is also going to explain about Tzedakah, and was sent to encourage Chassidim to give a lot of tzedakah!
Our parents have a special Shlichus from Hashem to take care of us, and they love us!
How do they love us and take care of us? One of the ways is by giving us all of the Gashmius things we need — like food and snack, and beds to sleep in, and taking us to school, and giving us hugs and kisses.
Since they take care of us with all of this Gashmius, it has to be JUST RIGHT to work. (That’s how Gashmius goes!) If they give us a backpack as big as our room, we won’t be able to carry it and we won’t be able to use it! If they give us one tiny jelly bean for snack, we’ll still be hungry! If they squeeze us too hard when they hug us, it could hurt!
Hashem also loves us, takes care of us, and gives us chayus. This is a very big Chesed of Hashem!
The way Hashem gives us this Chesed is through the mitzvos we do. But since the mitzvos are Gashmius, they need to be done in a specific way to get Hashem’s Chesed! This is why Hashem tells us EXACTLY how each mitzvah needs to be done.
Over the next few days, we will see what this has to do with the mitzvah of tzedakah.
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In today’s Hayom Yom we learn about a minhag that we start doing today, and will continue the whole month of Elul, through the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah!
When the Tzemach Tzedek was nine, the Alter Rebbe told him something that he heard from HIS Rebbe (the Maggid) who heard it from HIS Rebbe (the Baal Shem Tov), who heard it from HIS Rebbe (Achiya Hashiloni)!
Starting from the second day of Rosh Chodesh Elul (that’s today!) we say 3 extra Kapitelach of Tehillim every day. We say 36 Kapitelach on Yom Kippur (9 before Kol Nidrei, 9 before going to sleep, 9 after Musaf, and 9 after Ne’ilah). That way, we finish the WHOLE Sefer Tehillim!
If someone didn’t start on time, he should first say the Kapitelach for that day, and he can catch up later.
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In today’s Sefer Hamitzvos, we learn two mitzvos:
1) (Mitzvas Asei #145) We learn about if a person says that something is Cherem. That means it is set aside for Hashem. Usually, it goes to the kohanim, unless the person said “Cherem LaHashem,” which would go to the Beis Hamikdash. We learn many halachos about this in today’s Rambam!
2) (Mitzvas Lo Saasei #110) Something that is the kind of cherem that needs to be given to a kohen is not allowed to be sold. It needs to be given the kohen the way it is. (The kohen can decide to sell it later if he wants, because it belongs to him.)
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RAMBAM
Hilchos Erchin V'Charamin
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Perek Hey: We finish learning the halachos about giving a field as a donation to the Beis Hamikdash. We also learn the halachos of donating a house, or an animal that can’t be a korban (like a non-kosher animal or one with a mum). An animal that IS good for a korban is sold to people who need to bring that type of korban, and the money goes to Bedek Habayis (maintenance of the Beis Hamikdash).
Perek Vov: Now we start learning the halachos of Charomim (things that are cherem). We learn the halachos of today’s mitzvos in Sefer Hamitzvos. We also learn what happens if someone gives something that wasn’t his, or promises to give something that isn’t there yet (like a fruit that didn’t grow yet), or if someone gives by mistake.
Perek Zayin: we learn many halachos about pediyah — redeeming, meaning buying back something that was donated to the Beis Hamikdash.
One interesting thing that we see in these halachos is that the Beis Hamikdash always gets the best of any deal! This way, any donation to the Beis Hamikdash is used as much as it can be.
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Today we learn about more Melachos of Shabbos. We learn about tying and untying knots, and what kind of knots we ARE allowed to tie on Shabbos. For example, we are allowed to tie the string of a harp that snaps in the Beis Hamikdash on Shabbos. We also learn many more Melachos, like tearing, sewing, and building.
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The name of this month teaches us how to do our avodah during the month!
Starting from the second day of Rosh Chodesh Elul, there are three things we do every day: Saying L’Dovid Hashem Ori in Shacharis and Mincha, saying the three kapitelach of Tehillim after davening, and blowing the shofar.
We also work on fixing up ALL of the areas of Avodas Hashem to prepare for Rosh Hashana. We see this hinted to in the many Roshei Teivos of Elul!
During the month of Elul we have two main jobs:
- Cheshbon (fixing up what happened last year)
- Hachana (getting ready for Rosh Hashana!)
We need to make sure that the things our lives are all about are strong.
What are those things?
We know (from the beginning of Pirkei Avos) that the world (and every person too!) stands on three things: Torah, Avodah, and Gemilus Chasadim.
So those are the things we work on during Elul.
That’s why the name “Elul” has four letters, that are the first letters (Roshei Teivos) of pesukim that talk about these things in the Torah!
- Torah: Ina Leyado Vesamti Lach (a posuk from the Chumash, which talks about an Ir Miklat, because the Torah keeps us safe like an Ir Miklat)
- Avodah (Tefilah): Ani Ledodi Vedodi Li (a posuk from Shir Hashirim, which speaks about the love a Yid has for Hashem, something which we try to feel during davening)
- Gemilus Chassadim (Tzedakah): Ish Lereiehu Umatanos L’evyonim (a posuk from the Megillah, which talks about helping other people)
And in case we ever missed a chance, then we can always do Teshuvah!
- Teshuvah: Es Levacha Ve’es Levav (part of a posuk from the Chumash that talks about Teshuvah)
And finally, everything we do is to bring the Geulah! Elul has a Roshei Teivos for that too: Ashira LaHashem Vayomru Leimor (a posuk from Az Yashir which talks about the Geulah from Mitzrayim)
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Who made the brachos of bentching?
R’ Nachman, an Amora, tells us in Mesechta Brachos:
The first bracha, Hazan Es Ha’olam, is from Moshe Rabbeinu. This bracha speaks about how Hashem satisfies our hunger. When Hashem sent down the mohn from Shomayim, Moshe Rabbeinu set up this bracha to thank Hashem.
The second bracha is from Yehoshua. This bracha finishes, “Al Ha’aretz Ve’al Hamazon,” thanking Hashem not only for the bread, but also for the land. Yehoshua led the Yidden into Eretz Yisroel, where they had to grow their own grain and make their own bread. They now would thank Hashem not only for the food, but for the earth which made it possible to grow it!
The third bracha was set up by Dovid Hamelech and Shlomo Hamelech. There we ask Hashem for brachos for the Yidden and for Yerushalayim, where Dovid Hamelech was the king. “Al Yisroel Amecha, Ve’al Yerushalayim Irecha.” Shlomo Hamelech, who built the Beis Hamikdash, added, “Ve’al Habayis Hagadol Vehakadosh,” asking for a bracha for the Beis Hamikdash!
We will IY”H learn about the fourth bracha, which has a story behind it, in the next shiur.
See Gemara Brachos daf Mem-Ches amud beis
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The brachos we say on food can be general or specific. Shehakol is the most general bracha, it doesn’t speak about any specific kind of food. Ho’adamah is a very general bracha for everything that grows. Ha’eitz is more specific, for only something that grows on a tree. Mezonos is also more specific, because it only is for foods from grain. Hamotzi is even more specific, for only bread made from grain. Hagafen is very specific, only for wine or grape juice.
The halacha is that bedieved, if we said a more general bracha, it can include a food that really has a more specific bracha.
For example, if someone said Ho’adamah on an apple, bedieved their bracha is counted and they don’t make another bracha. That is because even though an apple grows on a tree, a tree also grows from the ground, and Ha’adamah is a general bracha for everything that grows from the ground.
Or if someone said Shehakol on a cookie, bedieved their bracha is also counted, because Shehakol is a general bracha that includes all foods.
See Seder Birchos Hanehenin Perek Alef
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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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After the time of Shlomo Hamelech, the Yidden split into two groups. The Yidden living near Yerushalayim followed the son of Shlomo Hamelech, the first of the Malchei Yehudah. The Yidden living in the northern parts of Eretz Yisroel followed a different king, the first of the Malchei Yisrael.
The kings of the Malchei Yisrael wouldn’t even let the Yidden go to the Beis Hamikdash, since they were afraid that the Yidden would start to follow the Malchei Yehudah. Of course, this was not very good for the Ruchnius of the Yidden!
One of the kings of the Malchei Yisrael was Achav. He married a non-Jewish princess, Izevel, and listened to whatever she said. She worshiped Avodah Zarah and worked hard to make the Yidden do it too. She tried to kill all of the true Neviim so that no one would stop the Yidden from worshiping her Avodah Zarah.
Even though Eliyahu Hanavi tried to punish Achav by stopping rain from falling, Achav did not do teshuvah.
The man in charge of running Achav’s palace was a ger from Edom, named Ovadiah. Even though he lived with these wicked people, he did not learn from them. He decided to protect Neviim, and hid 100 of them in caves. He gave them food and water and kept them safe from Achav and Izevel.
Because of this, Hashem gave Ovadiah the zechus of becoming a talmid of Eliyahu Hanavi. Ovadiah even became a Navi himself! Hashem chose Ovadiah, who was from Edom, to give the nevuah about the end of the nation of Edom.
Here is one of his famous nevuos about the end of Edom, the nation of Eisav:
וְהָיָה בֵית יַעֲקֹב אֵשׁ וּבֵית יוֹסֵף לֶהָבָה וּבֵית עֵשָׂו לְקַשׁ וְדָלְקוּ בָהֶם וַאֲכָלוּם וְלֹא יִהְיֶה שָׂרִיד לְבֵית עֵשָׂו כִּי ה׳ דִּבֵּר
Vehaya Veis Yaakov Eish — The family of Yaakov (the Yidden) will be like a fire
Uveis Yosef Lehava — And the family of Yosef will be like a flame.
Uveis Eisav Lekash — The family of Eisav will be like straw (which burns very easily).
Vedalku Vahem Va’achalum — The Yidden will burn the nation of Eisav completely
Velo Yihiyeh Sarid Leveis Eisav — And there will be nothing left of the family of Eisav,
Ki Hashem Diber — Because Hashem said so.
See Ovadyah perek Alef posuk Yud-Ches
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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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