YeshivaThe torah world Gateway
Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- D'varim
- Ki Tavo
The Torah warns us not to be overly clever and sanguine about unfolding events. Human eyesight is very limited. For everything that occurs in life carries with it a certain ambiguity and uncertainty. Therefore the Torah insists that we be tamim - simple, whole, almost naïve - in our assessments of events. Faith in God is the only certainty that remains for humans to trust in. Even though there is strict separation of church and state in the United States, the dollar bill proclaims that "In God We Trust." Only the Lord truly knows what events will actually turn out to be blessings. Therefore the great Chasidic masters all proclaim that Jews should pray to the Lord and state that "what is good in Your eyes, so to speak, is what we wish to occur." My teachers in the yeshiva long ago taught us to be careful for what we pray for the Lord may actually hear our request and grant it and that does not always turn out to be of true benefit to us. The great sage, Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan (Chafetz Chaim) stated that there are people who can handle great wealth and thus it can be a great blessing to them and yet there are others who are unable to deal with being very wealthy (especially if it happens suddenly to them) and thus the blessing eventually turns out to be a curse for them and their families. I know from my own personal experience in the rabbinate people who when they earned a middle class salary were wonderful people and when they had fortune seemingly smile upon them and they suddenly became very wealthy they became insufferable to others and eventually even to themselves.
As the new year approaches we all pray for the blessings of a time of true peace, prosperity that we can handle and family harmony and contentment. But the wise person will leave one’s laundry list of requests from Heaven a short one. We should rather submit ourselves to Heaven’s wishes and that whatever is a good in the Lord’s eyes, so to speak, is good and acceptable for us as well. In a world of incessant and insatiable demands for more of everything that is material and thus transient it would be true to Jewish tradition for us to be more humble and sparing in our demands and requests. The truth is that that is very little that we actually need though there is much that we want. The ability to deal with this contradiction in our lives between need and want is the key to spirituality and to contentment in this world and our lives in it. This idea is reinforced throughout the Torah and rabbinic writings. Judaism does not preach poverty or its virtues. But it certainly does preach moderation in all matters for only in moderation can true blessing be found and achieved. We wish to be blessed but we also wish to have blessings in a degree and kind that we can absorb and exploit correctly. And that is what our prayer should be.
P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Realtor’s Fee on Large Commercial Building – part I
(based on ruling 85031 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
P'ninat Mishpat Complaints about Contractor’s Work – part II
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
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Shoftim TESHUVA IN COURT OF LAW?
Parshat Shoftim-Chodesh Elul
Why does parshat Shoftim always come out during Elul? This innovative and central explanation is an eye-opener regarding many aspects of Judaism.
The Month of Elul TESHUVA IS THE ANSWER
The month of Elul serves as a vital time for self-reflection and personal accountability to prepare for true repentance.
P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Realtor’s Fee on Large Commercial Building – part I
(based on ruling 85031 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
(based on ruling 85031 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
P'ninat Mishpat Complaints about Contractor’s Work – part II
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: The Goal of an Agricultural Yeshiva – part I
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 263 (address at the laying of the cornerstone of the Yeshiva Chakla’it in Kfar Haroeh)
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 263 (address at the laying of the cornerstone of the Yeshiva Chakla’it in Kfar Haroeh)
Chemdat Yamim The Goal of an Agricultural Yeshiva – part II
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 263 (address at the cornerstone laying for the Yeshiva Chakla’it in Kfar Haroeh – 1938)
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 263 (address at the cornerstone laying for the Yeshiva Chakla’it in Kfar Haroeh – 1938)
Re'e NEVER EXTREME EXCEPT ISRAEL
Parshat Re'eh
Judaism is against extremism, so how can we understand the seemingly extreme statements found in our sages in favor of living in the Land of Israel and against living in Chutz laAretz? The article deals with the seeming contradiction between the strength of Free-Will and the strength of being influenced by our surroundings.
Ekev DANCE FOR ISRAEL- FOR YOUR BENEFIT
Parshat Eikev
Description: The 7 Haftarot we read after Tisha B'Av ("Shiva D'Nichemta") surely get us excited that they're coming TRUE, and awaken us to yearn, dance & join the return to Zion! The short article also deals with the problems and solutions facing the American Jewish community as discussed at a recent panel, as well as the question why Jews come from America to Israel to help when we face problems, but Israelis don't come to aid Jews in America when they face anti-Semitism.
P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Complaints about Contractor’s Work – part II
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: Twin Foundations
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
