YeshivaThe torah world Gateway
Beit Midrash
- Shabbat and Holidays
- Yom Kippur
- Yom Kipur Laws
- Family and Society
- The Nation of Israel
- Attitude Towards Jews Who Are Not Observant
"Is this the Rabbi?" a young man inquired urgently. "My name is Matanya. I’m on a trail in Kerala, and I ran out of food. Someone told me he can help me out, but the earliest he’ll get to me is tomorrow morning. That means I won’t have anything to eat before Yom Kippur! There’s no way I can go into the fast this way. I’m going to have to break my fast, when I get the food tomorrow, if I don’t get help now! I really don’t want to have to break my fast. I’m religious - I keep Shabbat and put tefillin on every day, and I want to be able to fast tomorrow, but if I don’t get food soon, I don’t know if I’ll have a choice!"
Shneur took down Matanya’s information, and contemplated his options. Kerala wasn’t nearby. If he wanted to get there in time, either to bring food to Matanya, or to bring Matanya back to the Chabad house, it seemed that air travel was his only option. Shneur thumbed through the contacts in his phone, and found the number of an acquaintance who might be able to help. "Yes, this is Shneur from the Chabad house. I’m sorry to bother you so close to Yom Kippur, but I was wondering if I could use your helicopter to help someone who’s stranded without food…"
After the helicopter owner gave his generous acquiescence, Shneur hung up the phone with a sigh of relief. The next phone call he received, however, proved that Shneur’s relief had been premature.
"Rabbi!" The urgency in the man’s voice was evident. "My name is Golan. I ran out of food. Someone told me that he’ll be able to get food to me tomorrow, but tomorrow is Yom Kippur! I don’t do much religiously, but I always fast on Yom Kippur. If I don’t eat today, there’s no way I’ll be able to fast tomorrow, though!"
As Shneur hung up with Golan, he felt torn. He would have loved to be able to help both Matanya and Golan, but there was no way he could get a helicopter to both of them before Yom Kippur. The two hikers weren’t anywhere near each other. Shneur would only be able to get food to one of them.
If it were a matter of life and death, Shneur would have helped both men. However, neither of them were in danger of starvation. Both of them were scheduled to receive food the following day. It was just a matter of enabling them to fast on Yom Kippur.
Should Shneur get food to Matanya, who was already religious or Golan, who kept very little of the Torah?
Answer of Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, zt"l:
The mitzva of v’ahavta l’reacha kamocha (love one’s friend as oneself) gives priority to a Torah observant Jew. Therefore, Shneur should give the assistance to Matanya.
About two hundred years ago, a similar question was asked of Rabbi Shlomo Kluger. In one town, there were two Jews, one righteous and one wicked, who were both deathly ill, and had very little time left. Both men requested that the town rabbi be present with them, in order to recite the vidui (confession) prayer before their deaths. The rabbi didn’t know which man to assist first. Rabbi Kluger ruled that it was better for the rabbi to go to the house of the wicked man. This is because there is a greater obligation to bring close those who are distant, as the pasuk says "peace, peace to the distant and the close" (Yeshaya 57:19). The order of words in this verse indicates that those who are distant take priority. Another reason to go to the wicked man was that he had more sins about which to confess. (See Chachmat Shlomo, siman 338)
According to this ruling of Rabbi Kluger, it would seem that priority should be given to Golan, the non-observant Jew. However, it is reasonable to assume that an element of Rabbi Kluger’s ruling was based on the fact that the town rabbi would assist the wicked man in accomplishing man more mitzvot, because he had many more sins upon which to confess. In our situation, both Matanya and Golan would be assisted in keeping only one mitzva – that of fasting on Yom Kippur. Therefore, in that respect they are equal, and priority should be given to Matanya, due to the mitzva of v’ahavta l’reiacha kamocha, as we stated above.
In summary:
Shneur should bring food to Matanya
(from Kav V’naki, siman 178)
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
fast navigation
Chukat "HOW ENTEBBE STOLE THE BICENTENNIAL
The Difference Between Historic & Eternal"
As we approach America's 250th birthday, it's worth remembering her 200th Bicentennial birthday, on Jul. 4th 1976, when Israel "stole the show" by shocking the world & miraculously saving 101 hostages in a foreign continent. As Pres. As Pres. Trump decides which countries get priority in his new Middle-East, it's worth reminding him of the difference between historic events and eternally historic ones. This obviously connects with this week's parsha, as well!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 6 - The Parable of the King of India
The advantages of testimony over circumstantial evidence or philosophical speculation.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 5- "Proofs of G-d"
This may be the most important class of the entire book, where we finally get to the Jewish proof of the existence of G-d and truth of the Torah. We should follow His own direction where He tells us how to get to Him: through the Nation of Israel: Jewish history, Jewish prophets (and today, prophecies fulfilled), and national reward & punishment towards Am Yisrael.
Ein Aya One Humanity, One Creator, One Jerusalem
Rav Kook innovatively and beautifully explains this aggadeta where our sages say that after Jerusalem was destroyed her cinnamon fragrance is only found locked in a particular kingdom's treasury.
Shlach Lecha "Why So Many Don't Make Aliya?" - Parshat Shlach
This short article deals with the weird phenomena that every single time Am Yisrael is meant to enter the Land of Israel, throughout the Tanach, 2nd Temple and until today, they "chicken out" and look for excuses. What's the problem with this mitzvah that proves so challenging. The article, based on sources, suggests that the difficulties of Eretz Yisrael is precisely her secret and beauty!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 4
The class deals with Islam and how the Muslim tries convincing the King of the Khazars, and why he was also rejected.
Beha'alotcha JEWISH STATE= GUIDE TO G-DLINESS & SELFLESSNESS
A Jewish State not only is a good idea, but educates us towards selflessness, altruism and G-dliness in our daily lives.
Ein Aya In Zion Even the Smoke of the Bark is Sweet
Just as Jewish nationalism is different from others, so too our capitol of Jerusalem is totally different than other national capitols. Rav Kook beautifully explains the passage in the Talmud that the trees of Yerushalayim were cinnamon trees.
