CELL PHONES, CIGARATTES & LIFETIME QUOTAS

  

             On January 4, 1954 six of the largest cigarette companies in the country and certain large tobacco growers got together and published “The Frank Statement” in the New York Times.  In this full page ad they attempted to deflect growing concern with the health risks of smoking, announcing that they were aware of the experiments with mice that linked smoking with cancer, but claimed that the “experiments [were] not regarded as conclusive in the field of cancer research,” and pledged “aid and assistance to the research effort into all phases of tobacco and health.” 

Over the last few decades, juries in courtrooms across the country have had to decide whether this statement was evidence of a massive conspiracy of silence among cigarette manufacturers who already knew all too well of the link between smoking and cancer or whether it accurately reflected the paucity of their knowledge at the time and their genuine interest in clarification. 

In any event, no one today doubts that cigarette smoking causes lung cancer and other fatal illnesses.  According to the American Cancer Society,  the use of tobacco in its various forms, in the United States was responsible for 1 in 5 deaths. This means that hundreds of thousands of men and women die each year because of tobacco use. 

Each year second hand smoke may be responsible for about 3,000 lung cancer deaths in non smoking adults and an additional 35,000 to 40,000 cases of heart disease in people who are not current smokers . At present still tens of millions of people in this country alone are still currently smoking.

In recent times has arisen a new potential health hazard as the number of cell phone users in the world has already reached the billions. There has been a flurry of research tending to show that cell phones may cause damage at the cellular/genetic level under laboratory conditions. A number of European institutes have done thorough studies that have showed that cells exposed to electromagnetic field similar to those emitted by cell phones showed significant increases in DNA strand breaks.  However, some of the world’s mobile phone makers are calling for more research and “awaiting evaluation by the scientific community.” It is starting to sound a bit like the smoking and cancer controversy of the fifties and sixties.  Okay, but is that all there is to the cell phone- cigarette connection– or is there something deeper here.

We are taught by our Sages that each of us is given a lifetime quota of words, however words that we use to learn Torah or to accomplish (mitzvoth and ma’asim tovim) acts of kindness are not deducted from this fund. Perhaps it can be inferred that unnecessary words are subtracted from the total.  This makes sense because– as we may quietly admit to ourselves–we have been more often “tripped up” by our tongues than by our feet.

The extra “air time”, now  available to cell phone users for little or no extra cost  could raise the total amount of time spent in conversation  and thus statistically  increase the potential for some of those conversations to be spiritually as well as physically detrimental.  Both cell phones and cigarettes involve the use of our breath and in both cases –  what is not so obvious is that the passive by-stander can also be harmed.  When  cigarette smoke is exhaled, this so called, second hand smoke, has proven to be very dangerous to those exposed.   Like the person who inhales second hand smoke, the person who merely listens to (richilus or loshon hara) slander or gossip can be as detrimentally affected by what is being said as is the speaker.   

The good news is that cell phones unlike cigarettes can and do have positive applications and can enhance the (simcha) joy of life by making traveling safer, planning and doing (mitzvoth) good deeds easier and keeping relatives and friends more accessible. Some scientific researchers have suggested that potential side effects can be minimized by keeping the cell phone away from the head by using wireless ear phones and keeping the cell phone itself away from any vital organs. We might add one more suggestion to our cell phone do and don’t list:  Keep in mind our Heavenly “calling plan quota”!

              A final upbeat note: Just as friends and lucrative business deals are instantaneously within our reach at all times and places, how much more so is the Creator always available– all we need to do is connect and speak up.

 

All articles appearing on this blog are copyrighted by Rabbi Yehoshua Binyamin Falk. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to share/download/copy this information as long as it is accompanied by the copyright. Separately authored/copyrighted materia

GENERATION TO GENERATION – THE APARTMENT

The following is a wondrous true story of Divine intervention (Hashkaka Pratis )       

     

In the year 5738, I was learning in Kolel [advanced Talmudic Studies] in the Northern Galilee.  There was a young single man who I will refer to as Reuven, that I would invite for Shabbos and learn with occasionally during the week.  A half year later, the birth and bris of one of my sons was in B’Nei Brak, which then with the bus transfers was about a four hour  trip

How surprised and elated I was to see Reuven, who had traveled on an early morning bus come to our simcha.  With Eliyahu Hanavi there he no doubt prayed for the right shidduch for himself and to be blessed with good children. 

Within the year, due to certain circumstances, we moved to New York and remained there for the next eight years.  We then returned to Eretz Yisrael to a small community outside Jerusalem.  In our third year there, and eleven years since I had had any contact with Reuven, I met him in Jerusalem.  We quickly caught up on the events of each other’s lives during the years of separation.  He was now happily married with two small children, first a girl then a boy.  We exchanged telephone numbers and I informed him that for supplementary  income I was taking tourists to the holy sights.

Within the year, I received a call from Reuven that his uncle was visiting and needed a tour guide.  I made arrangements with him and took him to various holy places in the land.  On the last day of his stay, he went with me to kever Dan.  While there, he expressed that he was getting older and was looking for a way to secure his portion in the  (Olam Haba) -‘World to Come’. Being taken by surprise, I wasn’t sure just how to answer   him, but with the help of Hashem I suggested that if he were to find someone in Eretz  Yisrael who was learning Torah and by helping to support their efforts especially through buying them an apartment, this acquisition would  surely secure him a nice portion in Olam Habah. Perhaps in the back of my mind, I had wishful thinking, that I would be the beneficiary of his beneficence, but although he tipped me nicely for my services for him, at the end of the day we parted company, with me never seeing or hearing from him again. Two years later, my family and I moved back to New York and spent another eight years living in the States before returning to Eretz Yisrael. It was now 21 years since we left the Galillee.

One day I received a call about a shidduch for one of my sons.  I liked what I heard and after making some inquiries, the couple met and it was a match—mazel tov.  Arrangements with my future mechutan were to split the cost  of the (Chassena) wedding and the furnishings for a rented apartment.  A few weeks before the Chassena, the (mechutan) bride’s father called me happily announcing that we are buying an apartment for the chasan and kallah.  I repeated our original conditions, explaining that I was not able to afford at that time to help buy the new couple an apartment.  He interrupted me saying that he also was not paying for the (dera) apartment, but that his uncle, whom I had taken to Cever Dan, had just passed away leaving instructions to his family to provide enough  funds for this kallah, his niece, to buy an apartment in Eretz Israel.

Our Sages tell us our mitzvas are preserved for eternity and our good words and encouraging  thoughts are never lost.  That new mechutan is my old friend, Reuven; the kallah being his only daughter whom he prayed for at the bris of my son in bnei Brak, with this young man now becoming Reuvan’s son-in –law.   My suggestion for Reuven’s Uncle twelve years earlier of  preparing for eternity by making a (kinyan) acquirement in Eretz Yisrael now  became a present for my son and our new daughter-in-law, meaning Reuven’s daughter.  I have no doubt that Reuven’s Uncle through this generous gift has received a wonderful portion in the World to Come – for the intelligent investment that he made while still in this world.

 All our acts of kindness in this world are not only benefits to its recipients, but are our passports and bank accounts on our journey back to the world of souls. May we all merit this and return soon to the land  promised us in peace with the advent of the Meshach soon in our days.

 

 

All articles appearing on this blog are copyrighted by Rabbi Yehoshua Binyamin Falk. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to share/download/copy this information as long as it is accompanied by the copyright. Separately authored/copyrighted materia

A TRIUMPH IN THE MONTH OF TEVES

                   As we move further into the month of Teves  and find ourselves engulfed by the dark cold winter, it seems difficult to hold onto the imprint (reshima) of the glow of the inspiring lights of  Chanukah.  Nonetheless, we must not allow ourselves to succumb to the illusion that the world has fallen prey to the physical and spiritual forces of darkness.  After all, Teves is a month in the holy Jewish calendar even as are the months of Nissan and Tishre.   Teves and in fact all of the winter months are   also imbued with sanctity and filled with treasures for us to discover.  But how can we find anything without light?  In a seemingly paradoxical manner, the answer lies hidden within that very darkness.

               Historically, these days were blemished by a spiritual darkness caused by events that weakened respect for the Torah in the eyes and hearts of the nations. The Greeks forced our Sages  to translate the Torah into their language.  This translation was only of the written part of the Torah (she’bichtav) and was in accordance with the deliberate alterations purposefully incorporated by the seventy Sages who simultaneously translated it.  It could not and was not intended to convey the depth and breath of Torah which is elucidated by the oral part of the Torah (sh-b’al peh). 

 Why should this be an occasion for spiritual blemish?  We know that we are not permitted to reveal the secrets of Torah to pagans and in fact G-d (Hashem) created a miracle (nes) allowing the Sages who were kept apart  as they made their translations to simultaneously provide the same alterations of the words of Torah so as to preserve and protect the Torah from misinterpretation.  Yes, on the one hand, the translation of the Sages accomplished its purpose and the Torah was protected, however, on the other hand, the Torah in translation lost the aspect of reverence and awe that attached to it when it was read and interpreted in the holy tongue by G-d fearing Jews and respectful non-Jews who had made a commitment to come within the congregation (k’lal) of Yisrael. 

In the eyes of the non-Jews the Torah in translation lost its Divine  majesty and became ordinary. The Torah became available to the masses and perhaps even more disastrously to the  bible critics who labored long and hard to eradicate our Torah’s Divine sanctity. 

Non-Jews were not the only people who were affected.  Tragically,   some Jews were affected as well.   The ideology that motivated this translation  has continued to affect the spiritually vulnerable within the Jewish Nation throughout the generations and to this day.   Sadly, we can observe the many unlearned Jews who know the Torah only at its most superficial level, if at all, and who cannot fathom its depths and its import.

                In demanding a translation of the Torah, the Greeks intended for it to weaken our holy tradition. Through forcing us to display the words of the Torah without its commentaries and rules of derivation,  they  attempted to transform it into a one dimensional mindset as hinted to through the letters (osios) within the name of Yavan:  yud-vov-nun. All three of these letters are externally made up of  a unidirectional line implying that their beauty and essence only exists on the surface. The truth is that as descendants of Yaphet, one of the sons of Noach, they were ideally meant to enhance, not detract from the Torah, by dwelling within the tents of Shem. The name Yaphet comes from the root of yofe – meaning  beauty.   We can see that Yavan  inherited  this trait because the letters of Yavan when reversed spell out the word nun-vov-yud – noi–which means attractive. Had they fulfilled their role properly they would have used their G-d given talents to enhance the Torah by dwelling within our tents.  This has not as of yet happened.  Instead they attempted to capture our Torah bringing it into their tents of Hellenism.

                However, fortunately, even the plans of the evil minded are also under the control and only instrumentalities of the Creator ( Hashem Yisbarach). They are sometimes sent our way, if we caused through our inactions or wrong actions to be tested, (us) in order to give us the opportunity to change and grow. The Greek empire (Yavan): yud-vov-nun attempted to lower the yud through the vov down to the depths of the nun, whereas our role is to raise up and reveal the beauty within those hidden lights of holiness found in the Torah as seen through the letters spelling noi: nun-vov-yud.

                      Indeed, the miracle (nes) imbedded in the uniformity of the Torah’s simultaneous translations is a word that has three meanings: It means miracle; it also means a test (nision) and finally it means banner.  The nes of this translation becomes a test for us – a test of our own beliefs and of our own ability to help ourselves and our less learned brothers by revealing the great spiritual treasures lying hidden beneath the surface  of our holy Torah.  Because the challenge is so great and the need for illumination is so palpable – when  we make this effort all important and use our strengths to this end then  when we are victorious  we will have the privilege of being able to raise our Torah to new and even greater levels of appreciation in this world.

 Perhaps the greatest lesson we can learn from this  long exile (galus) is that we cannot be content with the levels we have currently reached in Torah.  Even many of us who learn our holy Torah written and oral with its holy commentaries every day cannot yet say to ourselves, “Ah but we have plumbed the depths of her potential.”  We should take these days that are both physically and spiritually dark and bring illumination into them.  We should take our spiritual scuba gear and dive deep into the sea of  Torah.  By going far beneath the surface – meaning by learning each subject with great profundity and sincerity we will then merit just like the deep sea diver to uncover valuable treasures from the depths of our efforts. This will help to restore the  honor of Torah  in the eyes of the world. May we together merit to achieve this admirable goal of transforming this darkness into light as we usher in the advent of our long awaited final redemption (geula).

 

All articles appearing on this blog are copyrighted by Rabbi Yehoshua Binyamin Falk. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to share/download/copy this information as long as it is accompanied by the copyright. Separately authored/copyrighted materia

SECRETS ABOUT CHANUKAH & PURIM HIDDEN WITHIN OLIVES AND GRAPES

                        There are two popular holidays in the Jewish calendar that can be celebrated even as we perform our ordinary weekday activities.  Even though they have no special Yom Tov or Shabbos requirements they do much more than just commemorate  events in history. Chanukah with its lighting of the menorah with, ideally, olive oil and Purim, in which wine is the drink of choice, have concealed within these days of joy and celebration, like olive oil that is extracted from olives and wine that exudes from grapes, heretofore untapped hidden powers that can aid us to help to rectify and elevate the entire creation.

              How is this achieved and why is it necessary? When Adam and Chava ate the forbidden fruit, violating the specific commandment of the Creator, the yetzer hara became internalized causing an admixture within all mankind of tov and rah. Since four of their five senses – of touch (feeling), sight, hearing and taste – acted as accomplices to the primordial sin, we need to now use those very same senses, in the performance of mitzvos and acts and chesed, to rectify this cosmic error which continues to reverberate throughout the generations.

               Partially because of a lack of enough sensitivity and an increase in senseless enmity (sinas kinom), that was a major cause of the destruction of the Bais HaMikdash, our Sages wisely gave us specific additional mitzvos that focus on strengthening our sense of awareness thereby reawakening our sensitivity in our relationship others. How can this best be achieved?

               We can learn how to rekindle the proper feelings between each other, through the teachings of the holiday of Chanukah which call for bending over and lowering ourselves, as the naros are ideally below ten tefakim, so as to be able for the flame of the helper candle, known as the shomus, to touch the Chanukah neros until that are lit up. So too in our relationship with people sometimes it is necessary to bend over in order to share our soul’s “flame” help kindle – ie. inspire – our brethren. The “message” hidden within the Chanukah lights is so enlightening that it even has the ability to remove the surrounding darkness for those who are still out in the shuk  – ie. – the marketplace of spiritual obscurity, thereby inspiring them to be included in the mitzvah when they joyously proclaim: (Sheasa nesim la-avosanu ba-yamim ha-haim bizman ha-zeh.  that Hashem made miracles for our forefathers in this time.

 After Chanukah rekindles our feelings for others and gives us clearer insight on how to be best be of help to them, Purim in its own unique way teaches us not only how to be good listeners, while hearing the reading of the Megilla, but to also learn how to hear – ie. understand – the true needs of others so as to best share our blessings with them. How is this achieved? We accomplish this through the other three mitzvos of the day which are sending gifts – of food that need no preparation – to friends, giving charity generously and opening the “doors” of our homes and hearts for a tasty  meal and flavorable  experience.

    Sending  readymade foods to friends perhaps on a deeper level sends a message to all our acquaintances that just as this food needs no preparation, we are always ready and  prepared to accept you just as you are.

                May we, through these mitzvos, once again regain the proper level of love and respect between all of us, thereby meriting the final Bais HaMigdash soon in our days.

 

 

 

 

 

All articles appearing on this blog are copyrighted by Rabbi Yehoshua Binyamin Falk. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to share/download/copy this information as long as it is accompanied by the copyright. Separately authored/copyrighted materia