Once
again we find ourselves standing at the entranceway to the season of Sukkos. Have
we ever taken the occasion to consider the meaning of a mitzvah that we
literally step into and dwell within  for
seven full days?

            From
Caterpillar to Butterfly

            Just
as we can observe dramatic changes within the creation, such as the transition
of the relatively graceless dawdling caterpillar into a gracefully airborne
butterfly, so also we at times observe quite dramatic changes in the course of
our lives. Examples of these milestones our when we learned how to walk and
talk, graduated, became engaged, began a new job or moved. However, when it
comes to spiritual growth, unless we pay close attention to the subtle changes
inside of ourselves, we can pass through the various stages of development and
transformation without being fully aware of them.

            The sukkah can serve as our
spiritual cocoon

             In order for us to begin dwelling in sukkah
consciousness we need to remove any “roofs” of perceptual limitation and
replace them with the supernal lattice –s’chach –which allows us to widen our
spiritual horizons. By understanding the connection between the halachas of
the s’chach and ourselves , we can begin to peer through the gaps and gaze into
the supernal realms of our lives. 

              The Sukkah can be seen as a form of
concretized prayer which contains all the components necessary for our
spiritual metamorphosis. The mitzvah of sukkah is one of those divinely
constructed conduits that enables us to make that smooth transition to the next
level of our avodas Hashem. This transformation is made available to us through
the halachas of the sukkah.

            The
sukkah in a metaphysical sense is like a human being with a body and a soul, as
it is composed of both earthly and heavenly components.  This duality is reflected in the s’chach  which originated from a natural substance that
was attached to the ground and is now uprooted from its soil ( even as Avraham
Aveinu uprooted himself from his  cultural surroundings). The s’chack is then placed
on high and becomes a  supernal
quintessential covering that offers us Divine protection and Heavenly insights.
The mitzvah of sukkah aids us to detach from any materialistic excesses as well
as guides us through the Uzpizin to nourish from the eternal values of the
Torah as will been explained. 

              How many of us have thought about the
following dichotomy? We all have seen how parents begin prodding their toddlers
to walk and talk as rapidly as they are able, yet as soon as these same children
get a little bigger their parents and educators are constantly telling and
teaching these children, often in futility, to sit down and be quite. For the
children this mixed message might be quiet confusing but there lies within this
moshal a profound message for all of us.

             Indeed, in the first phases of
life, our task is to learn how to walk and talk and use all of our efforts to
“get up” on our own two feet and succeed in the world, however, if a person
does not learn how to “sit down” introspectively and become “quietly”
contemplative they will find themselves spending their entire adulthood trying
to conquer the world instead submitting to their own inner spiritual calling.
Perhaps one of the many invaluable lessons within the mitzvah of (leishev) to
sit in sukkah is to teach us how to “sit down” in contemplation with our neshomos
under the guidance of each days Ushpizin – the supernal sublime guests that
grace our sukkah..

             Just as the period between Rosh Hashanah and
Yom Kippur awakens within us our yir’as Hashem, the seven days of Sukkas has
the power to draw  from within us   expressions of ahavas Hashem.

         To
aid us in this transition Chazal teach that on each of the seven days of Sukkos
one of our forefathers is invited to join us in the sukkah. They are our
honored guests who educate us in perceiving our true purpose and potential that
we can strive to attain throughout the year when we return back into our homes.
This transition is best facilitated by opening our hearts and minds to the
divine attributes that the seven Uspizin symbolize as the infra-structure of our
spiritual stature.

            Under the influence of our
forefather Avraham Avinu we can reveal and refine the trait of – chesed –
loving kindness for the sake of Heaven. 
Under the guidance of our forefather Yitzchak Avinu we are aided in
developing the attribute of discipline so that our chesed can be constructively
channeled.  Under the influence of Yaakov
Avinu we are shown how to harmonize these seemingly disparate attributes of
chesed and gavurah.

             Moshe Rabbeinu awakens the netzach Israel within
us that links us with the eternal message of the Torah. Under the tutelage of
Aaron HaKohan we learn to offer ourselves for service to the Creator thereby
engendering greater peace in  the world.

 Yosef HaTzadik inspires us in our strivings
towards righteousness through acts of purity. Finally the attribute of malchus,
which is expressed through the kingdom
of David HaMelech, is the
power within us to orchestrate and combine all of these attributes  so as to harmonize our potential to reveal
the will of the Creator in this world. This means that each day of Succos we
each have been blessed with our own private supernal “tutors” who join us while
we are enveloped within the mitzvah thereby aiding us to elicit from deep
within us the seven divine attributes. 

                  Through following this spiritual
prescription may we see to take the inner message of the sukkah back into our
homes the whole year, thereby meriting to dance (stand up) and sing (speak)
words of praise and gratefulness for each moment throughout our lives thereby
meriting to soon dwell in the long awaited Sukkos David.    

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

                  From Caterpillar to Butterfly

            Just as we can observe dramatic changes within the creation, such as the transition of an unassuming dawdling caterpillar into a gracefully airborne butterfly, so also we at times observe quite dramatic changes in the course of our lives.

        The sukkah is a, so to speak, spiritual cocoon that can help us remove any “roofs” of perceptual limitation and replace them with the supernal lattice covering –s’chach –which allows us to widen our previously limited horizons. By understanding the connection between the halachas of the s’chach and ourselves , we can begin to peer through the gaps and gaze into the supernal realms of our lives. 

The mitzvah of sukkah aids us to detach from any materialistic excesses as well as guides us through the Uzpizin (seven days of supernal guidance from our greatest spiritual leaders from Avraham Avinu through David HaMelek), to nourish from the eternal values of the Torah as will been explained. 

 For during each of the seven days we spend in our sukkas we have the opportunity to absorb spiritual ‘nutrients’ that provide a far greater visual range– a broader and sharper perception of ourselves, others and our world then we would have ordinarily been able to obtain without this mitzvah.  

When compared to our sturdy homes, the halachic construction specifications of our sukkas call for a less then solid and contiguous structure. For example, the   ‘latticed’ roof – the s’chach – contains many small openings. Also there need be only a minimum of three ‘halachic’ walls which need only come to within three tefachim of the ground—lavud –and do not need to come all the way up to the s’chach.  The walls, also amazingly, do not even need to be located within the boarders of the kosher area of the sukka—dophin hakoma – as long as they are within four amos of it (about six feet).

    Several elements of these halachic parameters stand out.  The first is the degree of openness and seeming “incompletion” that is tolerated by the halacha.  We have an open lattice roof and walls that can seem to be somewhat incomplete. How, one wonders, could such a configuration be considered a suitable dwelling?  Yet it is precisely the idiosyncratic nature of this construction that allows us the opportunity to contemplate connections that might have eluded us from our vantage point within the solid shelter of our houses. These seeming ‘gaps’ thus can and do serve a lofty purpose.

 We are finite beings living in a finite world and our usual perception of reality is confined within the parameters of human consciousness. When the Yom Tov of Succoth arrives, however, the Creator allows us a glimpse – especially through the latticed s’chach and also through the other halachic ‘openings of G-dly consciousness. We, ourselves, cannot contrive this opportunity, only Hashem can afford us this glimpse into limitlessness. As is said in Koheleth which we read on Shabbos Chol Hamoed Sukkos, there is a time and a season for everything and only Hashem can create that time and season. For seven blissful days we are given a seasonal opportunity to live in a temporary dwelling that allows us to access a vastly expanded realm above and beyond time, place and limitation.

(Optioanl) [ In a worldly sense, to what can the s’chach and the walls of the Succah be compared?  In nature, the living cell is covered by a membrane. And so how do the necessary nutrients get into the cell ?  There are several routes inward, however, recently, scientists have discovered that miraculously, from within that membrane, molecules of a protein, called clathrin, assemble into a cage-like structure made up of lattice walls.  This latticed cage captures and transports nutrients,  hormones and other necessary substances into the cell.  When the job is done, these latticed walls spontaneously disassemble. 

So we too, through the mitzvah of sukka, assemble a latticed roof – the s’chach which allows for the ‘spiritual nutrients’ to become accessible to us, until the end of the festival. Now let us examine some of these ‘spiritual nutrients’ that come through the ‘lattice s’chach’ and possibly even through the walls of our sukkas.]

       The walls of the sukka bring us additional messages.  There are numerous fascinating laws concerning the walls of the sukka. Certain areas of a sukka can still be kosher even if its walls are under a roof or under the branches of a tree, as long as the wall or walls are within four amos of the kosher area. This wall, which is called – dofin a coma – a bending wall, is now  able to serve as a kosher wall to complete the sukka, even though a person would not be fulfilling the mitzvah of sukka by eating or sleeping in that area.

Perhaps we can offer the following insight. Each of us has a part of our personalities which can be understood through the metaphor of the wall. A physical wall can serve several purposes – it can define living spaces and provide staging areas in which we can organize the activities of life. Indeed, with respect to tefillah, we are taught to select a makom kavua—a designated place– in our shul or in our home where we can daven.  Walls provide much needed privacy, stability and security. Just as physical walls perform these functions, so too do psychological walls.  We build psychological barriers to shield ourselves from unwanted influences and undesired intrusions.   However, there are times that these “walls” can work against us. If, for example, we allow the “walls” of our personalities to become too rigid a barrier between ourselves and others, then we lose precious opportunities for growth and connection. If, however, we allow ourselves to ‘bend over towards others’ by letting go of our personal idiosyncrasies, we then can unite with them in the building a ‘sukka of peace’ and cooperation.  Perhaps this is one of the many wondrous lessons that the Torah had in mind in giving us the law of the bending wall  – dophin hakoma.

This number seven is echoed in the number of days we spend in the sukka as well as the seven emotive attributes within each of us. Thus, not only does our stay in the sukka  help us to develop the attribute of humility, the time spent in the sukka also allows us to take advantage of each of the rectifying attributes of our seven ushpizin – Avraham Avinu through David HaMelek and through the various mitzvoth during this auspicious time.

When we spend seven days in the sukka, in the company of these special dignitaries of the Creator we are able to access the inner value of this special time and specific place.

            One of the well known sayings of the Bal Shem Tov is: “You are where your thoughts are.” Even though the Yomim Tovim will pass, we can continue to dwell in the holy ‘conceptual atmosphere’ of the sukka with its profound symbolism.  May we merit to nurture these ideas and feelings throughout the whole year thereby bringing closer the final geula soon in our days.

              Through the year we dwell in homes that are solidly constructed to provide us with insulation, protection and privacy. The security we experience in these dwellings is a paradigm for the external reality of  nature, which cloaks the Creator‘s essence within it.  When we leave our homes to dwell in the Sukkah, we are proclaiming that we desire to relinquish our man-made “security” for true Divine protection. 

We are then prepared to enter the spiritual realm called Succah.  In this realm we encounter the Divinely inspired influences of the Ushpizin –the special guests we invite into our Succahs. 

              How many of us have thought about the following dichotomy? We all have seen how parents begin prodding their toddlers to walk and talk as rapidly as they are able, yet as soon as these same children get a little bigger their parents and educators are constantly telling and teaching these children, often in futility, to sit down and be quite. For the children this mixed message might be quiet confusing but there lies within this moshal a profound message for all of us.

             Indeed, in the first phases of life, our task is to learn how to walk and talk and use all of our efforts to “get up” on our own two feet and succeed in the world, however, if a person does not learn how to “sit down” introspectively and become “quietly” contemplative they will find themselves spending their entire adulthood trying to conquer the world instead submitting to their own inner spiritual calling. Perhaps one of the many invaluable lessons within the mitzvah of (leishev) to sit in sukkah is to teach us how to “sit down” in contemplation with our neshomos under the guidance of each days Ushpizin – the supernal sublime guests that grace our sukkah..

         To aid us in this transition Chazal teach that on each of the seven days of Sukkos one of our forefathers is invited to join us in the sukkah. They are our honored guests who educate us in perceiving our true purpose and potential that we can strive to attain throughout the year when we return back into our homes. This transition is best facilitated by opening our hearts and minds to the divine attributes that the seven Uspizin symbolize as the infra-structure of our spiritual stature.

            Under the influence of our forefather Avraham Avinu we can reveal and refine the trait of – chesed – loving kindness for the sake of Heaven.  Under the guidance of our forefather Yitzchak Avinu we are aided in developing the attribute of discipline so that our chesed can be constructively channeled.  Under the influence of Yaakov Avinu we are shown how to harmonize these seemingly disparate attributes of chesed and gavurah.

             Moshe Rabbeinu awakens the netzach Israel within us that links us with the eternal message of the Torah. Under the tutelage of Aaron HaKohan we learn to offer ourselves for service to the Creator thereby engendering greater peace in  the world.

 Yosef HaTzadik inspires us in our strivings towards righteousness through acts of purity. Finally the attribute of malchus, which is expressed through the kingdom of David HaMelech, is the power within us to orchestrate and combine all of these attributes  so as to harmonize our potential to reveal the will of the Creator in this world. This means that each day of Succos we each have been blessed with our own private supernal “tutors” who join us while we are enveloped within the mitzvah thereby aiding us to elicit from deep within us the seven divine attributes. 

                  Through following this spiritual prescription may we see to take the inner message of the sukkah back into our homes the whole year, thereby meriting to dance (stand up) and sing (speak) words of praise and gratefulness for each moment throughout our lives thereby meriting to soon dwell in the long awaited Sukkos David.    

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

We Jews are ancient, expert travelers in time.  We are given special times, from our holy
Torah and wise Sages, in which we can help mend, renovate and elevate the
entire creation. The whole month of Elul along with the first twenty two days
of the month of Tishrei are a case in point. To the rest  of the nations these days are merely times on
a calendar that hangs  on a wall,
destined  to be marked off and discarded.
For us, these sanctified days are our “time machine” that transports us to new
levels of holiness (kiddusha). If we program this “time-craft” of opportunity carefully
according to the laws (halachas) and  customs (minhagim), fill it with the fuel of
enthusiasm and adjust our trajectory by keeping our proper spiritual focus, we
can strive to reach into the “stratosphere” of kiddusha undeterred by the pull
of  the atmosphere around us.

THE COUNT DOWN  – T
minus 30 Days:[1]   

ALL CHODESH ELUL : Take on board sefarim on Musar
and Chassidus to inspire thoughts of teshuvah. Sefardim begin saying Slichos
and blowing the shofar, Ashkenazim blowing the shofar and many are reciting additional
Tehilim. We now have a unique opportunity to prepare for our new journey:  (The space shuttle is launched in two
stages.  At liftoff, it uses boosters and
main engines.)

T minus (minimally) 4 days: (Main engines ignite in staggered intervals.)  Ashkenazim begin to say Slichos the Motzei
Shabbos before Rosh Hashanah which can fall no less than four days before Rosh Hashanah
in order to allow for final countdown preparations. A small reminder of the
power of these days:  {These engines
provide 1.2 million pounds of thrust and the boosters provide 6,600,000 pounds
of thrust.} 

T minus I day:   (Main engines commanded to lift off position.)

EREV ROSH HASHANAH.  It seems that there could not possibly be
sufficient time to achieve what needs to be accomplished before we set
off.  However, through various minhagim and
halacot such as:  hataras nedarim,
fasting until chatzos, toveling in the mikvah and other Yom Tov preparations culminating
in halacot narot, we are then able to reach the necessary level of energy and
preparedness for our holy mission. Erev Rosh Hashanah is the last moment before
take-off :{In order to attain orbit, 
the space craft has to accelerate 
from zero to eighteen thousand miles per hour and travel at an altitude
higher than most of the Earth’s atmosphere.}

T minus 0 seconds: Rosh Hashanah seen as the lift off for the New Year :       (
Onboard computers ignite solid rocket boosters; three main engines at 100 per
cent thrust level. Ground launch sequence terminated, lift off.) 

ROSH HASHANA: 
All of the external preparations – the Yom Tov clothing, the festive
meals and the internal preparations of introspection, learning halachas, making
resolutions- are done, and here we are. 
We lift up our machzorim and feel the weight of the awesome and
spectacular task that lies ahead of us.

Rosh Hashanah, the – rosh – head, is truly the
beginning of the new year, setting the trajectory which in turn sets the course
for the whole year.  Using delicate
instruments consisting of  halachot and
minhagim, it fine tunes the three essential dimensions of  person-nefesh, place-makom and time-z’man.

The first tikun in the dimension of nefesh is when
upon concluding our tefillos on Rosh Hashanah eve we greet and bless our
friends and families with the wish that they be inscribed for a good year. 

The tikun achieved for the dimension of time—z’man
is through the sounds of the shofar.  The
sounds of the shofar are halachically regulated by the length and number of the
notes which help to rectify the dimension of time. These holy customs and laws
are infinitely more powerful than the following moshal: {At lift off the
shuttle with its boosters and fuel weighs 4.5 million pounds and takes eight
seconds to accelerate to a speed of one hundred miles per hour.  After one minute,  the craft is traveling at 1,000 miles per
hour and has used more than one and one half million –pounds of fuel.}

T plus 2 days: Solid
rocket boosters separate.

ASERES YIMAI TESHUVA: Rosh Hashanah with its
stirring tefillos,  awe inspiring melodies
and soul searching shofar blasts proclaims Hashem’s Kingship. Now it is the
fast day – Tzom Gedalia, the third day of the ten days of repentance. Even
during the fast we are still continuing to ascend:  {When it reaches an altitude of twenty
eight miles, and is traveling at 3,000 miles per hour, it jettisons its
boosters.} 

————————————————————————————————————

T plus 9 days:  (The three main engines continue to fire.)

EREV YOM KIPPUR. Sometimes we feel distant from
the process, as if the judgment is going to happen to someone else, but as Erev
Yom Kippur arrives we all become very involved, feeling the day of awe and hope
is soon to be with us. This dichotomy within us also exists in the creation:  {The engines burn liquid hydrogen – which at
 minus 423 degrees Fahrenheit is the
second coldest liquid on earth – with liquid oxygen. When they unite and burn the
mixture can reach a temperature of 6,000 degrees Fahrenheit – higher then the
boiling point of iron.}

T plus 10 days:  Space Craft  attains preliminary orbit.

 YOM KIPPUR.
 We are now shaping the path and
direction of the coming Year. We are accelerating very quickly because we must break
out of the physical atmosphere and move into a very unique spiritual zone.

To do this we need let go of those habits and
thoughts that have weighed us down and taken their toll upon us in the past year.
This is a critical moment, allowing for our final stage of being freed from the
past:  {After that period of time, the
space craft, in an ovoid (oblong) orbit, reaches a speed of five miles per
second.  The engines shut down, the
external fuel tank is jettisoned and the shuttle will have consumed more than
3.5 million pounds of fuel}.

       T minus 14 days:  (Orbital maneuvering system engines are
fired.) 

 SUKKOS.  We now are dwelling in our Sukkas.  For an entire week we live inside this unique
mitzvah where we rebalance ourselves and establish our course for the year,
free of the gravitational pull of our daily lives.  We wave the lulav, esrog and two other
species in all six directions suggesting an empowerment over all of the spatial
orientations and also symbolizing the Heavenly gift of freedom from attachment
to the – teva – nature through our deepening connection with the Creator. Our
avoda on Succos is essential for our spiritual growth in the upcoming year.   :  {If nothing more was done, the space craft
would begin to descend and re-enter the atmosphere.  However, about a half hour after the main
engines have shut down, usually as the shuttle reaches the highest point in the
ovoid orbit, the two orbital maneuvering system engines, are fired for about
three minutes. This causes the spacecraft to travel in a circular orbit that
stabilizes it at a safe altitude above the atmosphere.}

    From
this elevated position which spiritually parallels Shimini Atzeres/ Simchas
Torah we are truly free of  the
gravitational pull of this world.  We
enter a euphoric / blissful state of “free fall” sustained and supported by
rapturous song and ecstatic dance while embracing the holy Sefer Torahs.         

            
These first twenty-two days have been given to us as a blessing to
assure our proper and safe “take off” directing us properly to our new set of
goals for the New Year.   May we all
travel together, returning in joy and peace to our land, with the advent of the
Mashiach 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

            As we approach
the time of the giving of our Torah, let us reflect that each and every Jew is
said to be connected to an os – a
letter – in the Sefer Torah, with
both our inner perception and the outer reality in which we live being spun
from its spiritual fabric. Since this week we are reading about the giving of
the Torah let us try to broaden our understanding what possible additional
insight can be culled from the halacas that there must be an adequate space
between each os; and yet, on the
other hand, all the letters of each word must be close enough so that they are
not perceived as separated and apart?

         These halachos can perhaps be seen as having
the following profound implications: ]

    
We should always strive to allow the next person the proper distance for
maintaining respect and independence, yet without sacrificing the closeness and
connectedness that makes us areivim –
responsible for one another. This is perhaps alluded to in these halachos
between the Torah’s letters and spaces. Just as the letters must be close
enough so that meaningful ideas can be communicated, we also need to be close
enough to help and interact with one another; yet, just as the letters must be
separate enough so that the distinction between them is not blurred or
obliterated, so should we always respect our neighbors and acquaintances so as
not to diminish anyone’s unique personality and identity.

The Need for Attitudinal Distance

Perhaps the parchment between each letter is analogous to the
“attitudinal distance” that exists between each person. Just as the white
parchment has no perceivable value, yet is crucial, so also is the need to
respect the cultural and individual “space”/differences between people. This “territory” between us and others is
the space/ place of opportunity for learning mutual respect, thus allowing each
person to maintain his independent integrity. Through this, we will avoid
our personal feelings and agendas spilling over into someone else’s borders,
thereby allowing us to emulate the halacha of mukafos gevul. (Every letter of a sefer Torah must be surrounded by an area of white parchment – (Menachos 29a) and certainly a Torah
scroll that is not in conformity with this requirement cannot be used until it
is rectified.)

    Moreover, through accomplishing this, we will
also be blessed with a greater appreciation of our own unique role and place in
this world.

Indeed, so essential is this “space” that the Gemara teaches that
Hashem gave Moshe the Torah as white
fire and black fire, with the black fire representing the written letters while
the white fire represented the spaces in between (Yerushalmi Shekalim 6:1). We can further see this aspect of the
importance of the surrounding area in the teaching that if one, chas veshalom, sees a sefer Torah burning, one must tear one’s
garments twice – one time in mourning for the written words and a second time
because of the parchment (Moeid Kattan
26a).

[[[In a different context, one commentator offered this profound
thought: “Consciousness is always surrounded by a border of unconscious
experience that itself gives shape to consciousness.” Perhaps this can be
recast as follows: Thought as expressed through the black letters of the Torah
is always surrounded by white borders of unconscious experience that helps to
give shape to our consciousness.]]]

             May this year’s Kabbalas Ha-Torah merit us
once again of the miracle of having enough “space” for everyone one of us to
prostrate ourselves in the holy Bais HaMigdash – may it be built 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

                       The Midrash teaches us that the other nations were offered the Torah however each of them rejected it because they found some of the  commandment to difficult to comply with. [For Ishmael it was the prescription against stealing, for Eisav it was the commandment not to murder]… However when it was our turn we in unison proclaimed: “We will do and then we will hear” – “Naasey vi-nismah”.

                          Since it wouldn’t be fair for all the nations to have commandments that they found very challenging and we, the Jewish nation, also did not have at least one commandments that was very difficult to accept, therefore, let us ask which mitzvah was a great challenge for us to adhere to? The Cassidishers commentaries (Sefas Emes and Even …) address this provocative question with an insightful response that expresses the greatest praise of our holy nation. The mitzvah of restraint – hagbalah – during the days just proceeding the giving of the Torah (Matan Torah) was a commandment that was very hard for our nation to comply with. Why? Because every Jew had such a great desire to come as close as possible to the loftiest levels of holiness as quick as possible, our willingness to follow the commandment and hold ourselves back during the days of hagbalah showed that we had the ability and willingness to unswervingly accept all the Torah.

                       Therefore the days of hagbalah were not just days of separation and preparation but they were actually days of inner growth in strengthening our “walls” of faith and acceptance of Hashem’s Torah and its timeline.     

                The Catam Sofer in Parsha’s Yisro (19-23) reveals to us a profound thought provoking remez from within the pasuk, referring to the days of hagbalah, which ends “…bound the mountain and sanctify it”, so that no one would come closer than they were permitted. The word mountain in Hebrew is Har (Hai – Raish) with the surrounding letters, in the alphabet, of the Hai being a Dalet and a Vov and the surrounding letters of the Raish being a Kuf and Shin. These surrounding letters combine to spell out the word holy (Kadosh) – Kuf – Dalet – Vov – Shin.

              From here we can learn a beautiful thought that all of the – “boundaries” – enactments that our Sages have “put around” the Torah are not there to restrict and limit us but actually serve expand and increase the boundaries of our kiddusha.

                    Chag samach.

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

               This world is filled with treasure hunters—people looking for riches in all of its forms –wealth, power, position and glory.  They search high and low for clues and directional signposts to show them the way. A recent article reported on the activities of one of the most successful hedge fund managers in the world whose fund returns a whopping 36% a year (net before fees).  To accomplish this he uses  a  vast array of sophisticated computing equipment reputed to be worth over 600 million dollars and 150 employees who hold doctoral degrees in fields as diverse as  astrophysics and linguistics rather than in finance.  All of this combined brain power is used to sift through huge amounts of raw data eliminating what appears to be irrelevant information or “noise”  and  scrutinizing what remains for patterns with the goal of  discerning   investment trends and directions.  If we think about it, the tools for this search may be  new, but the methodology is not. It is the age old process of mining for minerals and gold by clearing through tons of dirt and rock  to reveal the riches within, using computers rather than digging tools.

            So much of mankind is on a seemingly never ending search for success and fortune, however, at best, their endeavors  produce only transitory gains. This is in contrast to the enduring legacy of our nation which we acquired 3300 years ago when we merited to receive the durable, eternal wealth of our holy Jewish teachings (Torah).

            At the giving of the Torah, we were not asked to be searchers seeking out subtle clues and vague directives.  We did not have to explore the heavens and plumb the depths of the seas.  We did not even have to climb to the top of the lowest mountain upon which it was given in order to receive it. It was brought down to us—by our leader and emissary, Moshe Rabbeinu. The question then as now was not how to find it,  but rather how are we to comprehend, appreciate and incorporate its treasured value into our lives?  There are maps and guideposts that are available to help us with this exploration.  All it requires is for us to take a fresh look at some old familiar landscapes.

              To start we might wish to consider the place of its presentation. The desert is a place that is separated from the busyness of the world—a place where the world’s standards and distractions do not impinge—a place where we lacked the ability to be self sustaining, but in fact had to rely upon the Creator’s (Hashem’s) kindness and protection.  In this place, greatness is measured in humility rather than in power and wealth for ones’ very survival depended upon the willingness to humbly accept the direction of the Creator of the Universe.  And thus we find our first  prerequisite for “mining” the treasure that is our Torah—that is the ability to allow the Torah to guide us rather than us making determinations that impose our own limitations upon it.

          Another key for accessing the Torah’s eternal wisdom and guidance is derived from the fact that it was given from above but was received below.  This alludes to the fact that the Torah emanates from a place that is “above” natural law, but in order for us to benefit from the wealth of our Torah these teachings need to descend into all facets of our lives.

             How does this happen? Ordinarily, it is difficult to evoke changes in habits and behavior, therefore perhaps the intense roaring thunder and streaking lightening bolts at Har Sinai may have been much more than just an introduction of the giving of the Torah but actually served to “jolt” the whole nation out of their old mind set in order to elicit the new spiritual revelation that was to follow.  For us it can serve as a lesson reminding us that  before valuable growth in the service of Hashem) can occur, there often comes a challenging “storm” – ie: a difficult situation or person that  jolts us and in so doing actually helps us to realign with Torah directed sensibility and sensitivity. 

             This perhaps explains the fact that the entire nation experienced a transposition of the senses in which they heard what they saw and saw what they heard. We, who are the beneficiaries of the Sinai revelation, can continue to benefit from this vital experience, if when hearing of some else’s difficult problems – we see what we can do to help them. Likewise when we see someone struggling – if we allow ourselves to hear our inner voice guiding us as to how we can react most sensitively to their needs, we will hopefully bring closer the final redemption (geula), may it be soon in our days.

               Chag samach

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           The Pesach seder with its unusual
foods and customs is not the only holy time that summons the question, “Ma
Nishtana” –Why are we doing things differently?.   On Shavuos we can also very legitimately ask
the same question: “Why is this Yom Tov different?  On other Yomim Tovim , we honor the holidays
with flesic meals; on this Yom Tov we also have a dairy meal.  Why?  The relationship between the Creator and the
Jewish people has been compared to the relationship between a parent and a
child.  Loftier than the relationship
between a king and his subjects the parent-child relationship epitomizes ultimate
devotion and unconditional love. 
Parental giving transcends all limitations and finds no barrier too high
or too wide to prevent the flow of benefits to the child. This parental giving
is understood through and symbolized by chalav. 
In fact, the ultimate level of devotion is described as the “milk of
human kindness. Just as a parent sustains their children, providing every need,
how much more so does Hashem nurtures and sustains us.

              Through our custom of making one
of our Shavuos seudas a dairy meal, we are perhaps expressing that we
acknowledge that the Torah is the “perfect formula” for our health and
existence. We clearly understand that Hashem sustains us long before we have
done anything to deserve such devoted care as we find when the Creator promised
to take us out of Mitzrayim and bring us to a land flowing with milk and honey  (Shemos 3:7-8). The commentators inform us
that we merited this extraordinary treatment because of our potential to
receive and keep the Torah.  This reveals
an important aspect of Hashem’s governance of this world. The Giver of all life
has an even greater desire to share His goodness with us than we do to receive
it. Thus, perhaps one of the reasons, we eat dairy foods on Shavuos is to
remind us that many of the benefits and blessings we enjoy are granted to us
even before we have accumulated the merits to earn them.

                 Torah, of course, is not just
for children, but it does keep us young. 
Torah offers constant rejuvenation, the true “fountain of youth” from which
its adherents can drink from its continuous wellsprings. Torah never ages, nor
does its eternal wisdom become obsolete. Its pure spiritual “nutrients” help us
to clarify from that which is superficial from that which is essential.
Interestingly in this regard, chalav which is nourishing but not fattening,
shares the same letters as the word, chalev, which  if not required to provide energy is stored
in the body. Perhaps one of the many lessons the Torah teaches us in forbidding
the consumption of  chalev, and in
the time of the Temple
to burn it on the altar, is a remez to us that the energy, talent, strength,
wealth and wisdom that we are blessed with should all be used solely in the
service of Hashem.

           Notably sharing our blessings, in
turn, enhances the attribute of humility as is hinted through the similar words
of chalav and chalev whose gematria are both forty. Is it any
coincidence that a Bas Kol declares ones besheret forty days before conception;
that the mabul, which purified the world in the generation of Noach, lasted
forty days; that  Moshe Rabbainu fasted
forty days before receiving the Torah and that the minimum measurement for the
mikvah, which purifies and transforms us especially on Shavuos morning, all had
and have the ability to — so to speak – skim off the chalev from the chalav. 

               With these thoughts in mind this
Shavuos, may the Creator bless each of us with an abundance of everything we
need so as to be able to share our blessing with others. May we soon merit the
inauguration of our holy Bais HaMigdash, thereby being able to once again offer
up the chalev of our korbanos as a small expression of our gratitude
for all the chesed that we are blessed with.

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

            As we soon
approach the awesome day of Lag Bi-Omer, in which as many of five hundred
thousand people will come from all over the world to be together in Moron with
the Tana Rabbi Shimon Bar Yocai, there is to ask: what is the underlying
unifying drawing power of this day and this Sage? To embellish this question,
let us realize that logically speaking, Rabbi Shimon attraction should be
mainly only those few individuals who delve into his sacred text of Kabbalah,
known as the Zohar. Also there is to ask – how is it that such a diverse makeup
of Jewish people, ranging from the Ultra Orthodox to the far left irreligious
and everyone else in between are all drawn to the same place, time and person?
Another irony in the spirit of this unique day where unity and joy have supreme
reign is that Rabbi Shimon, like his named predecessor long before – Shimon the
son of Yaakov both had within them a propensity of the meda of gavurot – strict
judgment as seen by the story of Schem and Shimon’s reaction and with the story
of Rabbi Shimon bar Yocai’s response when he saw someone working.

               This
then leads us to another interesting question along the same lines: Since Lag
Bi-Omer  corresponds to the seferiot –
hod within hod (submission within submission), what is the deeper lesson of
Aahron Ha-Kohan, who corresponds to the attribute of hod and is best known for
loving and pursuing (ohav shalom and rodaf sholom) peace, being a direct
descendent from Levi also participated in the misa of gavrot in the story of
Schem?

                A
final question is to ask: What if any is the significance of the bow and arrows
that are customarily played with on Log Bi Omer?

                
Perhaps all these questions can be understood by realizing that although
it may sound counter intuitive, it is specifically those people who have a
certain “extreme” propensity, such as strong gavuros, can through great effort
actually spring all the way over to the other end of the spectrum thereby
coming to emulate the attribute of chesed even more than those naturally
inclined.

                I once
heard such a story where a well known Rav, who was particularly appreciated for
his kindly nature, when asked how he achieved such an exalted level responded
that his natural propensity was to be aloof and negative but after years of
working on himself he “sprang” over to the opposite extreme of  being friendly and positive.

               So also
it may be that this day of hod within hod that corresponds to Aahron Ha Kohan
and is the Yortiet of Rabbi Shimon bar Yocai 
is truly a day of joy because it teaches all of us that no one is forced
to live by their mazel but just like an arrow’s distance and speed forward is
dependent on the thrust of the bow backward, so also it is specifically those
who have a propensity of one extreme can actually, like the arrow, be
catapulted to the furthest point at the opposite extreme.

                 This
explanation now explains why there is such a large varied group of Jews that
are drawn to Moron on Log Bi Omer because the message of this day is that
anyone and everyone can learn to love and pursue peace and that there is no
better place on the earth this day to put it into practice.

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

   Perhaps we can also learn another valuable
insight from the fact that each of the twelve Shevatim traveled in their
specified positions both through the Yam Suf as well as during the forty years
in the Midbar. This can help to teach us never to feel envious if a sibling,
fellow student, co-worker or neighbor looks to be in a better “position” in
life, as illustrated by the following:  In a jewelry store, the gold and diamonds are placed
behind the glass counters, while the silver ornaments are more frequently
handled because they need to be polished. The conclusion that could be mistakenly
drawn by a stranger unfamiliar with the values of precious stones and jewelry
is that the silver items that receive the “shiny” attention are more valuable.
Therefore a possible lesson that we can derive from the individual positioning
of the Shevatim is to realize that following our perfectly divinely crafted
pathways in life will lead us to the development of our own unique “golden” talents
which are truly our most cherished possessions.

             May we
all always merit to pass through our personal Yam Suf challenges with joy,
gratitude and appreciation for the opportunity to experience change and the
growth that accompanies it, transforming ourselves into vessels worthy of
holding the Torah. May our inner and outer essence be as pure as refined gold,
inlaid with sincere humility.

               Zeh
Keli V’anveihu!

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

                It’s the night (lay’l)
of Pesach with all the family and guests joined together around the Seder
table. After Kiddush on wine the head of the household (Bal HaBais)divides the
middle matzah, wraps up the larger piece for the end of the meal (Afikomin) and
puts it snugly  behind his pillow.  Later in the evening (seder) someone points
to the place of the afikoman and whispers to the child, “Take it now, quickly,
while he’s not looking.” The child hesitates, feeling quite shy having been
brought up with proper values of respect and honesty. This night everything at
the house looks so different. The table is much longer than usual filled with relatives
and guests — it’s white and beautiful with lots of shiny glasses, sparkling
silver. But then with a little more prodding and a burst of courage he moves
closer to the treasured hidden away afikomen, hesitating, until some one prompts
him, “Quick, grab it and run.”

  For a second, he feels afraid, but as soon as
it is in his hand, he feels an exhilarating surge of excitement and exuberance.
Even after hiding it he continues to feel energized and successful. Much later,
when the child is asked to return the afikoman, he doesn’t give it right back,
being prodded by others to first ask for a nice prize.

    Doesn’t this conduct seem a quite odd?  Here we are seemingly allowing our small untainted
children to take something that doesn’t belong to them and on top of that extort
a reward for their efforts on one of the holiest nights of the year. How can we
possibly understand this conduct?

  Perhaps we can explain this unusual behavior
as follows. Usually the selfish inclination (yetzer hara) tries to lure a person
into improper behavior through offering feelings of ephemeral thrills and
excitement. Even though we want to avoid such conduct, the problem we face is
that we simply cannot discard the yetzer hara. 
As in the well known book of Medrashim, when the Sages davened to remove
the yetzer hara and Hashem answered their tefillos, even the chickens stopped
laying eggs. The yetzer hara is necessary but needs to be controlled. The
challenge to us is to sur mei ra, avoid evil, yet preserve our
enthusiasm and direct it to our ma’asim tovim. 
But how do we do this? 

   Perhaps, this is precisely what we are
achieving when we encourage our children to take the afikomen.  We are allowing our young pure children to
experience the excitement that is usually motivated by the yetzer hara when engaged
in risky, dangerous and thrill seeking conduct. 
We do this by giving them a controlled dose of the “taste of
desire.” As the child grows up, that spiritual inoculation that was
administered l’shem Shamayim with love will then continue to act as an antidote
against the infectious negative powers of the yetzer hara.  Indeed, that dose of controlled enthusiasm,
experienced by the child on lay’l Pesach, will enable him to rekindle those
exuberant feelings throughout the year directing them in a positive mode while learning
Torah, performing mitzvos and ma’asim tovim.

But
how can experiencing this “controlled taste of desire” both act as a vaccine
shielding the child from learning mis-conduct, while at the same time inspiring
the him with enthusiasm for all things that are Holy? It is because of the
setting in which this “taste” is given. Let us remember, the seder night is
referred to as – lay’l shemurim, the night of Divine protection – the perfect
night for this process to take place as it is a time when negative forces are
subdued. 

    You may be wondering, how can this
spiritual “inoculation” continue to protect us into our adult years?   Possibly
the answer is we use “booster shots”! 
Oh, we are not suggesting that this Pesach we grab the afikoman, however
we should watch the one who is taking it and allow that “small child” inside
each of us to relive and rekindle our own feelings of inner joy and exuberance,
thereby rekindling our youthful enthusiasm in the service of Hashem.

May
we all merit soon to be able to fulfill the mitzvah of afikoman in Jerusalem at the final
geula soon in our days.

————————–

   The attribute of exuberance and excitement
was stolen by the yetzer when Adam and Chavea did the sin. On the night of
Pesach we are able to re-capture our inheritance and return it to be used in
the holy service of H. Since the yetzer took it through theft we re-capture it,
through an act that looks like theft, at a time when the forces of evil are
subdued.

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