Parshas Ki Sisa
ADAR I, 5779
Interpreting Artifacts
As in the gift of Manna, so it is in the memory of artifacts
After the exodus from Egypt, Hashem gifted the Jews with manna, ’heavenly bread’, to consume during their travels in the wilderness.
Hashem furthermore commanded Moshe:
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר משֶׁ֗ה זֶ֤ה הַדָּבָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוָּ֣ה הֹ' מְלֹ֤א הָעֹ֨מֶר֙ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ לְמִשְׁמֶ֖רֶת לְדֹרֹֽתֵיכֶ֑ם
לְמַ֣עַן יִרְא֣וּ אֶת־הַלֶּ֗חֶם אֲשֶׁ֨ר הֶֽאֱכַ֤לְתִּי אֶתְכֶם֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר בְּהֽוֹצִיאִ֥י אֶתְכֶ֖ם מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם
Moses said, This is the thing that the Lord commanded: Let one omerful of it be preserved for your generations, in order that they see the bread that I fed you in the desert when I took you out of the land of Egypt.
Like the saved Manna, the Torah is providing us with a template to preserve the meaning of the Holocaust artifact.
***********************************************Dear Friend,
Rav Yaakov Lorberbaum (1760-1832) was the renowned rav and posek of Lissa, Prussia. He authored numerous sefarim, including the Nesivos and Chavas Daas.
The pasuk in this week’s parsha states:
וַיַּֽעֲבֹ֨ר ה' עַל־פָּנָיו֘ וַיִּקְרָא֒ ה', ה' קל רַח֖וּם וְחַנּ֑וּן אֶ֥רֶךְ אַפַּ֖יִם וְרַב־חֶ֥סֶד וֶֽאֱמֶֽת
"And the L-rd passed before him and proclaimed: L-rd, L-rd, benevolent G-d, Who is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in loving kindness and truth."
Chazal tell us in tractate Rosh Hashanah that this passuk teaches us that Hashem wrapped himself in a tallis like the shaliach tzibbur and taught Moshe Rabbeinu the entire order of the prayers. In addition, he told Moshe that when Klal Yisrael sins, they should do the same and Hashem will forgive them.
The obvious question is what do Chazal want us to learn from this statement?
The Nesivos offers the following explanation:
Chazal are offering insight into the process for Hashem to treat Klal Yisrael with mercy. Wrapping Himself in the tallis like the shaliach tzibbur represents Hashem surrounding himself with all the qualities of mercy that are mentioned in this passuk. However, there is another step involved. Hashem showed Moshe the order of the prayers to teach us that we must first emulate Hasehm and also wrap ourselves in mercy, meaning that we must treat each other compassionately. This enables the Ribbono Shel Olam to treat Klal Yisrael mercifully and be compassionate to us.
May we all strive to be merciful to each other and ultimately receive rachamim from Shamayim.
***********************************************HOLOCAUST RESPONSA
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שֵׁ֤שֶׁת יָמִים֙ תַּֽעֲבֹ֔ד וּבַיּ֥וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֖י תִּשְׁבֹּ֑ת בֶּֽחָרִ֥ישׁ וּבַקָּצִ֖יר תִּשְׁבֹּֽת
“Six days you may work, and on the seventh day you shall rest;
in plowing and in harvest you shall rest.”
Parshas Vayera, 1940
Question:
Normally, we have a custom to use olive oil for our Shabbos candles as a hiddur. However, due to the circumstances, it is difficult to obtain enough olive oil to use for both the Shabbos and Chanukah lights. Which takes precedence, olive oil for Shabbos or for Chanukah?
Answer:
The Shulchan Aruch rules that ner Shabbos takes priority over ner Chanukah due to shalom bayis. Similarly, the hiddurim of ner Shabbos take priority as well. Consequently, the olive oil should be used for the Shabbos candles, even if there will not be enough for the Chanukah lights.
שיח יצחק / סימן שמה
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