Chaim, “there is a small stain on your subtle message that is almost as power-

PARSHA PARABLES jacket. Surely you are aware that the ful as the ensuing soliloquy that follows
A Nation of One Gemara says that if a talmid chochom
goes out in the street with stained
in Parshas Nitzavim.
Whatever we do, or however we
By Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky clothing, the chillul Hashem, the identify ourselves on a mundane level,
desecration of Hashem’s name, is so we must remember the words “kol ish
severe that it is as if he committed a Yisroel.” First and foremost, we are
During the final day of Moshe Rab- is quite curious. He says “kol ish Yisroel - capital crime!” Jews. In the eyes of our Creator and
beinu’s life, he gathers the entire na- all men Yisroel.” He does not say kol ish Rav Aryeh smiled. “But father,” he in the eyes of everyone on earth. We
tion together and addresses them: “You b’Yisroel, all men in Yisroel, nor does he countered. “I am not a talmid chochom!” are not carpenters, we are not lawyers,
are standing today, all of you, before say kol Yisroeli, all Yisroelim. Instead, he The Chofetz Chaim became serious. and we are not doctors. We may not
Hashem, your G-d - the heads of your even be men, women, or children. We
tribes, your elders, and your officers - First and foremost, we are Jews. In the are Jews.
kol ish Yisroel.” As Winston Churchill told his troops
Moshe then details the wide variety of eyes of our Creator and in the eyes of before they embarked to Dunkirk, “You
Jews gathered: are England.”
“From your small children, to your everyone on earth. Moshe tells his nation to remember
women, to the proselyte in the midst of that in every aspect of our life, our
your camp, from the hewer of your wood uses a term that literally translates as each “For a chillul Hashem,” he responded, Yiddishkeit transcends any other factor.
to the drawer of your water” (Devorim of you is Yisroel! “you are enough of a talmid chochom!” Though we may do all types of work,
29-12-13). Why would Moshe use such an ex- ••••• though we may act in all different ways,
Moshe reiterates their covenant pression? Moshe specifies all types of Jews: though we may think all sorts of ideas,
with Hashem and the repercussions of ••••• men, women, and children. He details we are Yisroel!
transgression, and exhorts them with The Chofetz Chaim’s son, Rav Aryeh a variety of occupations, water drawers, •••••
one final plea to remain faithful to the Leib, related that one time, as a young and wood-hewers. But he prefaces all Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky is the
tenets of the Torah. man, he was about to leave the house Jews with three simple words: kol ish rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Toras Chaim
The way Moshe identifies the group when his revered father called to him. Yisroel. Every one of you is Yisroel. at South Shore and the author of the
in saying that “everyone is here today” “Rav Aryeh Leib,” said the Chofetz With those three words, Moshe relays a Parsha Parables series.

Giving With Joy

giving it away, we are merely carrying out over the border. Since the Jew stood to
our obligation to distribute it. lose all of his money if his plan failed, he
Even someone so poor that he is not able was plagued by nervousness for the entire
to give tzedakah can find ways to enjoy the month prior to the fateful day.
A Different View of Simcha Almighty’s overwhelming kindness. Rav
Shternbuch’s rosh yeshiva, Rav Moshe Sh-
The wagon driver, on the other hand,
was used to this type of work, and al-
By Rav Moshe Shternbuch good that Hashem has given you” (De- neider zt”l, related that the talmidim of the though he would be punished severely
vorim 26:11). Vilna Gaon learned Torah in a state of dire if caught, he only started worrying a
The following was written poverty, something which could potentially
Many of us find ourselves beset by week ahead.
by Rabbi Daniel Yaakov Travis lower one’s spirits. How did they ensure that
problems in our lives which, if we let them, Only one member of this team was
based on a drasha given by Rav they would stay b’simcha and focus on all the
could cause us to sink into a state of despair. calm from start to end - the horse that
Moshe Shternbuch, Rosh Av good that Hashem bestowed on them?
When overwhelmed with responsibilities and pulled the wagon. He had no clue that
Beis Din of the Eidah Hacha- Every Erev Shabbos, they would visit the
troubles, how can we recognize all of the good he was participating in such a danger-
reidis of Yerushalayim. local hospital in Vilna. When they saw all of
that the Almighty has bestowed upon us? ous operation and that something bad
••••• the sick people there, they felt an overwhelm-
By giving to others, we can get a real could happen. Both before and during
GIVING TO OURSELVES ing sense of gratitude to the Almighty that He
glimpse into how much we have been the smuggling operation, the horse was
“When you come to the land that the had preserved their health for another week.
given by Hashem, and this brings us to a completely calm.
Almighty has given you as an inheritance In this way, they always recognized all of
state of simcha. So, too, said Rav Chaim, those tzad-
and settle there. And you have taken the first the good that they received and remained in
Since it is not always easy for us to feel dikim who recognize how much they have
of every fruit - the bibkurim - from the land a state of joy.
simcha upon giving away our hard-won earn- to lose on Rosh Hashanah start to worry
that the Almighty has given you and put it in SEIZE THE MOMENT
ings, the mitzvah of bikkurim is accompanied at the beginning of Elul. They fill the
a basket…and the Kohen will take the basket
by a special viduy. We humbly concede that “Because you did not serve Hashem with entire month with prayers and pleading
from your hands” (Devorim 26:1-4).
we have listened to “the voice of Hashem” joy and good-heartedness when you had for Divine mercy. Individuals with less
The bikkurim were among the many gifts everything” (Devorim 38:47).
and done all that He has commanded. In order awareness and less at stake only wake up
that the Jewish people gave to the Kohanim
a week before, during selichos. Unfortu-
and Leviim in exchange for their service in the
nately, some people are like the horse and
Bais Hamikdosh. They were also sustained By giving to others, we can get a real glimpse even on Rosh Hashanah have no idea what
by gifts of fruits and vegetables in the form
into how much we have been given by Hashem, is transpiring.
of terumos and maaser, wool from the reishis
WAKE UP!
hagez, and meat from the zaroyah, lechayim
and keivah. At first glance, the Torah seems
and this brings us to a state of simcha. Chazal describe two levels of sleep,
sheinah and tenumah. Sheinah is a normal
to have assigned the tribe of Levi to an eternal
state of sleep, and if a person is shaken,
fate of being “schnorrers,” forever dependent Based on the above, we can understand
to grant the mitzvah its full impact, we need he can be woken up. Tenumah is a heavy
on the “hand-outs” of their fellows Jews for why the Torah promises such harsh treatment
to bear in mind that the Almighty has specifi- state of slumber, and arousing a person in
every aspect of their existence. if we fail to serve the Almighty with joy.
cally asked us to give away our money. this state is much more difficult.
But if we look deeper, we will see that Hashem gave us bikkurim and other mitzvos
The Shulchan Aruch obligates us to give The tochachos that we read in Parshas
just the opposite is true. Kohanim are the to help us recognize how much good we
tzedakah with joy. Whatever we are able to Ki Savo were meant to shake us out of
agents transferring Hashem’s blessing to the have. If we are not able to appreciate all He
distribute, we should do it with simcha. Even our sleep. In our generation, our hearts
Jewish people through Birkas Kohanim. By has bestowed upon us, it will be taken away
if we give a large sum, if we do so with a sour are less sensitive and waking up is much
assigning the Kohanim to be the ones to bless so that we can look back and realize how
face, we are transgressing the Torah’s will, and more difficult. Only someone who is ready
the Jewish people, the Torah is showing us blessed we actually were.
we do not fulfill the mitzvah of tzedakah. to open up his heart and dedicate himself
that, in truth, when we give to them, we are We can apply this concept to the month
One gaon once said, “It is difficult for me to Hashem stands a chance of waking up
actually on the receiving end. of Elul and the upcoming judgment on
to give tzedakah, as I do not have any money. from the deep slumber that envelopes the
Giving these gifts allowed us to form a Rosh Hashanah. If we recognize now
However, it is even harder for me to refuse in world today.
partnership with the Kohanim and Leviim. what is incumbent upon us and prepare
the proper way.” If we can only give a small •••••
The Torah gives us the opportunity to support ourselves properly while the opportunity
the ovdei Hashem and thereby acquire a share donation, we should give it joyously and Rabbi Travis is a rosh kollel of Kol-
express our appreciation for the opportunity is still in our hands, we can hope to receive lel Toras Chaim in Yerushalayim, and is
in their holy service. In this sense, the gifts to a year of bracha.
Shevet Levi were the ultimate bargain - mere to have a share in this mitzvah. the author of Shaylos U’Teshuvos Toras
The Torah obligates us to give charity Rav Chaim Brisker offered the fol- Chaim and “Praying With Joy - A Daily
worldly produce in exchange for a priceless lowing parable to help us wake up and
connection to the Almighty and the World for our own benefit, for the giver actually Tefilla Companion,” a practical daily
reaps more benefit than the receiver. For this internalize our situation as we progress guide to improving one’s prayers, avail-
to Come. through Elul:
RECOGNIZING GOOD reason, these gifts are referred to as tzedakah, able from Feldheim Publishers. For more
from the word tzedek, justice. Money dis- There was once a Jew who hired a information about his work, contact dytra-
“And you shall rejoice with all the wagon driver to smuggle his entire fortune
tributed to tzedakah is really owed, and by [email protected].

22 Elul 5769 • September 11 2009 YATED NE’EMAN Page 63