Achim Newsletter
R'ei
Thursday August 5, 2010
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Greetings!
I hope your summer is providing you some break in the routine.
Candle
lighting time for Baltimore
between 6:45 - 7:55 pm
Shabbos concludes
9:02 pm
Please note the new layout of our newsletter.
Vsego khoroshego,
Paysach Diskind
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Parsha Thought
How important it is to read the Torah with a careful eye
paying attention to the fine details of how the Torah articulates her messages.
As we read this week's Parsha of R'ei we find nestled in the early paragraphs a
powerful lesson and revealing insight into the nature of the Jewish neshoma
(soul).
"Upon entry to the Land of Israel, you shall utterly destroy all
the places where the nations that you shall possess worshiped their gods; on
the high mountains and on the hills... You shall break apart their altars, you
shall smash their pillars and their sacred trees you shall burn in fire ... you
shall obliterate their names from that place... You shall not do this to HaShem your G.D. Rather, only at the place
that HaShem will choose ... shall you seek out His Presence and come there..."
What does the Torah wish to convey what she tells us that we
should not do this to HaShem? The implication seems to be that the Torah is
suggesting that we might consider destroying and obliterating the places and
altars of HaShem, but that is impossible. Why should we consider such a notion?
In answering this question our Sages reveal to us the nature
of the Temple's
invincibility. The first Bais haMikdosh (the Holy Temple)
that was erected by King Solomon as well as the second Bais haMikdosh that was
built by Ezra had a quality of invincibility. This fact was so well known that
when the Babylonians who destroyed the first Temple
and the Romans who destroyed the second Temple
entered Jerusalem, the respective generals were
frightened to touch the Temple.
They feared that something might happen to them if they attempted to do so. The
Talmud teaches us that HaShem sent them signs to encourage them to attack and
destroy it which they did.
The Talmud records the exhilaration experienced by Titus,
the Roman general who succeeded in destroying the second Temple. It was his greatest triumph; he
destroyed the invincible! Upon his successful destruction a heavenly echo came
out to Titus and said "Do not be so
proud, you burnt an already burnt building, you have accomplished nothing."
The heavenly echo was revealing to Titus as well as to us
that the root of the Temple's
energy is found in its spiritual source which is far removed from Titus and all
his mighty army. That spiritual source is found in a realm where no non-Jew can
reach. So long as that source remains pure the Temple's root provides it such spiritual
energy that no mere physical energy can violate it. Physical injury can be
inflicted on the Temple
only after its spiritual roots have been destroyed. The only ones who have
influence on that level where the roots of the Temple are found are HaShem's people. When
His people, who are very much connected to the realm of existence whence those
roots are found, will turn their backs on their relationship with HaShem those
roots are burnt. After sufficient time has passed and our behavior does not
meet HaShem's expectations those roots become burnt beyond the point of being
able to support the Temple's
invincibility. Hence, Titus burnt the already burnt Temple. We were the ones who burnt it.
Let us return to our passage to see how our Sages explain
it. "...you shall utterly destroy all the
places where the nations that you shall possess worshiped their god... You shall not do this to HaShem your G.D...namely,
you shall not destroy those spiritual roots of HaShem's Temple.
This insight into the nature of the Jewish person's
neshomah, insofar as its far-reaching impact of her actions, lies wrapped up in
this verse.
It is so valuable to contemplate this notion and increase
our appreciation of the weight and impact that our most simple actions have. We
are creatures who live in this world and are composed of all physical material.
Our most elevated thoughts cannot find expression if we do not consume the
bread and meat of our daily meals. Our words of Torah study would be muted
without if we refrained from partaking in this physical world. And certainly
the mitzvos that we perform by making Kiddush on a cup of a wine and making a
brocha when eating bread do not exist without complete participation by the
physical world. All of the above notwithstanding, every one of our actions from
our physical actions to our speech and our thoughts, every one reaches far into
the deep spiritual roots of even the Temple.
The spiritual roots of the Home of the Presence of HaShem, which is manifest in
the Temple, are
directly impacted by our most simple activities. It follows naturally that just
as our negative actions, words and thoughts destroy and burn these spiritual
roots, our positive actions, words and thoughts build and develop these
spiritual roots.
How fortunate we are that we were given such direct
relationship with HaShem and His residence. And how fortunate we are that
HaShem has entrusted us to this great task of building Him His place of
residence among Man.
As we draw close to the month of Elul, the month that is
dedicated to focusing our attention on our relationship with HaShem and
developing this relationship let us take the lesson and insight offered by our
Parsha continue to rebuild the third and final Bais HaMikdosh. When it will be
rebuilt, may we hear the heavenly echo saying "I only built an already built Temple, you were the ones
who built it!"
Have a wonderful Shabbos.
Paysach Diskind
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Noteworthy links
Parsha Summary by Rabbi Osher Baddiel in English and Russian
Penetrating Russian insight to the Parsha by Shvut Ami
Programs from which you and others can learn and grow
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Хасидская притча
Если коэн помазанный (машиах) согрешит и сделает виновным народ.. Если же вся община Израиля согрешит.:
Рыба портится с головы,- даже если коэн-машиах согрешит по ошибке, это приведет к тому, что весь народ будет грешить умышленно.
Гаон из Лисса
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