Yeshiva Toras Chaim Alumni Newsletter
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Greetings! |
Gutten Erev Shabbos. The following articles have been reproduced from previous years' Purim Newsletters (with permission from the author of course). The regular newsletter will resume next week IY"H. For those who will be in town for Purim, the schedule is as follows: Moztei Shabbos:Ma'ariv - 7:30 PM Megillah - 7:50 PM Sunday: Shachris - 8
AM Megillah - approx 8:40 AM Please join us for our Purim Chagiga. Details can be found here. Avrohom Eliezer Friedman
Alumni Coordinator |
|
|
|
Dvar Torah - Who was Nachum?
|
The first
words of Parshas B'Shalach are ויהי
בשלח פרעה את העם ולא נחום
- And it was when Paroh sent out the Jews and not Nachum." The question
arises, why did Nachum not leave? Was it that he could not afford to
leave? That can't be because all the
Jews got all the Egyptians money. Did he do something wrong and was punished
that he could not leave Egypt? That can't be because anybody who was punished
so he can't leave Egypt was killed during the plague of darkness. So was it
that he just liked the country? That can't be either since they enslaved Nachum
and his Jewish brothers. So why in the world did he stay?
Now you might ask who
is this Nachum anyway? But we find Nachum elsewhere? Let's take a look in
Meseches Shabbos. In the second Mishna of the second perek it says במה
מדליקין ובמה אין מדליקין...... ולא בחלב נחום- With what can we light (the Friday night
candle with) and with what can't we light (the Friday night candle with)? Not
with..... And not with the oil of Nachum." Again we see Nachum is singled out and
his oil is pasul for Friday night candle lighting. These to seemingly strange
passages beg for an explanation.
An answer can be
given as follows. Nachum was a candle maker back in the days of Egypt. When the
plagues hit, he made a killing. People were dying left and right and needed
yartziet candles. Having been the sole candle maker in Egypt, Nachum got all
the business. Then just when he thought business couldn't get any better, the
plague of darkness fell upon the world. People were crawling through the
streets to the candle store to get candles. After the plague, people flocked to
his store to buy candels just in case it happens again. As I said earlier, Jews
that were punished and not allowed to leave Egypt died during the plague of
darkness. Chaza"l tells us that 4 out of every 5 Jews died. Therefore the Jews
had to buy a lot of Yartziet candles. Furthermore by the last plague, the
plague of the firstborn hundreds upon thousands of people died. That means that
even more people had to buy yartziet candles. If you haven't gotten the hint
yet, Nachums business boomed. He became one of the richest Jews in Egypt.
Time came for the Jews to leave, and Nachum didn't want to leave. He said,
"why should I leave, I have it perfectly fine down here." The Rabbis urged him
to leave. Nachum, however, refused to leave. So, not so long after the Jews
left, the Egyptians were all killed. Logic tells me that if the Jews left and
the Egyptians died, there is no one there to buy candles from his store. And as
usual business practice goes, if you're not making money, then lower the prices
to attract more customers. The Jews, miles away, heard that his prices were
very cheap, so they went back to Egypt every so often to stock up on candles.
The Rabbis tried to stop people from going back there since there is a Halacha
that one is not allowed to go back to Egypt. However the Jews just couldn't
stop from going back. They wanted to get a great deal on candles that they did
an Aveira for it. The Rabbis were then forced to say that those candles were no
good for Friday night.
We can see from here
the power of money. Nachums ta'avas mamon (desire for money) convinced him to
stay in a place where he and his forefathers were slaved for hundreds of years.
We must learn from
this how to overpower our ta'avas mamon, and to always do what is right.
This D'var Torah
was adapted from Booze not taken away (yet) by our Rabbayim.
|
Pesach Cleaning
|
There were twelve bottles of whiskey in the garage. Since they were chametz, I was instructed by Rabbi Niman to empty every bottle down the canal, so I proceeded with the task. I withdrew the cork from the first bottle and poured the contents down the canal, with the exception of one glass which I drank. I extracted the cork from the second bottle and did likewise, with the exception of one glass, which I drank. I then withdrew the cork from the third bottle and poured the contents down the canal, with the exception of one glass, which I drank. I pulled the cork from the fourth canal, poured the bottle down the glass, which I drank. I pulled the bottle from the cork of the next, drank one canal out of it, and threw the rest down the glass. I pulled the canal out of the glass and poured the cork from the bottle. I then corked the canal with the glass, bottled the drink, and drank the pour. When I had everything emptied, I steadied the house with one hand, counted the bottles, corks, glasses, and canals with the other hand, which totaled twenty-nine, and put the houses back into one bottle, which I drank. I'm not under the affluence of incohol, but thinkle peep I am. I'm not half as thunk as you might drink. I fool so feelish I don't know who is me, and the drunker I stand here, the longer I get.-L'Chayim
|
YTC Announces New Security Features
|
The Yeshiva, in response to the inundation of weapons found on Yeshiva property, will be revamping their security code. The new code is as follows:
· No sharp objects whatsoever may be used without the correct supervision.
· Nail clippers can be used on Friday's from 20 minutes before Mincha until Sh'kiya.
· Dental Floss (a tried and true strangulation device) can be used on Monday's and Thursday's only in the Cholent Room.
· Shoes on the floor are a direct cause of many dangerous falls. To minimize this, the Chashuva B'nai HaYeshiva are commanded to place these very endangering objects in a sealed child-proof bin beneath their beds.
· Mirrors, if cracked can be as sharp as knives. The Perets family has donated an additional ten security cameras and screens as an innovative state-of-the-art way of viewing one's face.
· We also have told the workers that due to the dangers of the worksite, we are absolutely demanding that no more than one worker, if any, be at the site at a time. Please help us enforce this understandably essential policy. As of now it appears that they are thankfully listening.
· Burns are always a serious threat to the welfare of the bochurim. Running the heat during cold weather could result in someone touching the radiator.
· Providing air conditioning may cause the ground units to heat up-again causing a serious threat to your safety.
· One more heat related issue is water. In Miami, the tap water tends to heat up. Out of fear of scalding in the showers, the Yeshiva will provide a state-of-the-art water refrigeration system to lead directly to the showers. This costly operation will only operate at the busiest shower times, thereby effectively preventing the most possible people from injuries. We would love to have the system running 24/7, but due to its' high cost and the Yeshivas ever pressing low budget, it will have to be cut down to the most crucial times-just like we did with the A.C., food, water, lights, electricity, and all other vital necessities. As of now the water-refrigeration system will only be operating after 11p.m. daily, and after 3p.m. Fridays. at all other times the HanHalas HaYeshiva (and we can't emphasize this enough) strongly suggests that showers should not be used.
· It goes without saying that all bombs, guns, or biological or chemical weapons may not be brought into Yeshiva.
· To prevent accidental concealment of such weapons, all suitcases are to be locked up and may only be removed under the strict supervision of Asher.
· In addition our janitors will be making random searches of all drawers (and wallets) to remove such illegalities.
·
We hope that these measures will make the Yeshiva a more enjoyable and safe place to be.
|
A Poem for Purim
|
Purim is a holiday,
That focuses on joy;
All Jews must rejoice,
Whether they're a girl or a man.
It gets its name,
From the picking of a lot;
And it should be celebrated,
By drinking very much.
We all go to Shul,
As one big Kehilla;
So we can hear the Baal Korai,
Lain the Book of Ester.
Of course delicious Shaloch Manos,
To our friends are sent;
And on gifts to the poor,
Our money is well used.
A fabulous Purim parade,
Oh what a treat;
In terms of Pirsumai Nissa,
It can't be outdone.
There are lots of great costumes,
And shtick galore;
Floats and cars,
And much much additional stuff.
We'll sing songs to Hashem,
To express all the thanks that we feel;
As we sit at the Purim Seuda,
Eating our dinner.
If as you approach this poems ending,
You're feeling kind of glad;
I hope it's not because,
You think it's pretty awful.
For it's because in the time of Purim,
Things worked out in reverse;
This poem doesn't rhyme,
At the end of each stanza.
|
|
Keep in touch,
Avrohom Eliezer Friedman
Alumni Coordinator
|
|
|
|
|
