Divrei Torah Yisro
Torah Table of Contents
Love of Man and his Creator, Imrei Shaul The Balance Between Humbleness and Pride, Divrei Yisrael "Absolute Unity - the Key to Receiving Torah", Divrei Yisrael A Dvar Torah from Reb Motti Rosen z"l
"Va'Yishalu Ish Li'Reiahu - and they inquired, one man to another" (Shemos 18:7).
Rebbe Shaul Yedidya Elazar of Modzitz comments that one's love for his Creator, the Almighty Blessed Be He, is dependent on one's love for the Almighty's creations, our fellow human beings. The Imrei Shaul points out an interesting, and surely not coincidental, gematria. The numeric value of the words Ish Li'reiahu (one man to another) which symbolizes Ahavas Habrios, one's love for his fellow man, is equivalent with the numeric value of the words Ahavas HaBorei - one's love for his Creator. This gematria symbolizes and denotes the dependency of Ahavas HaBorei and Ahavas Habrios, one for the other.
Translated by Reb Shlomo Gelbtuch of Brooklyn, a Modzitzer Chassid
Based on the Divrei Yisrael, Parshas Yisro
"Vayishma Yisro, Cohen Midian, Chosen Moshe..." "And Yisro, the Priest of Midian, the father-in-law of Moshe, heard.." [Shemos 18:1]
The Divrei Yisroel has a keen insight into this depiction of Yisro, and how it guides us to serve Hashem.
Rashi explains - "Here we see that Yisro honored himself - he was the King's father-in-law". The Ohr HaChaim Hakadosh notes an interesting point - why does the pasuk first point out that he was the [former] Priest of Midianite idolatry? We are specifically told not to point out the early misdeeds of ba'alei tshuva. Yet, Rashi says this fact is in praise of Yisro - how is acting as a priest for idolatry considered praiseworthy? Further, the Ohr HaChaim Hakadosh notes that further in Rashi, our dilemma increases - Rashi explains that the reason the pasuk notes that Yisro came out to the desert to join them is to highlight our respect for his deed - of going out into the harsh desert to join them. Rashi says the pasuk is speaking "b'shvacho shel Yisro" - in praise of his actions. He fled honor, rather than sought it (by leaving his lofty station, and heading out to the desert). So, are we praising Yisro, or denigrating him?
The Divrei Yisroel explains the seeming dilemma as follows:
Whenever Yisro mentioned his own past as a priest for idolatry, he filled with shame, lost all sense of self-worth, and felt very, very down. It is well known that a person in such a state will find it impossible to truly serve Hashem - he may falsely think that Hashem also has no need for him. This perversion of modesty is one of the Yetzer Hara's favorite tools to keep the Jew from growing in Torah and Avodas Hashem. The solution is to strengthen one's self , and focus again on Avodas Hashem, as is stated "Vayigba Libo B'Darkei Hashem - and he uplifted his heart in [via] Hashem's Paths". The refocus on Avodas Hashem will uplift his spirit, returning him to a balanced state in which he can continue his growth in Torah and Mitzvos.
This, according to the Divrei Yisroel, is what Yisro did each time he was reminded of his tainted past - he would remind himself that he was Moshe Rabeinu's father-in-law, reinstilling himself with the confidence needed to continue his own path. This also explains the first statement by Rashi that bothered us - that Yisro honored himself. He honored himself, in order to reestablish his own self respect, and pick himself up out of the dumps! As a rule, Yisro indeed fled from honor, he only sought it when he used honor as a tool to pick himself up, and solely for the goal of reestablishing his growth in Torah, Mitzvos and Avodas Hashem.
Translated by Reb Eliezer Weger of Rechovot, a Modzitzer Chasid
Based on the Divrei Yisrael, Parshas Yisro
"Vayis'u m'Refidim "(They departed from Refidim).... "Vayichan sham" (And camped there) [Near Har Sinai] (Shemos 19:2)
"On this day, (Bnei Yisrael) came to Midbar Sinai, they left Refidim, and they came to Midbar Sinai, and Israel encamped there..." Since the Torah is now describing the preparations that lead up to Matan Torah on Har Sinai, this should be a most appropriate source of guidance for each individual's own preparations and growth in Torah. The Divrei Yisrael gives an intense psychological and sociological insight into exactly what kind of preparation is needed to truly accept and grow in Torah.
One of the most oft-quoted Rashi's on the Torah is on this pasuk. Rashi asks why is the departure from Refidim mentioned in the plural (vayis'u -they left), whereas by the encampment at Har Sinai, the singular is used (vayichan, rather than vayachanu, the plural form). Rashi's famous answer is that the singular is used to express the idea that the entire nation of Israel encamped there, as if it were one person, with a single unified heart (unity, singleness of purpose, total lack of disharmony). But what's behind the Rashi?
The Divrei Yisrael points out that the clue is in the point of departure, what and where they left. If one takes the name Refidim in Hebrew, and simply switches the first 2 letters, one gets the word "preidim" - divisiveness/discord, as mentioned by the Kli Yakar in his own commentary. There are 2 types of divisiveness - between one person vs. another, and between a person and himself. Divisiveness between two people is clearly understood; the internal divisiveness within a single person is classically referred to by Chazal as "Echad B'Peh, Echad B'Lev", the mouth/voice says one thing, but the heart really is saying something else. The Divrei Yisrael's psychological insight here is that if a person is not at one with himself, if his speech is at odds with his true feelings (i.e., he if falsely flattering or even lying to the next person), then he'll end up in discord with that other person. The lie can never really last. Another way to express this idea in a positive light is that a person should strive to be "tocho k'varo", his inner self and outer self should be unified, in concord with each other.
Various Sefarim have mentioned the idea that the Hebrew letters of the word "Yom" (yud, vav, mem) are also "tocho k'varo". If one "spells out" the name of each letter, then we get the following: yud = yud, vav, daled; vav = vav, vav; and mem = mem, mem. Interestingly enough, the gematriya (numerical value of each letter) of the "inside" letters equals the gematriya of the "outside" letters; yud = 10, while the vav and daled are 6 + 4 = 10. The mem and vav are identical, so obviously equal. This same idea applies to the name of the mountain on which the Torah is Given - Sinai. In Hebrew, samech, yud, nun and yud. Samech = samech, mem, chaf; yud = yud, vav, daled, nun= nun, nun, and yud again. The gematriya of samech = 60, while mem and chaf are 40+20=60, yud as we have seen, and nun is again identical.
In order to properly prepare ourselves for receiving the Holy Torah, we need perfect concord in all spheres - olam (Sinai) , shana (time = yom), and nefesh (the Jewish people, who now attained this stature). They had to leave Refidim = Preidim (discord), and unite - as one people with a single heart.
The Divrei Yisrael concludes quoting the Yalkut Reuveini (Chapter 7), "When Moshe Rabbeinu went up to get the Torah, the letters didn't want to join together and come down to this lowly world." What does this Medrash mean? Tied to the Divrei Yisrael's idea mentioned above, the Medrash becomes quite clear. There are 600,000 letters in the Torah, the same as the number of Jewish souls present at Kabbalas HaTorah on Har Sinai. On their own, the letters didn't "want" to join together - they needed to see the 600,000 Jewish souls below pull together first, and then they (the letters) could join together in response.
We see here from all sides that true Torah-based unity is a prerequisite for Kabbalas HaTorah. But such unity can only come when each Jew is at one with himself, which then removes the roadblocks between himself and his brother.
Translated by Reb Eliezer Weger of Rechovot, a Modzitzer Chasid
What does Hashem Elokecha ask from you, but to fear Hashem Elokecha and to walk in His ways? (dvorim, 10:13)
A Dvar Torah from Reb Motti Rosen z"l, grandson of Harav Shaul the Second Rebbe
This week we read the Parsha of Kabalas HaTorah. The Chumash tells us that three months after leaving Metzrayim, Bnei Yisrael reached the desert of Sinai. There they camped before the mountain and began preparing themselves to accept the Torah. On the third day, the Shofar was blown and the nation gathered at the foot of the mountain -- "VaYizvu B'Tachtis HaHar."
The Gemara in Shabbos (Daf 88) teaches "V'Kafah Hakadosh Baruch Hu Alayhem Har Kigigis," Hashem held the mountain over them like a barrel. And He said to them "Im Atem Mikablim HaTorah Mutav," if you are Mikabel the Torah, all will be good. "V'Im Lav, Sham Tihay Kevuraschem," and if not, there will be your graves.
There are many different explanations given for this Gemara. The following Vort came to R' Mordechai z"l in a dream the Shabbos of Parshas Yisro 1990.
"V'Kafah Alayhem Har Kigigis," and Hashem held the mountain over their heads like a barrel. The word "Har" spelled Hey Resh has a gematria of 205. That is the same gematria one gets when combining the names of the four Galuyot, exiles. The four are: Madai (Mem, Daled, Yud), Yavan (Yud, Vov, Nun), Bavel (Bais, Bais, Lamed) and Edom (Alef, Daled, Vov, Mem).
When Hashem held the mountain over their heads he was telling them about Galus. He warned Bnei Yisrael that if they are not Mikabel the Torah, Galus will destroy them. The only way for us to keep strong and whole during the years of Galus is with the Torah. Without the Torah, the nation will die through suffering and assimilation.
As we go through our daily lives in this Galus, let us remember how our forefathers before us survived in their daily lives -- "Naaseh V'Nishmah." By being Mikabel the Torah and the glory of Hashem.
Submitted by Chumi Friedman, daughter of Reb Motti Rosen z"l
Copyright © 1999 - 2004 Modzitz
