Shalom Friends;
This week, our Parshat HaShevua, Parsha Terumah is being co-sponsored both anonymously dedicated for Hatslucha to children of the community and by Rabbi Tully and Hindy Bryks of Ramat Beit Shemesh dedicated dedicated in honor of their daughter Tamar’s upcoming marriage to Avraham Yitzchak Greenwald and lilui nishmas for Hindi’s Father, Moshe Zev ben Yosef, z”l. Both co-sponsors also dedicate this vort for the safety of the Chayalim and the liberation of all remaining hostages and their return home whole physically, mentally and spiritually. To our anonymous co-sponsor and to Mishpachat Bryks, many thanks for your sponsorship and for your continued kindnesses.
You can celebrate a Simcha — a birth, a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, a Chassuna or other Simcha event in your life, or commemorate a Yahrtzeit of a loved one, or for whatever other reason by sponsoring a Parshat HaShevua.
Please forward to your relatives and friends and encourage them to subscribe and, hopefully sponsor a Parshat HaShevua. And please be in contact with me with any questions, to subscribe or for further details.
Best Regards,
Moshe Burt
olehchadash@yahoo.com
skype: mark.burt3
Subscribe to the Israel and the Sin of Expulsion blog, to ask questions or to sponsor a Parsha Vort at: olehchadash@yahoo.com
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This author often cites points from previous vorts on a Parsha, or vorts from other Parshiyot if they seem applicable to make a certain point in a current vort. This is true regarding our citing of Parshat Terumah for 5784.
The Shem Mishmuel (Translated to English by Rabbi Zvi Belovski, Parshat Terumah, pg. 169-170) cites R’ Shimon and comments;
“These are the three crowns: the crown of Torah, the crown of Kehunah and the crown of Malchut. But the crown of a good name is greater than them all.” (Shem Mishmuel citing R’ Shimon on Pirkei Avos 4:13)
This author cites Rabbi Mordechai Katz, from his sefer, “Lilmode U’Lamed” (p. 81-82) in a Parshat Hashevua (Parshat Mishpatim). Rabbi Katz cites from Yerushalmi Bava Metzia (Perek 2, Choshen Mishpat 266) a story about Rabbi Shimon Ben Shetach which sets a standard for Jewish sincerity in his dealing with with others and with Hashem:
It seems that one day Rabbi Shimon Ben Shetach needed to purchase a donkey for traveling. He purchased the donkey from an Arab. At that time, neither he nor the Arab noticed that the donkey bore a small package in it’s saddle.
Sometime later, a student of the Rabbi found the package and opened it. He was amazed by it’s contents. Rabbi Katz writes that the dialogue between Rabbi Ben Shetach and his student, and the story’s conclusion went something like this:
“It’s a diamond, Rebbe… A perfect diamond. It must be worth an enormous amount. Sell it and you’ll never want for money. Imagine all of the Mitzvot you will be able to do with the new-found money.”
Rabbi Ben Shetach shook his head and responded “I may be able to perform many Mitzvot with the money … but they will never cancel the demerit that will be mine if I keep property which is not mine. No, I will return the diamond to its rightful owner, the Arab.”
But the student responded, “why not keep the diamond? The Arab will never know of his loss.” Rabbi Ben Shetach responded, “But Hashem will know what I have done. I did not earn the diamond and so it is not mine.”
Rabbi Ben Shetach was as good as his word and returned the diamond to the astonished Arab. “I don’t believe that anyone could be that honest” said the Arab. “The Jews must have wonderful laws. Blessed be the G’d of Rabbi Shimon Ben Shetach.”
Rabbi Ben Shetach’s strict adherence to Mishpatim, to common decency to his fellow man created a great Kiddush Hashem and should serve as an example for all to follow, to fulfill all of Hashem’s Mitzvot with equal zeal.
The opening posukim of our Parsha state:
“Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying, ‘Speak to the B’nei Yisrael and let them take for Me a portion, from every man whose heart motivates him you shall take My portion.’” (Sefer Shemos, Perek 25, posukim 1 and 2 rendered to English in the Artscroll Stone Edition Chumash)
The Artscroll Stone Edition Chumash provides a brief commentary on Sefer Shemos, Perek 25, posuk 2 (page 445) :
“And let them take for Me” Rashi comments that the term “for Me” indicates that people should contribute for the Mishkan purely for the sake of Hashem’s name, not because of social pressure or quest for honor.
…Many comment that by contributing to Hashem’s causes, a Jew truly takes for himself, for personal benefit is far greater than its cost.
“Portion –Terumah” It implies a separation of a portion of one’s resources to be set aside (citing Rashi) for a higher purpose. The root of the word is “rum — to uplift” (citing R’ Hirsch), The effect of these contributions was to elevate the giver and his concept of the wealth with which hashem had blessed him.
On these posukim, Rabbi Zelig Pliskin comments in his Sefer, “Growth Through Torah” (pages 201 – 202) :
Your motivation is a major factor in the ultimate value of what you do.
When you do something with pure motivations, your action is elevated. Work on your thoughts to have positive motivations when you do positive acts.
Rabbi Moshe Aharon Stern related that he was once walking with Rabbi Eliyahu Lopian in Yerushalayim. Upon seeing someone repairing the street, Rav Elya commented, “See how this person is constantly engaged in a Mitzvah, the Mitzvah of Yishuv Eretz Yisrael (building of the Land of Israel). What is missing? Only the motivation for the sake of a Mitzvah! If someone only thinks about making a livelihood and nothing more, he loses all the wonderful benefits of fulfilling a Mitzvah. (Rabbi Zelig Pliskin citing Sefer Lev Eliyahu, Volume 1, page 30)
Toward the end of our Parshat, Torah records regarding the construction of the Mishkan:
“The middle bar inside the planks shall extend from end to end.” (Sefer Shemos, Perek 26, posuk 28 rendered to English in The Artscroll Stone Edition Chumash, page 457)
Rabbi Pliskin comments on this posuk in his Sefer, “Growth Through Torah” (pages 207 – 208) :
Targum Yonaton states that the center crossbar was made with wood that came from the trees that Avraham planted. [Rabbi Pliskin tells how he] heard Rabbi Mordechai Mann of B’nei Brak comment on this that these trees were planted by Avraham for the purpose of doing kindness for travelers. The center crossbar was placed right in the middle of the Mishkan to remind us that even when we are devoting ourselves to serving the Almighty we should never forget to have compassion for our fellow…, who is created in the image of the Almighty.
The point this author is making; that words and deeds and motivations that match, are just and uplifted, relate to questioning the moral and halachic adequacy [noun: sufficiency for a particular purpose] of the highest levels of Israel’s current governance as well as the lack of compassion of current high command of Israel’s military, both to their subordinates as well as toward kol Am Yisrael relating to events leading up to 7 October, as well the conduct of this Milchamat Shel Torah. What is meant here relates to the hubris [noun: excessive pride or self-confidence; arrogance] of top generals in demeaning the border guards who repeatedly reported on the preparations, the tunnel-building and training of the barbarous terrorist animals in the days leading up to the savage, murderous attacks of 7 October and the seizing of hundreds of Jewish and foreign hostages. In several cases, a general threatened subordinates, the border guards, with legal proceedings if another word of warning was spoken. Take note that among those either murdered or taken hostage by Hamas, Islamic Jihad and their “innocent” Gazan civilian buddies were the young women who were border guards.
What is also meant is questioning the government’s words and deeds in their conduct of the war in light of their possible subservience [a servile or excessively submissive quality or manner] to the Biden administration, and more recently, the Trump administration’s Middle East Envoy, in conduct of this war, in the current Gaza “ceasefire and drips and drabs of hostages for thousands of bloody-handed terrorists, and many discoveries made by our brave Chayalim in the field of battle, i.e. the apparent conspiracy and collaboration between the United Nations UNWRA personnel in Gaza’s hospitals and schools and Hamas and their terrorist buddies. Also, there were apparent instances where Gazan so-called “innocent civilians” took part in the attacks and the seizing of hostages as well as hostages held in the homes of Gazan “doctors” and UNWRA personnel. Words are critical and there are vast differences in word and deed between words like destroy and eradicate re: Hamas and all terrorists, and liberate, or “return” relating to the remaining hostages. (definitions below) Further, there is concern as to whether the lessons of Gaza of 7 October are being internalized concerning other potential fronts: the PA in Yehuda and the Shomron, Hezbollah in South Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen’s Houthies and possibly Turkey..
And this author could not conclude without questioning the words and deeds and motivations of certain Jews who were, or are in positions of power — political “leaders” and Middle East “negotiators” in both the previous Biden, and current Trump administrations.
Definitions:
Destroy [to reduce (an object) to useless fragments, a useless form, or remains], i.e. leaving segments or remnants of terrorists to strike again.
Eradicate [to remove or destroy utterly].
“Return” which implies from previous recent experience — 1 hostage for every 3 incarcerated terrorists.
Liberate which indicates freeing the hostages by the hand of the IDF as was the case at Entebbe.
Not withstanding the current horrendous “ceasefire” and drips and drabs of hostages in exchange for thousands of bloody-handed terrorists, may it be that our Chayalim, regardless of the machinations of their high command, emerge totally victorious — eradicating from the face of the earth Hamas, their terrorist buddies and the so-called “innocent civilians” of Gaza who joined with Hamas in their murderous deeds, that the Chayalim return home whole — physically, mentally and spiritually and that the Chayalim Liberate, as in Entebbe, and bring home all remaining hostages. And may we see the restoration of true unity within Am Yisrael.
May we, the B’nei Yisrael be zocha that our brethren — the refugee families from Gush Katif be permanently re-settled in Gush Katif, once the IDF, by the Yad Hashem, destructs and eradicates the wild beasts of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, all other terror entities, and if necessary Iran, and that our brethren be made totally whole — be totally restituted for all that was stolen from them, that the thrice expelled families of Amona be restored to their rebuilt homes and the oft-destroyed Yeshiva buildings in Homesh be rebuilt, as well as the buildings of Yishuv Elchanan, all at total government expense. May our Chayalim return from battle unharmed — physically, mentally and spiritually and may all of the remaining hostages brutally taken by the wild beasts of Hamas be liberated and brought home to their families. Baruch Hashem that our dear brother Jonathan Pollard is now in his fifth year at home in Eretz Yisrael and continues in a new chapter in his life. May Esther Yocheved bat Yechiel Avraham have an aliyah in Shemayim and may her spirit and memory continue to lift Jonathan to at least 120 years. May the MIAs be liberated alive and returned to us in ways befitting Al Kiddush Hashem — as with the return in April, 2019, via Russia, of the remains of Zachariah Baumel, as should the remains of the two chayalim from the Gaza War of ten years ago. May we have the courage and strength to stand up and physically prevent the possibility of Chas V’Challila any future eviction of Jews from their homes and prevent Chas V’Challila the handing of Jewish land over to anyone, let alone to enemies sworn to Israel’s and Judaism’s destruction and eradication. May we see, in 5785, the REAL Jews from the Ukraine and Russia as well as the US and Canada, the real Jews via matrilineal descent, make Aliyah enmass — via thorough review by Misrad HaPanim. And may we soon and finally see the total end to the Communist Chinese Wuhan Lab corona virus pandemic and all like viruses and variants. May we fulfill Hashem’s blueprint of B’nei Yisrael as a Unique people — an Am Segula, not to be reckoned with as with “the nations” and may we be zocha to see the Moshiach, the Ge’ula Shlaima, as Dov Shurin sings; “Ki Karov Yom Hashem Al’Kol HaGoyim”, the Ultimate Redemption, bimhayrah b’yamainu — speedily, in our time”, — Achshav, Chik Chuk, Miyad, Etmol!!!
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Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
Moshe is available for editing of English language documents, articles, manuscripts and more. Please be in contact with him at olehchadash@yahoo.com for your English language needs.
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