48 Steps To Torah

Way 25 is hamakir es mekomo literally "know step back? your place." Do you know where you stand in relaEach human being possesses a unique combination to others? Realistically evaluate your tion of personality, talents, timing and circumstrengths and weaknesses. stances a specific role to play in this world. Our By learning how to make that calculation, you'll role is dependent on many factors not only our know when you're best suited for a job at this innate talents, but also on the needs of the times. moment in time. If you are, then don't be held The important thing is to discover your unique back by false modesty. It's your obligation to step contribution and fulfil it. forward and take the lead. On the other hand, it also means knowing when others are more suited, The Torah tells us that one day Moshe saw an Egyptian taskmaster killing a Jew. and stepping back into your place. Sometimes, silence is golden. The Talmud teaches that, "A person should not speak in the presence of someone greater than him in wisdom." Don't be too quick to throw in a smart comment of your own. You can think the world of yourself, only to walk into a room of geniuses and find out that you have a lot more to learn. Or you can be down on yourself, only to walk into a room of under-achievers and find out that you're not so bad after all. "And Moshe looked all around, and when he saw that there was no man, he took action." (Exodus 2:11-12) Why does the Torah tell us "there was no man"? Because Moshe was checking to see if someone else was available, someone better qualified to do the job. Because if you reach for leadership when it's not necessary, then you are doing it more out of your own desire than for the needs of the people. Only when Moshe saw there was nobody else qualified, did he take action.

THE HASMONEAN HIGH SCHOOL WEEKLY SEDRA SHEET

16th March 2013

This Shabbos, Daily Nach will be up to Yeshaya Perek 34 . Email dailynach@gmail.com to join or visit www.dailynach.com for more information.
Dvar Torah

Issue No: Shabbos In: Shabbos Out:

427 5:50 6:53

):) lated additives. A person should not try to be some one that he is not or act in a way that does not really represent his real self. In developing one's ruchnius, a All meal offerings that you offer to Hashem you person needs to work on bringing the essence of his should not make Chametz, for you should not offer own real personality to the fore. from all leaven and honey a sacrifice to Hashem. (2:11) When a person brings Korbonos as a form of Avodas Hashem, he is trying to develop his personality by The lesson of this possuk is that the Korban Mincha becoming an Oved Hashem. When engaged in a quest must be pure flour- no ingredients can be added to for ruchnius, a person should not try to take on forenhance the basic requirement of the Korban Mineign practices that do not represent his real self. The cha. goal should always be to try and bring out the best of Nevertheless, two pesukim later, the possuk says that your own self within the context of who you really there needs to be an extra ingredient that goes with are. the Korban- salt. Not only can salt be added, it MUST Reb Naftali Amsterdam was a talmid of Reb Yisrael be added. Salanter. He once came to his Rebbe and said, "Rebbi, Rav Mordechai Gifter explains the difference between if I had the head of the Shagas Aryeh and if I had the the chometz and the honey, the forbidden items, on heart of the author of the Yesod v'Shoresh haAvodah the one hand, and salt, the required item, on the and if I had your middos - then I could truly be an other. Rav Gifter explains that unconnected ingredi- Oved Hashem." Rav Yisroel responded to him, ents are ossur for korbonos. The recipe for a korban "Naftali- with your head and with your heart and with cannot be improved upon - neither by the use of the your middos you can be Naftali Amsterdam. That is all chometz to make it rise nor by the use of a sweeten- you have to be. You do not need to be the Shagas ing ingredient to improve its taste. Salt is different, Aryeh or Reb Yisroel Salanter or anybody else." however, because salt brings out the taste which preThis is the idea of "Salt it with salt": One must be who exists in the Korban Mincha. Salt enhances the alhe is. Adding sweeteners changes the nature of a ready existing taste in the Korban. substance. "That's not you!" But salt brings out the When we salt our food, we are not adding a different true flavor. This is what we are supposed to strive for taste; we are enhancing the pre-existing taste. in our Avodas Hashem. Rav Gifter says that this is the nature of ruchnius. In seeking ruchnius, a person should not introduce unre-

The Sages speak about carrying two slips of paper one in the right pocket and one in the left. On Knowledge is responsibility. If you know someone paper is written: "The entire world was creat- thing, you're responsible to share it and act on it. ed just for me" (Talmud Sanhedrin 38a). On the That's part of knowing your place. other paper is written the words of Avraham Avinu: "I am but dust and ashes" (Genesis 18:27). Know your place. Before you begin talking, stop to think: Is this a time to step forward, or a time to
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Yartzheit Story

Dvar Torah

This Wednesday, 9th Nissan, will be the 41st Yartzheit of During his time there, a man in the community, who the Imrei Chaim ztl, the 4th Vizhnitzer Rebbe. had six daughters, gave a large amount of money to one of his daughters as a deposit. He told all of his The Imrei Chaim was known for the compassion he felt daughters that he had done so, but he did not specify for another Jew. It once happened that a Baal Teshuva, which daughter he had given it to. Eventually, the man who was not in a good state of mind, came to the Imrei passed away, and the money was meant to be divided Chaim. He was worried that his aveiros from his previup equally among the daughters. However, none of the ous life had not been forgiven, and that he would suffer daughters owned up to having the money. As a result, as a result. The Imrei Chaim, his voice full of sympathy, they all went to the Rav of the town, the Imrei Chaim, replied: Do not worry about your aveiros. I am preto ask him for his advice. He sat them down, and talked pared to take all of them upon my own head. With to them about the seriousness of stealing, and how that, the Baal Teshuva calmed down. whichever daughter had the money should return it. When the Slonimer Rebbe, the Nesivos Sholom, heard After this, he said I am sure now that whoever has the this story, he remarked that one should not think that money will want to return it. However, they may be the Imrei Chaim said it simply to calm down the person embarrassed. Hence, everyone should go home, and who came to him. Rather, he meant it sincerely and take an envelope. Whoever has the money- put the was genuinely prepared to take his aveiros upon him- money in an envelope, and everyone else should bring an empty envelope. You will all put the envelopes in self. this box, and after that we will look at them, and one of Another time, a different person came to the Imrei them will have the money in it. Chaim with all of his tzaros (troubles). Indeed, this was done, and the money As the Imrei Chaim got up to get some money to help him with, the Imrei was found. This was the extent to which the Imrei Chaim went not to Chaim had tears pouring down his embarrass his fellow Jew. cheeks. The man later related that the Imrei Chaim was crying so hard, that he We can see from these stories the stopped feeling sorry for himself, and great love that the Imrei Chaim had began feeling sorry for the Imrei Chaim for his fellow Jew. We should be ininstead spired to learn from these stories, and to follow in his holy ways. In his younger years, when he was still living in Europe before the Holocaust, the Imrei Chaim was Rav in a town called Vilchovitz.

This weeks Parsha describes to us many of the Korbanos that we offer up to Hashem. The Parsha explains that while some of the sacrifices are obligatory, some are voluntary to bring. The Steipler asks: what is the purpose of a voluntary Korban? He answers that the reason why we have to bring Korbanos is to elevate our spiritual well-being. However, if we didnt bring a Korban, it meant our spiritual well-being was fine. This begs the question: Why would anyone want to bring a voluntary Korban?

being forced to bring the Korban to atone for his sin. Concluding, the Steipler comments that geirim can reach a unique level of ahavas Hashem because, in a sense, they have voluntarily taken upon themselves Torah and Mitzvos and therefore have awoken their inner love for Hashem. The lesson we can all derive from this is that anyone can improve their relationship with Hashem by voluntarily taking upon himself an improvement or enhancement of a mitzvah. One practical application of this is that we can try to put on tefillin every day with the same excitement as the very first time we laid tefillin. By doing this, we will merit to feel a special connection and closeness to the Ribono Shel Olam, something everyone desires deep down.

The Steipler answers based on a concept that we derive from Mesillas Yesharim. The Sefer discusses what someone should do if they do not have the inner desire to serve Hashem with Zerizus (enthusiasm). He suggests that even though you may not be inwardly excited you should act with enthusiasm externally. This, hopefully, will awaken within you a realization to imWith the permission of the reader I would like to add prove your service to G-d. an answer of my own. The reason why the Torah speciRav Pam adds that this is a good tool to use for fighting fies one can bring a voluntary Korban is to tell us that if sad feelings and bad moods. If one feels despondent you do Torah and Mitzvos in the same manner as evehe should outwardly act as if he is in a good mood and ryone else and do them because people tell you to, you besimchah. Hopefully his chitzonius (outward move- may not enjoy them as much. Rather, you should do ments and feelings) will awaken his penimiyus (inner Mitzvos in your own special unique way, and because feelings) and relieve him of his melancholy state. you really want to, and through this it will be much easier to build up your own personal relationship with Using this, we can answer original question. If one lacks Hashem. enthusiasm to serve Hashem, he should donate a voluntary Korban. This will awaken his inner feelings of Gut Shabbos love for Hashem. This would not necessarily occur (Adapted from Rav Pam's Sefer) when one brings an obligatory Korban, because he is

Gematria:
)3:1( A Shelamim, a peace-offering, is the only Korban in which everyone gets a share- the Kohen, the Mizbeach and the original owner. The lesson of this is that as long as we understand the lesson of the shelamim, that there should be sholom, peace, amongst the Jewish people, then the shechina can dwell amangst us. However, if there is a lack of peace, as in the times of the destruction of the second Beis Hamikdash, then we will lose the shechina. The gematria of is 420, the number of years that the second Beis Hamikdash stood for. We should take this lesson to heart, and merit the rebuilding of the Beis Hamikdash speedily in our days.

Riddle:

Which four berachos are said exactly once every year?

Last weeks riddle:

Where in davening do you say 24 words in a row that end with the letter "chaf?"
Answer: In Kiddush Levana - Sanctifying the New Moon - we say the verse: "Baruch Yotzraych, Baruch Osaych, Baruch Konaych, Baruch Boraych" three times.