Thursday's Parsha Tidbits - Parshas Netzavim

The following is a brief summary of some of thoughts said over by R' Frand on the parsha this evening. I have attempted to reproduce these vorts to the best of my ability. Any perceived inconsistency is the result of my efforts to transcribe the shiur and should not be attributed to R' Frand.

R' Frand began the vort by quoting the Ba'al Haturim who writes that four pesukim in Tanach begin with the word אַתֶּ֨ם. The first is in Shemos where the Jews are told by Pharaoh in Shemos 5:11 אַתֶּ֗ם לְכ֨וּ קְח֤וּ לָכֶם֙ תֶּ֔בֶן. The second is in Yisro when Hashem tells the Jewish people in Shemos 19:4אַתֶּ֣ם רְאִיתֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשִׂ֖יתִי לְמִצְרָ֑יִם. The third is the beginning of this week's parsha and the last is in Nach ' "Atem Eydai Neum Hashem."

What is the connection between the four pesukim? R' Frand quoted the Reisha Rav in the Sefer HaDrash V'HaIyun who explains that the use of this word is to demonstrate the travel of the Jews throughout history. We hit rock bottom in Egypt where we were slaves and then were told - find your own straw to make the bricks and still hit the same quota. But the Jews survived and they saw Hashem rescue them. The third pasuk from this week's Parsha - Moshe tells the Jews in a prophetic state - even with all that the Jews have been through - they are still around. R' Frand quoted the Ya'avetz who asks - what is the biggest miracle of the Jews? Its not Krias Yam Suf. Its that with all that the Jews have been through from the destruction of the Batei Mikdash and Galus, to the Inquisition, to the Pogroms and Holocaust and October 7, 2023 - you are still around. Why? Because at the end of days you are the Edus - the proof that Hashem is in control of the world and we are his people.

R' Frand said a second vort related to a Magen Avraham in Hilchos Shofar. He writes that one year the Ba'al Tokeya could not make any sounds from the Shofar. So he turned the Shofar around and said into the wide part the pasuk of Viyhi Noam and then he could blow.

R' Frand quoted the Tolner Rebbi who asks why is the Magen Avraham telling us this? He is an explanation of the Shulchan Aruch and he is generally cryptic. This was partly because he was poor and did not have money for paper and wrote his perush on the walls of his house. Additionally - why this pasuk? And lastly, why did he say it into the wide part of the Shofar?

He answers that the pasuk of Viyhi Noam was said by Moshe when he was trying to lift the Mishkan. He said to Hashem - we have done all we can do. You took a group of slaves and had them do artistic work. But we could not raise the Mishkan. So Hashem made a miracle and did it for the Jews - demonstrating the end of the pasuk וּמַֽעֲשֵׂ֣ה יָ֖דֵינוּ כּֽוֹנְנָ֣ה עָלֵ֑ינוּ וּמַֽ֘עֲשֵׂ֥ה יָ֜דֵ֗ינוּ כּֽוֹנְנֵֽהוּ, We have done all we can do and Hashem finished the job for us.

And why did he say it into the wide part of the Shofar? Because מִן־הַ֖מֵּצַֽר קָרָ֣אתִי - we cry out to Hashem from the narrow straits and its not working for us, so Hashem help us עָ֜נָ֗נִי בַּמֶּרְחָ֣ב - from the wider part.

R' Frand said that perhaps this is mentioned here because we have been here many times and we have promised or tried to change and we haven't. Is this an exercise in futility? The Magen Avraham is telling us - try your best and maybe Hashem will help you with something you could not do. Maybe this is your year.

R' Frand closed with a story from R' Avraham Ozbant (sp) who is the Rosh Yeshiva of Telshe in Riverdale, NY.  He said that when the yeshiva first opened, the Rav would pay his rebbeim twice a month and often had issues making payroll. Baruch Hashem he had a group of donors who would lend the yeshiva money when needed to make payroll.

But one week all of the donors had legitimate excuses and could not help the yeshiva. The Rabbi was torturing himself and did not have a settled mind in order to learn. The night before the payroll was to be paid, he put his arms up in the air and said to Hashem --this is not my yeshiva, its Yours. I have done all I can to raise the funds to make payroll, now I need Your help.

He returned to the Beis Medrash with a clear mind and began to daven Maariv, knowing that he had done all that he could. After Ma'ariv that night he was approached by a stranger who asked if the Rabbi could speak with him. The man asked to make a donation and wrote a big check.

This is the message - when we have done everything we can do we say to Hashem - we leave it up to you and Hashem comes through.

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Thursday's Parsha Tidbits - Parshas Ki Savo

As Rabbi Frand had a family wedding he did not give a live Parsha shiur. However, R' Frand did post a pre-recorded Parsha vort on OU Torah. This week's vort can be found at https://outorah.org/p/234820, but I have attempted to reproduce the vort to the best of my ability in this post. Any perceived inconsistency is the result of my efforts to transcribe the shiur and should not be attributed to the maggid shiur.

R' Frand noted that at the beginning of the Parsha there is a discussion of the mitzva of Bikkurim, where a person brings his first fruits from the seven special fruits of the land of Israel. After bringing the fruits, the farmer recites the Mikra Bikkurim which we are familiar with as it is dissected in the Maggid portion of Leil HaSeder.

R' Frand quoted the Alshich who observed that the bringing of the Bikkurim was not simply a sacrifice. People would bring their fruits in a parade and they would be greeted by people along the way as they brought up...a basket full of grapes. But why is there such a fancy progression with music and instruments? Why did the elders of each city that was passed through, come out to meet these people?

The Alshich answers by quoting the Medrash which states that Bereishis is called this because Hashem created the world because of: (1) the Jews who are called Reishis; (2) the Torah which is called Reishis and (3) the Bikkurim which are called Reishis. But why specifically Bikkurim? Because Hashem wants us to recognize the good that Hashem has done for us.

R' Frand said that he was recently interviewed about Ner Israel and the Rosh Yeshiva and his impact on R' Frand. R' Frand said that he learned a great deal from the Rosh Yeshiva, but he also learned to be Makir Tov. He said that if you look at Gedolim you will always find a common thread - that they excelled in being Makir Tov.

R' Frand told a story about a bochur who was learning in Torah V'Daas when R' Kaminetsky was the Rosh Yeshiva. This boy would not come to minyan, even when threatened. They approached R' Kaminetsky and asked if they could expel the boy as besides not coming to minyan he was a bad influence. R' Kaminestsky said yes - but before you expel him, send him to me. They told the boy that he was being expelled - but he needed to see R' Kaminetsky.

When the boy came to R' Kaminetsky he was shaking. R' Kaminetsky asked the boy where he was going to sleep. The boy said that he did not know. R' Kaminetsky said "you can sleep in my house." [R' Frand quipped "talk about an upgrade -not going from economy to business, going from the dormitory to the Rosh Yeshiva's house"].

R' Kaminetsky explained that when he was younger he learned in the Kovno Kollel. He told the boy, your grandfather contributed to the Kollel. Now I feel like I am paying him back.

R' Frand told another story about how R' Moshe Feinstein ZTL came to a wedding and gave a check as a wedding gift. When the Chosson opened the envelope he saw that it was a check for $500, which was quite a sum in the 1950s-1960. The Chosson was astounded and went to ask his father if there was a mistake. The father, Chosson and Kallah went to R' Feinstein and asked - was this a mistake? R' Feinstein said - I wish I could have given $5,000. When I was younger I learned by your grandfather R' Pesach Prushkin. I felt such gratitude that I wanted to give a great present, but unfortunately I could not afford more. 

This is HaKaras HaTov, said R' Frand.

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Thursday's Parsha Tidbits - Parshas Ki Seitzei

The following is a brief summary of some of thoughts said over by R' Frand on the parsha this evening. I have attempted to reproduce these vorts to the best of my ability. Any perceived inconsistency is the result of my efforts to transcribe the shiur and should not be attributed to R' Frand.

R' Frand began the parsha vort by making reference to the Aishes Yifas Toar ("AFT"). He noted that its hard to comprehend how this was permitted, but noted that Rashi explains that the Torah addressed a person's Yetzer Harah in permitting this.

R' Frand quoted R' Eliyahu Schlesinger in the Sefer Aleh HaDevarim who adds another level of complexity to the question. He notes that the people who went to war were those without sin as we saw in Parshas Shoftim that people who were afraid due to their sins - even if the sin was just speaking between putting on the Tefillin Shel Yad and Tefillin Shel Rosh was enough a reason for a person to be kept back from war. 

R' Frand digressed to mention that the Maskilim in Europe had put on a play about those who qualified to go to war and as a parody suggested that only the Chofetz Chaim and R' Boruch Ber would have been able to go.

But with all this, how does this soldier wind up wanting an AFT?

R' Frand explained that it was due to the environment as war is unlike any other environment. The soldier is a Tzaddik because he grew up in a sheltered environment where everything was holy. He is thrust into war and he cannot cope with what he is exposed to. The Torah recognizes that he may not be prepared for this and takes it into account.

R' Frand said that this can be viewed in today's world as well. A boy begins by going to elementary school and then high school and Yeshiva and he is in an environment that is entirely Torah. But when he goes to war he can wind up in "Corporate America" and an environment which is antithetical to Torah. R' Frand said that when he was growing up people needed to go to college and then to the Olam Shel Sheker and people could not cope with it. But now there are frum businesses and ways to make a Parnassah without being in that environment. Because we see every week that in Corporate America, every week there is a CEO who loses his job because of an improper relationship.

Of course this is not always feasible as becoming a lawyer or a doctor requires schooling and beyond. But R' Frand advises that a person should work in a place with others like him so that they can remind him when he is doing something wrong.

R' Frand also referenced to the Mitzvos in Devarim 23:19 of "לֹֽא־תָבִיא֩ אֶתְנַ֨ן זוֹנָ֜ה וּמְחִ֣יר כֶּ֗לֶב בֵּ֛ית יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ." He quoted the Ramban who explains that it was not uncommon that a זוֹנָ֜ה would want to bring a sacrifice from the ill gotten gains and say - I am bringing this even though I did something wrong. The Ramban says that accepting this sacrifice would encourage her to continue to act this way and relieve her guilt.

R' Frand observed that the worst thing a person can have today is guilt, but guilt is a wonderful emotion. We don't eat until we burst, because Hashem wired us to feel full and stop eating. Hashem also created guilt so that a person feels bad about what was done wrong, as the guilt allows for Charata which is the first step of Teshuva. Meanwhile the זוֹנָ֜ה is trying to avoid feeling guilty and to continue her actions. R' Frand closed the vort by comparing this to people who make a lot of money in illegal ways and they feel bad about it and want to donate to charity. Its wonderful to donate, but if its done to alleviate the guilt and encourage more bad practices, it does not make Hashem happy. This is the lesson to us from a Mitzva which would seem to be applicable in our generation.

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Thursday's Parsha Tidbits - Parshas Shoftim

The following is a brief summary of some of thoughts said over by R' Frand on the parsha this evening. I have attempted to reproduce these vorts to the best of my ability. Any perceived inconsistency is the result of my efforts to transcribe the shiur and should not be attributed to R' Frand.

R' Frand observed that the portion of the parsha which discusses Hashem's disgust for the abominations of the residents of the land of Canaan who use black magic practices to divine the future (Devarim 18:9-12) ends with the pasuk "תָּמִ֣ים תִּֽהְיֶ֔ה עִ֖ם יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ" (Devarim 18:13). 

R' Frand referred to Rashi's explanation of the Pasuk - that a Jew should walk with Hashem wholeheartedly and trust in what Hashem has in store for him in the future and accept that what Hashem gives him is for the best.

R' Frand then read extensively from an essay by R' Azriel Tauber which is found in the Sefer - Pirkei Machshava. When R' Tauber was six years old, his mother was taken to a concentration camp and he and his three brothers were left with their father. The younger brothers did not even know their Hebrew names. 

One day they were in a bomb shelter when a blast hit and his father fell to the ground, unconscious. They carried their father to his bed where ne remained for some time. When he awoke he told R' Tauber who was then six years old what he believed what his last will and testament. He said to him that he had lost his strength and was going to die and their mother had gone to Auschwitz, but don't worry as Hashem takes care of orphans. Be strong as the war will end and Mashiach will come he was told. And then he was specifically instructed to look after his younger brothers and make sure they knew their Hebrew names.

Fifty years later, R' Tauber celebrated the Shabbos Sheva Berachos of his youngest daughter on Shabbos Shoftim. R' Tauber turned to his father and said do you remember the night in the bomb shelter in Budapest. Do you remember when it was you and me and my three brothers in the bomb shelter? And if a Navi had told you that you would survive and live another 50 years and attend the Shabbos Sheva Brachos of your grandchild, with your wife in attendance, would you have believed it? No, he said.

And if you would have been shown a picture of all of your children and grandchildren as a family, would you have believed it then? Again - No - he said.

The post script is that R' Tauber's father passed away on the 27th of Sivan - the same Hebrew date that his father's community was liquidated and the residence sent to their deaths. R' Tauber said that it was on that date they died Al Kiddush Hashem while his father lived Al Kiddush Hashem.

R' Frand remarked that this Rashi is not a Chumra - its good advice not to question what Hashem has in store for you.

R' Frand told a personal story about one of his sons who at the age of 3 R' Frand tied his shoes in the morning. One day when R' Frand tied the shoe, the boy said to him - who will tie my shoes when I am bar mitzva? The boy had no concept of when a bar mitzva happens or that in the future he will learn to tie his own shoes, because he could not understand what lies ahead. And like R' Tauber's father said to him - if a Navi told me what would be and showed me a picture, I would not have believed.

The message of Rashi is not to try to figure out what will happen in the future, because you can't. Just accept that its all from Hashem.

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Thursday's Parsha Tidbits - Parshas Pinchas

The following is a brief summary of some of thoughts said over by R' Frand on the parsha this evening. I have attempted to reproduce these vorts to the best of my ability. Any perceived inconsistency is the result of my efforts to transcribe the shiur and should not be attributed to R' Frand.

R' Frand began his first vort by noting that although Moshe is told about his inability to enter the Land of Israel in this week's parsha, the actual story of his death is discussed in V'Zos HaBeracha. Specifically in the last aliyah (Devarim 34:1-3) Moshe is shown the entire land from North to South and East to West. Thereafter, Hashem says to Moshe in 34:4 "זֹ֤את הָאָ֨רֶץ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִ֠שְׁבַּ֠עְתִּי לְאַבְרָהָ֨ם לְיִצְחָ֤ק וּלְיַֽעֲקֹב֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לְזַרְעֲךָ֣ אֶתְּנֶ֑נָּה הֶרְאִיתִ֣יךָ בְעֵינֶ֔יךָ וְשָׁ֖מָּה לֹ֥א תַֽעֲבֹֽר" R' Frand remarked that he would occasionally cry when this part of the Torah is read as its sad that Moshe did not get to enter the land. But why would Hashem show it to him and then tell him - I am showing it to you, but you can't enter?

R' Frand quoted R' Uziel Malefsky who noted that there are seven figures who are "Ro'im" and that they correspond with different Middos. Moshe's Middah specifically was Netzach - that what he did and what he touched lasted forever. Moshe gave the Torah and it is eternal. Moshe formed Bnei Yisrael and they are eternal. Had Moshe been involved in the conquest of the land, the Jews would never have gone into Galus, but that was not Hashem's plan.

So why was Moshe shown the land? So that he would desire to enter, as that feeling was implanted in our DNA. R' Frand remarked that over the last 600+ days, life in Israel has been very difficult, but people are continuing to travel there and to move there to live. This is the legacy of Moshe's desire to enter the Land of Israel.

R' Frand said a second vort related to Hashem's directive to Moshe in Bamidbar 27:20 - וְנָֽתַתָּ֥ה מֵהֽוֹדְךָ֖ עָלָ֑יו לְמַ֣עַן יִשְׁמְע֔וּ כָּל־עֲדַ֖ת בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל. The Gemara in Bava Basra learns that Hashem directed that Moshe only give מֵהֽוֹדְךָ֖ but not the entirety. The people of that generation observed that Moshe was like the sun and Yehoshua was like the moon. The elders of the generation then observed woe to us (using the terms Busha U'Klima). But why specifically the elders of the generation?

R' Frand quoted R' Yitzchak Volozhin who theorized that there was a difference between the younger and older members. The younger generation said - Yehoshua is just starting out, he will one day grow to be Moshe. But the older members said - we remember Moshe - he was like this from day one.

R' Frand closed the vort by stating that while no one, other than perhaps Korach, was jealous of Moshe, the Zekenim of that generation were jealous of Yehoshua. They looked at him and saw someone who did not have the natural abilities of Moshe, but who had obtained this position by diligently observing Moshe 24 hrs a day and "cleaning up the Beis Medrash." They felt that they could have been Yehoshua if they had put in the effort, but they had not.

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Thursday's Parsha Tidbits - Parshas Balak

The following is a brief summary of some of thoughts said over by R' Frand on the parsha this evening. I have attempted to reproduce these vorts to the best of my ability. Any perceived inconsistency is the result of my efforts to transcribe the shiur and should not be attributed to R' Frand.

In discussing the dialogue between Balak and Bilaam, Rashi identifies three instances where Balak told Bilaam to say one thing to Hashem, but Bilaam said something different to Hashem. In Bamidbar 22:6 Balak tells Bilaam וְעַתָּה֩ לְכָה־נָּ֨א אָֽרָה־לִּ֜י אֶת־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֗ה. But when Bilaam relays this to Hashem in Bamidbar 22:11, Bilaam states   עַתָּ֗ה לְכָ֤ה קָֽבָה־לִּי֙ אֹת֔וֹ. Rashi explains that this is a more severe form of cursing.

Similarly in Bamidbar 22:6, Balak states אוּלַ֤י אוּכַל֙ נַכֶּה־בּ֔וֹ וַֽאֲגָֽרְשֶׁ֖נּוּ מִן־הָאָ֑רֶץ, but in Bamidbar 22:11, Bilaam states אוּלַ֥י אוּכַ֛ל לְהִלָּ֥חֶם בּ֖וֹ וְגֵֽרַשְׁתִּֽיו. Rashi again explains that whereas Balak only wanted the Jews gone, Bilaam's request was to wipe the Jews out from the world.

A further example from Bamidbar 22:6 is the use of אָֽרָה־לִּ֜י אֶת־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֗ה  these people whereas Bilaam states in 22:11 הָעָם֙ which is this nation - the Jewish nation and is a further indicia of a desire to wipe out the Jews.

R' Frand stated that Bilaam was not trying to deceive Hashem as to Balak's request. Rather, his hatred for the Jews colored what he thought that he heard. Balak was the king of Moab and wanted to solve a problem. But Bilaam hated the Jews and he heard greater language of what was stated.

R' Frand said that this is an example of the maxim - you hear what you want to hear. The same way that love can influence a person's views, so too does hatred. Because you hear what you want to hear.

R' Frand made reference to a Gemara in Gittin 45(a) which discussed R' Ilish who was in jail with another person who knew bird language. A crow came and began speaking. R' Ilish asked the other man - what did the crow say? He responded that the crow was saying - Ilish run away. R' Ilish responded - crows are liars, never trust crows. But then a dove came and also chirped. R' Ilish asked - what is the dove saying? He again responded - Ilish run away. This statement was accepted by R' Ilish who noted that the Jews are compared to a dove, so I can trust it and R' Ilish ran away.

R' Frand quoted R Akiva Eger who in turn cited the Aruch who states that R' Ilish did speak bird language as well as Seder HaDoros who said that we see from this that R' Ilish did not speak bird language. R' Akiva Eger said - the Seder HaDoros is wrong - R' Ilish did speak bird language, but you see what you want to see and you hear what you want to hear. He did not want to believe the crow because crows lie. And when he heard the dove he did hear it, but he thought, maybe I am hearing what I wanted to hear, so he asked the other man to interpret it. R' Ilish thought he knew what the dove was saying, but said - I can't trust myself as I want to get out of here so quickly. Because he recognized that a person's perceptions are influenced by what they think and their preconceived notions.

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