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.
If you have seen this post being carried on another site, please feel free to click http://www.kosherbeers.blogspot.com to find other articles on the kosherbeers blogsite. Hey its free and you can push my counter numbers up!
No comments:
Post a Comment