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Volume I, Issue 30

Parshas Beshalach

PARSHA INSIGHTS

"It happened when Pharaoh sent out the people that Hashem did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines" (Beshalach 13,17).

The Chofetz Chaim zt"l explains that when Hashem took Bnei Yisroel out of Egypt, there were two different routes which could lead them into Eretz Yisroel - either through the land of the Philistines or through the midbar (wilderness). Each route had its benefits and detriments. The path through the land of the Philistines would have provided plenty of food and drink for Bnei Yisroel. However, this route was saturated with tumah (spiritual impurity), caused by the decadence and idol worship of the Philistines. This negative would have had a terrible impact on Bnei Yisroel, especially in light of the fact that they had just been extricated from the forty-eighth level of tumah. Their spiritual status at this point was very fragile, and it would not be wise to dangle temptation before their eyes.

On the other hand, the route through the wilderness was not marred by tumah, since it was barren of habitation. However, this desolate environment would cause a major problem for Bnei Yisroel, since it was difficult to obtain food.

After weighing the positives and negatives inherent in each route, Hashem declined for Bnei Yisroel the option to travel the impure route through the Philistine's land and opted for the desolate but tahor (pure) path through the wilderness. As the posuk says, "that Hashem did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines." In order to prevent the possibility of Bnei Yisroel plunging again into the depths of tumah, Hashem decided to deal with the problem of lack of sustenance.

From here we learn that even when one is seeking to improve his spiritual level, such as going to Eretz Yisroel, he still must be very cautious not to fall prey to the "route" wrought with spiritual pitfalls and impediments.


"And it came to pass when Moshe held up his hand that Bnei Yisroel prevailed, and when he let down his hand Amalek prevailed" (Beshalach 17,11).

The Mishna in Rosh Hashana (3,8) states, "but could the hands of Moshe wage a battle or lose a battle? This is rather to teach us that whenever Bnei Yisroel looked up and subjected their hearts to their Father in Heaven, they prevailed (misgavrim), but if not, they fell."

The Sefas Emes asks, since the Mishna says that victory was dependent upon the subjecting of Bnei Yisroel's hearts to Hashem, why does the posuk connect the victory to the raising and lowering of Moshe's hands?

The Sefas Emes explains that in order to insure a victory for Bnei Yisroel two prerequisites are necessary. First of all, the subjugation of Bnei Yisroel's hearts to Hashem is necessary. Secondly, the prayers of the tzadik of the generation are also required in order to deliver victory. The Mishna is discussing the spiritual role of Bnei Yisroel, which is the subjugation of their hearts to Hashem. However, the posuk is pointing out the role of the prayers of the tzadik which are necessary in order to triumph in war.

Since the posuk emphasizes the leader's prayers during the war, the posuk in conjunction with the Mishna is teaching us that although the prayers of the tzadik are required for winning a war, the leader is triggered by the degree of subjugation of Bnei Yisroel's hearts. A leader of Bnei Yisroel derives his strength to act and pray on behalf of the nation's success and salvation from the people's commitment to Hashem. Only if Bnei Yisroel properly maintain their focus on Hashem will their leader be empowered to pray for them.

The idea that Moshe derived his strength to act on behalf of Bnei Yisroel from Bnei Yisroel themselves is supported from the use of the word misgavrim in the Mishna in Rosh Hashana that is cited above. The Sefas Emes explains that when the Mishna states, "whenever Bnei Yisroel looked up and subjected their hearts to their Father in Heaven, they were misgavrim." Misgavrim is not to be translated that "Bnei Yisroel prevailed" but that "Moshe's hands were strengthened", by the commitment of Bnei Yisroel.

TABLE TALK

THE DILEMMA
(What is permitted to do in this situation?)

The dry cleaner to which Boruch brings his clothes charges $6.00 to clean a suit (pants and jacket). If someone brings in a pair of pants and jacket that are not from the same suit, the dry cleaner charges for each item separately, $5.00 for the jacket and $3.00 for the pants.

Boruch noticed that recently the dry cleaner charged him the price of a suit, when in fact the pants and jacket that he brought in only resembled each other and were not of the same suit. Is it Boruch's obligation to inform the dry cleaner that the pants and jacket are not of the same suit or may he assume that the dry cleaner decided to charge him the price of a suit because he brought in the pants and jacket together?

(Consult your Rav for a proper halachic ruling)

WHO AM I?
(Guess who I am from the following clues)

1. Mercy to me is failure.
2. I just "happened" to be in the neighborhood.
3. I had Moshe up in arms.
4. "I am a lake."

(Please send us your answer by e-mail to gkrainess@adelphia.net. The answer will appear in next week's issue)

Last week's clues and answer: : I am blessed; Women love me; I add to your davening; I am the subject of Rosh Hashana - Rosh Chodesh (New Month)

Congratulations to Mordechai Matitia, Rabbi Shlomie Newman, Yitzi Schabes and the Solomon Brothers

CAN YOU SAY THAT?
(How well do you know hilchos Shmiras Halashon?)

It is permissible for a person to express a preference in "taste", such as, "I don't like dry wine." This expression is permitted because it is a statement of the person's personal taste and not a critique regarding the wine itself.

In light of this, is it permissible for Reuven to tell Shimon that he does not appreciate the oratory style of a particular lecturer?

Answer: No. This statement implies that the speaker lacks effectiveness and is considered loshon hora. (Sefer Chofetz Chaim)

TORAH RIDDLE

Is it possible for Reuven to destroy Shimon's 1812 first issue commemorative stamp and not be obligated to pay for damaging the stamp?

(Please send us your answer by e-mail to gkrainess@adelphia.net. The answer will appear in next week's issue)

Last week's question and answer: Yocheved married Elitsafon and gave birth to his children. 1) How was Elitsafon permitted to marry Yocheved after Amram had divorced her, since Amram had decreed that everyone should divorce their spouses, in order to avoid more children being born and the Egyptians killing them? 2) How could Amram have remarried Yocheved after she had married Elitsafon - this is prohibited under the ordinance of a man remarrying his divorcee after she had married someone else?

1) The decree of Amram only applied to men who had fulfilled the mitzvah of peru urevu (be fruitful and multiply). Elitsafon had not as of yet fulfilled his obligation. 2) The ordinance prohibiting a man from remarrying his divorcee after she had married someone else only applies if they had been married with kiddushin the first time. However, Amram was not given the mitzvah of kiddushin when he married Yocheved the first time, thus allowing him to remarry her.

Congratulations to the Solomon Brothers

THE KOLLEL FAMILY

MAZEL TOV

Rabbi & Mrs. Yochanon Greenwald on the bar mitzvah of their son, Yehoshua

COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD


CEDAR-GREEN COMMUNITY KOLLEL
proudly presents
AN EVENING OF INSPIRATION
featuring
RABBI YISSOCHER FRAND

SUNDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 17, 2002
GREEN ROAD SYNAGOGUE
(RESERVE THE DATE)

************************************************

The Cedar-Green Community Kollel Friday Evening Parsha Classes will convene this week at 8:00

*Beachwood………………Contact Rabbi Katz 360-9153

*The Huntington-Green Apartments

Rabbi Levi's group……….Contact Rabbi Levi 381-1617
Rabbi Nadoff's group……Contact Rabbi Nadoff 291-2692
Rabbi Newman's group….Contact Rabbi Newman 381-4497
*University Heights………..Contact Rabbi Charlop 291-8981

(Please inform us if you wish to have a happy or solemn occasion or a community or personal event posted on the Community Bulletin Board - Thank you.)

To sponsor an issue of Oneg Shabbos, please contact Leib Chaim Krainess, Director of Kollel Development at (216) 559-0638 or gkrainess@adelphia.net.
To receive Oneg Shabbos by e-mail, please provide us with your e-mail address by contacting us at (216) 559-0638 or gkrainess@adelphia.net

THIS WEEK'S ONEG SHABBOS IS SPONSORED BY
MR. & MRS. STUART MINTZ
IN HONOR OF THE ENGAGEMENT OF THEIR DAUGHTER
GITEL TO DOVID IRELAND

 

CEDAR-GREEN COMMUNITY KOLLEL:
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216-360-9153 / 216-559-0638


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