The Haftorah of
the second day of Rosh Hashanah makes reference to the
famous words of Yirmiyahu as he describes Rachel
petitioning Hashem to enable Am Yisrael to return from
the Babylonian exile. "Kol Biramah Nishmah Nehi Bechi
Tamurim Rachel Mivakah Al Baneha.Vishavu Banim
Ligevulam." Many have raised the question as to why only
Rachel is crying and not any of the other Avot or
Imahot. The Midrash on Megillat Eicha describes an
unusual scene. As the Beit Hamikdash was burning, Hashem
was crying and screaming, "where are my children, my
prophets, my Kohanim? I feel like someone whose only son
died suddenly at his Chupah." Hashem instructs Yirmiyahu
to summon all the Avot and Imahot and make them petition
to Him on behalf of Am Yisrael. Avraham is the first to
speak. He rips his hair, tears his garments, and places
ashes on his forehead and laments: "Ribono Shel Olam,
you granted me a child at age 100 and yet when you asked
me to sacrifice him on the altar I did so without
hesitation." However, Hashem was unimpressed. Yaakov
appears before Hashem and says, "I worked for Lavan for
21 hard years. Upon leaving I was confronted by Esav who
wanted to kill me and my children and I stood before
them and was prepared to die to protect them."
Nevertheless, Hashem was unimpressed. Moshe appears
before Hashem and says, "I spoke on behalf of your
people for 40 years and yet I died before entering
Israel. Let my death substitute for them and enable them
to return to the Holy Land." Rachel finally gets her
turn and says, "Yaakov had initially worked for me for
seven years. My father Lavan cajoled me to allow Leah to
trick Yaakov. I could not bear witness to the shame that
Leah would have experienced had Yaakov deleted the
trickery during the wedding night. Having suspected that
Lavan might pull a fast one, Yaakov gave me certain
Simanim to identify myself. I then willingly gave those
signs to my sister Leah to spare her from shame and
embarrassment. I stood outside the door and as Yaakov
spoke to Leah I instructed Leah to remain silent and I
filled in the answers." Upon hearing this Hashem was
overcome with mercy and compassion and said, "my
children will return." All the Imahot and Avot spoke
on behalf of their children. But they all focused on
their willingness to die in order to protect a loved one
or to adhere to Hashem's commandments. Rachel advised
Hashem that she was willing to live Al Kiddush Hashem.
This is our challenge as well. We have high regard and
enormous respect for every member of Tzahal who is
prepared to die Al Kiddush Hashem if necessary. Since
we, in America, are not faced with that daunting
challenge, the very least we can do is live our lives Al
Kiddush Hashem. May we fulfill the Pasuk "Vi Rau Kol
Amei Haaretz Ki Shem Hashem Nikrah Alecha" and thereby
merit "Vishavu Banim Ligvulam."
Inspirational Keriat
Hatorah by Jesse Dunietz
The Keriat
Hatorah of the second day of Rosh Hashanah is composed
of two stories. The first and primary element is the
story of Akeidat Yitzchak. The second, and far smaller,
section of the reading deals with the births of various
relatives of Avraham. Since the main topic of the second
day's reading is clearly supposed to be the Akeidah
story (see Megillah 31a), why do we not simply stop at
the end of that section? There are more than enough
Pesukim to constitute a full Torah reading without an
addendum about family! What does the account of
Avraham's relatives have to do with Rosh
Hashanah? Rav Yosef Ber Soloveitchik explains that
this section is making a point about the world's
reaction to Avraham's actions. "After these events" -
after all that Avraham did to demonstrate true Avodat
Hashem and dedication, all that the outside world was
concerned with was, "Behold, Milkah too has borne
children to Nachor.." The general public did not even
take notice of what Avraham had done; there was no wave
of inspiration, no response. After Avraham's great
sacrifice, everyone simply let life continue unchanged.
Obviously, this is a great rebuke of the people of
Avraham's generation. (This, of course, presumes that
Avraham, as a public figure and Mikarev, would have
publicized the events of his own life as a way to teach
others.) It is to give this rebuke to us, as well,
that this account is included in the Keriat Hatorah of
Rosh Hashanah. Rav Soloveitchik points to the lack of
world response to the Holocaust or any other great
tragedy throughout our history as evidence that this
lesson is still unlearned. What we must understand from
this Torah reading is the need to respond and to take
events to heart. We cannot just carry on as always. This
was the mistake of Avraham's generation. Rather, we must
allow ourselves to be affected and changed when we hear
of, see, or experience exceptional events. This
message is also consistent with the unique purpose of
the Rosh Hashanah's Torah reading, as explained by Rabbi
Jachter in last week's Kol Torah. Unlike other holiday
readings, Rosh Hashanah's Keriat Hatorah acts as a part
of the Tefillah, and an enhancement of the Rosh Hashanah
experience. According to Rav Soloveitchik's explanation,
the final paragraph of the reading also fits with this
theme. Although it has nothing to do with the Chag
directly, it imparts a lesson that is very relevant to
the Rosh Hashanah experience. Both on Rosh Hashanah and
afterwards, we must realize that it cannot be a one-time
spiritual high that only affects us for a day or two.
Rather, as the end of the Torah reading teaches, we must
carry the effects of the day with us, and let them
change our daily lives.
Moshe's Final Days by Chanan Strassman
Now that Bnei
Yisrael are about to enter Eretz Yisrael, there is one
loose end for Hashem to tie up, that is, how to go about
the death of Moshe Rabbeinu. The issue at hand is that
we are not dealing with an average person whose time has
arrived to pass on. If that were the case, Hashem would
not need to inform Moshe of his impending doom, but
would rather dispatch the Malach Hamavet, or Angel of
Death, without warning. However, this is not the case in
Parshat Haazinu. Here, we are dealing with the greatest
prophet to ever walk the earth, a man of unfathomable
Kedushah, and the only person ever to speak face to face
with Hashem. Moshe's death, unlike the average person's,
cannot be a sudden surprise. Thus, Hashem gives Moshe
ample notice of his unfortunate yet inevitable
fate. The Torah first tells us about Moshe's death in
Parshat Pinchas. There, in Bamidbar 27:12-14, Hashem
tells Moshe to "Go up to this mountain of Avarim and see
the land that I have given to the Children of Israel.
You shall see it and you shall be brought in to your
people, you, too, as Aharon your brother was brought in;
because you rebelled against my word in the wilderness
of Zin." Rashi explains this reference to Aharon to mean
that just as Aharon died by the "kiss of Hashem," Moshe
wished to die in a similar fashion. Rashi offers another
explanation that just as Aharon did not merit entering
the land of Israel because he failed to sanctify Hashem,
the same goes for Moshe. The fact is, Hashem is telling
Moshe that he will soon die. Consequently, in Haazinu,
Hashem reminds Moshe of his previous decision. In
Devarim 32:48-52, Hashem tells Moshe, "Ascend to this
mountain of Aravim, Har Nevo, which is in the land of
Moav, which is before Jericho, and see the land of
Canaan that I give to the children of Israel as an
inheritance, and die on the mountain where you will
ascend." Interestingly, Hashem's "attitude" toward
Moshe is different in Parshat Haazinu, than in Pinchas.
In Parshat Pinchas, the Torah uses the word "Vayomer,"
that is, "Hashem said to Moshe," whereas in Parshat
Haazinu the Torah uses the word "Vayidaber," that is,
"Hashem spoke to Moshe." Typically, when the Torah uses
the word "Vayomer" the tone of the speaker is soft, but
when the Torah uses the word "Vayidaber" the tone is
harsh. If each time Hashem is telling Moshe the same
message, what difference does it make whether the Torah
uses "Vayidaber" or "Vayomer"? Why is Hashem's attitude
soft in Parshat Pinchas, but harsh in parshat
Haazinu? Naturally, Moshe would rather stay in this
world, and enter the land of Israel, than die. So when
Hashem tells him in Parshat Pinchas that things will not
turn out that way, He speaks softly to placate Moshe.
However, once Moshe's time came to pass on, Hashem got
to the point. He told Moshe that his time had come, and
that he would "die on the mountain where you will
ascend." The harsher language was necessary the second
time around because Hashem wanted Moshe to know that he
would not be able to Daven his way out of death and into
the land of Israel. Moshe Rabbeinu's death is
remembered even today. The day he died, the 7th of Adar,
we do not say Tachanun in our daily prayers. In some
communities, the Chevra Kedisha even fast on that day.
He may not have walked us into the land of Israel, but
his leadership and wisdom set a precedent for those
prophets and kings that were yet to come. Moshe may be
leaving our weekly Parshiot now, but cheer up! Rosh
Hashanah is coming and we will soon be reading the Torah
anew, bringing Moshe back in all of his glory next year.
Shanah Tovah.
Halacha of the Week One should not use a
Shofar on Rosh Hashana for any purpose other than
for the Mitzva, as the Shofar is Huktza
Lemitzvato, set aside exclusively for the purpose
of the Mitzva of Tekiat Shofar (Mishna Berura
588:15).
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