Below is a write-up of Rav Weinberger's Shalosh Seudos drasha
from this Shabbos, Parshas Shmos. You can see past write-ups of Rav Weinberger's Shalosh Sheudos Torahs here and get thousands of his shiurim in mp3 format at ravmosheweinberger.com.
(Original text of the Noam Eliezer is in regular font. Rav Weinberger’s comments are in italics)
The Noam Eliezer is a Tzaddik that I was zoche to see a number of times years ago. He is the Alter Skulener Rebbe Rav Eliezer Zushe זי״ע.
He writes on Parshas Shmos about the topic that we to discussed last week and we've been talking about recently. It's becoming increasingly apparent that our generation can no longer ignore the great Tikkun (rectification) that is needed in the area of Ahavas Yisroel (love of other Jews), to repair the terrible Pgam (blemish) of Sinas Chinam (baseless hatred) in order to bring the Redemption.
In reference to the passuk in Shmos (1:10) “וְעָלָה מִן-הָאָרֶץ“ (and go up from the land). The Midrash (Shmos Rabba 1:9) comments “ועלה מן הארץ, כל זמן שישראל בירידה התחתונה הם עולים, ראה מה כתיב ועלה מן הארץ“ (“and go up from the land” when Yisrael are in the lowest place they go up like it says “and go up from the ארץ" ). Meaning that when they are at their lowest, on the ground, from there they go up like we say in our prayers “ומגביה שפלים עדי מרום” (He elevates the low ones on high). The Midrash continues: "As in Tehillim [42:26-27] “כִּי שָׁחָה לֶעָפָר נַפְשֵׁנוּ; דָּבְקָה לָאָרֶץ בִּטְנֵנוּ“ (For our souls are bowed down to the dust; our belly stuck to the ground). And it’s at that time that “קוּמָה, עֶזְרָתָה לָּנוּ; וּפְדֵנוּ, לְמַעַן חַסְדֶּךָ“ [Arise to our help; and redeem us for your mercy]"
He is referring to the ארץ (land) as the place where we are at our lowest and it's from there that we can be lifted up.
We can explain this according to what I heard from the Admor my father זצק״ל in the name of our Master the Holy Baal Shem Tov זי״ע when explaining our sages of blessed memory (Yevamos 63) about someone that lends a selah (coin) to a poor person “בשעת הדחק” (in his time of need). The passuk says (Yeshayahu 58:9) “ֲאָז תִּקְרָא וַיהוָה יַעֲנֶה, תְּשַׁוַּע וְיֹאמַר הִנֵּנִי“ (Then you will call and Hashem will answer; you will cry out and He will say ‘here I am’). How can we understand the expression of “בשעת הדחק” regarding the poor person. It seems unnecessary, because if he is poor, when is it not a time of need? The Baal Shem Tov explains that it refers to the “שעת הדחק” of the lender. Meaning that even if it is a time of need for the lender, if he still he goes out of his way and suffers some loss to save the poor person, regarding this it says “אָז תִּקְרָא וַיהוָה יַעֲנֶה“ (then you will call and Hashem will answer).
He is not just talking about giving money to a poor person. Sometimes you are in a bad place, feeling down but you can still go out of your way to help someone who might be worse off then you. You can still mechazek yourself and make an effort to give anything you might have to help a Jew in need: a good word, some chizuk, etc.
The holy people of Yisrael can excel in this trait. Even when they are down in the ground and find themselves in their lowest state, they still rise up to help one another and to save the poor and the broken hearted. Like we saw with our own eyes at the time of trouble and distress after the terrible war we went through. We saw Jews fresh out of the concentration camps that didn’t have anything, and even so they gave from their meager bread to the poor. They came to the help out their brothers and in particular the children and the orphans. Regarding them I bring the passuk (Divrey Hayamim 1 17:21) “וּמִי כְּעַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל, גּוֹי אֶחָד בָּאָרֶץ“ (Who is like Your people Yisrael a unique nation in the earth). Even if they are down "בארץ", lowered to the earth, you can see their uniqueness in the high level of their צדקה (charity), and their unity in love and affection for one another. And this merit will stand for them to save them from all their troubles and to elevate them from their lowliness and poverty. As the passuk says “אָז תִּקְרָא וַיהוָה יַעֲנֶה“.
This is the meaning of the passuk “וְעָלָה מִן-הָאָרֶץ“. That their עליה (ascent) depends on their behavior when they are down on the ground and they still elevate themselves by saving one another. From this will come their עליה and their גאולה and the redemption of their souls.
With the current situation, we shouldn’t be focusing on what this one said or what that one said, what’s written in this article, or posted on that blog or that website. It’s just about what we should be doing to make a difference, what each one of us can do to give חיות to another Jew.
Rav Moshe Weinberger
Shalosh Seudos Drasha Parashas Shemos 5752
The Noam Eliezer of Skulen on Ahavas Yisroel
(Original text of the Noam Eliezer is in regular font. Rav Weinberger’s comments are in italics)
The Noam Eliezer is a Tzaddik that I was zoche to see a number of times years ago. He is the Alter Skulener Rebbe Rav Eliezer Zushe זי״ע.
He writes on Parshas Shmos about the topic that we to discussed last week and we've been talking about recently. It's becoming increasingly apparent that our generation can no longer ignore the great Tikkun (rectification) that is needed in the area of Ahavas Yisroel (love of other Jews), to repair the terrible Pgam (blemish) of Sinas Chinam (baseless hatred) in order to bring the Redemption.
In reference to the passuk in Shmos (1:10) “וְעָלָה מִן-הָאָרֶץ“ (and go up from the land). The Midrash (Shmos Rabba 1:9) comments “ועלה מן הארץ, כל זמן שישראל בירידה התחתונה הם עולים, ראה מה כתיב ועלה מן הארץ“ (“and go up from the land” when Yisrael are in the lowest place they go up like it says “and go up from the ארץ" ). Meaning that when they are at their lowest, on the ground, from there they go up like we say in our prayers “ומגביה שפלים עדי מרום” (He elevates the low ones on high). The Midrash continues: "As in Tehillim [42:26-27] “כִּי שָׁחָה לֶעָפָר נַפְשֵׁנוּ; דָּבְקָה לָאָרֶץ בִּטְנֵנוּ“ (For our souls are bowed down to the dust; our belly stuck to the ground). And it’s at that time that “קוּמָה, עֶזְרָתָה לָּנוּ; וּפְדֵנוּ, לְמַעַן חַסְדֶּךָ“ [Arise to our help; and redeem us for your mercy]"
He is referring to the ארץ (land) as the place where we are at our lowest and it's from there that we can be lifted up.
We can explain this according to what I heard from the Admor my father זצק״ל in the name of our Master the Holy Baal Shem Tov זי״ע when explaining our sages of blessed memory (Yevamos 63) about someone that lends a selah (coin) to a poor person “בשעת הדחק” (in his time of need). The passuk says (Yeshayahu 58:9) “ֲאָז תִּקְרָא וַיהוָה יַעֲנֶה, תְּשַׁוַּע וְיֹאמַר הִנֵּנִי“ (Then you will call and Hashem will answer; you will cry out and He will say ‘here I am’). How can we understand the expression of “בשעת הדחק” regarding the poor person. It seems unnecessary, because if he is poor, when is it not a time of need? The Baal Shem Tov explains that it refers to the “שעת הדחק” of the lender. Meaning that even if it is a time of need for the lender, if he still he goes out of his way and suffers some loss to save the poor person, regarding this it says “אָז תִּקְרָא וַיהוָה יַעֲנֶה“ (then you will call and Hashem will answer).
He is not just talking about giving money to a poor person. Sometimes you are in a bad place, feeling down but you can still go out of your way to help someone who might be worse off then you. You can still mechazek yourself and make an effort to give anything you might have to help a Jew in need: a good word, some chizuk, etc.
The holy people of Yisrael can excel in this trait. Even when they are down in the ground and find themselves in their lowest state, they still rise up to help one another and to save the poor and the broken hearted. Like we saw with our own eyes at the time of trouble and distress after the terrible war we went through. We saw Jews fresh out of the concentration camps that didn’t have anything, and even so they gave from their meager bread to the poor. They came to the help out their brothers and in particular the children and the orphans. Regarding them I bring the passuk (Divrey Hayamim 1 17:21) “וּמִי כְּעַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל, גּוֹי אֶחָד בָּאָרֶץ“ (Who is like Your people Yisrael a unique nation in the earth). Even if they are down "בארץ", lowered to the earth, you can see their uniqueness in the high level of their צדקה (charity), and their unity in love and affection for one another. And this merit will stand for them to save them from all their troubles and to elevate them from their lowliness and poverty. As the passuk says “אָז תִּקְרָא וַיהוָה יַעֲנֶה“.
This is the meaning of the passuk “וְעָלָה מִן-הָאָרֶץ“. That their עליה (ascent) depends on their behavior when they are down on the ground and they still elevate themselves by saving one another. From this will come their עליה and their גאולה and the redemption of their souls.
With the current situation, we shouldn’t be focusing on what this one said or what that one said, what’s written in this article, or posted on that blog or that website. It’s just about what we should be doing to make a difference, what each one of us can do to give חיות to another Jew.
1 comment:
Ephrayim,
Yasher koach for the posting! Welcome to blogging! I didn't even realized you posted till this morning getting the email update in my email box. Yasher koach, tizku l'mitzvos and may you be zoche to continue your holy work!
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