Guest Post - Technology in the Third Beis Hamikdash

I have had conversations with people of the years about how technology would be incorporated into the third Beis Hamikdash when it will be built. But my friend wrote up a "handbook" for those offering korbanos in the third Beis Hamikdash, imagining in detail what it would be like, and incorporating many halachos in the essay as well. So enjoy the below guest post and IY"H, may we be zoche to see how technology will be incorporated soon in our days!

Bais Hamikdash Tech Update

            Due to several documented mix ups with korbanos, the Mikdash Committee has instituted new technology and procedures.

            First, all animals to be sold for sacrifices on the Temple Mount area have already had magnetic bar codes firmly affixed to their hooves. Birds have a smaller tag attached to the right foot. Anyone bringing in their own animals for korbanos will have similar bar codes affixed in the examination area. There will be no additional charge for this service.

            All of the Klei Shares have embedded tags as well.

            Next, korbanos need to be registered on the system with full owner information and korban designation before offering. This can be done online, by cellphone app, or on one of the dedicated terminals installed on the base of the temple mount. Any changes in owner information (particularly for korban pesach group status) needs to be completed before shechita. No exceptions.

            Owner information will be checked with Department of Health records in real time. A chatas whose owner has died will not be offered.

            Temurah registrations, while discouraged, will still be accepted by the system.

            All Kohanim On Duty have been assigned small portable scanners. Before shechita, the KOD must scan the animal as well as the Kli Shares to be receiving the blood. If the animal is in the wrong location (i.e. slaughter in the north is required), the system is programmed to alert the KOD with both audio and visual alerts.

            Several help stations have been strategically placed throughout the Azarah. If the KOD has forgotten which avodah he needs to perform or where, he can just scan the kli and a full diagram will come up.

            For semicha, the owner(s) will receive a text message when their animal is ready to go. They will then enter the azarah and proceed directly to the automated hoist number of their korban, perform the semicha, and leave. More viewing of the avodas can be done by the AzarahCam at any time.

            Due to concerns about tahara and chometz, we will no longer allow people to bring flour, oil, wine, etc. from home to be offered (with the exception of the kohen gadol). Therefore, we have purchased all the supplies needed for menachos and sell them using our system.

            The system will go like this. The person purchasing a mincha will enter their information and the korban needed, whether it is challos or wafers, deep fried or shallow fried, kohen owned, etc. A ticket will be generated and sent to the bakery to fill the order. For a minchas nesachim, the ticket will not be generated until the blood of the associated korban is sprinkled. The bakery employee will place the finished mincha in the window facing the kodesh in an ordinary container.  The kohen will take the mincha, scan it for the owner info, and place it in a kli shares while verbally consecrating it for its owner. He will then proceed to perform the proper avodah of the mincha. The system will assist in reminding the kohen of the proper procedure, whether it needs waving, hagasha, kemitza, etc. with audible alerts. Any questions on identifying a particular mincha can be easily resolved with a quick scan of the kli.

            A korban Todah will be prevented from being slaughtered until all the loaves have been baked.

            Non Jews are not required to pay for minchas nesachim.

            Salt will be added to all offerings at no charge.

            The system will also arrange the proper order of offerings. This has previously been a very difficult principle to achieve by hand. For example, chatas blood comes before olah blood, but olah limbs are offered before chatas sacrificial parts. The queuing will be done automatically and signal the nearest KOD to perform the next avodah. Audio and visual alerts will warn any KOD about to perform an avodah out of order.

            Additional tags will be affixed to the cut up parts of the korban in the flaying area, near the sinks. Absolutely NO meat is to be placed in the Mikdash Refrigerators without proper tags.

            The Mikdash Refrigerator doors have sensors as well.  Notifications will be sent out for any meat that is nossar, which will now be easy to locate.

            Tracking the hides are important for determining ownership. Depending on circumstances, the hide may belong to the mikdash, the kohanim, or the donor. We will auction off each hide and track the sale price to the owners. At the end of each day, all of the kohanim that swiped in (even those with a mum that performed non-avodah labor, but not Mikdash employees) will be automatically credited their share by direct deposit.

            Cooking pots have been tagged as well. Pots have to be koshered after use with korbanos, within the time frame allowed for eating the korban, unless the pot is used for another korban, which resets the clock again. This system will track each pot and signal those needing koshering.

            The mizbeach has been outfitted with special metal-free sensors. As the kli filled with blood approaches for sprinkling, the KOD will be gently prompted as to which corners to approach and the proper order, and whether sprinkling needs to be done above or below the red line. Similarly, birds post melikah will be sensed if the sprinkling is about to be performed in the wrong place.

            After the afternoon Tamid has been offered, the system will go into lockdown mode, and no further sacrifices may be brought until the next morning. Any blood waiting to be sprinkled is to be placed in one of the oscillators until the morning. The next shift of kohanim will be able to identify the blood through the tag on the kli.

            The Ulam has sensors installed at the doorway to prevent any korbanei chutz from entering lifnim accidentally.

            Sensors and alarms have been set up around all the exits. If a korban that is not allowed to leave the area approaches the exit, an alarm will sound. Similarly, the system will guard against theft of Mikdash property.

            Outside in the Ezras Nashim, large screen displays have been installed with real time information on offering status. Text or email alerts to the owners are available at no extra charge. 

The Mikdash Bank

            Previously, there were 13 ‘horns’ that held coins used for purchasing sacrifices for when the altar was unoccupied. The Kohen entering the room where they were stored had to enter there barefoot in clothing without a hem or pockets etc. -a difficult procedure. We have eliminated this, and set up a Mikdash Bank, with multiple accounts. Balance and activity information is openly available online. All donors will receive a receipt number that can be tracked, with their name listed if they desire. Any withdrawals will list the kohen signing off on it, as well as the tag number of the animal purchased. The main branch of the bank is located near the base of the Temple Mount, eliminating the need for private money changers.

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Chometz, Matza, and the Chareidi Draft

Although the notion that 100% of our children should learn only Torah full-time, indefinitely, into adulthood is outside of our mesorah, the current compromise in E"Y regarding the Chareidi Draft has been called a decree of "shmad," forced conversions. In such a situation, even actions which would be permitted according to halacha become forbidden if those requiring it are attempting to take us away from the Torah. Generally speaking, this compromise provides that approximately 75% of our sons should go on to army service/national service (which will enable them to work legally) after age 21.
 

Because this agreement comes shortly before Pesach, some have hyperbolically applied the line from the Hagada, "ולבן ביקש לעקור את הכל," "And Lavan tried to uproot everything" to the actions of Livni, Bennet, and Netanyahu. Indeed, the initial letters of the last names of these three individuals spell "Lavan." But is it true that our children will leave the path of Torah and yiras Shamayim if they do not stay forever in the four walls of the Beis Medrash? Is it the ratzon Hashem, the will of Hashem, that 100% of our children remain forever in yeshiva and never bring their Torah into the world?
 

I would like to quote a section from the Zohar (183b - Don't worry, it's not too kabbalistic) which also relates to Pesach and is very enlightening with regard to the current situation.

The Zohar asks a question. Chometz is so horrible that one must seek it out and destroy it, one may not own even a single crumb of chometz, and if chometz gets into a pot on Pesach, it is not nullified no matter how great the proportion of non-chomitzdik food is to the chometz. Why are we so strict? We know the seforim teach that chometz is a literal manifestation of the yetzer hara, the "other side," i.e., everything that we hold abhorrent and all aspects of this physical world which bring us away from Torah, emunah, and yiras Shamayim. So if chometz is so horrible, why is permitted the rest of the year?! The Zohar answers with an parable and then it spells out the lesson as follows: 

למלכא דהוה ליה בר יחידאי וחלש, יומא חד הוה תאיב למיכל, אמרו ייכול בריה דמלכא (ס"א מיכלא דאסוותא) אסוותא דא ועד דייכול ליה לא ישתכח מיכלא ומזונא אחרא בביתא, עבדו הכי, כיון דאכל ההוא אסוותא אמר מכאן ולהלאה ייכול כל מה דאיהו תאיב ולא יכיל לנזקא ליה, כך כד נפקו ישראל ממצרים לא הוי ידעי עקרא ורזא דמהימנותא אמר קודשא בריך הוא יטעמון ישראל אסוותא ועד דייכלון אסוותא דא לא אתחזי להון מיכלא אחרא, כיון דאכלו מצה דאיהי אסוותא למיעל ולמנדע ברזא דמהימנותא, אמר קודשא בריך הוא מכאן ולהלאה אתחזי לון חמץ וייכלון ליה דהא לא יכיל לנזקא לון

[There is a parable of] a king who had an only son who became sick. One day, the son wanted to eat. [The doctors] said, let the king's son eat [a certain] healing food. Until he completes his regimen of eating this food, do not let any other kind of food even remain in the house. They did this. Once the son had eaten this healing food, [the doctor] said, "From now on, let him eat whatever he desires. Now, it cannot harm him." Similarly, when the Jewish people left Egypt, they did not yet know the foundation and the secret of emunah. The Holy One, Blessed be He, therefore said, "Let the Jewish people taste of [the bread of] healing, [Matza,] and while they are eating this medicine, let them not even see any other kind of food. But once they have eaten the Matza, which is the medicine which causes a person to ascend and to know the secret of emunah," Hashem says, "From now on, they may see chometz and eat it because it can no longer harm them."

Based on the Zohar, we are not forbidden to have anything to do with the physical world of eating, drinking, and working, just like we are not forbidden from eating kosher chometz during the year. When the Jewish people were young, their faith was weak so they would not have been able to maintain a connection with Hashem if they had contact with the physical world. That, however, was a state of sickness, when we had weak faith. Once we strengthened our emunah by eating Matza, the "bread of emunah" in the right way,  we could begin relating to the physical world and elevate it, rather than have it bring us down.

On an individual level, when our children are young, we have to have pure Torah with a clean environment with no contact with outside, worldly influences wherever possible. However, for reasons only He truly understands, Hashem's ratzon is not that we remain that way forever. For the majority of people, their tafkid is to eventually go out into the world and attempt to elevate the world (and not the other way around). We have to consume only the bread of faith for a while when we are young to build up our emunah. That is while we are weak and vulnerable. But once we have emunah, the outside world should not frighten us. It should be "frightened" of us because we will elevate it and we will not be brought down by it. In the words of the Zohar, when Jews have emunah, the chometz of the world "can no longer harm them." Hashem's plan is that the time of non-exposure to this world is temporary, while we are young and weak. But that non-exposure should not exist indefinitely.

May we be zoche to raise our children right for the first 21 years of their lives so that  when they go out into the world, as indeed it is the will of Hashem that the majority of them do at some point, we do not need to be afraid that they will all leave the path of Torah. We have surely failed in our role as parents and rebbeim if that is a realistic fear. Rather, they will go out filled with emunah so that they can fulfill Hashem's desire "להיות לו דירה בתחתונים," "to have a dwelling place in the lower world."

-Dixie Yid

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New Maccabeats Pesach Video - Les Mis Songs to the Pesach Story

 

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Rav Moshe Weinberger - Seudas Moshiach Drasha 5772

Below is a write-up of Rav Weinberger's Seudas Moshiach drasha from this Acharon Shel Pesach. 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.

Special thanks this week to our holy brother Dr. Zev Alexander for his help with the story at the end of the drasha. 

Rav Moshe Weinberger

Seudas Moshiach Drasha 5772

Rav Yitzchok Hutner: The Avodah of Issru Chag

(Original text of the new Maamerei Pachad Yitzchok Pesach (Maamar 113, p.420) is in regular font. Rav Weinberger’s comments are in italics)

It's Hashgacha Pratis that right before Yom Tov they published a new set of over 400 pages of the Pachad Yitzchok from Rav Hutner זצ״ל. There are several Torahs there about these days. This particular one is "Chelek Beis" of what we were talking about this morning (click here for the Acharon Shel Pesach Yizkor Drasha).

The parting from Shabbos is called "Melaveh Malkah", the parting from Yom Tov is called "Issru Chag". The reason for the difference between them is that the Kedusha of Shabbos comes from above, in a fixed and permanent way. However the Kedusha of Yom Tov comes through "מקדש ישראל והזמנים" (Who sanctifies Yisroel and the festive seasons), the initiative of Klal Yisroel who is responsible for Kedushas Hamoadim.

Thus Shabbos that doesn't come through our intervention also leaves of it's own accord. It suffices to "escort her", as one would someone who is parting from us. However with Yom Tov, that was brought in through our sanctification, the Avoda of it's parting also belongs to us. This is  "Issru Chag". We shall explain one of the ways to do this Avoda.

Shabbos and Yom Tov are different. Shabbos is woven into the fabric of creation. It comes on it's own and it leaves on it's own. And at the end of Shabbos all we can do is be "Melave Malka", all we can do is "escort" the Shabbos Queen on her way out.

In the case of Yom Tov, we help bring it in (by consacrating the Chodesh when there is a Sanhedrin), and when it's over we have "Issru Chag". There is an Avoda that WE have to do in order to hold on to the spirit of the Yom Tov.

Chazal explains (Yoma 69) the reason for the name "אנשי כנסת הגדולה" (Men of the Great Assembly): they returned the Crown (of Hashem) to its original Glory. The Neviim said "strangers are croaking in His sanctuary, where is His awesomeness? Strangers enslave His children, where is His power?" They (the Men of the Great Assembly) came and said "to the contrary! There we can see His Awesomeness, there we can see His power".

The 70 nations of the world are constantly tormenting us, and Hashem keeps silent. All it would take is for Hashem to give one "scream" and the whole world would be turned upside down. But He chooses not to, He chooses to restrain Himself, He keeps silent, and the Anshey Kneses Hagedolah praised him for it.

But we have yet to grasp the depth of this praise. We can only do this through the words of Chazal (Gittin 56) on the passuk (Shmos 16:11) "מי כמוך באלים ה׳ - מי כמוך באלמים ה׳" (Who is like You amongst the mighty ones Hashem - who is like You amongst the silent ones). Almim refers to the time of His silence. Just like we are able to recognize "Mi kamocha" (who compares to you) in times of good and revelation of "B'eilim", we should also be able to see "Mi kamocha" at times of silence, at times of destruction and difficulties for Yisroel. This is "B'almim" (in silence). However the understanding of "Almim" is interconnected to that of "Eilim". We learn from this that the power that comes from such recognition at a time of "Almim", draws it's nourishment from the times of "B'eilim".

We needed to go through the Yam Suf and see the Glory of Hashem at the moment of "מי כמוך באלים ה׳" (Who is like You amongst the mighty ones Hashem), to be able to endure the long years of "מי כמוך באלמים ה׳" (who is like You amongst the silent ones), of the Galus. Only someone who "saw" the aspect of "B'eilim" can possibly endure the times of "B'almim".

These words have been said regarding Klal Yisroel during periods of revelation, versus periods of hiddenness and destruction. However words of Torah apply to all generations equally just as they do to each and every Jewish soul. The same line drawn regarding Klal Yisroel, applies as well to each individual Jew. It's written regarding the passuk (Shir Hashirim 1:16) עיניך יונים" (your eyes are doves-like) that when the dove wonders away from her nest, she does so only to a distance where she can still look back to it. We should learn from this regarding our avodah, that at times of lowly feelings and rut, we must look back to our uplifting times of inspiration, the times of "Eilim", and draw from them the strength for our avodah at times of "Almim" (Divine silence).

The Yonah never flies so far that it can't see where it came from.

As the Yom Tov and its service come to an end, we must act like the dove and turn our heads back to recall the spiritual elevation we experience during them. How great was our learning and our davening during those days! From this we must draw the strength for (our service during) the regular days.

To help us with such a challenge we partake in a celebration, one where we focus on our longing as we part from the Chag.

We are now leaving leaving Yom Tov and going back to the world of "Almim". Back to the world of work, of computers, etc. we have to make sure to be able to look back and not loose sight of where we came from: the world of "Eilim", of davening, of hallel, of the Seder. We have to make sure to hold on to that world and bring it with us on our way out, as we return to the spiritual silence of mundane life.

The opposite is, unfortunately, what often happens between husband and wife. Shorty after the wedding reception is over, and Sheva Brochos are finished, and the routine sets in, they forget. They loose sight of the feelings, the emotions of those early moments and they start living in a world of "B'almim". We have to be able to look back at the Chupah, at those early times of the world of "B'eilim". The same happens with our children. As they grow and the problems, difficulties and challenges start getting bigger, we start losing track of the days when they were young, beautiful and innocent. But we have to be able to look back at the early days and hold on to them. This is the avodah called "Issru Chag".

After all these years of Galus, of living in the world of "B'almim", we never stopped looking at Hashem with the eyes of the world of "B'eilim", for even a moment. Nor has Hashem ever stopped looking at us with those same eyes. We are still waiting for that moment soon, when we will be able to see it again with clarity and say "מי כמוך באלים ה׳".

Today, the last day of Pesach, is the Yahrtzeit of Reb Yitzchok of Vorke zy"a. By the Seder that year, he was already very sick and people were not sure how he was going to make it. When he gotooto the Piyut "Lecha u'lecha" where it says "שנאניו יאמרו לו וכו׳" he stopped. It's not clear what "שנאניו" means. The usual translation into English is that it refers to angels. However Rav Yitzchok of Vorke explained it to mean "silence" (from the hebrew "שאנן"). After that he stopped talking, until the day of his passing, the last day of Pesach.

In each generation there are a few Taddikim that can ask for the Geulah and Hashem would have to listen (so to speak). Around that time the chassidim had been begging the Rebbe to beseech Hashem to bring Moshiach and stop Jewish suffering. Reb Ytzchok Vorker's whole life was about this, about helping Jews. He was a talmid of the Lelover, and was the predecessor to the chassidic line of  Vorke and Amshinov, where everything is about Ahavas Yisroel without any limits, everything is about asking Hashem for other Jews and for Klal Yisroel. But for the last moments of his life he stopped talking.  He entered a state of "B'almim". This must have made his silence so extremely painful. Knowing he was one of the few in his generation that could have done something to end the Jewish suffering, and yet he chose silence. The Tzaddik understood that it was Hashem's will that he be silent.

There's an amazing story about what happened after Reb Ytzchok Vorker was Niftar.

Reb Yitzchok Vorker was very close to Reb Menachem Mendel of Kotzk. After his fathers passing, Reb Mendel of Vorka was very upset that his father had not communicated with him at all, not even in a dream. Some time after the shiva, he decided to go talk to his father's close friend, Reb Menachem Mendel of Kotzk.

When he got there the Kotzker asked him what his father had said. Reb Mendel told him there had been only silence. The Kotzker then said that he he had also heard nothing from the Rebbe, so he decided to go look for him in Shomayim. By purifying himself and using certain names of Hashem, he had been able to ascend to there. He was able reach the Heichal (palace) of the Avos. He asked if they had seen Reb Yitzchok of Vorke. They answered that he had been there but left. After that he had gone to see Moshe Rabbeinu ע"ה, but he received the same answer. The Kotsker then explained that he had gone from Heichal to Heichal visiting all the greatest Tzaddikim and everywhere he received the same answer "he was here but he left".

Growing increasingly desperate, the Kotzker had gone through unbelievable difficulties and trials, but was finally able to make it all the way up in Shamayim, to the Ken HaTzippor (the Palce of the Bird's Nest), where Moshiach sits and waits to bring the Geulah. And there he had asked Moshiach himself if he had seen Reb Yitzchok of Vorke. But the answer was the same "he was here but he left". The Kotsker asked what he could do to find him, and was told to look for him past the great forest that lies at the far edge of Shomayim. He started in that direction and soon found the thickest, darkest forest he had ever seen. It was extremely difficult to get through it, but with great effort he was able to make it. He finally reached a great ocean, with enormous and frightening waves all the way up to the highest levels. There he saw an old Jew with a shtekel, a walking stick, sitting perched on a cliff overlooking the frightening sea. He was sitting there quietly looking at the waves. The Kotzker got closer and realized it was his friend Reb Yitzchok of Vorka.

He approached him and asked him "Reb Yitzchok, what are you doing here? You could be with the Avos or in a palace learning Torah with Rabbi Akiva and Moshe Rabbeinu. I looked for you all over, in the places that are fit for a Tzaddik to reap the rewards of his place in the world to come. Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov, Moshe Rabbeinu, even Moshiach are looking for you. What are you doing here?" And Rav Yitzchok answered "Yes, I was by all of those places but I couldn’t stay there yet. So I left and I came here." He then asked "Do you know what this ocean is?" The two Tzadikim stared at the waves loudly crashing below them as they stood atop the rocks above.

Reb Yitzchak explained that the ocean was made of all the tears the Jewish people have shed throughout the years of their bitter Galus. "And I vowed to Hashem not to move from this place until the Galus is over and all the Jewish tears are wiped away". 

We need to understand how much each of our tears mean to Hashem.

Rav Yitzchok D'vorka kept silent in his last days in the aspect of "מא תיצעק אלי" (Why do you cry out to Me?), of "ואתם תחרישון" (and you will be silent). He was able to understand the times of "B'almim" because he had spent his whole life living with "B'eilim", doing for others and never giving up on a Jew. He waits silently by theOcean of Tears, crying together with us as we await the thunderous end of the years of silence.

Hashem Yisborach should help us that we should never again have to look back to Mitzrayim, or any Tzaros or suffering, but only the Hisgalus (revelation) and Geulah we saw at Yam Suf. We should remember the Shira that we sang at that time and will soon sing again, "Az yashir etc.", when we will be able to go back to that world of "מי כמוך באלים ה׳" and see together the גאולה השלימה והאמיתית בב״א.  

Rav Moshe Weinberger - Shalosh Seudos Drasha - Shabbos Hagadol 5772

Below is a write-up of Rav Weinberger's Shalosh Seudos drasha from this Shabbos Hagadol. He has not yet reviewed this version so any mistakes are due to the writer (and NOT Rav Weinberger OR my dear friend Dixie Yid).  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.

Rav Moshe Weinberger

Shalosh Seudos Drasha Shabbos Hagadol 5772

The Akeidas Yitzchok of Alexander: Simple Emunah, the secret path to greatness

(Original text of the Akeidas Yitzchok (Parshas Tzav p.42) is in regular font. Rav Weinberger’s comments are in italics)

This is a Torah from the Alexander Rebbe הי״ד who died Al Kiddushin Hashem. We have very few Torohs from him. This one continues what we were discussing before (click here to read the Shabbos Hagadol Drasha).

We can try to explain the reason this Shabbos before Pesach is called Shabbos Hagadol as follows. The essence of Emunah in Hashem Yisborach has to be אמונה פשוטה (simple Emunah), without questioning. We shouldn't inquire after Hashem's deeds, but it should be sufficient for those who come from a "putrid drop" that they were even deserving to serve Hashem. How can we question Hashem's actions? As it's written (Tehillim 92) "איש בער לא ידע" (A boorish man cannot know); (Tehillim 73) "ואני בער ולא אדע, בהמות הייתי עמך. ואני תמיד עמך וכו׳" (And I was a boor and unknowing, like a mindless beast I was with You. And still I was always with You).

It was through their complete and simple Emunah that Bnei Yisroel merited to come out of the Land of Egypt, as it's written (Shmos 12) "כשש מאות אלף רגלי וגו׳" (Like six hundred thousand legs etc.) רגל (legs) refers to Emunah. As its written (Shmos 4) "ויאמן העם וגו׳" (And the people had Emunah).

This what our sages stated (Kiddushin 35) "גדול מצווה ועושה ממי שאינו מצווה ועושה" (Greater is the one who performs a commandment due to being commanded to do so, then the one who performs it without being commanded). This means that one who acts upon being commanded by Hashem, is greater then one who acts instead after a process of intellectual inquiry. As we say (in davening) "אלקינו ואלקי אבותינו" (Our G'd and the G'd of our forefathers). "Our G'd" refers to the side of inquiry, "the G'd of our forefathers" refers to the side of Emunah.

It's much better to do Mitzvos just because we are a מצווה (we were commanded), with אמונה פשוטה, then to do it because we reached an intellectual conclusion that this is good for us, a good idea, or that it's a nice thing to do.

This is the question of the Rasha (in the Haggadah) "מה העבודה הזאת לכם" (What is this service to "you"), because for "you" the Avodah doesn't have any reason or understanding. This is also the claim of the Satan and the nations of the world (regarding the Parah Adumah) "what is this Mitzvah, what are the reasons behind it" (Rashi on Bamidbar 19:2).

The Rasha tends to pose as a great intellectual.


Our answer should be that we are not Rashayim to go inquiring after the deeds and Mitzvos of the Creator ית״ש, we are only to believe in Him with the same complete and simple Emunah of our forefathers in Egypt. As we see when the Egyptians saw each and every Jew take a lamb for his Korban Pesach and tie it to their bedposts. They asked them "what is this to you?". The Jews answered "it's to be slaughtered for a Pesach offering as commanded to us by Hashem". This means that they were fulfilling this commandment only because it was ordered by the Creator ית״ש, without any need for reasons, only out of complete and simple Emunah.

We didn't give the Egyptians long explanations about the Korban Pesach. Of course we could have said many things if we had wanted, as with all Mitzvos, but it just wasn't necessary. At that moment it was all being done with our אמונה פשוטה.

This is why this Shabbos before Pesach is called Shabbos Hagadol, because at that time they merited that simple and complete Emunah, that's in the aspect of ״גדול״ מצווה ועושה כו׳ ("Great" is the one who performs a commandment due to being commanded to do so etc.). Even in Mitzrayim where they were in a very lowly state, in the aspect of "bare and naked", through the Korban Pesach they merited the lofty level of Complete Emunah in Hashem's Mitzvos without questioning. As its written (Shmos 12) "זות חקת הפסח וגו׳" (This is the decree of the Pesach offering), in the aspect of "אמת ואמונה חוק ולא יעבור״ (True and faithful, it is an unbreachable decree [from the morning prayer service]).

The highest level a Jew can reach is to be a מצווה.


This is what Hashem promised Abraham Avinu ע״ה (Bereshis 15) "ואחרי כן יצאו ברכוש גדול" (and they will leave with great wealth). That is they left with Emunah, and this was the "רכוש "הגדול ("Great" wealth), as in ״גדול״ מצווה ועושה כו׳. This is what is brought down "זות חקת הפסח וגו׳".

It's written in Tehillim (119:80) "יהי לבי תמים בחקיך" (May my heart be perfect in your decrees). David Hamelech is saying "Master of the World, when I'm occupied in Your decrees don't give the Yetzer Harah permission to harm me; as it's written (Tehillim 37) "הורני ה׳ דרכך" (Hashem show me Your path), let me go in Your path and the Yetzer Harah shouldn't lead me to err". The meaning of this is that the Yetzer Harah should not incite us to question and inquire after His Mitzvos. But that we should be able to fulfill all His commandments as if they were a Chok, with complete and simple Emunah, in the aspect of "Shabbos Hagadol".

The Kedusha of Shabbos also helps to merit simple Emunah. On the Shabbos Hagadol through the Holiness of Shabbos we merit the aspect of "גדול", as in ״גדול״ מצווה ועושה כו׳. We also merit the aspect of "מצות תאכל במקום קדוש" (Matzos you shall eat in a holy place), to eat the food of "מהימנותא" (Faith), of complete Emunah. This is the true preparation for these holy days.

This are the words of the Rebbe Reb Bunim of Peshischa זי״ע as is brought down in the Sefer Ramasayim Tzofim:

"'ובקשתם משם' (and you will ask from there) This means all wisdom and all inquiries to understand Hashem and His Unity are called 'משם', meaning from some other place. But the truth of the truth is ' במקומו ממש' (from this very place), meaning in ones own heart. As it says 'One should purify his traits properly ומ׳ then he will find in his heart His  Divinity'".

"שם" (there) is the place of the intellect, "פה" (here) is the place of the heart. And it's in the heart that we need to work on our Middos and our Avodas Hashem.

Hashem Yisborach should help us, at the seder when we say ״ברוך המקום״, He should take us from this Makom to the Makom where we need to be, with the גאולה השלימה והאמיתית בב״א.

"If Moses Had Facebook/Skype/Twitter/Gmail" - Aish.com Video

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Preparing and Preserving Pesach With Prayer- Audio/Video Shiur

Below is the latest shiur from Reb Yerachmiel titled "Preparing and Preserving Pesach With Prayer"

Torah Anytime Video Link

CLICK HERE to get the shiur by either left clicking to listen to streaming audio or right clicking and selecting "Save Target As" to download the mp3 file.

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The Four Questions - Exceprt & Hebrew & English From R' Itchie Mayer

Here is Reb Itchie Mayer Morgenstern's Torah on Parshas Vayikra, with English excerpt and full text in both English and Hebrew in pdf form. You can send an e-mail to this address to subscribe to receive Rav Morgenstern's Torah in your e-mail box every week.

Whenever a person has doubts about whether his prayers are effective or not, he must hold strong to pure and simple faith. In truth, the Jewish people have an innate azus d’kedushah because they know with certainty that their prayers act as they should to draw down Hashem’s mercy and kindness because they are invigorated by their knowledge of the Torah and Hashem’s Name. This is what gives us strength and courage—it makes us like Boaz, “strength is in him.”

This is the inner meaning of the children having all of their questions answered, “Here the son asks,” this is the time when all that we ask for is answered for the good. This is the night when we receive an infusion of azus d’kedushah from above so that we can ask for all that we require materially and spiritually, so that we can conquer every battle without getting confused on whether what we seek is lishmah or not. These are the tools we need to receive the light of the redemption, and each person has unique holy sparks that only he needs to repair in order to help bring the geulah.

From where do we get this azus d’kedushah so that we can redeem prayer? From the Torah itself, which is the aspect of Rachel and which shines brightly on Pesach night. It illuminates prayer, and then this confident and strong prayer empowers the person to contemplate the light of G-dliness and the Torah alone. It is forbidden for a person to allow himself to fall into doubts about the efficacy of his prayer, because that is a sure path to melancholy and sadness since one must avoid speculation and philosophizing in the world of Asiyah completely. If one just holds strongly to his azus d’kedushah and the knowledge that every single word of prayer is precious and accepted, he will be able, in the merit of the tzaddikim, to draw down the light of Da’as and understand that his driving off the doubts was itself the holy spark that he needed to repair. This allows him to re-enter Hashem’s service with freshness and energy. On Pesach night, he can sit confidently like a little child who trusts that his parents will give him all the gifts—he will know with certainty that Hashem will provide him with all of the salvation that he requires. This is how Yosef saves Yehudah/Dovid.

Shabbos HaGadol

The Chasam Sofer taught that Shabbos HaGadol is particularly auspicious for the arrival of Moshiach. The K’sav Sofer explained that even though the Arizal taught that Eliyahu HaNavi will not come on Shabbos, nevertheless Moshiach will come before Shabbos and remain hidden until he is revealed on Shabbos. This Shabbos [before Pesach] is especially suited to the revelation of the concept of, “His Name is sure”—that the Jewish people have the ability to bring the redemption provided that they do not fall into doubts about the worthiness or effectiveness of their prayers. “His Name is sure”—we certainly can bring about the required salvation. In the merit of this faith, the redemption is drawn down.

This is the meaning of the haftarah of Shabbos HaGadol: that Hashem derives pleasure when a person connects with the holiness of prayer and doesn’t fall into the doubts of the world of Asiyah. Rather, the night of Pesach empowers him to attain clear and pure faith that Hashem hears ours prayers. This is why the redemption really depends on achieving a yichud in the world of Asiyah, which in turn strengthens us to beg for the redemption just as they cried out in Egypt. “And we will cry out to Hashem our G-d, and Hashem will hear our voices and see our affliction.”

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Do We Conduct Our Seders More Robotically Than These Folks? - Video

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Rav Baruch Gartner Video/Audio Shiurim Now Available Online!

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Rav Machlis and the Matza Factory Video

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Wow - Matzos Are Baked in 30 Seconds! - Video

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Hashem Bypasses All of Our Calculations and Our Sins to Redeem Us

Rav Moshe Weinberger spoke, in his pre-Pesach drasha, about how the main nekuda that we had to focus on was Hashem's unabiding love for us, no matter what we have done.

He said that we see that one of Moshe's biggest questions that he sought to have answered leading up to the redemption from Egypt was why Hashem would redeem us when we were so unworthy. We see this question when Moshe saw that two Jews were fighting with each other and he said "Now I see that the thing is known," which the meforshim explain meant that now Moshe knew why they were being enslaved, because they were acting wickedly.

Rav Weinberger said though that Hashem answered Moshe that he was not redeeming the Jewish people because they were worthy, but rather, it was just because of His great love for them alone. Hashem sent this message through the Sneh, the burning bush. Moshe saw that even though the bush was being enveloped by fire which should have destroyed it, it was nevertheless not being consumed because that was Hashem's will. Moshe then underststood that similarly, the Jewish people may be full of aveiros and perhaps by all accounts, should be destroyed by Egypt. But since Hashem desires to save them they too will not be consumed by the fire of Egypt.

He shared an amazing in Medresh in Psikta D'Rav Kahana on Parshas Hachodesh (page 13 of the pdf) that goes as follows:

Moshe told them that they would be redeemed and they responded that Hashem said to Avraham (Breishis 15:13)" וַעֲבָדוּם, וְעִנּוּ אֹתָם--אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת, שָׁנָה," "And they [your descendants] will serve them [the Egyptians] and they will opress them for 400 years." But we have only been in Egypt for 210 years! He [Moshe] said to them, "Since he desires to redeem you, he is not looking at your calculations. Rather (Shir Hashirim 2:8) "מְדַלֵּג, עַל-הֶהָרִים, "He skips over mountains," over end-of-times-calculations, and "מְקַפֵּץ, עַל הַגְּבָעוֹת," "he skips over hills," this refers to calculations...

Rav Nechemia: When [Moshe] said to the Jewish people, "In this month [Nisan] you shall be redeemed," they said to him, "And how can we be redeemed?! The land of Egype is full our idols!" Moshe said to them, "Since he desires to redeem you, he does not look at your idol worthsip. Rather, (Shir Hashirim 2:8) "מְדַלֵּג, עַל-הֶהָרִים, "He skips over mountains," this refers to your idols...

Part of Rav Weinberger's main point in that drasha was that we should always remember, especially during Nisan, the month of redemption, that Hashem loves us unconditionally and just like he redeemed us from Egypt, He will redeem us with the final redemption soon in our days.

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Eating the Bread of Faith on the Eighth Day of Pesach - Moshiach's Meal

Rav Weinberger spoke about some very fundamental inyanim at the Moshiach Seuda at our shul. He gave a great background introduction into why the Baal Shem Tov instituted the Moshiach seuda and what it all means.

He taught that the Meor Einayim in many places, and especially Parshas Pinchas, based on the Kisvei Arizal and the Zohar, says that every Jew has the presence of Moshiach within him. There is a little bit of the neshoma of Moshiach in every Jew, and therefore, even though our hope for Moshiach is often concealed, we all have the ability to believe in the coming of Moshiach because he is already a reality that exits in our very beings.

Similarly, he showed how a similar idea exists with regard to our belief in Hashem. Hashem is not just some entity outside of ourselves that we are told, by some kind of Divine fiat, that we must believe in. The Tanya in perakim 18-20 teaches that Emunah in Hashem is really already part of every Jew. Since, as the Baal Hatanya says in the first perek, every Jew has within him a "חלק אלוה ממעל ממש," a "piece" (kevayachol) of Hashem within him, believing in Hashem is part and parcel of the person since Hashem is already present within him.

Sometimes people don't think that they believe in Hashem or that their Emunah in Hashem is weak, or that they have questions in Emunah. But this is only because the klipahs, tumahs and confusions of this world have concealed their knowledge of Hashem's presence. Hashem is "part" of us so if we would know our true selves, our inherent knowlege and consciousness of Hashem's presence would be revealed in our minds and hearts.

I also wanted to point out that the Aish Kodesh, the Rebbe of Piasetzna in Tzav V'Ziruz #13 makes the same point. He talkes about how we have all seen seforim that try to prove the existence of Hashem through science, logic, philosphy, history, etc. But he says that a Jew who has removed his inner blockages and obstacles will recognize the existence of Hashem from his own soul. Again, this is because Hashem is there in the soul of every Jew. Therefore, the only thing one needs to do to have true and deep Emunah in Hashem is to remove the ta'avah, the dirt, etc. that covers up our existing recognition of Hashem's presence. Then our pre-existing knowledge of Hashem's presence will be revealed without the need for any "external proofs."

It's the same idea with Moshiach. Since the Meor Einyaim says that a bit of the neshoma of Moshiach is in every Jew, the belief in the coming of Moshiach would be revealed within us if only we would know ourselves.

We know that there's an hisorerus, an awakening of the presence of, and the potential for, Moshiach on Achron Shel Pesach, the last day of Pesach because Chazal were mesakein, instituted the haftara on the topic of Yemos HaMoshiach for the 8th day of Pesach. So why do we have a seuda with matza at the Moshiach Seuda?

The Zohar calls Matza "נהמא דמהימנותא," the bread of Emunah. By eating this "bread of faith" at a time when there is an awakening for Moshiach, we hope to inbibe that Emunah in the coming of Moshiach into our inner selves.

There are two levels of understanding the truth of Emunah. In a bechina, an aspect, of Makif or in the aspect of Penimi. Makif means an understanding of Hashem's presence which is surrounding and which one knows about, but which is "out there." But the understanding of Hashem's presence which is Penimi means that a person feels Hashem in every crevice of his being. It is an understanding of Hashem where Emunah is absorbed into every pore of his body. As it was said about one of the Tzadikim of Chabad, that if you would cut him, he would not bleed blood. Rather, he would bleed Chassidus.

By talking and learning about the inyan of Moshiach at the Seudaso Shel Moshiach and by taking the "bread of Emunah" into one's body, our goal is to internalize, b'ofen penimi, the Emunah in Hashem and in the ultimate fulfillment of His purpose in Creating the world, through Yemos Hamoshiach.

May we merit to imbibe Emunah in Hashem and in his Moshiach into our minds, our hearts and our souls.

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Beautiful Shor Yoshuv Birkas Hachama Video With Rav Shmuel Brazil

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Awesome Satmar Birkas Hachama From the Sky - Video

HT Gruntig

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The "Olam Ha'Yedidus" of Pesach and Our Every Day - Audio Shiur

Reb Yerachmiel has shared with us his latest shiur from the Baltimore Community Kollel Tefillah Chaburah that relates to Pesach.

Below are links to an audio shiur that Reb Yerachmiel gave immediately prior to yom tov to crowd of yeshiva bochrim returning from Eretz Yisroel and from around the globe for Pesach. It should be noted that this chevra was organized by Yaakov Lasson of Baltimore who is learning at Yeshivat Shaalavim, and who coordinated a "Bain Hazemanim" Yeshiva which is being hosted by Congregation Shomrei Emunah in Baltimore.

Click on the links below to get the two parts of the audio shiur and the pdf of the ma'areh mekomos sheet:

Part 1
Part 2
Ma'areh Mekomos

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Those Who Go Away to Hotels For Pesach

Those who go away to hotels for Pesach, in these trying economic times, really have to be moser nefesh not to be moser nefesh.

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Burning Out the Chometz From Our Hearts - R' Moshe Weinberger & Rav Tzvi Mayer

Tonight is Bedikas (the search for) Chometz and tomorrow morning is Biur (the destruction of) Chometz. B"H, in our kehilla were were fortunate to hear Rav Moshe Weinberger speak at Shalosh Sheudos about what to think about while cleaning for Pesach, and doing bedikas and biur chometz.

First I want to traslate a short tefillah before Bedikas Chometz from the sefer Avodas Hakodesh, brought in the Koidinov Hagaddah, which was assembled by the current Koidinover Rebbe, Rav Yaakov Tzvi Meir Ehrlich of Koidinov (who we were zocheh to have in our home for two Shabbos seudos a little over a year ago).

May it be Your Will Hashem our G-d and G-d of our forefathers that you cause us to merit to examine and search the biases of the recesses of our souls which we have defiled at the counsel of our evil inclinations. And cause us to merit to return to You with perfect Teshuva. And You, in Your great goodness, have mercy upon us. Help us, G-d of our salvation, in the matter of the honor of Your Name. And save us from the prohibition of chametz, even the smallest amount, this year and every single year for the rest of my life Amen, so may it be Your will.

Rav Weinberger gave over some words from Rav Zvi Meyer Zilberberg from Divrei Chizuk on what to think about and work on during bedikas and biur chometz. It is known that we work harder to get ride of any trace of chometz than we do any other davar asur, forbidden thing. This makes no sense al pi pshat, on a simple level, unless we understand that we're really supposed to be davening the whole time to get rid of the chometz in our hearts, our yetzer hara, our bad traits and midos.

It is also know that many Tzadikim spent hours and hours doing bedikas Chometz. Many of them lived in tiny apartments that probably would have taken less than an hour to check for chometz. So what were they doing for all those hours? Their whole time checking for chometz was filled with crying and davening that they be ableto do teshuva and get rid of the chometz in their hearts.

Rav Tzvi Mayer connected some of these thoughts to the words of bitul chometz that we say in the morning after burning the chometz. When we say "כל חמירא דאיכא ברשותי, דחזיתיה ודלא חזיתיה," "all chometz in my domain that I have seen and that I have not seen," we're really saying something much deeper. We know all too well about many of our faults and must live with that knowledge every day until we correct them. But there are other faults that we do not know about because we have never even seen though (though unfotunately our wives, husbands, parents, etc. can see them all too clearly). So we're asking Hashem to remove both the faults that we do see in ourselves and even those that we have turned away from because we don't want to see them, "דחזיתיה ודלא חזיתיה."

And then there are faults that we knew about, and we worked on them. We thought that we got rid of them. When we say "דבערתיה ודלא בערתיה," we are saying that there are yetzer haras, faults that we thought we got rid of, דבערתיה, but really, "ודלא בערתיה," we did not really get rid of them. They were just swept under the carpet and they are still part of our lives. For those things, we should daven during bitul and biur chometz that Hashem should help us get rid of those yetzer haras.

Rav Tzvi Mayer suggested that we use biur and bitul chometz as a small beginning to start working on and davening for getting rid of some of the chometz in our lives, even in a small way by making a small kabalah. We should make some small commitment to change one thing about ourselves, a bad mida, a yetzer hara, an indulgence, something... And to work on that thing throughout the year starting at biur chometz.

Hashem should help all of us remove the chometz from our hearts and bring us close to Him.

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Rav Dovid Heber on Birkas Hachama - Nifla'os HaBoreh - Audio Shiur

Courtesy of Reb Yerachmiel, here is a shiur given by Rabbi Heber in Baltimore, MD last night on Birkas HaChama, which really makes one appreciate niflaos haborah, the wonders of the creator.

Rabbi Dovid Heber introducted by Rav Moshe Heineman: Shiur starts at about minute marker 1:30. Either left click to listen right now or right click and select "Save Target As" to download.

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