Purim, Amalek, and the Spiritual Power of Procrastination

Baruch Hashem, R' Boruch Leff, a mechanech in Baltimore and writer for Yated, Aish.com, and other publications has given me permission to post a series of pieces which quote my rebbe, Rav Moshe Weinberger, from his book Are You Growing?, which is available on Aish's website at a 40% discount here.

Amaleik is not merely the nation who attacked us first-they are the spiritual thorn in our side, always trying to bring us down and away from Hashem. As weprepare for next week’s Parshas Zachor we must remember what Amaleik wanted and continues to want to do to us and we must work hard to defend ourselves fromtheir plans.
The pasuk in Parshas Balak describes Amaleikas ‘Reishis Goyim Amaleik’and the acronym, roshei tayvos, ofthese words spell rega, which means amoment. Amaleik wants us to becomedistracted, forgetting about Adar and eternity, and exchange eternity for thenow, for the pleasure of the rega,the moment. But Rav Moshe Weinberger explains that the way to combat the desireof Amaleik is to realize that all that’s needed is a fight and a struggle for just a brief moment. The passion of the desire for sin, the height of the strength and difficulty usually lasts but for a minute. If we can find the inner power to resist for that minute and walkaway, we will usually find that the battle is much easier after that minute has passed.
Dieting works this way as well. You see the chocolate cake and your body immediately sends aquick message to your brain, “I want that cake—all of it! I need that cake!” Ifwe listen to this urge and stop rational thought we will cave in. But if stopfor a rega, if we walk away for aminute, we usually can withstand the desire a minute later when the height ofthe desire has left.
Rav Eliyahu Dessler says that this is the way to fight the yetzer hara. Don’t fight it head on, just delay it, tell the yetzer hara that you’ll revisit the decision soon, just not right  now. If we do this, the rega, the ‘Reishis Goyim Amaleik’ends and we are better equipped to resist.
Shabbos is the day in which we have many regaim,many moments with which to remove ourselves from the rat race of life. We have time to think, time to recharge our spiritual batteries and connect to Hashem.The Ramchal in Mesilas Yesharim writes that the yetzer hara wants to keep us busy constantly, never having time totruly think about what’s important in life. We counter this problem but letting ourselves have a rega, a serenemoment in time when we can get our priorities straight and combat the push of Amaleik to live only for the rega. Instead, we make choices based upon eternity, not merely for the rega.
For these reasons, we must treasure the serenity and break from the hustle and bustle of life which Shabbos offers. Theword rega actually is derived fromthe word ragua, which means to berelaxed and calm. We are supposed to utilize every moment of life in this manner—bybeing relaxed and calm. Only in this manner will we make good choices.
Let us try to feel ragua appreciating themeaning that it offers, so that we can build the strength to fight the rushed rega attitude of Amaleik with a proper‘take a step back and think’ Torah and regaapproach.

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Parenting - Bringing G-dliness Into the World - Noch ah Shtick Yid

Baruch Hashem, R' Boruch Leff, a mechanech in Baltimore and writer for Yated, Aish.com, and other publications has given me permission to post a series of pieces which quote my rebbe, Rav Moshe Weinberger, from his book Are You Growing?, which is available on Aish's website at a 40% discount here. He asked me to point out that these pieces were not written by Rav Weinberger himself, but represent R' Leff's understanding of things Rav Weinberger said in various shiurim. Enjoy!

Not everyone appreciates the value and importance of having children.
One of my daughters needed stitches but, thank G-d, it was nothing serious. Still, we needed to rush to the emergency room. In answering a few basic family history questions, thedoctor heard me say that at the time, my wife and I had five children between the ages of 1 and 11 years.
"You must feel likeyou have a full house?" she asked.
"No. With G-d's help,we would like to have more children," I responded.
"Why? Isn't five enough? More than enough?" she persisted with a smile.
It wasn't the time or place to engage in philosophical debate, especially since I did not wish to get the doctor perturbed. After all, I needed her to do a good job on the stitches!
But since that day, I have been doing a lot of thinking.
What exactly did Hashem have in mind when He invented the institution of parenting? Why do I, a full-grown adult, have to deal with messy spills, dirty diapers, muddy shoes, kvetching, whining, yells, screams, sibling rivalry, cuts, splinters, tantrums—the list goes on and on. Why not create people already as adults? How does parenting help me grow?
There is a basic reason for why Hashem created parenting.
G-d createdman in His image - b’tzelem Elokim, as Bereishis (1:27) states. What does it mean to be an image of G-d? How can mere mortal sever become like Hashem?
One facet tothis very complex question is the act of giving. HaKadosh Baruch Hu, through His act of creation, granted us life and existence, and He continually maintains our life and existence through His actsof kindness. His very essence is a one of generosity and kindness.
Since we were created in Hashem’s image, this means that we too have the ability to emulate His giving nature by giving of ourselves to our fellow man. In doing so, we bring more godliness into the world. And bringing more godliness and kindness into the world is the very purpose of creation. As the pasuk in Tehillim (89:3) states, “The world is built on kindness - olam chesed yibaneh.”
Hence, an act of charity, caring for the elderly, loving one’s fellow man, respecting one’s parents, all bring G-d’s essence into the world.
Of course, bringing godliness into the world includes tefila,Torah study, observances of Yomim Tovim, as well as all of the other mitzvos of the Torah. But a central key to godliness is treating one’s fellow man in kind, generous, and respectful ways. Thereby, we emulate Hashem’s trait of giving.
Jews have aneven greater responsibility to bring godliness to earth. We are the ‘priests of humanity - mamleches kohanim’ (Shemos19:6) and must set an example for the rest of the world in living with G-d consciousness. We must take the lead in making the world a more godly place.

WHY PARENT?
What better way is there to make the world godlier than by bringing into the world, raisingand educating more people who will join us in this mission! Having children should not be viewed as a method to ‘carry on my legacy.’ That is a selfish motive.
Rav MosheWeinberger explains that the sincere rationale to raising a family is this. Raising and educating good Jewish kids is the greatest act we can do in maintaining the world’s godliness. The more children we have, the more acts ofgodliness will be accomplished.
I know someone who, whenever he sees a fellow Jew, says, “A shtick Yid! Another Jew! Another piece of godliness in the world!”
This contrasts greatly with the American ideal of ‘having two kids.’  ‘Having two kids’ accomplishes the selfish motiveof establishing a legacy. But legacies are highly personal, removed from godliness or giving of oneself.  Rather, our intent in having children should be in order that we live and give, spreading godliness in the world through our children. 

Having and raising kids is tough. There is no question that it is an all-consuming, lifelong challenge. Of course, the rewards are as great as the challenges. There is nothing quite like the ‘yiddishe nachas,’joys of parenting. But when we do face the inevitable frustrations and aggravations of parenting, it is worthwhile to keep the following idea in the back of our minds.
When we parent, we are doing the greatest task possible of mankind. When we raise our kids with godliness, we increase the level of godliness in the world.

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A Religious Hypocrite

Baruch Hashem, R' Boruch Leff, a mechanech in Baltimore and writer for Hamodia, Aish.com, and other publications has given me permission to post a series of pieces which quote my rebbe, Rav Moshe Weinberger, from his book Are You Growing?, which is available on Aish's website at a 40% discount here. He asked me to point out that these pieces were not written by Rav Weinberger himself, but represent R' Leff's understanding of things Rav Weinberger said in various shiurim. Rav Weinberger's point in this one is one of my favorite's andf the story is so powerful and true also. Enjoy!

We are allpure and no matter what we do, we remain pure, as we say in the bracha of Elokai, Neshama — my soul is pure-my neshama is tehora, and it remains pure, no matter what I have done which is wrong in my life. This point is unchangeable.

Rav Moshe Weinberger, shlita, once commented that when people hear of or see a frum person doing something wrong, the first reaction that virtually everyone has is, "What a hypocrite! This guy pretends to be so religious for the outside world, but it's just a show. He's a faker. Really, inside he's an evil man. He might as well drop all the mitzvos he does!"

Rav Weinberger said that people only call someone a hypocrite for being a religious hypocrite, doing mitzvos while also sinning in certain areas. Really, we should be telling ourselves the opposite,“Hey, who do you think you are doing such an aveira?! You're such a tzadik!A tzadik like you shouldn't be such a hypocrite by doing that aveira! You might as well drop all the sins that you do!"

People are complicated. A tzadik can be a tremendous tzadik and still, sometimes he falls into his yetzer hara and does something terrible. When we come across instances of frum people doing in appropriate things we should think that frum people who do bad things are basically good people but they had a weak moment in their area of desire. Can I say that I am any better than them in my area of desire?              

We are not hypocrites when we sin. We are just being human; normal spiritually frail people who are still trying to grow with passion.

Rav Weinberger was once speaking with a young man who was distressed over thethings he, himself, was doing. The young man said, "I hate myself. I really hate myself." Rav Weinberger responded, "That's impossible.You can't." The bachur answered,"No rebbe, you don't know. I really hate myself."

Rav Weinberger responded, "It's impossible. You cannot possibly hate someone that you've never even met! You may hate the person that you think you are. You may hate the person thatyour rebbeim or parents have told youthat you are. You may have believed them. But you are a neshama tehora, a pure neshoma.You can’t hate the pure soul that you are."

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Lessons From Clouds

Baruch Hashem, R' Boruch Leff, a mechanech in Baltimore and writer for Yated, Aish.com, and other publications has given me permission to post a series of pieces which quote my rebbe, Rav Moshe Weinberger, from his book Are You Growing?, which is available on Aish's website at a 40% discount here. He asked me to point out that these pieces were not written by Rav Weinberger himself, but represent R' Leff's understanding of things Rav Weinberger said in various shiurim. Enjoy!

We’re so usedto the ways of the world that we rarely take a step back and think likechildren.
When was the last time you asked a question with childlike wonder comparable to the cliché young child query, “Why is the sky blue?” If it’s been a while, let’s try one here.
Why did the Ribbono Shel Olam create a world with clouds in it?
We could answer the question scientifically that clouds consist of water that has evaporated then condensed into vapor. When these vapor particles combine and become heavy enough they will fall as rain. As described by meteorologist, Jeff Pardo, clouds “help regulate the earth's energy balance, by reflecting and scattering solar radiation or absorbing the earth's radiated infrared energy.Clouds maintain the earth’s atmospheric stability because clouds form when air rises and cools. When a blob of air goes up into an area of less pressure, itcools. When it reaches its dew point temperature, the rising parcel is no longer unsaturated. Water begins to condense, and it then rains.”

Taanis 3b states that Hashem never withholds clouds from the world and the above is part of the explanation why since they are required constantly for the world’s existence. But there are deeper lessons contained within the subject of clouds.  
There is avital lesson we learn from the experience of Nadav and Avihu that we allude todaily in our davening. In pesukei d’zimra, we say “HaMechaseh shamayim b’avim, hameichin la’aretz matar — G-d covers the heavens with clouds and prepares rain for the earth” (Tehillim 147:8).
On a basic level, Rav Avraham Chaim Feuer explains that the onset of heavy, dark clouds inthe sky appears menacing, yet, it is nothing of the sort. G-d brings the clouds and fills them with water, rain, which will bring tremendous blessing to the world. Often, Hashem sends us worries and troubles but at the end of the tribulations we come to understand that the purpose of the ordeals was to fulfill great achievements.
In a deeper vein, Rav Tzadok in Tzidkas HaTzadik suggests that there are times when Hashem brings clouds to block the sunlight from shining for appropriate ecological purposes. Similarly, there are times when Hashem presents blockades tospiritual success for appropriate purposes. If a person stares directly into the sun, his eyesight is temporarily impaired, and prolonged exposure would lead to vision damage. This is why Hashem made it that we cannot tolerate staring into the sun, so as to prevent us from being hurt. The same is true in the spiritual realm. There are times when jumping to great spiritual heights too quickly is damaging to our growth. One who takes on too much too soon can easily burn out and, in the end, regress.
The deaths of Nadav and Avihu came as a result of this mistake. They desperately desired closeness with G-d, but they walked into the Holy of Holies before they were adequately prepared. Their souls weren’t ready to stare at the sun, to look directly into the awesome spiritual power that comes from Hashem.
Rav Yisrael Salanter lamented that we tend to stifle our spiritual growth because we all want to be righteous Torah scholars and finish the entire Talmud—but we all want to do it now! Life doesn’t work that way; spiritual growth certainly never works that way. People change and grow gradually. If someone takes on too much, too fast, the growth most often does not have any lasting effects. This is one of the reasons Hashem redeemed the Jewish people from Egypt in stages; releasing oneself from an idolatrous Egyptian culture cannot be done overnight.

We are all good people. We all want to reach our maximum spiritual potential. Yet, we sometimes move too fast for growth to last. How many of us leave Yom Kippur thinking we will never gossip again? And then that first violation happens when we aren't thinking, and we give up. We have to learn to move more slowly. We have to utilize patience in our spiritual growth.
So Hashem sends us clouds, at times, blocking out the spiritual light that we want to stare at directly. This is only for the goal of producing an abundant future rain, an enormous spiritual, permanent and cemented growth. He covers thespiritual heavens with barriers, with ‘dark clouds’ but only to bring about the spiritual rain.
Rav Moshe Weinberger, shlita, suggested another reason why Hashem placed clouds in the sky. We understand that it is not such asimple spiritual exercise to try and ‘reach the heavens’ spiritually. As we discussed earlier, clouds act as a barrier, letting us know that there arelevels that are presently beyond us and we can’t leap to heights we’re not yet ready for. However, says Rav Weinberger, clouds have no substance to them. Youcan fly right through them once you come close. Clouds are a mirage, they arenot real obstacles.

The message is clear. Once a person starts to grow spiritually and embarks on the path toward heaven, he should not be intimidated by the obstacles, the clouds that lie before him. The clouds, the obstacles are not real blockades; they are an illusion. If you keep soaring, you’ll pass right through them and get to the spiritual heights of the world.

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Kissing the Gemara

Baruch Hashem, R' Boruch Leff, a mechanech in Baltimore and writer for Yated, Aish.com, and other publications has given me permission to post a series of pieces which quote my rebbe, Rav Moshe Weinberger, from his book Are You Growing?, which is available on Aish's website at a 40% discount here. He asked me to point out that these pieces were not written by Rav Weinberger himself, but represent R' Leff's understanding of things Rav Weinberger said in various shiurim. Enjoy!

We all need rebbeim. We all need to search for and find great rebbeim. There are different kinds of rebbeim. Some rebbeim teach us the Gemara or the Chumash. Yet this does not suffice. We need rebbeim who can teach us something else, just as important.
Rav Yaakov of Ishbitz, son of the Mei HaShiloach and author of Beis Yaakov on Chumash, would give a shiur for a select group of students from 12AM until 4 AM every night of the week except Shabbos. Rav Moshe Weinberger, shlita, tells the story of one of the students who attended these amazing shiurim. Years later, the student described that he remembers how Rav Yaakov was very meticulous about time and every night at exactly 12AM—one could even set his watch— two of RavYaakov’s attendants would escort him into the room, one holding a candle andone holding the big gemara. Rav Yaakov would give the shiur with amazing pilpul and chiddushim. It felt like one was atSinai. At exactly 4 AM, the two shamashim came forward again, one with a new candle to lead him out into the street, and the other to hold the gemara.
This talmid reflected that he loved going tothis shiur, but he now remembers very little of the insights from the shiurim.“I experienced tremendous suffering in my life and I have forgotten most of what I learned. But there is one thing I never forgot, one memory that stayed with me and encouraged me throughout my years and throughout my suffering. The memory of how Rav Yaakov lovingly kissed his gemara when the shiur was over is the fire which keeps me going.”
There’s theteaching of the gemara and there’sthe kissing of the gemara. If we onlyhave a rebbe who is able to teach usthe gemara, we need to find one whocan also teach us how to kiss the gemara.
When we kiss the gemara properly, we show that thelearning is a vehicle to bring us closer to Hashem.

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Bentching Rectifies Sin

Baruch Hashem, R' Boruch Leff, a mechanech in Baltimore and writer for Yated, Aish.com, and other publications has given me permission to post a series of pieces which quote my rebbe, Rav Moshe Weinberger, from his book Are You Growing?, which is available on Aish's website at a 40% discount here. He asked me to point out that these pieces were not written by Rav Weinberger himself, but represent R' Leff's understanding of things Rav Weinberger said in various shiurim. Enjoy!

In many bentchers, the bircas hamazon is translated to mean ‘grace after meals.’ Why some translate the word bracha here to mean grace, when everywhere else the word blessing is used, is probably due to the fact that non-Jews call their prayers to G-d at meals, ‘giving grace.’ It really is a sad translation given that bentching accomplishes so much more than ‘giving grace.’ Let us learn.

Oros HaTeshuva (14:10) writes that if we have sinned in the area of eating, if wehave eaten for the wrong reasons, l’shem gashmiyus, even if we have eaten an achila gasah, gross overeating, we can always repent and transform the pesha, sin, into a shefa, abundant blessing (peshaand shefa have the same letters). Rav Moshe Weinberger, shlita,explains that this repentance can take place during bentching itself. Bentching helpsus sanctify the physical.

No matter howholy a person becomes, no matter how much focus he puts upon his soul and his spiritual growth, he must eat to survive. Whenever we eat, we necessarily admit that we are physical beings. We engage the material world and we enjoy bodily pleasure. In order to guarantee that we don’t become attached to the physical and move away from our previous spiritual state, we bentch.

In bircas hamazon, we state in the first blessing that Hashem nourishes the entire world, we then move to Hashem’s providing for Eretz Yisrael in the second bracha, and continue to the appreciation of Yerushalayim and the Beis HaMikdash in the third blessing. As we say the bentching, we progress in understanding Hashem’s involvement and Hashgacha to the entire world.

REPENTANCE

While eating,we were dealing only with ourselves and our needs; now, in bentching we have become involved with the entirety of the world,and especially with the totality of spirituality in the world—the Beis HaMikdash. This is our return and repentance. But our teshuva is notcomplete until we acknowledge that all suffering has a productive purpose that Hashem has in mind, even if we don’t understand it. This is the fourth bracha, HaTov VeHaMeitiv—despite the Jewish people’s defeat in Betar at the hands of the Romans, despite thesuffering, they did not feel abandoned by Hashem. Miracles are present even in destruction—the dead bodies laying for years in Betar did not decompose becauseHashem preserved them. Suffering has a productive purpose even if we don’tunderstand it.             

The bircas hamazon is essentially a spiritual journey, a tour-de-force of connection with Hashem. If our physical eating distanced us from Him, the bentching  brings us back. Rav Tzadok of Lublin writes that the source of all sin liesin eating with only physical pleasure in mind. Our constant challenge is tothink of our eating as a means to serve Hashem; eating to maintain our health and energy. The Gra in Even Shelaimah (2:2) says that if we eat with properintent it is considered as if we brought a korban,and any pleasure we derive from it is actually a mitzvah. 

In addition, according to Kabbalah, there are sparks of holiness present in food which nourish the soul. But these sparks can only be released if we eat with holiness and sanctity. When we bentch we display the innate holiness inour previous eating and the sparks are then released.

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Food Obsession

Baruch Hashem, R' Boruch Leff, a mechanech in Baltimore and writer for Yated, Aish.com, and other publications has given me permission to post a series of pieces which quote my rebbe, Rav Moshe Weinberger, from his book Are You Growing?, which is available on Aish's website at a 40% discount here. He asked me to point out that these pieces were not written by Rav Weinberger himself, but represent R' Leff's understanding of things Rav Weinberger said in various shiurim. Enjoy!

Rav Moshe Weinberger, shlita, pointed out that when we devote too much thought and energy to the desire for eating, the tayvas achila, even if we wouldn’t be in violation of lo sasuru and ahavas Hashem, we would still actually be feeding our yetzer hara. Sifrei mussar and sifrei chasidus state clearly that the root problem which leads to all transgressions is indulging in food,being a ‘fresser.’
The nature of the human personality is that the more we focus and strengthen the soul, the higher spirituality we will achieve. The opposite is true as well. The more we strengthen and focus upon the body, the stronger our drive for physicality will become. The guf and the gashmiyus parts of ourselves will reign and slowly but surely we will head toward more and more bodily pleasures,ultimately leading to sinful bodily pleasures. Even if we didn’t do anything to tempt ourselves for transgression, sinful thoughts may still enter our heads asa result of the tayvas achila.
The main description of Esav’s evil that the Torah portrays is his eating habits. He asked Yaakov to pour the food into his mouth. “He ate, he drank, he got up, and he left; thus, Esav spurned the birthright” (Bereishis25:34). He was a fresser. TheTorah’s description of the wayward son, the ben sorer umoreh, is one who is a zolelv’sovei, a glutton and a drunkard—a fresser.In Parshas Haazinu, when Hashem is giving Klal Yisrael a warning of the terrible spiritual slide they could experience, He begins by saying that if the Jewish people become fat, they will remove godliness from themselves. “Jeshurunbecame fat and kicked. You became fat, thick, and rotund; it thus deserted Hashem, its Maker, and was contemptuous of the Rock of salvation” (Devarim32:15). 
TOO OBSESSED
If we become so obsessed with food, we are bound to sin. In fact, the very first sin in the history of the world came as a result of the tayvas achila—the forbidden tree, the eitz hadaas, looked too appealing to Chava and she ‘could not resist.’
     
A frum lifestyle necessarily presents challenges in the area of eating. When you do the math, we have approximately80 days a year (depending on how much we engage in Chanukah parties) which aredays of feasting, days with one or more festive Shabbos or Yom Tov meals.Almost three months of every year! The average non-Jew only partakes in such meals twice a year at their holidays. How many calories do we consume at the average Shabbos or Yom Tov meal? Anywhere from 1500-2000 calories per meal.Maintaining a healthy weight is an arduous task unless we train ourselves toeat in moderation.

We have to learn how to eat properly at all times, but especially at our seudos shel mitzvah. We have to learn how to eat in the way that Hashem wants us to eat.

Most of the time, we hardly stop to notice the blessing and the pleasurable taste of the food we are eating. Oftentimes, before we realize it, we are finished eating without having focused on an appreciation for the pleasure that Hashem hasgiven us. This is one of the major causes for overeating—eating without thinking. As doctors and nutritionists tell us, we should eat slowly and really enjoy the taste. In this way, we will feel full before we overeat. Chazal tell us that we should not talk while we eat and wolf down food without thought—ein masichin b’seudah. Besides the concern of choking, eating without talking and eating slowly helps us savor and appreciate the food,allowing our taste buds to enjoy while serving to prevent overeating.
Hashem wants us to stop. . .eat.. . . think. . . and appreciate. He wants us to thank Him for His blessings. He does not want us to overeat.
WHY DIETS DON’T WORK
The dieting industry in America is a multi-billion dollar enterprise. Experts are constantly thinking up new diets and new diet products in order to help people lose weight. But we all know from experience that the majority of diets simplydon’t work to help a person shed pounds for the long haul. Sure, the dieter loses weight initially but too often the pounds are “put back on” later. Why isthis so? The reason is because a person can’t live forever following a specific weight loss diet. You can’t live without carbs forever. You will cave in at a certain point and get tired of all of Atkins’ meat. And so on.
Diets don’t work because they don’t train us to change our overeating habits. They are trying to help us lose weight by eating in the same way, with the same tayvas achila, only we are supposed toexpress the tayvas achila with otherfoods that are supposed to help us lose weight at least temporarily. They create diet products so that we will still be able to feast on ice cream and cake but with less calories. They replace one tayvas achila with a different tayvas achila. This is why they don’t work long term.
The only eating change which will make a person lose weight for the long haul is to simply train oneself to eat less and consume less calories. This is what doctors and nutritionists call portion control and avoiding consistent and heavy snacking. It’s pretty simple. If you take in less calories than you give out you lose weight. This is why exercise is so important—you burn more calories than you normally would without exercise. It’s a very simple method but it’s truly the only method that has chance of working—reducing the tayvas achila.
You can eat all types of food when you live this way. The ‘reduction of the tayvas achila diet’ is very permissive.You must only make sure not to eat too much of something. Have a small piece of cake at times, just don’t lose yourself and eat the whole cake. Have a spoonful of ice cream—just leave it that. The truth is our taste buds are just as satisfied with a spoonful of ice cream as they are with a pint. If we savor the taste and eat slowly it has the same effect for our taste buds. Our stomachs can feel full on anything—we might as well make it food that is healthier and has less calories.
We have to stop using food as an emotional anesthetic. Even if we feel good and forget our problems during the short time we are eating, without real solutions our problems return shortly after, and all we received was excess calories in the end result.

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How Well Do You Know the Sheppard?

Baruch Hashem, R' Boruch Leff, a mechanech in Baltimore and writer for Yated, Aish.com, and other publications has given me permission to post a series of pieces which quote my rebbe, Rav Moshe Weinberger, from his book Are You Growing?, which is available on Aish's website at a 40% discount here. He asked me to point out that these pieces were not written by Rav Weinberger himself, but represent R' Leff's understanding of things Rav Weinberger said in various shiurim. Enjoy!

Rav Moshe Weinberger, shlita, tells the story of a British poetry reading contest gathering where contestants would read apiece of poetry of their choice and then submit to an evaluation from the listening audience. Throughout the evening, tens of contestants stood up and read their poems in the most dramatic and highly sophisticated and refined Queen’s English accent that they could muster. The final contestant, a young man in his twenties, put on a tremendous show, demonstrating great emotion and passion as he chose Psalm 23 for his reading, the perek we know of as MizmorL’Dovid Hashem Ro’ee Lo Echsar—Hashem is My Shepherd, I do not lack anything.
The audience was extremely moved, more than it had been the entire night, as the charming young man read the beautiful paragraph written by Dovid HaMelech. It was clear to all who the winner of the poetry reading was to be. Even the many other poetry readers that evening knew they were masterfully outdone.
But just asthe wonderful event was drawing to a close, an old European Jewish man with a heavy Yiddish accent raised his hand and asked for a chance to take part as a contestant in the poetry reading contest, requesting to also read Mizmor L’Dovid Hashem Ro’ee Lo Echsar.
The chairman of the evening did not know how to react; the scene and the request seemed so comical. How in the world did this old Jew who spoke broken English think he could impress a classy British audience? The chairman did not know whether to laugh or shriek at the man for displaying such foolishness in front of such a refined listening group.
After a few minutes, with the crowd murmuring, the chairman composed himself and finally said, “Of course, you may enter into the reading contest. We allow all those present to attempt a reading if they so desire.” The chairman figured that hearing the old man make a fool out of himself would add a touch of comedy and be a nice way to end the evening.
The oldEuropean Jewish man with the Yiddish accent got up in front of the gathering and began to slowly recite the pasukim in the best English he could provide. “Hashem is My Shepherd, I do not lack anything . . .” The old man read the words with such emotion and meaning—hispassions and intensity were palpable. “In lush meadows He lays me down. . .” The British smiles and yearnings for laughter transformed quickly to eager and fixated listeners, hanging on every word. “He restores my soul. . . Though I walk in the valley of death, I will not fear because You are with me. . .”

By the time the man completed his reading, many in the audience were moved to tears—and anew poetry reading champion was crowned—but shockingly, it was not the young man in his twenties. No, the old European Jewish man with the Yiddish accent was the British poetry reading winner!
The young man in his twenties was crushed. He had worked and practiced so long for this event. He knew he did an excellent job with his reading and thought he had won handily—and he was about to win—until this mysterious old man ‘stole’ the award right out of his hands. Despite his disappointment, the young man was one to find a way to learn and improve his skills if he could. He ran up to the old man and new poetry champion and asked,“What was it? How did you manage to outdo my performance?”
The old man smiled and said, “You did a masterful job. Your reading was clear, impeccable and dramatic. The only advantage that I have over you is that I know the Shepherd! He’s my Father. He’s my Friend. I know the Shepherd very well.”
Do we know the Shepherd? Do we even want to know the Shepherd? Do we even want[1] to want to know the Shepherd?

If we want to know the Shepherd we have to relate and talk to Him throughout the day.

[1] Rav Weinberger quotes Torah sources which say that ‘wanting to want’ until ten times, i.e. wanting to want to want to want, etc. is still considered sincere.

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Should One Wear His Gartle on the Inside or the Outside?

Baruch Hashem, R' Boruch Leff, a mechanech in Baltimore and writer for Yated, Aish.com, and other publications has given me permission to post a series of pieces which quote my rebbe, Rav Moshe Weinberger, from his book Are You Growing?, which is available on Aish's website at a 40% discount here. He asked me to point out that these pieces were not written by Rav Weinberger himself, but represent R' Leff's understanding of things Rav Weinberger said in various shiurim. Enjoy!

Someone oncecame to Rav Moshe Weinberger (of Woodmere), shlita,and told him that his resolution for the year was to start wearing a gartel for davening. Rav Weinberger asked the man, “Why do you think youshould wear a gartel?” The manreplied, “Rebbe, you wear a gartel andI figured that I would begin to respect prayer more if I also wore a gartel.”

RavWeinberger responded, “Whether or not you should wear a gartel is its own subject. But don’t think you are doing teshuva just because you have decided tostart wearing a gartel. Repentancemust begin from within, not from without. If you want to work on bettering yourdavening, work on the root, the pnim, the inner self, the inner reasonwhy you don’t daven as you shouldnow. Merely putting on a gartel has nothing to do with a true path of teshuva.”

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Shabbos Table Stimulus Package - Shiur by R' Boruch Leff

Check out below for a shiur on "Spiritually Charging Your Shabbos Table" by Rabbi Boruch Leff for some ideas on making your Shabbos table more spiritual and holy:

CLICK HERE to get the shiur.

Also, check out the Two-for-One Special Aish Hatorah has for his books on how to connect more to Shabbos. Enjoy!

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Purim is Not Jewish Halloween! - Essay & Shiur on Purim by R' Boruch Leff

Click on THIS LINK to get a shiur by Rabbi Boruch Leff called "Purim is Not for Men Only." See also his essay on the topic, "Purim is Not a Jewish Haloween!":

The upcoming holiday of Purim is a real struggle. On the one hand, we know that the Arizal stated that Purim is an even holier day than Yom Kippur. Yom HaKippurim is Yom kePurim which means that it is a day like Purim, meaning Purim is greater. Purim is holier. Purim then is perhaps the holiest day of the year.

Is that how you feel on Purim? Do you feel more focused and closer to Hashem than you do on Yom Kippur? It’s very hard to experience Purim this way. After
all, no one gets dressed up as clowns on Yom Kippur. No one would ever mistake Yom Kippur with a Jewish ‘Mardi-Gras’ or describe Yom Kippur as a Jewish Halloween. But sometimes this is said about Purim. After all, that’s the way Purim appears externally.

I am fully aware that there are legitimate sources which justify all of the fun and frolic of Purim. The miracle of Purim occurred through hester panim, which means that Hashem directed the salvation in a hidden manner. The custom to wear masks and costumes (see Remo in Shulchan Aruch O.Ch. 696:8 for one source) is based on this.

I do not wish to be a party pooper. I love Purim parties. I do not say that the standard emphasis we have on cute mishloach manos, fun costumes, and even more fun Purim shpiels and parties are forbidden. I too have engaged in my share of them.

But I ask one question: is the way we celebrate Purim the ideal way to truly spiritually experience Purim? Is the way we experience Purim a testimony to the Arizal’s comment that Purim is a holier day than Yom Kippur? Should we spend more time on our Purim plays, preparing our costumes and delivering our creative mishloach manos theme or more time learning and davening on Purim?

When we learn the following I believe we will have our answer.

Rav Moshe Wolfson writes (Parshas Tezaveh, Emunas Itecha 5752) that the month of Adar is a special eis ratzon (a propitious spiritual time). He quotes the Zohar who says that the four months of Adar, Nissan, Iyar and Sivan are more favorable for prayer than any other time of the year. The Zohar writes that the entire month of Adar is on the same level as mincha on Shabbos Kodesh, a time of extreme spiritual power, when we say v'ani tefilasi lecha Hashem eis ratzon.

Furthermore, we find a remarkable halacha concerning tzedaka on Purim. "Whoever stretches out their hand on Purim should be given tzedakah" (Talmud Yerushalmi, Megilah 1,4) The Shulchan Aruch (694:3) paskins this. Whoever asks on Purim receives. Many sources (Toras Emes, Divrei Yechezkhel, Rav Mordechai of Lechovitch) say that this alludes to our prayers as well. Just as on Purim we give tzedaka to any supplicant in need, so too on Purim does Hashem give to all who entreat Him in prayer. Although Hashem listens to tefilos all year round, there are aspects of our tefilos that may prevent them from being answered. On Purim, however, we may be confident that our prayers will be answered and we will not be sent away empty- handed. We should recognize the power that sincere prayer has on this day, and utilize it to its maximum. Many seforim and rabbanim suggest that we rise early on Purim morning and daven slowly, with proper concentration.

This is said regarding tefila and Purim. There is another element associated with talmud Torah and Purim.
Purim is the holiday in which we express that HaKadosh Baruch Hu is with us even in hester panim. We do this through a full Kabalas Hatorah as Klal Yisrael did at the time of Purim. Rav Yaakov Weinberg, ztl understood that all of the mitzvos that we are required to perform on Purim relate to Matan Torah.

The mishloach manos and matanos l'evyonim exist in order to create achdus-unity which Klal Yisrael had and must have in order to accept Torah. We are part of an Am; not individuals. We realize that we must learn to appreciate everyone in the nation. Vayichan sham Yisrael neged hahar-k’ish echad b’lev echad.

This is the concept of 'Ezehu Chacham HaLomed Mikol Adam'- every person has something we can learn from and if we are true seekers of truth we will seek out truth wherever we can get it, even if it is from those we consider lower than us.
In order to accept Torah we must be extremely modest-this is why Moshe was the one who gave us Torah, he was the 'Anav Mikol Adam'. We have to realize
that we don't know everything and we are 'Lo yodim'- as in the mitzvah of drinking on Purim-ad de’lo yada. This is the only way we can accept the authority of Hashem and be’ mekabel Marus’ to Him. The explanation in the ad de’lo yada on Purim is that the only way we can be mekabel Torah is through being mevatel our daas to HaKadosh Baruch Hu. Just as in Naaseh Venishma, we need to become "Lo Yodim"-we do not know anything without HaKadosh Baruch Hu. We must re-accept the Torah on Purim in this way.

This explains why we are supposed to get drunk until we 'don't know' the difference between Mordechai and Haman. We must become 'lo yodim', eliminating all of our preconceived notions and make ourselves like a midbar, as Chazal say, in order to accept Torah. The Seudas Purim is a seudas hodaah, thanking HaKadosh Baruch Hu for bringing us close to Him to accept His Torah.

Rav Yaakov Weinberg explained that the lashon of Chazal is a person should be "Lebesumei". It does not say "Lihishtakurei". It does not mean that one should get drunk as if getting drunk were the goal. Rather, "Lebesumei" means to indulge, to enjoy, to be involved in physical pleasure with an ambiance. The drinking is an obligation to drink until you reach a level of Ad Delo Yada. . . But you do not have to get there. You just keep drinking and enjoying and if you happen to get to Ad Delo Yada you become exempt. This is why the Rambam says that you drink until you fall asleep and then you're 'Lo yada'. But you don't have to and you shouldn't get drunk until "Shichruso shel Lot". We see that the 'Lo Yada' is a status which comes before you are totally 'out of it' because you are still aware in general but just not aware of the difference between Haman and Mordechai. So one should drink and indulge but one should not just get drunk-it's the atmosphere that counts-'lebesumei'.

Having learned all this, we ask again how we can treat Purim as the holiest day of the year and yet emphasize Purim shpiels, cute jokes, and clowns? (Not to mention inappropriate drinking, smoking, and worse.)

I’ve worn silly costumes before on Purim. But have you ever seen a Gadol wear a silly costume on Purim? If we are trying to grow with passion on Purim, can we do it wearing a silly costume and engaging in the standard Purim fun fare? I wonder.
You are welcome to e-mail any comments or questions.

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Davening for the Mundane - Rabbi Boruch Leff on Bilvavi II Ch. 13 - Audio Shiur

Rabbi Boruch Leff has been mezakeh us with part three of his series of shiurim on Bilvavi Vol. 2, Chapter 13. The shiur discussed:

Is it wrong to daven for new shoes? A

re we made of gold and silver or of base metal (Kotzker)?

How are we supposed to feel after we daven?

CLICK HERE to get the shiur!

P.S. You can get "Shabbos in My Soul," Volumes 1 and 2 by Rabbi Leff, for the price of one, HERE.

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Screaming Your Davening - Shiur on Bilvavi 2 by R' Boruch Leff

Rabbi Boruch Leff has been mezakeh us with Part 2 of his series of shiurim on Bilvavi Vol. 2, Chapter 13. The shiur discussed:

-Can you daven for specific things?
-Is every tefila always answered?
-Should you ever scream your davening?
-When is davening out loud proper and when is it not?

CLICK HERE to get the shiur!

P.S. You can get "Shabbos in My Soul," Volumes 1 and 2 by Rabbi Leff, for the price of one, HERE.

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Knowing Whether the Bilvavi Derech to Avodas Hashem is For Everyone - Audio Shiur

Rabbi Boruch Leff has been mezakeh us with Part the first part of his series of shiurim on Bilvavi Vol. 2, Chapter 13. The shiur discussed whether the Bilvavi approach to avodas Hashem is for everyone...

CLICK HERE to get the shiur! P.S. You can get "Shabbos in My Soul," Volumes 1 and 2 by Rabbi Leff, for the price of one, HERE.

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Bilvavi Beis with Rabbi Boruch Leff of Baltimore - Audio Shiur

Rabbi Boruch Leff has been mezakeh us with Part the final part of his series of shiurim on Bilvavi Vol. 2, Chapter 12. The shiur discussed how buying cereal become a holy event, how is life like being held upside down over Niagara Falls, how can I practically fulfill Shivisi Hashem L'Negdi Samid, and whether I have a good life chavrusa.

CLICK HERE to get the shiur!

P.S. You can get "Shabbos in My Soul," Volumes 1 and 2 by Rabbi Leff, for the price of one, HERE.

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R' Leff on Bilvavi Beis - Everything is in the Hands of Heaven, Even Yiras Shomayim?

Rabbi Boruch Leff has been mezakeh us with Part 3 of his series of shiurim on Bilvavi Vol. 2, Chapter 12. The shiur discussed the concept of davening for everything in our lives, even spiritual success. But where's free will if G-d is giving me my spiritual success? Are you allowed to ask for things on Shabbos? Why should we daven so that we should be able to daven?

CLICK HERE to get the shiur!

P.S. You can get "Shabbos in My Soul," Volumes 1 and 2 by Rabbi Leff, for the price of one, HERE.

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Hashgacha Pratis on Baseball - Bilvavi Shiur by R' Boruch Leff

Rabbi Boruch Leff has been mezakeh us with his latest shiur on Bilvavi Vol. 2, Chapter 12.

This chabura discussed the importance of Tefila and bringing Hashem into everything we do.

A tangential point led to a lengthy interesting discussion regarding whether there is Hashgacha with who will win the World Series and other like events, how the David Letterman show made someone a shomer Shabbos, and whether G-d is a Yankees fan or Yankees hater. . . :)

(DY: Where do the Orioles fall in Hashem's plans?)

CLICK HERE to get the shiur!

Related article: Aish.com: The Downfall of the Yankees

P.S. You can get "Shabbos in My Soul," Volumes 1 and 2 by Rabbi Leff, for the price of one, HERE.

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Bilvavi Beis With Rabbi Boruch Leff from Baltimore - Audio Shiur

The Shiur by Rabbi Boruch Leff began Perek 12 of Bilvavi Mishkan Evneh, Vol. 2. The topic was tefila and how one can pray to Hashem constantly throughout the day.

Along the way, the shiur answered why tefila is called avodah if we are making requests. Isn't Hashem 'serving us' then? Where does the word tefillin come from? And more.

CLICK HERE to get the shiur in wav format.

P.S. You can get "Shabbos in My Soul," Volumes 1 and 2 by Rabbi Leff, for the price of one, HERE.

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Final Shiur on Bilvavi Vol. 2, Ch. 11 - Rabbi Boruch Leff

Here is the last in a series of shiurim by Rav Boruch Leff from Baltimore on Bilvavi Mishkan Evneh, Vol. 2, Chapter 11.

The Shiur discussed in depth what Bilvavi is trying to accomplish: Instinctively seeing Hashem in everything immediately vs. dealing with Hashem as more of an 'afterthought', even if as a real and genuine 'afterthought.'

CLICK HERE to get the shiur.

P.S. You can get "Shabbos in My Soul," Volumes 1 and 2 by Rabbi Leff, for the price of one, HERE.

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Shavuos is Not What You Think - Audio Shiur by Rabbi Boruch Leff

Here is Rabbi Boruch Leff's shiur on Shavuos, given in Baltimore, entitled, Shavuos is Not What You Think. Here, he covers:

• Why isn't Shavuos explained as Matan Torah in the Chumash?
• Why doesn't Shavous have a specific mitzvah?
• Why must we indulge our bodies on Shavuos?
• Is Shavuos really about learning Torah?
• Can we live with Matan Torah daily?

CLICK HERE to get the shiur.

P.S. You can get "Shabbos in My Soul," Volumes 1 and 2 by Rabbi Leff, for the price of one, HERE.

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