Special Features
The word ELUL - ALEF-LAMED-VAV-LAMED - is an acronym (Rashei Teivot) for several phrases that have meaning relevant to the themes and mood of this pre-Yamim Nora'im month. Most famous is ANI L'DODI V'DODI LI from Shir HaShirim (6:3), which beautifully and succinctly describes the love relationship between HaShem and the people of Israel. To know that we approach Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur in a mood and mode of AHAVA - in addition to the awe and dread - is (should be) truly inspiring and encouraging. The thought of facing an angry king in judgment is daunting. To know and feel strong AHAVAT HASHEM and love from Him, can help tremendously in our task of T'shuva. In addition to the Rashei Teivot of this phrase spelling ELUL, the Sofei Teivot, final letters, are each YUD, for a total of 40, a reminder of the 40 days and nights Moshe Rabeinu spent on Har Sinai pleading on our behalf. In D'varim 30:6 we find: U'MAL HASHEM ELOKECHA ET L'VAV'CHA V'ET L'VAV ZAR'ECHA. Part of the RETURN process, return to the Land, return to Torah, return to G-d, is "and HaShem, your G-d, will circumcise your heart and the hearts of your children. The initials of ET L'VAV'CHA V'ET L'VAV spell ELUL. T'shuva, with a big helping-hand from G-d, is the hallmark of the month. In Megilat Esther 9:22 we find the mitzva of Mishlo'ach Manot, which we can take as symbolizing interpersonal mitzvot. u'mishlo'ach manot ISH L'REI'EIHU UMATANOT LA'EV'YONIM. These last four words also spell ELUL and typify the concerted effort at improving our relationships with others. LO TATEH MISHPAT... Do not pervert justice. And what is the main, loathesome act that does the greatest harm to the proper flow of justice? The Vilna Gaon points out that if we take the letters of the word TATEH, TAV-TET-HEI and we take the before-neighbor of each letter - SHIN-CHET-DALET, shochad - we find the culprit. Bribery can turn even the most honest people. Shun it completely. TZEDEK TZEDEK TIRDOF... Justice you shall surely pursue, that you may live and inherit the Land that G-d is giving you (D'varim 16:20). Contrast this promise with D'varim 28:25 (from the aTochacha. "G-d shall cause you to be defeated by your enemies, you shall go out one way to encounter them and flee seven ways before them; and you shall be removed (from the Land) into all the kingdoms on earth." Notice how inheriting Eretz Yisrael is the result in the first case, and losing it is the result in the other. These two p'sukim show what's in store for us if we keep G-d's commands and if we don't. They have the same G'matriya. From Hasidic Wisdom by Simcha Raz (Elkins/Elkins) There are three different levels of people with secrets: The first: You can tell they have a secret, but they still do not reveal it. The second: You cannot even tell that they have a secret. The third: Even if you tell them their own secret, they still act as if they do not know a thing about it. - Rabbi Shmuel Schneerson You need to be smart to know how to tell a story properly. But you need to be even smarter to know who to listen to a story properly. - Rabbi Shalom Dov Ber of Lubavitch Throughout Elul (excluding Shabbat and Erev R"H), the Shofar is blown at the end of Shacharit, to announce the coming of the Yamim Nora'im and to awaken us to the task and challenge of T'shuva. In Hilchot T'shuva (3:7), Rambam describes one aspect of the Shofar as calling to sleepers and slumberers to awaken, to undergo self-examination of their deeds, to do T'shuva, and to remember their Creator. From the Desk of the Director What distinguishes the Jewish way of life from other civilizations? Probably the definition of the late Rabbi Isidore Epstein encapsulates it all. He describes Judaism as associated with "essentially an ethical God to whom the doing of justice and righteousness [Mishpat and Tzedek] is of supreme concern." Clearly this is the true nature of Judaism, for Hashem says of Avraham: "For I know him that he will command his children…and [that] they shall keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgment." So, it is not surprising that our parsha urges judges to judge with "righteous judgment (Mishpat Tzedek)." But what exactly does this mean? Is it something to do with R. Bunam's interpretation of the phrase "Tzedek tzedek tirdof" as meaning that judges should pursue righteousness with righteousness? No! For that still begs the question. Let us then recall R. Soloveitchik's observation that from a halachic perspective absolute justice belongs to Heaven. In contrast, human application of din based on surface evidence fails to satisfy all the uncertainties concerning the litigants and obscures the deeper sources of conflict. So we need Tzedek - righteousness - realized through the notion of "peshara" which declares both parties winners and losers. Tzedek, then, is both socially desirable and morally just since the Mishpat reflects the existential condition of man's inevitable imperfection. How beautiful of Halachah to recognize that! If only we, too, could do so. Sincerely yours, Menachem Persoff, director, Israel Center NCSY B'YISRAEL NEWS... Dear Ema and Abba, By the time you get this letter, I'll already be home, but since I promised to write… We left camp for the last part of the program, and although the bus broke down and would not cooperate, we persevered and eventually got to Gaditch to visit the kever of the Baal HaTania. There we said mincha, tehilim, sang and heard stories about him from Rav Benny Kalmonson. Along with the group of Hesdernikim who joined us, we ran into a group of Chabadnikim at the kever who also joined not only in our singing, but included us in their schnappes partaking. (Not to worry- I took the tiniest of sips!) The next day we davened vatikin at Uman, and continued to Breslov to visit the kever of Rav Nachman. We sat by the very same river that he did. Speaking of rivers, we attempted to tovel whenever possible in the rivers, and once, we had the villagers row us out and we swam back. In the cemetery of one small village, a very old man walked in and became very emotional to see so many young Jews standing there. He immediately wanted to say Kaddish and Kel Malay Rachamim. He told us how he served in and survived the Russian army in WWII and returned to this village. Turns out, he is the chazan for the existing minyan. They no longer can use the shul, which once served a large congregation, because it was turned into a sports complex. But he must be some sort of optimist, because he refused to allow us to take out the remaining Torahs. We visited Berdichev and Anipoli, the graves of Rav Levi Yitzchak and Rav Zusha. In the village of Mizuch, Rav Benny discovered a monument to Holocaust victims that was never seen before. We proceeded to seek out the local villagers in order to establish what happened in that terrible time period, and about the slaughter that ensued. Rav Benny will forward our findings to the right places. There's a lot more, but we'll talk when I get home. All in all, it was a very unique and special trip, and an unforgettable experience. See you soon, love, Yuval NESTO - Native English-Speaking Teen Olim The response to last week's welcome back from NESTO in our T.T. column was gratifying, and I am looking forward to the increased enthusiasm in our renewed youth group. If you were a member of NESTO last year you should have received a welcome back letter with a flyer for the upcoming BBQ. Parents should have received a letter with our newly formulated mission statement as well. If they did not reach you, or you would like extra copies for a friend, please contact the NESTO office. Remember... Tuesday, September 12 first program of the year We will be grilling at Gan Sacher starting at 5:30pm Please bring your sports equipment. We will be collecting membership dues at that time. Several businesses have given a positive response to our request for a 10% discount at their stores to NESTO members. To give you a taste of what's ahead, Tuesday nights at NESTO will offer learning opportunities for kids of various backgrounds and interests. Topics will include medical and social ethics as seen through the halacha, as well as basic discussions on key hashkafa issues. There will be sessions which are text oriented, and others that are based on popular movies and t.v. shows. The learning begins Tuesday September 19, at the Israel Center. Yours, Rabbi Avi Silverman, director NESTO, the Israel Center's youth program for Anglo-Israelis 10 Straus St. • P.O.B. 37015 • J'lem tel. 500-3333 ext. 203 • fax: 538-5186 Rabbi Avi Silverman, Director email: aviditz@netvision.net.il [The Shoftim Homepage]
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