From the virtual desk of the OU VEBBE REBBE
The Orthodox Union – via its website – fields questions of all types in areas of kashrut, Jewish law and values. Some of them are answered by Eretz Hemdah, the Institute for Advanced Jewish Studies, Jerusalem, founded by HaRav Shaul Yisraeli, zt"l to prepare rabbanim and dayanim to serve the National Religious community in Israel and abroad. Ask the Rabbi is a joint venture of the OU, Yerushalayim Network, Eretz Hemdah... and the Israel Center. The following is a Q&A from Eretz Hemdah...

Q What is the status of divrei Torah found in parasha sheets and news- papers regarding whether they require geniza (burial of sacred texts)?
A The topic is much too broad to give thorough treatment in this forum. We suggest that, if you read "halachic Hebrew," look at the overview found in Techumin, vol. III pp. 308-321. We will give a little background and the bottom line.

There are two problems in dealing with sacred texts:
1) There is a Torah prohibition to destroy Hashem's "non-erasable names" (learned from Devarim 12:2-3). It is a matter of some debate whether there is a Torah or Rabbinic prohibition to destroy other sacred articles, including a Tanach or even other divrei Torah which do not have Hashem's names spelled out. Another machloket arises in regard to indirect erasure of a Name. The gemara (Shabbat 120b) allows one who had a Name written on his body to enter a bath and have the water dissolve the ink over time, as this is indirect (goreim). However, there is reason to believe that this leniency applies only when a variety of mitigating circumstances coincide (see Igrot Moshe, Orach Chayim I, 4-6).

2) There is a requirement to avoid disgracing sacred texts and even to take steps to save them from disgrace, which includes not writing things which are likely to be disgraced later (see Shabbat 115). The critical need to teach Torah has allowed significant leniency in writing down divrei Torah in a manner which was once forbidden. However, one should take care not to unnecessarily write p'sukim or Names in places where their prospects are poor (see Igrot Moshe, YD II, 134-135).

Between the two problems, several important poskim rule that disgrace is a bigger problem than non-direct, respectful destruction of the text, at least when Hashem's name is not present. Therefore, under certain circumstances, some allowed the burning of divrei Torah in a case where they could not or would not be buried and would certainly be disgraced (see Shvut Ya'akov III,10; Meishiv Davar II,80; Melamed L'ho'il, YD 89). Much of the discussion dealt with the more lenient case of unusable galleys from the printing process, where the texts were never fit for use. In modern times, the alternative to discarding is not burning, but putting in recycling bins, which is free of the disgrace of placing the texts in a garbage (even inside a bag). Also, the destruction is indirect, at least from the perspective of the text's owner. There is room to discuss leniency when Names aren't involved (see Aseh L'cha Rav III,28; Techumin ibid.).

Although there are discussions regarding material printed by machine with a low level or no level of intention for kedusha and a variety of other questions, the halachic consensus is that Torah texts of all sorts (including the paper you are presently reading) should normally be put aside for geniza.

Ed. note: Over the years, many people have asked us about the proper “disposal” of Torah Tidbits (and other Torah sheets). Although we’ve addressed this issue in the past, we were due to review the situation again. We thank the Vebbe Rebbe for his attention to this question, and we’d like to add a couple of words of our own. These are not the responsibility of the Vebbe Rebbe; they are based on the answers we received in consultation with Rabbi Moshe Flumenbaum (and his poskim) of HaSofer.

Unread Torah Tidbits (and other sheets) — and this includes leftovers from the printing as well as copies in the possession of individuals which have not been read for whatever reason — can be discarded for recycling, but not in regular garbage.

Divrei Torah that have been read should be discarded in GENIZA.

Now here’s another “wrinkle”. One should prefer- ably NOT put things into GENIZA that do not need to be there. This is partly because there is a cost in handling GENIZA (by weight or by volume, same difference), and therefore, putting in unnec- essary pages causes someone to lose money.

Personal (Phil) opinion for conscientious TT readers: Pages, both sides of which have no divrei Torah, can be torn out and thrown away before submitting the rest to GENIZA. One does not have to cut up pages with both Torah and non-Torah material, but can GENIZA it all.
Please don’t see all this as burdensome, but rather a way of showing respect to printed words of Torah - and care for the money of others.

Hasidic Wisdom from the book by Simcha Raz (Elkins/Elkins)
Angels have no evil inclination (Yeitzer HaRa). Humans do.
Nevertheless, by overcoming their Yeitzer HaRa, humans can rise to a greatness beyond that of angels.
— Rabbi Leibele Eger

All the comforts of exile are nothing but a diversion to make us forget that we are indeed exiled.
— Rabbi David of Sochatchov

Those who do not commiserate with the sorrows of their friends can be sure that their ancestors were not present at Har Sinai
— Rabbi Mendel of Zlotchov

Rite & Reason by Shmuel Pinchas Gelbard
During the prayer of Shemona Esrei, one should stand with his feet close to each other (Shulchan Aruch).

Reason: Our Sages said (Berachot 10b): “One who prays should place his feet near one another,” like the pasuk says regarding the angels (Yechezkeil 1:7): “Their feet appear like one straight leg” (Mateh Moshe).

Standing this way symbolizes the standing of angels (Yechezkeil, ibid.).

“When one draws near to speak with the Divine Presence, he must remove all mundane thoughts froim his heart and must view himself as if he were a ministering angel.”

Reason: The numerical value of the word tefillah [prayer] (515) equals the numerical value of yesharah [straight]. This alludes to the concept that when standing in prayer, one should place his feet together as if they were one.
Reason: Standing with one’s feet together expresses subjugating oneself towards the Almighty, “as if his feet are tied. This demon- strates that man is powerless to satisfy his own desires unless HaShem agrees with him; as the pasuk says (Yirmeyahu 10:32): ‘The way of a man is not in his control.’”

ArtScroll Series • Mesorah Publications Ltd.
WORDS OF WISDOM WORDS OF WIT by Shmuel Himelstein
R’ Shmuel Salanter always did everything he could to convince couples to reconcile without divorce. Once, however, a couple came to him, and both were adamant that they wished to be divorced. Nothing R’ Shmuel said could persuade them differently. Finally, R’ Shmuel agreed to arrange the divorce. Of course, the first thing he needed to know was the name of the wife. “My name is Ratchke”, the woman said.

"That’s a very strange name”, said R’ Shmuel, “one I’ve never heard before.”
“Well. actually”, the woman said, “my name is Raizie, but people gradually started calling me Ratchke, and the name stuck.”

“That presents us with a real problem as to what to write in the get (bill of divorce)”, said R’ Shmuel. “Therefore, you should return home and be sure that for the next thirty days no one calls you by the name Ratchke. You are to be called Raizie and nothing else.”

The couple returned home, and during those thirty days they were reconciled and never returned to complete the divorce proceedings.

What we call "normal" is an awesome equilibrium. From A Candle by Day by Shraga Silverstein

The very existence of the word “mood” in our vocabulary shows how insensitive we are to our emotions. A feeling whose cause we cannot explain, we call a “mood|. If its cause were suddenly sensed, it would be a mood no longer. We use the word “mood” as we use the word “virus”, not a label for some known causitive factor, but as a euphemism for “cause unknown”.
From A Candle by Day by Shraga Silverstein

Only twice in Torah (or Tanach) is the phrase ZOT CHUKAT HATORAH used. Moshe Rabeinu used it in reference to the Para Aduma. Elazar HaKohen used it in reference to the kashering and purification of vessels captured in war. The Midrash brings an opinion that Moshe gave Elazar permission to teach halacha in his (Moshe’s) presence (although it isn’t considered proper for a talmid to speak before his rebbi), so that people would not be able to say, after Moshe’s passing, that Elazar did not speak out at all during Moshe’s lifetime, and now he does speak. In other words, Moshe was creating an acceptance of Elazar as one of the major Torah teachers of the next generation. The gemara says that 3000 halachot were forgotten during the mourning period for Moshe and it was Elazar who retaught them to the people (without use of Ru’ach HaKodesh, because of the concept that the Torah is not in the Heavens).

From the Desk of the Director
Parshat Chukat opens with the command concerning the Red Heifer. This command, known as a "chok" or statute, is considered to be the archetype of Hashem's laws for which the underlying reason is not understood.

This particular chok completely defies logic. The ashes of the heifer spiritually cleanse a person who has been in touch with the dead, yet the those same purifying ashes spiritually defile the one who sprinkles them.

Nevertheless, our sages teach that individuals who observe chukim unconditionally display noteworthy faith in G-d and merit great rewards. In fact, the Devash Vechalav argues that all mitzvot should be observed on the basis of pure faith, whether or not the reasons are understood. Moreover, the Vilna Gaon, citing the Mishnah (Shabbat 1:3), argues that over-indulgence in the reasons behind mitzvot is very likely to lead to eventual non-observance.

The She'ar Bat Rabim observed that over-rationalization can also lead to a false sense of righteousness. Commenting on Rashi's description of the Red Heifer as "a proclamation before Me" about which "You have no right to pursue its reason," he suggests that this twofold classification describes the Yetzer Hara. Having first failed in its attempts to attack the validity of the mitzva, it now induces the individual to rationalize his observance of the "chok." The proud person now becomes full of his own prowess. No wonder that we, too, employ dual language when daily, as darkness falls, we implore Hashem "to remove the Satan from before us and from behind us."
Shabbat Shalom, Menachem Persoff, Director, Israel Center

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