Podcasts about Mussaf

If we would be able to see what we accomplish by doing mitzvot, we would run after them with such excitement and everything in this world would pale in comparison to them. When the Jewish People were preparing to leave Mitzrayim, they were told to go and gather all the wealth of Egypt. At that time, Moshe Rabbenu chose to go and find the aron of Yosef instead, and for that Chazal applied the pasuk חכם לב יקח מצוות to him. While everyone was becoming billionaires, Moshe went to do one mitzvah and he was called the wisest of all of them for that endeavor. Besides for the fact that his reward was eternal while their wealth would only last here in this world, seven days later at Yam Suf, the entire nation was in jeopardy of being killed out by the Mitzrim . When the Sea saw the aron of Yosef, it split and the entire nation was saved. Moshe Rabbenu was thus credited with saving the entire Klal Yisrael because of his pursuit of that one mitzvah. Why did the Sea split for Yosef? Because years before when he was being tested with the wife of Potifar, he ran away from temptation and so now the water was running away from his aron to save the entire Klal Yisrael . Imagine if during that difficult test Yosef would have known that he was going to be the cause of millions of people to be saved, he would have ran away with ease, it wouldn't have even been a test. However, Hashem does not allow a person to see the wondrous effects of what his deeds are going to accomplish, in order for his free will to remain balanced. But we must know that if we did have the eyes to see what was happening when we do mitzvot, we would be so excited to perform every single one of them. I read a story about a man who asked the gabai in his shul to reserve Aliyat Maftir and chazan for Mussaf on one of the upcoming Shabbatot , since that was the week of his mother's yahrtzeit . This man was a very organized person and always made sure to plan things a long time in advance. He was a long time member of that shul and one of its supporters and the gabai told him both of those honors were open and he made a note to reserve them for him. When that Shabbat arrived, the man came into shul filled with anticipation, but there he noticed that a stranger had joined the minyan that day and was in deep conversation with the gabai . The man was curious to hear what the debate was about and, to his shock, he found out that this stranger had asked for Maftir and chazan for Mussaf because he also had a yahrtzeit . Here he was a long time member and supporter of the shul and he asked for these from weeks in advance and now some stranger just strolls in out of the blue and thinks he can take those honors? But then, a small voice whispered inside of him, maybe he should give in? Who knows what merits help the neshama the most. Maybe giving up what was his for someone else would accomplish even more. And so, with great strength, he went over to the gabai and told him to give those honors to the other man. He would take a different aliyah and be chazan for Shacharit on the actual yahrtzeit instead. The gabai said, " Chas v'shalom , there is a system here, these are yours." The man reassured the gabai that he was actually happy to do this. And when the gabai saw he was serious, he went over and gave them to the other man. Rabbi Aharon Toisig, a prominent Rav from Bnei Brak, was present in the shul when this episode took place and he related what happened the next day. The congregant came into shul and said his mother came to him in a dream and said to him, "My son, I was given special permission to descend to this world to thank you. The elevation that I experienced when you gave up the Maftir and Mussaf was greater than any other I had ever experienced. I remember well the elevation I merited in past years when you got Aliyat Maftir and was chazan for Mussaf , but those did not come close to what I merited this year when you mustered up the fortitude to give up the honors that were rightfully yours for the sake of peace and to help someone else." This is just one small example of the great effects of our deeds. The harder they are to perform, the greater they become. We should always run to do mitzvot with the utmost excitement.

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Kitzur Yomi 41 [12.5] Siman 21:9 - 22 [Tashlumin, Mussaf, Tachanun, Sitting, Sleeve, Bris]

We discuss when mussaf should be davenned on Shabbat, and eating before it.

128

Source Sheet

2- Orach Chaim 591-592- Tefillas Mussaf Rosh Hashanah (Elul 5784)

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text!Length: 58 minutesSynopsis: Tonight (9/18/24), in Wednesday night Tehilim shiur, I decided not to review and refine the approaches we came up with last time, but instead, to jump right into the Sforno. We learned through his commentary at a leisurely pace, with lots of help from R' Moshe Kravetz's footnotes and R' Elia di Nola's commentary. During the last 15 minutes of shiur we worked on coming up with a unified theory. It feels like we're really close, but not quite there. We have one Wednesday night Tehilim shiur left before Rosh ha'Shanah, so we'll plan to devote that shiur to another attempt, and perhaps we'll see what some of the commentaries on the Mussaf of Rosh ha'Shanah say.-----מקורות:תהלים פרק כדספורנושיעורי רב עובדיה ספורנו-----The Torah content for the first month of the new school year has been sponsored by the Brevique BrewLid. The BrewLid integrates coffee directly into the lid, offering a cleaner, more convenient, and eco-friendly coffee experience. By eliminating the need for machine contact, it reduces contamination risk, minimizes steps, cuts down on waste, and keeps the aroma around longer while delivering every last drop of flavor. If you love coffee and want to get in on the ground floor of BrewLid, check out the Kickstarter!-----If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone.-----Substack: rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/Patreon: patreon.com/rabbischneeweissYouTube Channel: youtube.com/rabbischneeweissInstagram: instagram.com/rabbischneeweiss/"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com"The Mishlei Podcast": mishlei.buzzsprout.com"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: rambambekius.buzzsprout.com"The Tefilah Podcast": tefilah.buzzsprout.comOld Blog: kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/WhatsApp Content Hub (where I post all my content and announce my public classes): https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0HAmazon Wishlist: amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel

Halachos of Tekias Shofar and Tefillas Mussaf (Elul 5784)

Dedicated lirefuah shleima Tinok ben Miriam Ahuva   Dedication opportunities are available for episodes and series at  https://ohr.edu/donate/qa   Questions? Comments? podcasts@ohr.edu   Yeshivat Ohr Somayach located in the heart of Jerusalem, is an educational institution for young Jewish English-speaking men. We have a range of classes and programs designed for the intellectually curious and academically inclined - for those with no background in Jewish learning to those who are proficient in Gemara and other original source material. To find the perfect program for you, please visit our website https://ohr.edu/study_in_israel​ whatsapp us at https://bit.ly/OSREGISTER or call our placement specialist at 1-254-981-0133 today!   Subscribe to the Rabbi Breitowitz Q&A Podcast at https://plnk.to/rbq&a   Submit questions for the Q&A with Rabbi Breitowitz https://forms.gle/VCZSK3wQJJ4fSd3Q7   Subscribe to our YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/OhrSomayach/videos   00:00 - What does it mean to see benevolent and malevolent spirits?   03:45 - Was Tisha Ba'Av observed in days of Ezra?   07:40 - Why do we take tefillin off for Mussaf?   09:50 - Is self-esteem bedieved?   14:05 - If we are happy with our lot, why do we daven for more?   23:25 - We see that Gedolim went off the derech or rabbis were banned and then celebrated. How do we know how to make the right decisions?   33:10 - Does G-d have a sense of humour?   36:50 - Why are European surnames more assimilated?   39:30 - How should I view my relationship with food?   44:20 - How do I balance gratitude for people and Hashem?   49:10 - Why is Olam Haba not in the written Torah?   53:05 - What date did they write on their documents before Hillel created the calendar?   58:05 - What's happening when you stand in front of the grave of a Tzadik?   01:06:50 - Why would Hashem allow Jews to have so much success in the world who do not keep the Torah?   01:14:44 - Why should a Bochur in yeshiva keep up with the news and how?   01:18:48 - Is Kiddushin d'oraita or d'rabanan?   01:25:00 - If one could only learn one page of Gemara, which one?   01:34:39 - What should I do during Bein Hazmanim?   01:36:00 - Why should the son of a Cohen lose his status as a Cohen as a result of his father's sins?   You can listen to this and many other Ohr Somayach programs by downloading our app, on Apple and Google Play, ohr.edu and all major podcast platforms. Visit us @ https://ohr.edu  PRODUCED BY: CEDAR MEDIA STUDIOS  

Source material: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1x8vprC4-eop6MaZgDL_VyM9gLKzUM8uc/view?usp=drive_link

Dedication opportunities are available for episodes and series at  https://ohr.edu/donate/qa   Questions? Comments? podcasts@ohr.edu   Yeshivat Ohr Somayach located in the heart of Jerusalem, is an educational institution for young Jewish English-speaking men. We have a range of classes and programs designed for the intellectually curious and academically inclined - for those with no background in Jewish learning to those who are proficient in Gemara and other original source material. To find the perfect program for you, please visit our website https://ohr.edu/study_in_israel​ whatsapp us at https://bit.ly/OSREGISTER or call our placement specialist at 1-254-981-0133 today!   Subscribe to the Rabbi Breitowitz Q&A Podcast at https://plnk.to/rbq&a   Submit questions for the Q&A with Rabbi Breitowitz https://forms.gle/VCZSK3wQJJ4fSd3Q7   Subscribe to our YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/OhrSomayach/videos   00:00 What is the relationship between the Sanhedrin and the Men of the Great Assembly?   12:27 What are the issues with recognizing civil marriages?   28:50 Why not make the blessings of shofar during the repetition of Mussaf if those are the mitzvah?   31:11 What is the purpose in the creation of subjective and objective repulsions?   35:44 Does shoresh neshama have to be positive phenomena?   45:38 Why do some mishnayos repeat between tractates?   47:36 Do we stand for a Rav during another Rav's shiur?   50:09 Why are there so many days without Tachanun, and why is it without prostration?   55:36 Why do kiruv rabbis argue against evolution instead of explaining the compatibility with the Torah?   1:04:14 How do we explain preserved humans dating before supposed year zero?   1:07:21 Is it permissible to work as a day trader?   1:12:46 How are we supposed to emulate God's anger?   1:19:45 How do we connect to the Biblical preoccupation with avoiding and combating avodah zarah?   1:24:51 Did the sea split for Yosef's bones or Nachshon ben Aminadav?   1:27:18 What is the source of the segulah to put havdalah wine all over the body?    What did Vashti do that was so evil?    How do we understand the idea of one language before Bavel?    How did life get to America after the Flood?   You can listen to this and many other Ohr Somayach programs by downloading our app, on Apple and Google Play, ohr.edu and all major podcast platforms. Visit us @ https://ohr.edu  PRODUCED BY: CEDAR MEDIA STUDIOS  

One of the minhagim we have upon us in the days preceding Purim is זכר למחצית השקל . We give money as a reminder of the machazit hashekel, the half shekel of silver that they used to give during the days of the Beit HaMikdash. The Sefer Sha'areh Moshe writes, if we understand one of the underlying meanings of machazit hashekel , it will help us with another mitzvah, משנכנס אדר מרבים בשמחה , increasing our joy during the month of Adar. Rashi writes in Parashat Ki Tisa regarding the machazit hashekel , that the Jewish people were commanded to give it initially, to be counted after the chet ha'egel . And because we aren't able to count people, they had to give a coin to be counted instead. The Sha'areh Moshe asked, if the machazit hashekel was just meant as a vehicle to be counted, why did they have to give money? They could have given something else of less value. To explain, he quoted from a piyut that many communities say during Mussaf on Shabbat Shekalim . It says there, דודי זכור לי שקלי עפרון, אשר שקל אב במכפל חברון , We ask Hashem to remember the shekalim that Avraham Avinu paid Efron when he bought the Me'arat HaMachpela from him. Somehow the machazit hashekel is connected to the shekalim that Avraham paid when he went to bury his wife Sarah. זכרה לי עד לדור אחרון -It's something we want Hashem to remember until the final generation. The Sha'areh Moshe explained, when Hashem told Moshe Rabbenu to inform the nation that He was going to rescue them from their bondage in Mitzrayim , and He gave Moshe signs to give them, the people fully believed that they were going to be freed. We could only imagine the feelings they were experiencing at that time. Being persecuted for centuries, it was finally all going to end. But then, from the moment Moshe gave them the good news, the slavery only got worse. They got their hopes up so high, only to experience even harsher suffering. After witnessing this, Moshe Rabbeinu went back to Hashem and said, למה הרעות לעם הזה - Why did you do bad to this nation? In response, Hashem bemoaned the fact that He no longer had His precious Avot, who never questioned Him, no matter how bad things may have seemed to be. As an example, He told Moshe, He promised Avraham that He would give him the entire land of Israel. And then, after he performed arguably the greatest deed in history, bringing his son up as a korban , his wife Sarah passed away, and he went to do the mitzvah of burying the dead. All he needed was a burial plot in a land that was promised to him, and he couldn't even find four amot until He had to pay an exorbitant amount of money for it – ארבע מאות שקל כסף עובר לסוחר . This was something that Hashem considered to be so precious. Avraham could have complained, he could have questioned Hashem, but instead he fully accepted whatever Hashem wanted from him. We ask Hashem to remember that until the final generation. Perhaps the machatzit hashekel is also meant to be a reminder of this great deed of Avraham, to remind us to take to heart how valuable it is to accept the way Hashem deals with us. Many people could ask questions on the way things are happening in their lives. Nobody knows the troubles that befall each individual, especially now in the dor acharon . Our greatest zechut is the emunah that we have in Hashem, that He only does good even though we can't see it. Each time a person gives himself chizuk and tells Hashem, “I trust You, even though I don't understand why this is happening. I'll continue serving You the way I'm supposed to.” His level rises to the highest heights. With this emunah, a person will find more joy and truly be able to feel simcha , especially at this glorious time of year.

Women's Halacha class

3 opinions regarding obligation of Mussaf, time separating 2 tefillos and Ma'ariv RC, seriousness before tefilla and source, trembling in situation of joy

4 sections- 3 opinions regarding obligation of Mussaf, time separating 2 tefillos and Ma'ariv RC, seriousness before tefilla and source, trembling in situation of joy

Continuum of story and eventual resolution between RG and R Yehoshua, Halachos of Mussaf and Mincha

2 sections- continuum of story and eventual resolution between RG and R Yehoshua, Halachos of Mussaf and Mincha

What Are Some Customs Of Mussaf? Listen To Find Out :) To Dedicate A Halacha Moment WhatsApp 305-707-7259 Or visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://HalachaMoment.Com/Donate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  To Be Added To receive Halacha Moment VIA WhatsApp visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://HalachaMoment.com/Join⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  To View More Halacha Moment's Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HalachaMoment.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/halacha-moment/support

“You Shall Make An Offering” and The Uniqueness Of Tefillat Mussaf by Rabbi Joshua Maroof

4- Orach Chaim 591- Mussaf Rosh Hashanah (Elul 5783)

When the first day of Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat, a number of passages are added to the prayer service that mention Shabbat. One who forgets to add these insertions, and does not mention Shabbat in the Amida on Shabbat Rosh Hashanah, must repeat the Amida.The Shulhan Aruch (Orah Haim 598) writes that although generally "Sidkatecha" is omitted from the Minha service on Shabbat if it is a festive occasion, such as Yom Tob, nevertheless, "Sidkatecha" is recited during Minha on Shabbat Rosh Hashanah. "Sidkatecha" includes the expression, "Mishpatecha Tehom Rabba," which speaks of G-d's judgment, and it is therefore especially appropriate for Rosh Hashanah. Hence, it is recited despite Rosh Hashanah also being a Yom Tob. Some Ashkenazim omit "Sidkatecha" from Minha on Shabbat Rosh Hashanah, as noted by the Rama (Rav Moshe Isserles, Cracow, 1530-1572), but the standard practice among Sephardim is to recite "Sidkatecha" in such a case.On Mosa'eh Shabbat, the second night of Rosh Hashanah, we add the section of "Va'todi'enu" to our Amida prayer at Arbit. This recitation takes the place of "Ata Honantanu" which is normally added to the Arbit prayer on Mosa'eh Shabbat. On a normal Mosa'eh Shabbat, if one forgot to recite "Ata Honantanu" in Arbit, and then ate before reciting Habdala, he must repeat the Amida. The Sages enacted this law as a "penalty" of sorts for the person who both forgot to add "Ata Honantanu" and also made the mistake of eating before Habdala. However, Hacham Bension Abba Shaul (Jerusalem, 1924-1998) writes in Or Le'sion (vol. 3) that this unique law does not apply to "Va'todie'nu." Thus, one who forgets to add "Va'todi'enu" to the Amida when Mosa'eh Shabbat is Yom Tob does not repeat the Amida, even if he mistakenly eats before reciting the combination of Kiddush and Habdala. Hacham Bension explains that the recitation of "Ata Honantanu" was enacted by the Ansheh Kenesset Ha'gedola ("Men of the Great Assembly," the group of leading Rabbis at the beginning of the Second Commonwealth), who also imposed a penalty. The text of "Va'todi'enu" was instituted much later, during the times of the Amoraim, and they did not impose such a penalty.As we know, it is customary on the first day of Rosh Hashanah to observe the practice of Tashlich, going to a river and reciting a number of verses related to G-d's compassion and forgiveness, including the verse, "Ve'tashlich Be'msolot Yam Kol Hatotam" ("You shall cast all their sins to the depths of the sea" – Micha 7:19). Although the Shulhan Aruch does not mention this practice, it is mentioned by the Rama, in his glosses to the Shulhan Aruch, and it was taught also by the Arizal (Rav Yishak Luria, 1534-1572), as mentioned in Sha'ar Ha'kavanot. The Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909), in his work Od Yosef Hai, decries the fact that some people view Tashlich as some magical way of atoning for their sins. Tashlich is symbolic of the casting of our sins into the "depths of the sea," but this requires the long, intensive process of Elul and the High Holiday period during which we pray, repent and make a sincere commitment to change. The Mishna Berura (Rav Yisrael Meir Kagan of Radin, 1839-1933) observes the custom of some communities to delay Tashlich to the second day of Rosh Hashanah when the first day falls on Shabbat. This is done to protect against possible violations of Shabbat by people who will want to bring their Mahzor with them and might bring it outside the Erub. However, all leading Sephardic Poskim, including the Ben Ish Hai, Hacham Bension, and Hacham Ovadia Yosef, ruled that Tashlich should be performed on the first day of Rosh Hashanah even if it falls on Shabbat – and, in fact, especially if it falls on Shabbat. The Arizal taught that Tashlich should be recited close to sunset on the first day of Rosh Hashanah, because it was then – at the very end of the day on Rosh Hashanah – when Adam was forgiven for his sin of eating from the forbidden tree. This time is the most auspicious time for praying for forgiveness, because this is the time when Adam earned forgiveness. Therefore, Tashlich is especially appropriate on Shabbat afternoon, which is an "Et Rason" – a time when we have a unique opportunity to find favor in G-d's eyes. Therefore, the custom among Sephardim is to perform Tashlich on the first day of Rosh Hashanah even if it falls on Shabbat. As for the concern that someone might bring his Mahzor to Tashlich, Hacham Bension responds that this concern arises only with regard to bona fide Misvot such as Shofar, as a person might be so anxious about performing the Misva that he will forget about the Shabbat restrictions. For this reason, the Sages suspended the Misva of Shofar when Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat. When it comes to Tashlich, however, which is just a custom, there is no such concern, and so Tashlich may be performed on Shabbat.If one did not, for whatever reason, recite Tashlich on the first day of Rosh Hashanah, he recites it on the second day, in which case he should recite it immediately after Mussaf. When reciting Tashlich on the second day of Rosh Hashanah, one should specifically not recite it late in the afternoon, as this is a time of judgment.Generally, it is proper not to eat a meal on the afternoon before Yom Tob, so that one begins Yom Tob with a hearty appetite. Nevertheless, when the first day of Yom Tob is Shabbat, it is permissible to eat Se'uda Shelishit in the afternoon, even though that night is Yom Tob. As the Mishna Berura explains, since eating Se'uda Shelishit fulfills a Misva, it is allowed. If possible, one should recite Minha Gedola earlier in the afternoon, and then have an early Se'uda Shelishit. (However, even if one recites Minha early, he must remember not to recite Tashlich until later in the day, before sundown, as discussed.)Women light candles on the second night of Rosh Hashanah at the conclusion of Shabbat. Before lighting, they must recite, "Baruch Ha'mabdil Ben Kodesh Le'kodesh." The Kiddush on the second night of Rosh Hashanah which falls on Mosa'eh Shabbat is a combined Kiddush and Habdala, following the sequence known by the acrostic "Yaknehaz" ("Yayin," "Kiddush," "Ner," "Habdala," "Zeman"). Usually, on Mosa'eh Shabbat, when we recite the Beracha over a candle, we should use an Abuka ("torch"), meaning, at least two wicks that are combined. When Mosa'eh Shabbat is Yom Tob, however, this poses a problem, because the candle may not be extinguished. It is therefore advisable to purchase before Yom Tob specially-prepared, small "Abukot" for this purpose. If one does not have such a candle available, he should simply recite the Beracha over his Yom Tob candles. Hacham Bension writes that one should not combine two candles to form an Abuka, because it would then be forbidden to separate them until the fire is extinguished.Summary: When the first day of Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat, according to Sephardic practice, "Sidkatecha" is recited at Minha, and Tashlich is recited late in the afternoon, as usual. Se'uda Shelishit may be eaten during the afternoon, though it should preferably be eaten earlier in the afternoon, if possible. "Va'todi'enu" is added to the Arbit prayer on the second night of Yom Tob. Women recite "Baruch Ha'mabdil Ben Kodesh Le'kodesh" before lighting candles on the second night of Yom Tob. Kiddush and Habdala are combined on the second night, including the Beracha over a candle. Ideally, one should obtain before Yom Tob a small candle with two or more wicks for this purpose. If no such candle is available, he recites the Beracha over the Shabbat candles.

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3 explanations how begin with Mussaf of Shemini Atzeres in diaspora with sefeika d'yoma and psak halacha

If we would be able to see what we accomplish by doing mitzvot, we would run after them with such excitement and everything in this world would pale in comparison to them. When the Jewish People were preparing to leave Mitzrayim, they were told to go and gather all the wealth of Egypt. At that time, Moshe Rabbenu chose to go and find the aron of Yosef instead, and for that Chazal applied the pasuk חכם לב יקח מצוות to him. While everyone was becoming billionaires, Moshe went to do one mitzvah and he was called the wisest of all of them for that endeavor. Besides for the fact that his reward was eternal while their wealth would only last here in this world, seven days later at Yam Suf, the entire nation was in jeopardy of being killed out by the Mitzrim . When the Sea saw the aron of Yosef, it split and the entire nation was saved. Moshe Rabbenu was thus credited with saving the entire Klal Yisrael because of his pursuit of that one mitzvah. Why did the Sea split for Yosef? Because years before when he was being tested with the wife of Potifar, he ran away from temptation and so now the water was running away from his aron to save the entire Klal Yisrael . Imagine if during that difficult test Yosef would have known that he was going to be the cause of millions of people to be saved, he would have ran away with ease, it wouldn't have even been a test. However, Hashem does not allow a person to see the wondrous effects of what his deeds are going to accomplish, in order for his free will to remain balanced. But we must know that if we did have the eyes to see what was happening when we do mitzvot, we would be so excited to perform every single one of them. I read a story about a man who asked the gabai in his shul to reserve Aliyat Maftir and chazan for Mussaf on one of the upcoming Shabbatot , since that was the week of his mother's yahrtzeit . This man was a very organized person and always made sure to plan things a long time in advance. He was a long time member of that shul and one of its supporters and the gabai told him both of those honors were open and he made a note to reserve them for him. When that Shabbat arrived, the man came into shul filled with anticipation, but there he noticed that a stranger had joined the minyan that day and was in deep conversation with the gabai . The man was curious to hear what the debate was about and, to his shock, he found out that this stranger had asked for Maftir and chazan for Mussaf because he also had a yahrtzeit . Here he was a long time member and supporter of the shul and he asked for these from weeks in advance and now some stranger just strolls in out of the blue and thinks he can take those honors? But then, a small voice whispered inside of him, maybe he should give in? Who knows what merits help the neshama the most. Maybe giving up what was his for someone else would accomplish even more. And so, with great strength, he went over to the gabai and told him to give those honors to the other man. He would take a different aliyah and be chazan for Shacharit on the actual yahrtzeit instead. The gabai said, “ Chas v'shalom , there is a system here, these are yours.” The man reassured the gabai that he was actually happy to do this. And when the gabai saw he was serious, he went over and gave them to the other man. Rabbi Aharon Toisig, a prominent Rav from Bnei Brak, was present in the shul when this episode took place and he related what happened the next day. The congregant came into shul and said his mother came to him in a dream and said to him, “My son, I was given special permission to descend to this world to thank you. The elevation that I experienced when you gave up the Maftir and Mussaf was greater than any other I had ever experienced. I remember well the elevation I merited in past years when you got Aliyat Maftir and was chazan for Mussaf , but those did not come close to what I merited this year when you mustered up the fortitude to give up the honors that were rightfully yours for the sake of peace and to help someone else.” This is just one small example of the great effects of our deeds. The harder they are to perform, the greater they become. We should always run to do mitzvot with the utmost excitement.

One of the ways in which a person can gain extraordinary Heavenly help is by going over and above when it comes to doing things to help other people. The Rambam writes in his Perush Hamishnayot that the general rule that the reward for mitzvot is paid in the Next World applies to mitzvot between us and Hashem. But regarding the mitzvot between man and man, Hashem pays in both worlds. Rabbi Yochanan Wosner, a Rosh Bet Din in Montreal related, this past year he tested a young man aged 26 on Shulchan Aruch and he could not believe the amount of knowledge this young man had. He knew as much as elderly sages, not to mention he had already finished Shas numerous times. The Rabbi met his father a few months later and praised the young scholar to no end, asking the father how he could possibly know so much Torah at such a young age. His father said he was a regular boy like everyone else, but during his early teens, a new boy came to his yeshiva who was extremely shy. He was invited for an aliya one day and was so scared, he stuttered all the words of the beracha and barely read them correctly. My son, seeing the reaction of the other boys, was worried that they would act as boys do and make fun of him afterward, which would be traumatizing to him. He decided to take action. He asked if he could do hagbaha , which is lifting the Torah up after they finish reading to show it to everyone. His request was granted and, when he lifted the Torah, he did it the opposite way of the standard custom. Instead of having the words face him, he had the back of the parchment face him and the words face the crowd. Everybody started looking at him in wonderment and some of the Rabbis were appalled at what he did. After tefila , there was a discussion amongst the Rabbis about what to do with him and one of them even suggested throwing him out of the yeshiva. But they decided to ask him first to explain his actions. He told them he was so worried about the new boy being made fun of, he had to do something to make everybody forget about what he did and draw their attention to something else. His father concluded, “From then on, the wellsprings of knowledge became open to him. His learning became extraordinary. And that is how he knows so much Torah now.” Our greatest Rabbis attributed their success in Torah to the righteousness of their deeds. One of the students of the Chazon Ish once asked the Gadol , how does one grow to become a Chazon Ish? The Chazon Ish replied, “Be careful to honor your parents.” It was known that the Chazon Ish would visit and converse daily with his mother, in spite of the fact that he never wasted a minute that could be used for Torah study. He knew his success in Torah depended on how he fulfilled the mitzvot. All of our greats had such a deep rooted care and love for every Jew and that is why it is no wonder they became the great Gedolim that they did. One year, a few weeks before Rosh Hashanah, Rav Nachum, the chazan in the shul where Rav Yosef Chaim Zonnenfeld was the Rav, passed away suddenly. When the congregation asked Rav Yosef Chaim about arranging to get a new chazan , he told them he would take care of it. When Rosh Hashanah came and they finished reading the Torah, suddenly, Rav Yosef Chaim got up from his chair and went to invite Rav Nachum's son to be the chazan . The young man was completely caught off guard, but obediently listened to the Rabbi's request. After Mussaf, a group of esteemed baaleh batim respectfully asked the Rav how he could appoint Rav Nachum's son as chazzan when the Mishnah Berurah clearly states that an avel may not be chazzan for the Yamim Noraim . The Rabbi answered softly, “You must know, Rav Nachum's widow was sitting in the ladies' section. You can imagine the grief and sorrow she must be feeling, especially on this day when her late husband would have been the one to lead us for Mussaf . Imagine the pain she would have felt if someone else would have begun to lead the tefila that she was used to hearing her husband lead every year. I wanted to minimize the widow's grief as best as I could and so I decided to put someone as close, in her eyes, as possible to her husband as the chazzan . The Torah warns us numerous times about not causing pain to a widow and so I felt compelled to act the way that I did.” This is the sensitivity that our great Rabbis had. And it is this sensitivity that Hashem loves so much and pays us for even in this world.

Shiur given by Rabbi Bezalel Rudinsky on Dvar Halacha Rosh Hashana. Shiur recorded in Yeshivas Ohr Reuven, Monsey, NY.

Is the person in the Mishna walking by the shul during shofar blowing an apostate seeking his brethren?