Podcasts about Pasuk

Who Has Protection?

Daily Bitachon: The Power of Daily Contemplation Welcome to Daily Bitachon. We spoke in the previous class on the three approaches to strengthening our emuna (faith): Seeing God through Torah Seeing God through creation Seeing miracles like that of Yetziat Mitzrayim (the Exodus from Egypt) Today, we're going to talk about the need to do this every single day. 1. Remembering Ma'amad Har Sinai (The Standing at Mount Sinai) When it comes to remembering Ma'amad Har Sinai , it says in Devarim 4:9 : רק השמר לך ושמר נפשך מאד "Beware," פן תשכח את הדברים אשר ראו עיניך "lest you forget the things you saw with your eyes," ופן יסורו מלבבך כל ימי חייך "and should never leave your heart all the days of your life," והודעתם לבניך ולבני בניך "and tell your children and grandchildren." What are we talking about? יום אשר עמדת לפני ה' אלקיך בחורב —The day you stood in front of Hashem at Har Chorev (which is Har Sinai) when He gave you the Ten Commandments. You see over here, the Ramban in his count of the mitzvot says you have to remember Har Sinai every single day. The Rambam in his Iggeret Teiman says the same thing: We have to remember Har Sinai every single day. 2. Finding God in Creation When it comes to finding God in creation, Devarim 4:39 states: וידעת היום והשבת אל לבבך כי ה' הוא האלהים בשמים ממעל ועל הארץ מתחת אין עוד "Know today and place on your heart that Hashem is God in the heavens above and the land below, there's no one but Him." As we quoted, Rabbeinu Yonah ( Sha'arei Teshuva , the third gate, letter 17) says this is the source that we must delve into the greatness of God and be maskil —to contemplate God in creation. Rabbeinu Bachya , commenting on this same pasuk in Devarim 4:39, also tells us it's a mitzvat asseh (positive commandment) from the Torah. What's the command? Lada'at oto (to know Him) ve-lachdor al achduto (and to delve into His oneness), ולא לסמוך על הקבלה בלבד —don't just rely on tradition. You have to look into His actions and His creations. Why does it say levavecha (your heart) with two beits ? As we know, the two beits refer to the yetzer tov (good inclination) and the yetzer hara (evil inclination). What does that mean? It means you have a yetzer hara inside of you that is going to pull you away and question your emuna . You have to engage in that internal battle and convince the darker side, so to say, that there is a God. Now, what's interesting is that Rabbeinu Yonah and Rabbeinu Bachya both count this as a mitzvah . What about the Rambam ? Rav Yeruchem Fishel Perla , in his commentary on the Rav Saadia Gaon (Mitzvah 3), says the Rambam holds like that as well. Of course this is a mitzvah ! He just doesn't count it from this specific pasuk because, as we mentioned, the Rambam considers that part of the general mitzvah of Ve-ahavta et Hashem Elokecha ("And you shall love Hashem your God"). I don't have to tell you to look into God in creation; I have to tell you to love Him, and looking into creation is the way to love Him. Included in the mitzvah to love God is obviously to contemplate creation and Torah in order to come to that love. On that pasuk , the Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh says Ve-yadata hayom means she-be-chol yom —every single day. Every single day you have to contemplate God. 3. Remembering Yetziat Mitzrayim Yetziat Mitzrayim. Obviously, we know this is required every day because it says in Devarim 16:3 : למען תזכור את יום צאתך מארץ מצרים כל ימי חייך "Remember the day you got out of Egypt all the days of your life." So every single day you have to remember Har Sinai, every single day you have to find God in creation, and every single day you have to remember Yetziat Mitzrayim. These three pillars have to be done every single day. Keeping It Fresh: "Hot Off the Press" If we look at the pasuk of Ve-ahavta (Perek 6, Pasuk 5-6), it says: ואהבת את ה' אלקיך בכל לבבך... והיו הדברים האלה אשר אנכי מצוך היום על לבבך . "And you shall love Hashem your God with all your heart... And these words that I command you today should be on your heart." Rashi explains that through having the words of the Torah on your heart, you recognize God and connect to Him. And regarding the phrase "that I command you today," Rashi says it shouldn't be viewed like an old decree or an old letter that you don't care to look at. It should be brand new—like hot-off-the-press news that everyone runs to read, not yesterday's newspaper. Every single day when you read Kriyat Shema , it should be fresh and new. How do you do that? Well, if every single day you contemplate God in creation and contemplate Him in your Torah, you find a fresh, new excitement about Hashem. You say, "Wow, I didn't realize that wonder of creation before... I didn't realize that wonder in the Torah... I didn't fully appreciate Yetziat Mitzrayim until now." That is the daily aspect. The Warning of Yeshayahu Any time we talk about a daily obligation, this is God's concept of daily. How far does it go? Look at Yeshayahu (Perek 5, Pasuk 11-13) : "Woe to those who rise early in the morning to pursue liquor, who stay up late at night while wine inflames them. There are harp and lyre and drum and flute and wine at their drinking parties, but they would not contemplate the deed of Hashem and would not look at His handiwork. Therefore My people is being exiled because of ignorance, its honored ones dying of starvation, its multitude parched from thirst." Why is that? What kind of punishment is going into exile just because you get up late or party? Rashi asks: What does it mean that they didn't look into God's handiwork? Rashi explains: לא קלסו שחרית יוצר אור ולא ערבית המערב ערבים They did not say Birchot Kriyat Shema (the blessings of Shema) in the morning and at night. That is the daily contemplation that we need, and the lack of it brought the Churban (destruction). It's unbelievable. The Sefer Barak Hashachar (Habata- Reiya) comments that this is why the pasuk uses a double language: פועל השם לא יביטו ומעשה ידיו לא ראו ( "They look not at the deed of Hashem, nor see the work of His hands" ). One is for the morning, and one is for the evening. Yabbitu (look carefully): Relates to po'al Hashem (the deeds of Hashem), which means Hashem's Hashgacha (divine providence). That requires deeper contemplation. Ra'u (see): Relates to ma'aseh yadav (His handiwork). That is obvious; what He did in creation should be readily seen. The Secret to Human Nature: Finding the Right Thrill The Chatam Sofer points out that this is actually reflected in a pasuk we read right before the month of Elul ( Devarim 11:26-28 ): ראה אנכי נותן לפניכם היום ברכה וקללה "See, I am placing in front of you today a blessing and a curse." As we know, we pray to end the year and its curses, and begin the new year and its blessings. What does the blessing come for? It comes if you listen to the mitzvot אשר אנכי מצוה אתכם היום —the mitzvot that I command you today , meaning they are fresh and exciting to you. And what does the curse come from? If you don't listen to the mitzvot that I commanded you today , and you stray to follow other gods. The Chatam Sofer asks a powerful question: why? If I do everything right, but the words of Torah just aren't fresh in my eyes, I get cursed? And why does the pasuk immediately connect a lack of freshness to straying after strange gods? He answers based on human nature: We inherently crave things that are new and exciting. Torah is only exciting to you if it feels like the day you received it at Har Sinai; only then do you get excited by it and enjoy it. But if you don't enjoy the Chidushim (new insights) of Torah, or the Chidush in the Beriya (creation), or the Chidush of Yetziat Mitzrayim, then what's going to happen? You're going to look for other types of Chidushim —other types of new and exciting thrills. Everyone needs a thrill! If you don't get your thrill and excitement in the newness and freshness of Torah, you're going to look for it somewhere else. You're going to look for the next new religion, the new "ism," or whatever else it may be. Therefore, the ultimate key to our success is our dedicated, daily contemplation in all three of these areas: Torah, Creation, and Yetziat Mitzrayim.

Who Is Saved?

This episode is sponsored by: Rabbi Stein's Rengini method to solve Kriah problems in 90 days. Does your child struggle with Kriah?If you've watched your son work twice as hard as everyone else, you know how painful that can be. You see the frustration, you see the loss of confidence, and you wonder how much longer he can keep struggling.No child should have to strain through every word.If you've tried other tutors, other methods or rebbeim and your child is still struggling to read a Pasuk, then The Rengini Method was designed for you.Rabbi Stein in Lakewood is certified in the Rengini Method, a proven, groundbreaking technique that has helped many children and adults improve their kriah skills tremendously in only 90 days.Maybe you've already tried other things. Maybe you're wondering if anything is really going to help. Don't give up just yet. This program is truly different.there is a Zoom option available if you cannot do it in person.Call or text Rabbi Stein at 917-825-2811. Or email ingrainingkriah@gmail.comThe call is risk free. Just describe what's going on, and Rabbi Stein will tell you if the program is a good fit.

What Did He Become?

Who Brings Bracha?

Can I See It?

Parashat Behalotcha. Remazim from Chida on Pasuk והאיש משה ענו מאד וגו'.... by Rabbi Benjamin Lavian

What Should She Do?

What Do I Despise?

Why Was He Answered?

Do I Think?

What Is He Trying To Do?

Who Was She Crying To?

What Should I Work On?

How Did It Run Out?

Was She Lost?

Who Am I?

What Did He Praise?

Who Brings Kavod?

Welcome to our daily dose of Bitachon in our Shaar Bitachon series. Chovot haLevavot describes different things to contemplate. One of the greatest things he says, which is the crowning gift of man to living creatures and to growing things, is the rain coming at the right time. And he quotes a Pasuk in Yirmiyahu that the prophet is chastising the Jewish people and he says, "Can idols bring about rain?" Now this is something to really think about. One of those things we just take for granted: it's raining. And as we've said in the past, we've been raised with "rain, rain, go away." Let's look into appreciating the rain. So we start off with most of the world's evaporation happens over the oceans, because that's where most of the rain comes from, not from freshwater lakes. Oceans, as we know, are salty and toxic to most land plants. If the salt rose with the water, the rain would destroy the earth rather than nourish it. The wonder is that the process of evaporation acts as a massive natural desalination plant. It separates the pure H2O molecules from the salt and impurities, ensuring that every drop that falls from the sky is fresh, life-giving water. But that's still not enough. Water vapor in the air doesn't just turn into liquid on its own. It needs a platform to grab onto. And these are the microscopic bits of dust, sea salt, or even bacteria floating in the atmosphere. These tiny seeds that Hashem provides causes that it grabs onto something and creates this cloud. And with that, the vapor gives birth to the raindrop. Another challenge: rain clouds are usually thousands of feet in the air. If a raindrop just fell through a vacuum, gravity would cause it to accelerate to such a high speed it would hit the ground like a bullet, destroying the crops and harming animals. It'd be like hail coming down. But because of the density of our atmosphere and the aerodynamic shape of a raindrop, the drop comes through in a nice 15 to 20 mile an hour speed, and it falls gently enough to water a delicate flower without crushing it. Another important factor: plants need nitrogen to grow. But they don't breathe nitrogen that makes up 75% of our air. They can only take it in through their roots in a liquid form. When lightning strikes, the intense heat breaks apart the nitrogen molecules in the air and they then bond with oxygen and dissolve into the falling raindrops. So rain isn't just water, it's pre-mixed liquid fertilizer that feeds the plant at the exact moment they're being hydrated, similar to vitamin water or any other type of energy drink. Now further, the Chovot haLevavot stresses the words that the rain comes in the right time, the term Yoreh u'Malkosh, early rain and late rain. Rain patterns are dictated by massive global currents and the tilt of the earth. If the rain came at the wrong temperature or the wrong month, it would rot the seeds in the ground or ruin a harvest before it's picked. And this is another wonder of rain coming at the right time. The Radak on Tehillim chapter 147 points out that this chapter starts off that it's nice to praise God. Boneh Yerushalayim Hashem, God is building Jerusalem, Nidchei Yisrael yekanes, bringing in the exiles. And then we switch to Enu l'Hashem b'todah, let us sing to God songs of praise. Hamachaseh shamayim b'avim, Hamachin la'aretz matar. God covers the heavens with clouds and gets the rain ready for the ground. What's going on over here? We're talking about ingathering of exiles and suddenly we turn to the rain? It's actually the Gemara in Masechet Taanit that tells us, sorry, it's a Pasuk in Michah chapter 5 Pasuk 6 that the Radak quotes: והיה שארית יעקב בקרב עמים רבים , the leftovers of Yaakov amongst the nations will be k'tal me'et Hashem, similar to dew, k'revivim alei esev, and like rain. So the comparison between rain and the ingathering... and the exiles. On both of them it says אשר לא יקוה לאיש , you can't hope to people. People don't bring rain and people don't bring in the exiles. The rain symbolizes that direct connection that God has in a supernatural way to creation. With all the predictors of the weather, they're never right. Rain is something that is specifically God-controlled. The Sforno says that specifically on rain we have to be thankful because these are the constants in the world, but they're really wondrous. There's a beautiful Tzror Hamor, Vayikra 26:19, written by Rav Avraham Saba, 1440 to 1510, one of the exiles from Spain and fled Portugal in the 1490s. He tells us on אם בחקתי תלכו ונתתי גשמיכם בעתם , I will give rain at the right time. That's the keyword: the right time. And he says our mitzvot bring rain because rain is something that is directly connected to what we do. And he says גאוננו ותפארתנו ועוזנו ביד שובינו , what was our glory and our greatness and our power when we were taken captive? He's talking about the Inquisition. That we had the power to bring rain at its time when we prayed and it was well known that they accepted us into their lands because they knew that we had the power to bring rain. He tells a story of Rav Chasdai Crescas, 1340 to 1410, with the King of Aragon, who was which is part of modern day Spain, where this Rav Chasdai Crescas lived. He was the leader of Spanish Jewry. And the Jewish community was physically expelled from the safety of the city walls and barred from returning. The ultimatum was clear. Unless the Jews through their prayer could end the drought and bring water, they would be left exposed to the elements, starvation and so on. And Rav Chasdai gathered everyone in prayer and he opened his drasha with the following words, lanu hamayim, the water is ours, referring to a discussion in Bereishit 26:20 with the argument between the shepherds of Gerar and Yitzchak's shepherds. And the point is lanu hamayim, the water belongs to us. We have the power to bring rain. And sure enough it rained. The power of rain is something directly connected to our tefillot and it is because ultimately Hashem is the one behind the rain. And that's another important thing to concentrate on.

What Is His Strength?

Who Was Greater?

Rav Yaakov Moshe Charlop helps us understand a Pasuk in the Tochacha.

Why Was He Upset?

Why Was She Sent Away?

What Was He Doing?

What Was The Seudah?

What Did She Say?

More reasons for four cups and tzirufim of all the months in one pasuk by Rabbi Benjamin Lavian

What Was The Simcha?

Why Does The Torah Say His Age?

The Jewish people were counted after the Chet Haegel, through hal-shekels rather than by heads. One reason in the Pasuk why they used coins was so it could be a Kaparah for them, through the Zechus HaTzedakah. Another reason was to avoid the risk of plague that comes with counting individuals. Exploring ideas in Tzedakah, Ayin HaRah and Achdus Yisrael.Have a wonderful Shabbos