The Shi'urei Da'as (Rabbi Yosef Leib Bloch) on the Pesach Seder: Why It Is Bereft of Pageantry

The Shi'urei Da'as 

(Rabbi Yosef Leib Bloch zt"l)

on the Pesach Seder: 

Why It Is Bereft of Pageantry?

Rischa D'Araisa Season 12 Episode 27: The Iran War: Yetziah Through Mitzrayim with Rabbi Ari Koretzky; Shiites, Sunnis and Sufis: Islam's Historical Relation to Judaism

 

Rischa D'Araisa Season 12 Episode 27:

https://listen.jewishpodcasts.fm/yeshivaofnewark/115498

The Iran War:

Yetziah Through Mitzrayim 

with Rabbi Ari Koretzky

Shiites, Sunnis and Sufis:

Islam's Historical Relation to Judaism

Understanding Ta'anit Bechorot

Insights into the Fast of the Firstborn (Ta'anis Bechoros) 

and How Much Does a Bechor Have to Eat at the Siyum? 

A recording for the BHP daily Halachic Whatsapp group https://chat.whatsapp.com/Gz8rrxqRcfy9rMOXRLG6GS

 

Rischa D'Araisa Season 12 Episode 26: Hatzolah Call: Rischa's Rapid Response to the Viral Video on Lakewood

 

This image is actually toned down from his original thumbnail!

Rischa D'Araisa Season 12 Episode 26:

Hatzolah Call:

Rischa's Rapid Response 

to the Viral Video on Lakewood

https://listen.jewishpodcasts.fm/yeshivaofnewark/115230

You can see the original  Tyler Oliveira video at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cubO0lhOMcs&t=688s

Toras Purim 5786: HaMelech V'Haman, and a link to the full 5757-5786 Collection

While our picture is of Achashverosh and Haman, we will deal with the proximities of HaMelech stam hu Melech Malchei HaMelachim, HKB”H and Haman.

 

(ג יא) וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ לְהָמָן הַכֶּסֶף נָתוּן לָךְ וְהָעָם לַעֲשׂוֹת בּוֹ כַּטּוֹב בְּעֵינֶיךָ:

(ג  טו) הָרָצִים יָצְאוּ דְחוּפִים בִּדְבַר הַמֶּלֶךְ וְהַדָּת נִתְּנָה בְּשׁוּשַׁן הַבִּירָה וְהַמֶּלֶךְ וְהָמָן יָשְׁבוּ לִשְׁתּוֹת וְהָעִיר שׁוּשָׁן נָבוֹכָה:

(ה ד) וַתֹּאמֶר אֶסְתֵּר אִם עַל הַמֶּלֶךְ טוֹב יָבוֹא הַמֶּלֶךְ וְהָמָן הַיּוֹם אֶל הַמִּשְׁתֶּה אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתִי לוֹ:

(ה ה) וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ מַהֲרוּ אֶת הָמָן לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת דְּבַר אֶסְתֵּר וַיָּבֹא הַמֶּלֶךְ וְהָמָן אֶל הַמִּשְׁתֶּה אֲשֶׁר עָשְׂתָה אֶסְתֵּר:

(ה ח) אִם מָצָאתִי חֵן בְּעֵינֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ וְאִם עַל הַמֶּלֶךְ טוֹב לָתֵת אֶת שְׁאֵלָתִי וְלַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת בַּקָּשָׁתִי יָבוֹא הַמֶּלֶךְ וְהָמָן אֶל הַמִּשְׁתֶּה אֲשֶׁר אֶעֱשֶׂה לָהֶם וּמָחָר אֶעֱשֶׂה כִּדְבַר הַמֶּלֶךְ:

(ו י) וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ לְהָמָן מַהֵר קַח אֶת הַלְּבוּשׁ וְאֶת הַסּוּס כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתָּ וַעֲשֵׂה כֵן לְמָרְדֳּכַי הַיְּהוּדִי הַיּושֵׁב בְּשַׁעַר הַמֶּלֶךְ אַל תַּפֵּל דָּבָר מִכֹּל אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתָּ:

(ו יב) וַיָּשָׁב מָרְדֳּכַי אֶל שַׁעַר הַמֶּלֶךְ וְהָמָן נִדְחַף אֶל בֵּיתוֹ אָבֵל וַחֲפוּי רֹאשׁ:

(ז א) וַיָּבֹא הַמֶּלֶךְ וְהָמָן לִשְׁתּוֹת עִם אֶסְתֵּר הַמַּלְכָּה:

חומת אנך על אסתר פרק ט פסוק יא

דהמן רצה להגביר מדת הדין באומרו וכל זה איננו שוה לי סופי תיבות הוי"ה מפרע שהוא דין כמו שכתב רבינו האר"י זצ"ל ונהפוך הוא כי אסתר המשיכה הרחמים שאמרה יבא המלך והמן היום ראשי תיבות הוי"ה ביושר שהוא רחמים והיינו ונהפוך הוא:

In eight places in the Megillah HaMelech and Haman appear next to each other.

In 3:11, when the troubles begin, and in 6:10, when the troubles begin to end, we have HaMelech L’Haman which in gimatriya is 220 – the same as יחד ננצח. Because the troubles begin when we’re not together and end when we are together. In both appearances Hashem is using Haman as a tool – first for hester and then for gillui. He dictates to Haman what he is to do. It is also the gimatriya of מַה זֶּה וְעַל מַה זֶּה – because זה לעומת זה – the good and the bad are two side of the same coin, and they complement each other. What Hashem is doing and why He is doing it.

In 3:15 we have the two vavei ha’chibbur. This looks like there is a complete hishtavus between Hashem and Haman. Obviously, the city will be left in confusion! But it is 202 in gimatriya. Which is only בְּעֵינֵיכֶם  – superficial, an illusion to get Am Yisroel to do teshuvah.

In 5:4 and 5:8 Esther asks יָבוֹא הַמֶּלֶךְ וְהָמָן – not in plural, יבואו, because she wants Hashem to envelop and overwhelm Haman (see the Chomas Anach quoted above). And in fact, in 5:5 the process starts, culminating in 7:1. Haman comes subservient to Hashem. But in 5:5 she is only Esther. The process is clearly not complete. Only in 7:1 is she Esther HaMalkah – she has dictated the restoration of the Malchus Hashem to its proper place.

The actual turning point is 6:12. Here Hashem and Haman appear together, but it is misleading.  The first term is a reference to Sha’ar HaMelech – the gate of the king. And Mordechai is controlling the King’s Gate – bringing about the redemption. Haman is still close, but nidchaf – pushed aside.

Now, a remarkable gimatriya. המלך והמן is 196. That is 14x14. דודxדוד. This is certainly the true establishment of מלכות in this world – that the Malchus of Hashem should struggle with the Malchus of Haman until יחד ננצח. There are also two times in the Megillah where it say המלך והמלך (5:1 and 7:7) The first in when Esther comes into Achashverosh:

וַיְהִי בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי וַתִּלְבַּשׁ אֶסְתֵּר מַלְכוּת וַתַּעֲמֹד בַּחֲצַר בֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ הַפְּנִימִית נֹכַח בֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ וְהַמֶּלֶךְ יוֹשֵׁב עַל כִּסֵּא מַלְכוּתוֹ בְּבֵית הַמַּלְכוּת נֹכַח פֶּתַח הַבָּיִת

The second is where Haman meets his downfall:

וְהַמֶּלֶךְ קָם בַּחֲמָתוֹ מִמִּשְׁתֵּה הַיַּיִן אֶל גִּנַּת הַבִּיתָן וְהָמָן עָמַד לְבַקֵּשׁ עַל נַפְשׁוֹ מֵאֶסְתֵּר הַמַּלְכָּה כִּי רָאָה כִּי כָלְתָה אֵלָיו הָרָעָה מֵאֵת הַמֶּלֶךְ: וְהַמֶּלֶךְ שָׁב מִגִּנַּת הַבִּיתָן אֶל בֵּית מִשְׁתֵּה הַיַּיִן וְהָמָן נֹפֵל עַל הַמִּטָּה אֲשֶׁר אֶסְתֵּר עָלֶיהָ וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ הֲגַם לִכְבּוֹשׁ אֶת הַמַּלְכָּה עִמִּי בַּבָּיִת הַדָּבָר יָצָא מִפִּי הַמֶּלֶךְ וּפְנֵי הָמָן חָפוּ

At these two times the Malchus is fully manifested and overcomes Haman. That is not a natural state in this world – it is the 15 that comes after the 14x14, that the Zohar (Vol. 2, 85a) calls the moon in its perfection. The bechinah of Shushan Purim that is not the default Purim.

תאנא כתיב (דה"א כט כג) "וישב שלמה על כסא הוי"ה למלך", כמה דכתיב (מ"א י יט) "שש מעלות לכסא". רבי אבא אמר, דקיימא סיהרא באשלמותא דתנינן: ביומוי דשלמה קיימא סיהרא באשלמותא. אימתי באשלמותא? (נ"א תנא כתיב (שם ה יא) ותרב חכמת שלמה וגו'? מאי ותרב, אמר רבי אבא, דקיימא סיהרא באשלמותא, מאי באשלמותא) דקיימא בחמשה עשר כמה דתנינן: אברהם, יצחק, יעקב, יהודה, פרץ, חצרון, רם, עמינדב, נחשון, שלמון, בועז, עובד, ישי, דוד, שלמה -- כד אתא שלמה קיימא סיהרא באשלמותא, הדא הוא דכתיב "וישב שלמה על כסא הוי"ה למלך", וכתיב "שש מעלות לכסא" - כלא כגוונא דלעילא.

Perhaps that’s why in both places where it appears in the Megillah the words are disassociated – it is not a natural state for This World. So while המלך והמן appear in the various forms eight times altogether – stretching up above nature in the same way as the eight days of Milah and the eight days of Chanukah, to the bechinah of Binah that is the highest one can reach in this world – the bechinah of 10, of Keser, that is only in the Megillah in an imperfect way.

The 196^th pasuk in the Torah describes the dove being released and not returning to the ark. The Zohar (Vol. 3, 165a) says that it goes to bring the crown to Moshiach. But for our purposes, it is enough to say that the tikkun of the dry Earth is hinted at, but not made explicit. It is still hidden. Only when we get to the 220^th pasuk of המלך להמן are Noach and his family told to leave the ark. The redemption is completed.

תן לחכם ויחכם עוד! פורים שמח!

 

You can download the full Torah Purim 5757-5786 collection at:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/1t4678gxz3g6on10um5e4/Toras-Purim-Collection-5757-5786.pdf?rlkey=4gq7mezs3tlpkgcpva93l85tk&dl=0

 

This is my presentation of this year's ideas at the Purim Seudah:

https://youtu.be/TBiC-5l3AAw

Amalek vs. Purim, HaMelech and Ein Od Milvado, Happenstance vs. Shivisi (Girls Purim Shiur)

 

Rischa D'Araisa Season 12 Episode 25: Gvirbusters: Speaking Truth to the Power of the Purse Strings

 

Rischa D'Araisa Season 12 Episode 25:

Gvirbusters:

Speaking Truth to the Power of the Purse Strings

https://listen.jewishpodcasts.fm/yeshivaofnewark/114946

Purim Shiurim 5786: Rav Dessler and Rav Hutner

Rav Dessler on the Simcha of Dveykus on Purim 

and Rav Hutner on Yom Kippurim=Yom K'Purim

Interesting to note that Rav Dessler says he heard the idea from 

my grandfather zt"l's Rebbe, Rav Yosef Leib Bloch of Telshe.

Who Are our Leaders? Rabbis & Kivelevitz & Bechhofer/Talkline With Zev Brenner

Beckhofer=Bechhofer 😊(me)

What is the Best Way to Repeat Zeicher/Zecher in Parashas Zachor?

What is the Best Way to Repeat Zeicher/Zecher in Parashas Zachor?

(According to Ashkenazim)

A recording for the BHP daily Halachic Whatsapp group https://chat.whatsapp.com/Gz8rrxqRcfy9rMOXRLG6GS

Rischa D'Araisa Season 12 Episode 24: Stirring A Delectable Pot of Lomdus and Halacha: A Tribute to Rav Moshe Sternbuch on his 100th Birthday

 

https://listen.jewishpodcasts.fm/yeshivaofnewark/114803

Rischa D'Araisa Season 12 Episode 24:

Stirring A Delectable Pot of Lomdus and Halacha:

A Tribute to Rav Moshe Sternbuch on his 100th Birthday

Nebech Apikores is oich Apikores

Rabbi Elias does a masterful job analyzing the famous quote from Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik of Brisk zt"l, See the parasha sheet below.

נעבעך אפיקורס איז אויך אפיקורס

Nebech Apikores is oich Apikores

An unfortunate Apikores is also an Apikores.

I would like to note that my understanding of the statement is much less radical (and therefore less controversial) than the standard interpretation. I think what Reb Chaim meant to say has nothing to do with the person's din in Shomayim or in Olam HaBo. It is highly unlikely that Reb Chaim would make such assertions. Rather, in response to the Ra'avad's complaint that the Rambam should not have classified someone who mistakenly believes that Hashem has a form and body as a min, Reb Chaim counters that we have no idea how Hashem will treat such a person - rachamav al kol ma'asav - but technically the category into which such a person fits is that of a min. The Rambam himself, as Rabbi Elias notes, indicates that the din in Shomayim is not severe for those who are tinokos she'nishbu. Thus, what Reb Chaim is saying is only that the nebbechkeit - which will no doubt be taken into account in the Olan HoEmes - has nothing to do with the categorizations of the various beliefs and the believers therein.

 

TYH and Rupture and Reconstruction

More on Thank You Hashem, Some Correspndence

A letter from a very thoughtful individual I was once privileged to teach. My comments are in purple (personal details omitted):

Hi Rebbe,

Thank you for covering the TYH movement on Rischa- I thought it was great but did not mention two significant points:

1. How we (the “mainstream”) really set the stage for TYH. For example, if we extolled groups singing Acheinu in airports after October 7 as if it were a real expression of achdus, can we blame people for singing “I want to be like Zusha” and believing that singing is a per se expression of avodah?  The worship of singers, chasing segulos, etc were all there before TYH.

Of course this relates to the points made on the first podcast that the “status quo” makes many feel very empty.  However it goes beyond that - TYH has a more crass way to express priorities that have already become common in the mainstream.

I am not sure I agree with you completely on this point. I think that some moods that are enhanced by music are moods that we ant to cultivate and that music that is appropriate for such moods should not be discouraged. Reb Yisroel Salanter encouraged the use of music in the avodah of mussar. And I think anyone who has hears the Alter Rebbe's niggun at a chasunah knows how hauntingly uplifting it can be. OTOH, we know one can go from a Carlebach kumsitz right back down to one's previous spiritual level. So, I am conflicted on this point. I think Acheinu did provoke feelings of empathy and yearning that were positive, at least before it became ritualistic. And those feelings would be a legitimate avodah. The TYH music is a different phenomenon, as much of it is inane and more of the frenzied genre than the more profound emotional kind.

2. TYH in relation to other “populist” movements in Avodas Hashem.  Every movement has some element of chiddush and some continuity.  I have not done formal studies, but TYH is strong in the Five Towns, and my read as an observer is that the “continuity” in TYH always includes the highest standard of the gashmiyus in the frum community.  You will always find a great kiddush at a TYH minyan, and will not often find a TYH bumper sticker on a jalopy.  There are certainly positive aspects of TYH and one can give intellectual or spiritual theories, but these all seem secondary to justifying the strongest gashmiyus elements in the community.  Contrast with Rabbi Schiller’s “Stefansky-ism” which has its own issues but which roots its “continuity” in baal habatim learning in a more accessible, and accepted, manner.

Yes, I don't think we picked up on this point enough. Today's Kivrei Tzaddikim junkets are a far cry from the Breslover mesirus nefesh to get to Uman in Communist times. These are luxury tours and trips. What you point out is very true. This is reminiscent if Dr. Chaim Soloveitchik's point in "Rupture and Reconstruction" - only then it was about Halachic stringency and affluence. That clearly worked for some people some of the time and is clearly still effective to lesser or greater extents throughout Orthodoxy. But while it may work in Lakewood it doesn't work in the Five Towns. So we need a faux-spirituality to compensate for the affluence factor. This a great point that should be elaborated.

This topic obviously struck a chord for many people and can be approached from many angles.

On the other hand, although I am obviously inclined to the “JLT” movement, I wonder why such focus on the Yom Hadin?  I don’t really think about Yom Hadin when thinking about whether to learn - there are more immediate and compelling reasons. (Maybe I would be better if I would do that more?)

Yes, the JLT video (I am not sure it is the same organization, but JLT has other problematic aspects) is misguided in that sense. That is why I focused more on real simcha in the sense in which Viktor Frankl uses it. How the BD shel Ma'alah judges you on Yom HaDin is scary, but it is also not that simplistic and it doesn't work well as a motivator already for a few generations. I think maybe in the early years of Mussar, before Mussar became intertwined with Machashavah, yiras ha'onesh was very effective. Now less so. Dr. Soloveitchik references that development indirectly, in praising the raw fear of the Ba'alei Battim in Boston over the sophistication of the bachurim in Ponovezh.

Rischa D'Araisa Season 12 Episode 23: A Moderate Mea Culpa and Zionism: The "Un"definition

 

Rischa D'Araisa Season 12 Episode 23:

A Moderate Mea Culpa

and

Zionism: The "Un"definition

https://listen.jewishpodcasts.fm/yeshivaofnewark/114490