Hi Kids,
I hope this finds you all well and happy. I'm writing this early - before the week really starts so if there is anything personal to add, I'll do it at the end. This week being the parsha of the 10 Dibros, I thought I'd say a bit about one of them - Shabbos - and our appreciation of it.
R' Reuven Karelenstein, a rosh yeshiva in Bnei Brak ( I think ), for a time, required dyalysis treatment. Three time a week for 3-4 hours at a stretch, he would have to come to the hospital and hook up to the machine that filtered his blood. There were a number of men who all came at the same time, and often they conversed with each other about various topics. One day, the hospital administrator, an orthodox man, was in the ward too, when one of the nurses entered with a bottle of wine and some cake. " Please all, drink a 'lchaim' with me," she said ecstatically, " I just became a grandmother for the first time !" She handed a cup to the smiling administrator who took a piece of the bakery cake but refused the drink saying he did not like wine. She tried to convince him to just have a little because it was really good wine, but he truly did not want any and he wished her a lchaim after biting the cake. One of the men on the machines was a man who had grown up religious and learned in yeshiva but had subsequently abandoned religion completely. He decided to ruffle some feathers. " I know why our administrator refused the wine," he taunted, " because the orthodox consider the wine of someone who doesn't keep Shabbos, treif, like the wine of a non-jew." The administrator was so embarassed and flustered that he quickly exited the ward. The man then went on ad nauseum for the next 3 hours spewing the most vile accusations and indictments against orthodox Jews and their practices. No one, including R' Reuven, could get a word in edgewise, but R' Reuven comforted himself throughout the nasty diatribe, by assuring himself that at their next session he would give his rebuttal.
A few days later, when they were all attached to their machines, the other men turned to R' Reuven," Nu is it true about the wine? " they asked. R' Reuven began explaining, " In our circles, it is traditional for a chasan to give his kallah the gift of a nice watch during engagement. Most people get pretty standard but nice ones, but a certain boy, who was particularly thrilled with his betrothed, wanted to really show her how special she was. He asked the watchmaker to show him watches fit for a queen for him to choose from. The man warned him that those pieces cost a few thousand dollars. He didn't care - he had saved up some money and he wanted to 'sweep her off her feet'. He picked out a stunning watch with a jewelled band for over six thousand dollars and couldn't wait to give it to her at their upcoming 'tinaim'. He even hired a photographer to take her picture at the moment of his giving the gift. He was sure that upon seeing such beauty, she would faint and he wanted to capture the moment. Everyone was gathered at the party when the chasan proudly walked up to his kallah presenting his prize purchase. She unwrapped the box, opened it slowly, looked at the shining watch and let out a loud "Yuchh"! The crowd was aghast and it was the chasan who almost fainted. Needless to say after that display of midos, the boy did not consider marriage to that girl."
"Hashem gives the wonderful Torah to the Jewish people. It is worth more than the greatest wealth in the world (Tehillim 19). But on top of that Chazal tell us that Hashem told Moshe that he has a special gift hidden in H-S safe - called Shabbos - which he wants to give to the Jews. H-E asks Moshe to tell the people about it and make sure they appreciate its value because it is H-S most valued gift of all." ( look back at the story I told you last year for parshas Vayakhel regarding this point ) Now R' Reuven turned to the self-hating Jew who two days before, scorned Shabbos and spewed derision at those who cherish it."Hashem gave us this great gift and this man proudly and for all to hear, declares "Yuchh"!! Has he not broken his own relationship with Hashem. Is this public betrayal not enough to justify the Torah's considering him a non-jew to a certain degree?"
The truth of R' Reuven's fiery and heartfelt words silenced the room, even the man who had so much to say only two days before.
Of course, we B"H all know how important Shabbos is, but why is it a part of the 10 "Dibros"? Briefly, Targum Yonasan has a very interesting take on the last 5 Dibros. As explained by R' Vallach, Hashem does not simply require of us not to murder or not to steal etc., but these mitzvos being part of the Dibros, require of us to 'not be murderers' etc. - meaning we should work on ourselves to the point where we completely uproot even an iota of consideration to the idea of murdering someone. My understanding of this is that the Dibros, more than ordinary mitzvos, tell us what we are capable and therefore obligated to create - we have the ability to build ourselves into perfect human beings by incorporating the ideals of not only the 'negative' side of the Dibros, but also the 'positive' side, into our very personas. I could find many stories of great sacrifice of Jews who were most definitely 'Shabbos Jews' - people for whom life without Shabbos would be worse than death. My thoughts here however, go back to our Zaidy Klein A"H, who sacrificed so much personally, and had no doubts about burdening his family with the same sacrifices, just to be able to hold fast to Shabbos observance, during the 20's, 30's and 40's. He was a deeply rooted Shabbos Jew and because of that, to my knowledge at least, every single one of his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren, are Shabbos Jews today. May we all have the will and receive the strength from Hashem, to aim our lives toward perfecting these Dibros, and passing the mission on to our children.
Have a wonderful Shabbos everyone. I love you all. 'd'
Important Numbers
