Parsha Post: Nesivos Shalom

A prince left his father's palace and joined a gang of robbers. Time went on as it always does and he returned to his father and to following his father's ways. But the king couldn't trust his son, he feared that his son would return to his band of thieves. And the son did return to the robbers. But he rehabilitated them and transformed them into servants of the king. Now the king was relieved and happy. On Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur we rejoin our Father, but how can he trust us? He trusts us after we use Sukkot to elevate the physical things that brought us down and that we had to separate from, and we make them part of how we serve G-d so He (and we) need not fear that we will again be be taken down by them.

 The Nesivos Shalom elaborates on an idea that's known - the importance of Jewish unity. He Ties it in to Purim, how Haman was going after the Jewish People's vulnerability because they were separated from one another. And that's why Mordechai and Esther focused on gathering all the Jews together. This fits with the idea of the Mishkan, which brought people together and was built as a group effort. it also connects with Shabbos, who's partner is specifically called Knesset Yisrael, the Jewish people who unite.

  Yaakov gathers his sons and tells them that he will tell them what will happen during the end of days. Rashi cites the Medrash that says that Yaakov was going to tell them this through prophecy, but the prophecy was blocked from him and he did not/could not tell them about the end of days. The Nesivos Shalom explains via the Zohar that if the Torah says that Yaakov was going to say something it's in the Torah because he did say at least part of it. The part he didn't say is when Moshiach/End of Days will come. The part he does say can be seen by a different translation of Yaakov's words. It can be read as something other than his telling them that he'll tell them what will happen in the end of days if they gather together around him. Perhaps he's telling them that what they need to do in the end of days is to be united and gathered together as one. The Nesivos Shalom almost always ties in Shabbos to his message. He says here that Shabbos is about Jews' uni...

 Proverbs 4:18 - וְאֹ֣רַח צַ֭דִּיקִים כְּא֣וֹר נֹ֑גַהּ הוֹלֵ֥ךְ וָ֝א֗וֹר עַד־נְכ֥וֹן הַיּֽוֹם׃ The path of the righteous is like radiant sunlight, ever brightening until noon. The NS cites this and the Beis Avraham saying that orach stands for the ohr-light of the 8 that builds up, and that's what this verse refers to here. We build up to the light of the eighth night which brings us light all year till next Chanukah. Chazal set ner Chanukah to bring a Jew light at all times, especially dark times.  The key is the shining of this light beyond Chanukah. The parsha of the Nesi'im read through Chanukah fits with this.  On the eighth day - Zot Chanukah we read zot chanukat hamizbeach... and it repeats it again zot Chanukah... It hints to the holiday of Chanukah and the strong light that continues after Chanukah, which is radiant and ever brightening.  All year we take strength from this light. We're escorted by Chanukah's light throught the year. Ve'Achar kach ba'u ...

Yosef's mater, Potifar saw that G-d was with Yosef. How do you see that G-d is with someone? Rashi says that G-d's name was often on Yodef's tongue, as we see to be true, that he's always thanking G-d, etc. (This could mean that Potifar believed Yosef's saying that G-d was with him, or that what is meant is that he saw that Yosef mentioned G-d a lot. The Nesivos Shalom seems to be holding the latter. The two possibilities are presented in What's Bothering Rashi?) The Ramban says that in Yosisef's merit Potifar saw a vision of G-d over Yosef's shoulder (as it were, my phrasing). Nesivos Shalom develops the idea that things only go wrong if we are disconnected from G-d. If someone were to be connected all the time all would be good all the time. He says that the advice for most people, who can't be connected to G-d all the time, is to connect to the community. In the community someone is connected to G-d and by connecting to someone who's connected...

The Nesivos Shalom writes in connection to Yosef that one of the most important things on life is where we look with our eyes and that that's perhaps the true meaning of "einayim lahem velo yir'u," that if people direct their eyes to themselves they will not see truly, deeply, spiritually.  Related idea, "VeNoach matza chein be'einei Hashem" - Noach found grace by seeing through G-d-like eyes.

Nesivos Shalom speaks of how the four phrases of Geula are four spiritual stages of morphing from being stuck, to unstuck, to uncontrolled, to becoming connected to G-d. He says that the freeing that we experienced from Egypt in mirrored in several ways - by our later ups and downs as a nation and as individuals. He says that every week we go through this process agin, as in the week we experience exile and distance from G-d and on Shabbos we reconnect and experience redemption.e connects this to sur mirah and asei tov, and also to shamor vezachor. And he says that this explains the contradiction of one source saying that is all Jews keep one Shabbos we will bring redemption and another saying that we need to keep two Shabboses to bring redemption. He explains that it's one Shabbos that has two aspects, the moving away from the negative (Shamor/Sur Mira) and the positive (Zachor/Asei Tov). He develops darkness, addresses how darkness can be something other than the absence of light...

Netivos Shalom cites the Gemorah that says that Chazal set for Hallel to be said because the oil burned miraculously and the candles burned again. He questions this, pointing out that the reason why Hallel is set to be said on a holiday is that the Jews were saved from destruction. He explains that the light referred to is a spiritual light that went dark and was reignited. The story of darkness and light is the story of the near death and resurrection of the Jewish People. He says that this fits with the creation story. We're told that always confused and dark, then G-d said there should be light. And it was good. The antidote to darkness and confusion is to see the light of G-d, which can be found in everything in creation. Maybe, as cliched as it sounds, Chanukah simply is the holiday of light. From a spiritual perspective, even if they were keeping Torah and mitzvot superficially, the Jew's eyes had become blinded. Helenism successfully covered them in darkness. They were o...

  These parshiot teach us the ways of life.  Toldot Yaakov Yosef: the Torah is eternal. Hinted to here is the war with the yetzer harah. Q Why Yaakov as the one with struggles? Even in the womb and then over bechorite and brachah, then 20 years with Lavan. 14 for women to marry, 6 over the sheep.  Wrestling w the man/malach, the worst angel/malach hamavet, etc. Why just for Yaakov to this extent throught life?  Q Vayishlach… el Eisav achiv, then the messengers say they came from your brother who is Eisav, later he prays save from my brother, from Eisav. He is bechir avot - we are his sons, Brei Yisrael.  A These portions teach us about his wrestling, his Torah - teaching us that our lives should be wrestling always with the negative.  He comes out better for it- his name changes to be about struggling and gaining from it. Our lives are struggles and fights through which we gain/benefit. We’re taught ways to wrestle. Realms to take on.  Lavan - brain fi...

The Torah teaches us the ways of the Avot. The Torah of their servants was great, how much more-so is the Torah of the Avot great. They were the start of the tikun: We inherited land of 7 of 10 nations. The 10 parallel the ten spheres. The seven shepherds corrected 7/10. The other 3 - chabad - will only be fixed in mashiach time. The Avot fixed midot, each with his own flow brought into the world. These pre-matan Torah parshiot present to us the way to be like the avot by elevating our midot. Avraham's stories teach us through his passing his tests to show how cherished he was to G-d. We're told of tests like the famine, but without every detail. We know that they did the will of G-d fully with their full being. Avraham's trait was love, and that's the key- that he accepted each test with love and didn't question G-d. Vayeitzei tells us how Yaakov entered this worldly world, fathering children, etc, all part of his/their Torah. The key here is his holines...

Why does it say both that Yitzchak was the father of Avraham and that Avraham birthed Ytzchak? The Slonim tradition is that this is telling us that they each influenced the other, Avraham's trait was chesed-kindness and Yitzchak's trait was gevurah - judgment. Each of these on their own is too much, boundless love or unmitigated strength, this is why they each had one child that was unbalanced midot- character wise. So Avraham and Yitzchak balanced each other out or at least tried to. This is the meaning of the verse that speaks of fathers influencing their children and also being influenced by their descendants, and the meaning of the Medrash that cites this verse here. But full balance only came with Yaakov whose trait is tiferet - balance. We see an example of this need for balance in the first two of the 10 Dibrot - Statements-Commandments. The first one alludes to and includes all positive mitzvot - commandments regarding loving G-d, and the second one includes all th...

  Wells, and then more wells. Then more. Avraham dug wells and named them with names that reminded people of G-d. The Philistines didn't want that reminder so they filled the wells. Yitzchak re-dug them, gave them the same names, to re-remind people of G-d. But then there are three more wells. One is dug and there's a fight over whose it is. A second one, same disagreement. And then a third one, and there's no fight over it. The Nesivos Shalom says that these three wells represent the three Avot and their corresponding midot. When it comes to chesed/love and gevurah/fear there is an issue with each one alone. Too much chesed can lead to weak boundaries, unholy loves, unhealthy relationships due to too much closeness. Too much gevurah can lead to negativity, being stifled, unhealthy relationships due to too much distance. So there were fights over these wells. Tiferet, the midah of Yaakov, is the balance. It is Torah. It is Emet. And thus there was no fight ov...

The Nesivos Shalom explains that in the end Bilam had to bless the JP because they were unified, and a curse can only rest on an individual separated from the whole JP, not a tzibur that is all together. This fits with the tradition that "Mah tovu..." is about our schools and shuls, as these places bring us together where no-one stands alone. Bilam's plan had been to destroy the JP by making them into a collection of seperate individuals, as opposed to one collective. Thus, he wanted to get rid of Batei Knesiot and Batei Medrashot, the centers that unite the JP. And this is the meaning of the verse that says Hashem turned the curse into a blessing - He ensured that these institutions would always be with the JP, so that they would be eternally united and no curse could take hold against them.

 Many focus on Esther's decision to step up after Mordechai tells her that if she doesn't rise to the occasion salvation will come another way. But there's something else worth focusing on here: how did Mordechai know this? The Nesivos Shalom says that Mordecha was tapping into a traditional approach which teaches the spiritual reality that at the darkest time light comes. There's the possibilty that a person earns the grace that comes and saves them with light. Then there's the a Above and Beyond scenario. On RH and YK we build up to judgment, yet there's mercy beyond that judgment. Mordecha was (possibly) saying that there's a way to get G-d to save you, the old fashioned way - you earn it. But if you don't get there in by earning it straight up there's another way that may come into play. Salvation can come from another place: the Mercy of G-d. And it's specifically at the darkest time that this other method can take effect. This wonderou...

We pray to be protected from the Satan that's in front of us and the Satan behind us. The Nesivos Shalom's take on this is that before you do a mitzvah the Yetzer Harah tells you not to do it and after you do a mitzvah it tells you why you shouldn't have done it. He says that the emphasis and reemphasis on Sarah's exact age is because the Satan wanted to make it seem like she died from the shock of hearing about the Akeidah and that meant that the Akeidah was bad, as it led to Sarah's sudden and early death (and bad things are not supposed to come from mitzvot). This could have caused Avraham to easily question what he did. That's why the Torah shows that she died at the exact right moment that she was supposed to die. The Satan set it up to tell her the news at the moment of her prescheduled death to make it seem like she died because of the news. But really she didn't die because of the news. Nothing bad came out of the Akeidah. This is an example of S...

In these portions the unit of seven days comes up repeatedly.  Someone with tzaraat - a spiritual disease - on their body - was closed off for seven days, as it says, “And the kohein saw the negah - blemish, and then the kohein closed the blemished person off for seven days.  And then the kohein sees him on the seventh day, and if he assesses that the negah is still there, then he closes the person off for seven more days.” And at the start of the parsha, in regard to the impurity that comes with giving birth: “If a woman becomes pregnant and gives birth to a male, she will be tamei - impure for seven days, and if she gives birth to a female she will be impure - tamei for two weeks.” We also find that seven days is key in regard to other matters of tumah - impurity, such as tumat meit - impurity caused by a dead body, regarding which we’re told “and he will be impure for seven days.” In a similar vein, we find that matters of holiness are connected to units of seven days: Shab...

  Because I am Hashem Who raised you up from the land of Egypt in order to be for you Elokim, and be holy, because I am holy. Georah - usually says vehotzeiti, here, unusual, hama’aleh etchem, unique.  Rashi - on condition that you’ll accept/receive my mitzvot, and I will raise you up through them. Why this statement, here, in midst of forbidden food, specifically. Ramban - Kedoshim Tihiyu, kadesh atzmechah bemutar lach.  After listing assur things it adds not to be navel bireshut haTorah.  That explains too why after forbidden food rules comes this- veheyitem kedoshim, to make yourself holy with what is permitted.  All eating/consumption should be done in holiness and purity.  This meaning of “I am Hashem Who raises you up…” It was on condition of being holy.  Yetziat Mitzrayim has 1- being taken ut from the bad, the fleshpot of the world and the JP were embedded in the 49th level of tum’ah. 2- To be for you a G-d.  By being brought out we were t...

  Parshat Viyikrah, R Shloo Katz Rebbe of Lechovitch explaining medrash: Praiseworthy is a person who humbly allows his wife to awaken him in good ways. he can learn from this how to walk with G-d, to appreciate when G-d awakens him. But sometimes we are startled when awakened, but need to remember that we want to be awakened. Sometimes it's the Rebbe that wakes one up as he takes counsel of Tzadikim regarding his desires and midot and takes in the advice. But then, if the ears have been shut to these two, then parnassah awakening a person - needing it - is the last resort to awaken him. From Shamayim you are awakened in these ways. Vayikrah el Moshe. Moshe heard a calling and knew it was Hashem speaking to him. He addressed the callings he hard, the issues, the needs, like the ones described in the medrash, as being from Hashem, and gave that attribution/credit. And he woke up immediately. If a person is focused on one thing, everything else reminds him of that one thing. Wh...

    א : “Command Aaron and his sons, saying, This is the law of the burnt offering: That is the burnt offering which burns on the altar all night until morning, and the fire of the altar shall burn with it.” -Vayikra 6:1,2  Rashi explains that this pasuk teaches us that the offering of the innards and the bones - hekter chalavim ve’eivarim - is kosher all night long. An explanation is needed as to why this law, which applies to all korbanot, is taught specifically regarding the Korban Olah.  There is also a need for explanation regarding why the Olah is completely burned, why it is different than other korbanot-offerings, particularly the Chatat, which is for a wrong action, as opposed to an Olah, which is only for a thought. The sacrifice for wrong thoughts is treated more stringently than the sacrifice for wrong actions!  The Olah is in the tzafon, because someone doesn’t know the hidden thoughts of his friend.  And the chataat is in the same place, but w...

On Sinning Unintentionally and Subsequently Sacrificing There are several sources that indicate that a korban chatat, a sacrifice for an unintentional sin - shogeg - is considered by G-d as an affront against Him, and that the bringer of the sacrifice needs to realize that it should be him and not the animal being killed and only via his broken heart is he spared. If the transgression we bring a korban for was done by accident why is it framed in this dark light? The fundamental Chassidic/Kabbalistic idea behind this is the following: If a person has a connection to G-d he won’t sin even accidentally because he’s watched over from Above. If one falls into sin it’s because he’s detached himself from Deveykut - connection to G-d and the guarding is automatically lost. This explains why even an unintentional sin is considered an affront to G-d. If things were right with a person's soul they would be watched over from above and not come to sin. It's only because of hesech hada...