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שבת שלום - פרשת ויחי
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Video Shiur
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Click play to watch
Rav Yaakov Arram's shiur about Rebbe Nachman MeBreslov |
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News and Notes
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The entire yeshiva
wishes a big mazal tov
to Michael Appelbaum
and Alyse Stein on the
occasion of their wedding
this past Monday! Shetizku
livnot bayit ne'eman
b'Yisrael!
We
also wish mazal tov to
Michael and Galit Friedmann,
parents of our student,
Adam Friedmann, on the
birth of a baby girl!
Shetizku l'gadla l'Torah
ul'chuppah ul'maasim
tovim!
Last
Shabbat was an in-Shabbat,
hosted by Rav and Mrs.
Yisrael Herczeg.
Along
with Rav Herczeg's wonderful
shiurim, the inspiring
yeshiva davening, and
the delicious meals,
there was a fantastic
oneg hosted by Shmuel
and Goldie Katz.
This
past Tuesday, Wednesday,
and Thursday, our shana
alef and shana bet students
enjoyed our annual Negev
tiyul. Rav Adi Krohn
and our intrepid tour
guide, Hillel Brenner,
accompanied our students
for three days of hiking,
camping, and fun. The
activities included hiking
in the world famous Machtesh
Ramon, an early morning
trek up Har Shlomo, banana
boating, bowling, and
much more.
Rav
Kahn is organizing the
learning of Shas Mishnayot
in memory of his grandmother,
Mrs. Ruth Solomont a"h.
Mrs. Solomont was a
very important part of
the yeshiva family, whose
support literally allowed
the yeshiva to exist
in its first years.
We request from our friends
and alumni to help out
by going to www.shloshim.org,
and pledging to learn
a masechet of Mishnayot
in memory of Rachel bat
Moshe Tzvi Hirsch by
January 21. Thanks!
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Zealotry in the Service of... What?
By Rabbi Scott Kahn
Yaakov Avinu's second and third children, Shimon and Levi, are repeatedly noted in Sefer Bereshit for their zealotry. They alone smite the entire city of Shechem after the rape of Dinah, and they explain their actions following Yaakov's criticism with the defiant statement, "Should one make our sister like a harlot?!" (Bereshit 34:31) Chazal inform us, moreover, that Shimon, after speaking with Levi, threw Yosef into the pit before he was sold (see Bereshit 37:19 and Rashi on Bereshit 42:24).
In Yaakov's final words to his children, he decries this zealotry in no uncertain terms:
"Shimon and Levi are brothers, the vessels of violence their weapons. Let my soul not enter into their counsel, may my honor rest not in their congregation; for in their anger they killed a man, and they willingly uprooted an ox. Cursed is their anger, for it is fierce, and their fury, for it is tough; I will divide them in Yaakov, and scatter them in Israel." (Bereshit 49:5-7)
Rashi, in explaining the words, "I will divide them in Yaakov", states that Shimon's descendants were to be scribes and teachers of children, and would thus naturally be spread out throughout the Land of Israel. Levi's descendants, similarly, would be forced to go to granaries to acquire their Terumot and Maasrot, and would accordingly be scattered throughout the land. Interestingly, Rashi's explanation indicates that Shimon and Levi's being scattered is accomplished through their achieving positions of prominence - the tribe of Shimon would be scribes and teachers, while the tribe of Levi would serve as Israel's spiritual aristocracy.
How is this at all reasonable? Shimon and Levi were overly zealous, and Yaakov clearly distances himself from their actions; yet Rashi understands the consequences of their zealotry to be their achieving honorable positions of responsibility! Rather than becoming outcasts, Shimon and Levi were given jobs associated with education and the Beit HaMikdash!
Rav Yaakov Kaminetsky zt"l explains that while Shimon and Levi were punished, and while Yaakov's prophecy should certainly be understood as a genuine reprimand, the attribute of zealotry which Shimon and Levi embodied is absolutely crucial in the fields of education and the protection of the nation's sanctity. The inculcation of Torah ideals must be accomplished through people who burn with zealotry, and who will be personally offended by the violation of these principles. Shimon and Levi may have misused their natural inclinations, but the inclination itself is a sine qua non for successfully imbuing the people with the proper values.
Nevertheless, Rav Yaakov raises another important question. While the rest of the Torah repeatedly emphasizes Levi's success at its job, Shimon's equivalent role is nowhere to be seen. When Moshe asked for volunteers to fight the perpetrators it the wake of the debacle of the golden calf, for instance, Levi presented itself in full, while Shimon did not. What changed?
Rav Yaakov explains that according to tradition, the tribe of Levi was immersed in study, even during the years of slavery in Egypt. Indeed, Levi's populace was recognized as the primary scholars of Israel during its formative years before entering the Land of Israel; Moshe and Aharon's leadership was accordingly expected and accepted. Because of their immersion in Torah study, Levi's natural zealotry was channeled in an extraordinarily positive direction.
The population of Shimon, in contrast, was not particularly involved in Torah study, and their zealotry was therefore undisciplined and undirected. Lacking the channel that would unleash its passion to honor the name of G-d, Shimon instead utilized it on behalf of Baal Peor in one of Israel's most shameful transgressions. In that episode, numerous Israelites committed sexual immorality with women from Moav, and worshipped their god, Baal Peor. The public face of this desecration was a leader of Shimon, Zimri ben Salu. (See Bamidbar 25:1-15) Zealotry always seeks an outlet. Levi's passion for Torah enabled its members to consistently act zealously on G-d's behalf; Shimon's undirected passion leaked out in its own way, causing irreversible damage.
Characteristics and attributes are generally neither good nor bad, but instead are tools that can be used for differing purposes. Attributes that might be perceived negatively can be utilized in the service of G-d, and those which are generally recognized as positive characteristics can be used in the service of evil. For example, we generally view mercy as a virtue, and appreciate the merciful individual as a paragon of such virtue. Nevertheless, misapplied mercy, and a refusal to punish even those who kill, rape, and plunder, represents the height of cruelty. Yaakov Avinu understood this reality, and attempted to direct Shimon and Levi's natural passion toward pursuits in which it would be valuable and necessary.
Righteousness does not come from denying who we are; it results from directing our natural talents toward positive endeavors that will benefit from our characteristics. Problems arise when we either deny our innate qualities, or when we fail to direct our natural abilities toward that which G-d wants. May we merit to use our abilities in the service of G-d and His Torah, thereby becoming complete, healthy, and spiritually upright individuals.
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