Wednesday, July 11, 2012

CLD #634



For the Ilui Neshama of Avraham ben Ester ZT’L.
There is a widely accepted minhag (custom) among the Jews around the globe during this period of mourning for our history and present times where the Bet HaMikdash area is occupied by our enemy. Hashem yaazor and may we see the construction and erection of the Third Bet HaMikdash soon in our day.

Masechet Hagigah discusses at length the story of Aher who turned to the wrong path in life without Hashem and Emunah. After reaching the highest levels of Kedusha (purity) and being able to go up to shamayim (the Heavens), Aher ignored everything and fell so low that he even uprooted plants on Shabbat in order to prove to a prostitute his rejection of Judaism. This proves how huge Aher was in the Jewish world in regards to his righteousness before going up to shamayim. What happened? Aher peeked inside the holiest places in shamayim and saw an angel sitting down recording the zechuyot (positive reward) that is due to the Jews. As understood from Torah learning angels do not sit down! Aher immediately began to think that there are two gods.

After the entire story is shown in detail in the Gemara, the Gemara continues to explain the reason why Aher turned out so bad. The Gemara says Aher turned out to the negative side of Torah because the song of Rome never left his home. Aher lived in the time after the destruction of the Bet HaMikdash, and this time is filled with mourning. Rashi explains briefly that there was no need for this joyous music in a home that needed to recognize the mourning period for Am Yisrael’s loss of the Bet HaMikdash!

What is so different today? We hold the minhag not to listen to musical instruments (music) because of the mourning period. What can we go on and further say regarding these 3 unfortunate weeks for Am Yisrael? Whoever goes against this notion of mourning and thinks they know better than Hachamim (our Sages) to not pay attention to the Halachot of these times will end up as bad as Aher. The smallest things are what count the most. Aher fell so deep in his hole because he continued listening to joyous music in a time of mourning. How much do we need to watch out for ourselves not to fall into little traps by the Yetzer Hara and slowly slowly give him our heart to control?!

Judaism=Think.
Why am I in this world?

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