CLD #778

This Devar Torah was written on Lel Kaf Bet Tevet (Thursday night, January 3^rd):

Tonight I had the zechut to actually be present at the Shiur (Torah class) of the Tzadik Rav Ben Tzion Mutzafi shlit”a in Yerushalayim Ir HaKodesh (specifically Shechenat HaBucharim). Rav Mutzafi has his Torah classes recorded and ready to download (for free) onto a computer near you from the kolhaloshon website.

Rav Mutzafi spoke about this week’s parasha, entering the new book of the Torah: Parashat Shemot. Rav Mutzafi spoke about the power of hishtadloot (effort) that is revealed in our Torah. Bat (the daughter of) Pharoah did something remarkable. Before going into what she did and what happened, let’s look at her environment. Bat Pharaoh was the daughter of the king of Mitzrayim, the king of Egypt. One needs to understand that Egypt is called Mitzrayim from the word in Hebrew Tzar (narrow) and Tzara (suffering). Egypt was a place where the spiritual suffering ruled, meaning there was no place for Torah, no place for Hashem, no place for spirituality or delving into the depths of what the world is all about. Everything was about running after the physical bodily desires.

To have Yaakov Avinu and his entire family (our forefathers) there is above nature! And not only that, Rav Mutzafi explained from the words of the Torah that NOT A SINGLE JEWISH MAN FELL WITH AN EGYPTIAN WOMAN! What a strength, how much spiritual power did they have?! This teaches that every Jew living with Hashem can avoid an impure lifestyle. In any case, Egypt was a place of impurity.

Now when looking at Bat Pharoah, we see the daughter of the king of impurity, the daughter of false gods and desires, gold and silver. She had everything. Our sacred Sages in the Holy Gemara teach that she was in the waters of the nile river because she was dipping in a body of water to accept upon herself a single G-d’s rule. Meaning she was converting to monotheism (it was a time before the Torah was given). And after this huge Mitzvah, the daughter of the king of falsge gods converts, a moment later she has the zechut (privelige) to be publicized in the Torah as the individual who saves Moshe Rabbenu from the deathly waters.

Rav Mutzafi explained that the Gemara teaches when Bat Pharoah “VaTishlach Et Amatahah” (Shemot 2:5) she had no physical chance to reach the little ark Moshe was placed in. What did Hashem do in His glory? He outstretched her arm (space jam) and she was able to grab the little ark holding the wailing baby. This teaches us the simple lesson in our daily Avodat Hashem (service of Hashem). If we take the extra step to do the maximum we can do and there is NO SUCCESS IN SIGHT, Hashem will do the rest and have us succeed!

Be’ezrat Hashem may we do the maximum we need to do in our life and Hashem will take care of the rest to guarantee our success in every aspect of life.

Shabbat Shalom!

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KOL HASHONEH HALACHOT BECHOL YOM MUVTACH LO SHEH'HOO BEN HA'OLAM HABA

Translated from the Daily Halacha emails of HaGaon Gedol Hador HaRav Ovadia shlit’a:

1. One who hears Kiddush on wine during Shabbat does not have to drink from the glass of wine, and even if he/she did not drink from the wine they have fulfilled their obligation of doing Kiddush on Shabbat. However, it is a Mitzvah Min HaMuvhar (a high quality Mitzvah) to drink from the glass of Kiddush wine on Shabbat and show the love for the Mitzvah.

2. One should not be lenient to pour boiling hot water on the pot of Chulent (Hamin) on Shabbat. However, one can be lenient on this matter when they add a bag of water inside the pot of Hamin and when they see the food dried up they simply cut it open so the water will pour into the Hamin from itself.

Shabbat Shalom!

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CLD #777

The Gemara HaKedosha in Masechet Ta’anit 5a says something that has nothing to do with Mussar or teaching points in life and obviously here at theCLD we try to delve deeper into teachings of Torah to get to practical daily changes. The Gemara in Ta’anit speaks about the inyan (topic) of mentioning Hashem’s greatness and His power to bring down rain during the months of winter. 

For a few pages the Gemara discusses the differences in opinions regarding when to being mentioning what we say in Amida, Mashiv HaRuah U’Morid HaTal.

In the end of the chunk of Gemara in 5a, the Gemara states that there is a difference between mentioning Hashem’s power to bring down rain onto the earth in Israel and in countries outside of Israel. Since outside of Israel we practice two days fo Yom Tov, we have an issue whether we should beginning mentioning Hashem’s power to bring down rain on the first day of Yom Tov or the last (since the time to begin mentioning is on Sukkot Yom Tov).

The Gemara ends the learning by saying outside of Israel the countries that mention rain do like this: instead of arguing when to begin mentioning the rain (whether on the first or second day of Yom Tov), one should simply say it and once they begin saying it they do not stop (obviously until summer time). What can we learn from this Gemara?

When someone begins to ‘mention’ Hashem’s power, meaning when someone begins to do Teshuva and enter the world of Torah and Mitzvot, they slowly dip into it and start taking things upon themselves to do. However, there are those who begin and then suddenly stop. But the Gemara teaches us, once you begin “mentioning Hashem’s power” you DON’T STOP! We need to regulate ourselves to always push forward and progress in our Avodat Hashem and Mitzvot. Always push forward. Always go up the ladder of spirituality, always slowly slowly take the next step into your life with Hashem.

Be’ezrat Hashem during this time of Shovavim we should be successful and believe that Hashem is behind us in every step of the way!

Sponsor theCLD for the Ilui Neshama (memory of) or Refua Shlema (the speedy recovery) of your loved one! Click the Donate Button on the Right Sidebar and BH e-mail us (CLDFundraising@gmail.com) with the name(s)! 

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KOL HASHONEH HALACHOT BECHOL YOM MUVTACH LO SHEH'HOO BEN HA'OLAM HABA

Translated from Yalkut Yosef:

1. Every individual should do Netillat Yadayim upon waking up in the morning. There are those who say the reason is because the hands are uncontrollable at night and touch covered places. There are those who say there reason is because an evil spirit rests on a person who slept overnight and it does not go away until they do Netillah. There are those who also say the reason is an individual becomes a new creature (a new human being) after sleeping and they need to purify themselves to work for Hashem just like a Kohen (priest in the Bet HaMikdash) purifies himself for the duties of the day.

2. One who sleeps at night but only takes a nap during the night, unlike those who sleep throughout the entire night, needs to do Netilat Yadayim after waking up but without a beracha.

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