Showing posts with label A LABOR OF LOVE. Show all posts
Showing posts with label A LABOR OF LOVE. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
The Relationship between the Body and the Soul By Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser
So too is the relationship between the neshamah and the guf of Klal Yisroel. Every mitzvah that the neshamah wants to perform is controlled by the guf. The hands have to take action in order to wear the tefillin and to light Shabbos candles; the feet have to take the steps in order to go to bais medrash. If the physical body consents to the will and the bidding of the person’s neshamah then he can fulfill the mitzvah. However, if the guf does not cooperate, the neshamah will not enjoy any benefit.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
An Agreement By Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser
A wealthy man, looking for a shidduch for his only daughter, was keen on a particular bachur who was outstanding in Torah and middos. The father of the bachur, however, lived in a distant city, so the rich man sent his luxurious carriage so that they could make the arrangements in person.
However, when the two men met, the father of the young man was unwilling to agree to the shidduch. The wealthy man then offered him a huge sum of money to win him over. “If you will agree to the shidduch now, I will give you 400 additional zuz.” However, the father of the bachur was not amenable.
The father then turned to the young man himself and convinced him to agree to the shidduch, which he did. The shidduch was formalized without the consent of the father. After they had signed the tena’im, the father of the chosson approached the rich man and asked him for the 400 zuz. The father of the kallah said, “I promised you that money only if you would assent to the shidduch; now that the agreement has already been formalized and signed without your haskamah I don’t owe you anything.”
However, when the two men met, the father of the young man was unwilling to agree to the shidduch. The wealthy man then offered him a huge sum of money to win him over. “If you will agree to the shidduch now, I will give you 400 additional zuz.” However, the father of the bachur was not amenable.
The father then turned to the young man himself and convinced him to agree to the shidduch, which he did. The shidduch was formalized without the consent of the father. After they had signed the tena’im, the father of the chosson approached the rich man and asked him for the 400 zuz. The father of the kallah said, “I promised you that money only if you would assent to the shidduch; now that the agreement has already been formalized and signed without your haskamah I don’t owe you anything.”
Monday, August 18, 2008
A Setting for Kedusha By Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser
The question that is obviously asked is: What reason was there for not disclosing the site of the Bais HaMikdash to Dovid? Mefarshim offer various answers. Some say that had Arnon found out that the Bais HaMikdash would be built on his land, he would have demanded a large sum of money for the property. Others suggest that the nations might have been motivated then to erect avodah zarah on that location in order to invalidate it as the future site for the Bais HaMikdash.
The Sefer Ta’am Vo’Daas proffers a profound thought. He explains that the makom hamikdash was going to be the holy place where the Shechinah would dwell. Such a high level of kedusha that would be appropriate for the concentration of the Divine Presence could only be achieved with the input of deep soul-searching, toil, and hard work. Thus, Dovid HaMelech exerted every effort in order to find and create a site suitable for this kedusha. In fact, that is why Dovid was resolute about paying Arnon “kesef molei – the full price”. When Klal Yisroel is concerned and troubled in their effort to establish a makom kadosh, that in itself merits the dwelling of the Divine Presence, the Shechinah.
The same is true concerning the performance of mitzvos. One can only merit a mitzvah by exercising yegi’ah, hard work, in order to reach his goal. The gratification of the neshamah is dependent on the effort and willingness of the guf.
The Sefer Ta’am Vo’Daas proffers a profound thought. He explains that the makom hamikdash was going to be the holy place where the Shechinah would dwell. Such a high level of kedusha that would be appropriate for the concentration of the Divine Presence could only be achieved with the input of deep soul-searching, toil, and hard work. Thus, Dovid HaMelech exerted every effort in order to find and create a site suitable for this kedusha. In fact, that is why Dovid was resolute about paying Arnon “kesef molei – the full price”. When Klal Yisroel is concerned and troubled in their effort to establish a makom kadosh, that in itself merits the dwelling of the Divine Presence, the Shechinah.
The same is true concerning the performance of mitzvos. One can only merit a mitzvah by exercising yegi’ah, hard work, in order to reach his goal. The gratification of the neshamah is dependent on the effort and willingness of the guf.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
The Site of the Bais HaMikdash By Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser
In discussing the makom hamikdosh, the posuk tells us (Devarim 12:5), “Ki im el hamakom asher yivchar Hashem Elokeichem – only at the place that Hashem, your G-d will choose.” The Torah does not state exactly where that place is. With respect to this observation, the Gemara in Zevachim 54 states, similarly, that when Dovid and Shaul were going to build the Bais HaMikdash they did not know the exact designation for its location.
Divrei HaYamim (I, 21:16) relates the sequence of events in which the site of the Bais HaMikdash was revealed to Dovid HaMelech. “Dovid raised his eyes and saw the angel of Hashem standing between the earth and heaven, with his sword drawn in his hand, stretched out over Yerushalyaim. David and the zekeinim, who were covered in sackcloth, fell on their faces.” Dovid HaMelech found himself at the threshing floor of Arnon HaYevusi. The angel of Hashem then told Gad, the Navi, to instruct Dovid to erect an altar to Hashem at that place. The pesukim continue that Dovid then approached Arnon and requested, “Give me the site of the threshing floor so that I may build an altar to Hashem in it. Give it to me for the full price ….” Although Arnon insisted that he wanted to give his land to Dovid at no charge, Dovid refused the offer and gave Arnon gold shekels weighing six hundred.
Divrei HaYamim (I, 21:16) relates the sequence of events in which the site of the Bais HaMikdash was revealed to Dovid HaMelech. “Dovid raised his eyes and saw the angel of Hashem standing between the earth and heaven, with his sword drawn in his hand, stretched out over Yerushalyaim. David and the zekeinim, who were covered in sackcloth, fell on their faces.” Dovid HaMelech found himself at the threshing floor of Arnon HaYevusi. The angel of Hashem then told Gad, the Navi, to instruct Dovid to erect an altar to Hashem at that place. The pesukim continue that Dovid then approached Arnon and requested, “Give me the site of the threshing floor so that I may build an altar to Hashem in it. Give it to me for the full price ….” Although Arnon insisted that he wanted to give his land to Dovid at no charge, Dovid refused the offer and gave Arnon gold shekels weighing six hundred.
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