Aruch Hashulchan Yomi - The Mitzva to Love Hashem

The Aruch Hashulchan (OC 1:7-8) briefly discusses the mitzva to love Hashem. He points out that there are at least two fundamental ways to achieve this:

1. Through learning Torah - Quoting from the Sifri, The AHS (Aruch Hashulchan) explains that learning Torah allows one to get to know Hashem, thus allowing one to develop feelings of love towards Him.
2. Through appreciating Hashem's creations - The AHS quotes the Rambam (Hil. Yesodei HaTorah perek 2) who says that when one thinks about how amazing the creations of Hashem are, there is no way not to feel a sense of love and awe towards Him.

I just wanted to point out that by highlighting these two distinct ways to fulfill the mitzva of loving Hashem, we can perhaps gain a deeper understanding the Rambam in a few places.

The Rambam in Sefer Hamitzvot (#3) writes:

והמצוה השלישית היא שצונו לאהבו יתעלה וזה שנתבונן ונשכיל מצותיו ופעולותיו עד שנשיגהו ונתענג בהשגתו תכלית התענוג וזאת היא האהבה המחוייבת. ולשון סיפרי (פ' שמע) לפי שנאמר ואהבת את י"י אלהיך איני יודע כיצד אוהב את המקום תלמוד לומר והיו הדברים האלה אשר אנכי מצוך היום על לבבך שמתוך כך אתה מכיר את מי שאמר והיה העולם. 

The Rambam here says that the mitzva is to ponder and understand Hashem's Mitzvot and His Actions - I would suggest that each of these words is a reference to one of the two points made by the AHS. "Pondering and understanding Haehem's Mitzvot" means learning Torah to understand Hashem's commandments."Pondering and understanding Hashem's Actions" means appreciating the complexity of Hashem's creations. These are the two ways to reach the level of loving Hashem (see also the language of the Sefer Hachinuch #418).

In the Mishna Torah, the Rambam also seems to make this distinction. In Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah (perek 2 which is quoted by the AHS) the Rambam explains that when one looks at nature and Hashem's creations, one cannot help but develop a love for Hashem. 

Additionally, at the end of Hilchot Teshuva, the Rambam explains that when one learns Torah and understands the mitzvot, he can develop a love for Hashem. 

We again clearly see these two fundamental ways to develop love for Hashem - by learning Torah, and also by appreciating the wonder of His creations.

There is more to say on the topic (like why the Rambam in Sefer Hamitzvot only quotes a source that has to do with learning, but apparently nothing about appreciating Hashem's creations)... but we'll leave it at this for now...

Shabbat Shalom

Aruch Hashulchan Yomi

I've started a new seder in Aruch Hashulchan - starting from the beginning (of cheleck Orach Chaim) and moving straight through.

Since some others have  jumped on board - I am posting the schedule we'll be following in case you'd like to join us as well.

I have seen others mention that there are Aruch Hashulchan cycles that exist and it seems like they aim for learning one siman per day. I have proposed a slightly slower pace for two main reasons:

1. I don't want to bite off more than I can chew. Years of trial and error have shown that consistency with less content per-day is far more productive in the long run than a constant struggle just to keep up a more ambitious pace
2. The Aruch Hashulchan offers countless insights into pesukim, Rambam and Chaza"l, and it is easier to enjoy these insights if you are not rushing just to cover the daily quota of a whole siman (which can often be pretty long)

See the schedule for the first month here (it's roughly one side of a page of the old print editions per-day). Hopefully it's something we can stick to. 

Over time, I will likely reformat the schedule to something more user friendly, but in the interest of time (we're starting today) this will have to suffice.

If/when I have something to add to the daily limud, I'll try to post here for public consumption.

These are some online resources that might be helpful:

- Aruch Hashulchan PDF (old print edition that I referenced above) free download: Link

- Aruch Hashulchan text online: Link

Comments on Parshat Vayeira

The following are some comments and insights I wrote on this week's Parsha.

Full Disclosure - They have appeared previously in some form in my other publications...

Hope you have a wonderful Shabbat and enjoy.

Parshat Lech Lecha - Minhagim at a Brit Milah

Just before Shabbat, I wanted to point out two minhagim relating to a Brit Milah that find their roots in our Parsha:

1. The Matteh Moshe (a student of the Maharsha"l) writes that we wait until just after the Brit Milah to give a baby boy his name because Avraham Avinu received his name (Avraham) after performing his Brit.
   
   
2. After Avraham Avinu performed his Brit Milah, the Torah tells us that Hashem gave him the entire land of Eretz Yisrael. I have seen written in the name of Rav Yaakov Emden that our common practice of giving a gift to the baalei simcha at a Brit has its source in this gift that Hashem gave to Avraham. When we give a gift to the ba'alei simcha, we are mimicking the actions of Hashem who was the first to bring his gift to the very first Brit.
   
   I have not yet found this R' Yaakov Emden in writing... but when I do I will let you know where you can find it.

Shabbat Shalom

Summer Plans

Now that Tish'a B'av is behind us, it's hard not to look ahead to the rapidly approaching months of Elul and Tishrei just around the corner.

I have always found this to be the most difficult time of year in terms of raw preparation and review of halachot for these chagim. There are so many chagim in such close proximity to one another and so many halachot to review, that I usually end up with a late start, an even later attempt to make up for lost time and and not much to really show for it in the end.

That's why this year I've decided to try and be a little more organized and methodical. After (quickly) crunching a few numbers this is what I've come up with:

89 = Simanim contained in Shulchan Aruch O.C. Hilchot Rosh Hashana, Yom HaKippurim, Sukka and Lulav.

166 = Single side pages of the standard edition Mishna Berura contained in the aforementioned halachot.

62 = Days until Sukkot.

2.68 = Approximate number of single-side pages in the Mishna Berura that one would need to cover per day in order to review the aforementioned halachot before the beginning of Sukkot.

Keep in mind that the last several simanim of hilchot Sukka/Lulav pertain to chol hamoed, Hoshana Rabba and Shmini Atzeret so it is not critical to finish those before Sukkot Starts. If you recalculate the daily pace without these simanim included, it comes out to approximately 2.5 pages per day.

With a pace of 2.5 sides of a page per day you would to cover hilchot Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur in approximately 25 days (around the first week in Elul) with the rest of the time for Sukkot prep whose halachot are much longer in Shulchan Aruch. 


Hopefully this pace/schedule will prove to be more productive this time around.

Some Thoughts on Rav Elyashiv zt"l

Throughout the week of  shiva for Rav Elyashiv zt"l I have read several articles attempting to describe who this legendary person was and how he lived. Much of what I have read was expected and nonetheless inspiring - wonderful stories of piety, genius and total dedication to the Torah.

One of the themes that stands out for me is the unbelievable extent to which Rav Elyashiv tried to take advantage of his time. I have often heard stories of great people who utilize every minute, but Rav Elyashiv was someone who monitored his every second. Each moment was calculated and measured. There was literally no time to waste.

I merited meeting Rav Elyashiv in person several times, but approximately 11 years ago, I had the privilege to spend a few moments with Rav Elyashiv one on one in his home in Mea She'arim (how I got in is a story for another time). Because of the limited time allotted to each of his visitors, I intended to simply ask for his blessings and be on my way. When my turn came, I entered his study and sat at the table to his left. I immediately noticed that he had 2 sefarim on the table - A gemara (Zevachim/Menachot) and a Rambam (Sefer Avoda). I was told that this was his "seder" for learning during the free seconds he had between visitors (!). Although our meeting lasted only a few moments, I felt a sense of awe that this great man whose every moment was calculated and measured had dedicated a few of those moments to me. I still look back on that brief exchange as a very inspiring encounter.

The night of the levaya, I found a printed quote from Rav Elyashiv himself discussing this very theme - the importance of every moment of a person's life (in a sefer called "Asrei Ha'ish"):

The consensus among Jews from all over the political and religious spectrum is that Rav Elyashiv lived and breathed Torah and a pure dedication to it. We can debate his opinions and associations, but one thing that cannot be denied is that to him - Learning and living Torah reigned supreme. This is a message that crosses all party lines and doesn't fit into any of our polarized boxes - it is something that all Jews can relate to and strive for. 

It is no wonder then, that hundreds of thousands of men, women and children from every community packed the streets of Yerushalayim late on a hot summer night to bid him farewell. 

[The following is a video I took on my phone from the middle of the Bar-Ilan and Shmuel Hanavi intersection during the funeral. This was only a fraction of the crowds that attended]:

Causing the Churban - Then and Now

The following is the introduction to Sefer Bereishit, written by the Netzi”v as part of his masterful commentary to the Torah

In this piece, the Netzi’v describes the tone of Jewish society at the time of the destruction of the second Beit Hamikdash, and particularly of the infighting that plagued the Jews at that time and eventually led to their demise 

I will let the Netziv speak for himself in the original Hebrew, but in case you don’t catch his description  in Hebrew of what the Jewish people did to cause the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash, you can read an article in English about an eerily similar repeat performance (reportedly) happening in our times

זה הספר הנקרא "ספר בראשית" - נקרא בפי הנביאים: "ספר הישר", כדאיתא במסכת עבודת כוכבים (כה ע"א) על שני מקראות: בספר יהושע (י יג): "הלא היא כתובה על ספר הישר", ובספר שמואל (ב א יח): "ויאמר ללמד לבני יהודה קשת, הנה כתובה על ספר הישר". ומפרש רבי יוחנן: זה ספר אברהם יצחק ויעקב שנקראו "ישרים", שנאמר: "תמות נפשי מות ישרים" (במדבר כג י)

ויש להבין הטעם למה קרא בלעם את אבותינו בשם "ישרים" בייחוד, ולא "צדיקים" או "חסידים" וכדומה. וגם למה מכונה זה הספר ביחוד בכינוי "ישרים", ובלעם התפלל על עצמו שיהא אחריתו כמו בעלי זה הכנוי.

והענין דנתבאר בשירת האזינו על הפסוק "הצור תמים פעלו... צדיק וישר הוא" (דברים לב ד), דשבח "ישר הוא" נאמר להצדיק דין הקדוש ברוך הוא בחֻרבן בית שני, שהיה "דור עקש ופתלתל" (שם פסוק ה); ופירשנו שהיו צדיקים וחסידים ועמלי תורה, אך לא היו ישרים בהליכות עולמים. על כן, מפני שנאת חנם שבלבם זה אל זה, חשדו את מי שראו שנוהג שלא כדעתם ביראת ה' שהוא צדוקי ואפיקורס. ובאו על ידי זה לידי שפיכות דמים בדרך הפלגה, ולכל הרעות שבעולם, עד שחרב הבית.

ועל זה היה צדוק הדין, שהקדוש ברוך הוא ישר הוא ואינו סובל צדיקים כאלו, אלא באופן שהולכים בדרך הישר גם בהליכות עולם, ולא בעקמימות אף־על־גב שהוא לשם שמים, דזה גורם חֻרבן הבריאה והריסוּת ישוב הארץ.

וזה היה שבח האבות, שמִלבד שהיו צדיקים וחסידים ואוהבי ה' באופן היותר אפשר, עוד היו "ישרים", היינו: שהתנהגו עם אומות העולם, אפילו עובדי אלילים מכוערים; מכל מקום היו עמם באהבה, וחשו לטובתם, באשר היא קיום הבריאה. כמו שאנו רואים כמה השתטח אברהם אבינו להתפלל על סדום, אף־על־גב שהיה שנא אותם ואת מלכם תכלית שנאה עבור רשעתם, כמבואר במאמרו למלך סדום. מכל מקום חפץ בקיומם!

ובבראשית רבה פרשת וירא (פרשה מט) איתא על זה שאמר הקדוש ברוך הוא לאברהם אבינו : "אָהַבְתָּ צֶּדֶק וַתִּשְׂנָא רֶשַׁע" (תהלים מה ח) - "אהבת להצדיק את בריותי, ותשנא להרשיען..." והיינו ממש כ"אַב הֲמוֹן גּוֹיִם" (בראשית יז ד, ובפסוק ה), שאף־על־גב שאין הבן הולך בדרך מישרים - מכל מקום שׂוחר שלומו וטובו. וכן הוצק חן ודרך ארץ נפלא, על דבר אברם את לוט, כמו שנתבאר בפרשת "לך".

וכן ראינו כמה נֹח היה יצחק אבינו להתפייס ממשנאיו, ובמעט דברי פיוס מאבימלך ומרעיו - נתפייס באופן היותר ממה שבקשו ממנו, כמבואר במקומו.

ויעקב אבינו, אחר שהיטב חרה לו על לבן, שידע שבקש לעקרו לולי ה', מכל מקום דבר עמו דברים רכים. עד שאמרו על זה בבראשית רבה (פרשה עד): "קַפְדָנוּתָן של אבות ולא עַנְוְתָנוּתָן של בנים" (עיין שם), ונתפייס עמו מהר.

וכן הרבה למדנו מהליכות האבות בדרך ארץ מה ששייך לקיום העולם, המיוחד לזה הספר שהוא ספר הבריאה. ומשום הכי נקרא כמו כן ספר הישר על מעשה אבות בזה הפרט.

ובלעם בשעת רוח הקודש - לא היה יכול להתפלא על רוע מעשיו, שאינו צדיק וחסיד כאברהם יצחק ויעקב, אחרי שהוא נביא אומות העולם וראשו במקור הטומאה. אכן התפלא על רוע הילוכו בדרך ארץ, שאם שראוי היה לו לשנוא את ישראל תכלית שנאה, באשר שהמה בני אברהם יצחק ויעקב וראשם במקור הקדוּשה, אבל מכל מקום לא היה ראוי לפניו לבקש לעקר אומה שלימה. ואינו דרך ישרה בקיום העולם. ועל זה צעק "תמות נפשי מות ישרים", היינו: מקיימי הבריאה.