Mishnah Series

Pirkei Avos ,
The 2nd Mishna of Pirkei Avot Chapter One reads: quotes a Rashi from a different Masechta; as Rav Lamm was reading it, the Rav stopped him and said What on earth are you doing?!. Rav Lamms response was Im reading Tosafos quotation of Rashi. The Rav immediately rebuked the young Rav Lamm with the following brilliant message: Well how do you know that Tosfot isnt lying?! He could be fooling you! Listen, when it comes to Theology, one must be a Maamin (a believer), but when it comes to Torah study, one must be an Apikores! Dont be lazy, get up and find the Rashi that Tosfot is quoting! This truly serves as a fine example, first into the mind of Rav J.B Soloveitchik and also, into the way Torah scholars think and exert themselves in the acquisition of knowledge. Secondly, Avoda helps perfect our relationship with God. Generally speaking, nowadays Avoda is termed to mean Prayer, the Service of the Heart which comes from with all your heart (Devarim), from the Gemara in Taanis 2a.The heart is known as a symbol for connection between two parties that is meaningful and loving and this is exactly what Avoda helps our relationship with God be like. Lastly Gmilus Chasadim perfects our relationships with other humans. The word Gamal, literally means to reveal. The idea that Gmilus Chasadim, doing kind acts, is really an act of revelation is a phenomenal idea. When we do an act of kindness, we reveal in the world, in ourselves and in the other person the potential for goodness, and this is the third pillar on which the world stands. By Josh Gaventa

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The Hasmonean High School Weekly Sedra Sheet Issue no. 382 Shabbos Ends @ 6:31

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Shimon Ha-tzaddik was one of the last survivors of the Anshei Knesses Hagedolah. He used to say: The world is based on three things; Torah, Avodah and Gmilus Chasadim

- 5772

29th October 2011

Personal Mabul - Ish Haadamah or Ish Tzaddik?

Noach was an interesting person, who is described to us in different ways - he is possibly most relevant to us in our lives. Noach starts off as an "Ish Tzaddik", he is chosen by Hashem to be the continuation of humanity, but ends up after the mabul in a different state altogether: "Vayachel Noach ISH HA'ADAMAH, VaYitah kerem... Vayesht VaYishkor, Vayisgal betoch Oholoh" The Mabul changed everything. Holocaust. Destruction. What was Noach going to do? - was he going to re-train humanity - or was he going to plant a vineyard to get drunk and escape? Moshe Rabbeinu had the same choice; he saw the slavery of his people and had the same choice to hide in the palace of Pharoh or to join his people in their struggle. He starts off, describes the Midrash, as Ish Mitzri and ends up as Ish HaElokim a transformation because of his willingness to stay real, and not shirk his responsibility.

The Maharal of Prague asks as to why these three things are the necessary pillars of the world, what do these three things represent? He gives the answer that these three things ensure perfection of the human being. Other creatures were created fundamentally good (individual members of any group may be bad, but the group as a whole apples, cows, etc. were good). This explains why, at the conclusion of their creation, Hashem saw that it was "good." Man, however, needs to be perfected in three areas in: terms of himself, in terms of his relationship with God, and in terms of his relationship with his fellow-man. The three elements named here perfect man in all those ways: Firstly, Torah perfects man's intellect by training it with the Divine wisdom (this constitutes a denial of the value of an untrained human intellect to be worthwhile, man's intellect needs the training of Torah). The rigorous training in learning Torah, be it Gemara, Tanach or Mussar is fundamental to a persons spiritual and certainly his intellectual improvement. Rav Norman Lamm tells an anecdote of the lessons he used to attend given by his Rav, Rav Soloveitchik. One lesson, Rav Lamm was reading aloud a Tosafos which

And Noach the Man of The Earth began, and planted a vineyard and he drank.. and he became drunk, and rolled into the tent He starts as an Ish Tzaddik, yet ends up, through the experience of the Mabul as an Ish Adamah!

Noach, the man who was meant to help humanity reverse the consequences of Adam HaRishons mistake He called his name Noach, as to say this one will comfort us from the earth that What is going on? What was it about the mabul Hashem cursed - fails. Our choice is very simple that changed this description of Noach? What is the fight or flight Ish Tzaddik or Ish HaAdamah. message to us? When the Jewish survivors walked out of the concentration camps in 1945 - weak and emaciated, they were faced with a choice - one which Noach faced, and one which we face daily: Give up, or fight for life. One or the other. Internalise the fire for living, or leave. Either fight for survival, or die. Harsh but true. Our generation, more than any other in history, lives out the Mabul every day of our lives. The nisyonos with which we are faced, the temptations, and confusion are unprecedented in the entire history of Klal Yisrael. Yet in a strange way, every moment, we are faced with the same bechira that Noach was challenged with: Do we want to be an Ish Haadamah, or an Ish Tzaddik?

Editorial Team: Shmuli Margulies Yossi Prager Mikey Lebrett Avraham Grant Micha Athersych Contributors: Rabbi S. Kimche, Uziel Rabson, Josh Gaventa Director : Rabbi D Meyer

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"Adam" has two opposing roots : "adamah" meaning 'earth', and "adameh" meaning 'I will become similar [to Hashem]'. Either heaven, or earth. Every moment is a fight for survival [Ramchal, Mesilas Yesharim]

Rabbi Shmuel Kimche

Story

Dvar Torah

Above Heaven
It was the night of Yom Kippur, the holiest time of the year. As all the Jews were gathering in shul anxiously awaiting their Rebbes arrival to begin davening, Rabbi Shneur Zalman, also known as the Alter Rebbe, mysteriously left the small European village. Some of his devoted and admiring chassidim speculated that their beloved leader went to heaven, connecting to G-d and His angels in the heavenly spheres in preparation for this holy time. But where was their beloved leader? As the Rebbes chassidim waited worriedly for him to arrive, he was climbing deep into the woods, with a sack on his back, to chop down wood. They learned later that he then proceeded to bring the firewood and the sack into the lonely little house of an impoverished widow and five small children. No task was beneath this great Torah scholar as he created a blazing fire in the fireplace, unpacked the food and clothes from the sack, lovingly fed the children and left the woman with many kind and caring words. Perhaps we could say that the Alter Rebbe went to a place even higher than heaven. What is true goodness? What is true giving? Judaism gently teaches us through the stories of the scroll that true goodness is not carried out in a blaze of glory. True goodness and giving often involves nurturing and caring in little ways that go unseen. Often when its hard. Often when it hurts. Often when its not really my job. Impacting this world is not reserved for the knight in shining armor, for the airbrushed faces of Hollywood. It is the responsibility and right of every one of uswith all of our talents and strengths, and yes, with all of our weaknesses. We, and our loved ones, are immortalized long after we are gone, through the kind acts on this earththe comforting whisper to a frightened child, the mending of a broken heart, the giving of charity when we need to dig deep, the patience and forbearance to a cantankerous relative, the nourishing home-cooked meal delivered with love . . . It is through this goodness and giving that we touch the divine, ascending higher than heaven. By Yossi Prager

Parshas Noach
The Possuk says

A you should make for the

''comments that this unususal word has two meanings, both providing light; either referring to a stone beaming with internal light or a regular window with a view to the outside. What is the depth in this ''and what do these two alternatives represent? Harav Yosef Feimer from Tzlusk has a beautiful insight in explanation of '' ''tells us at the beginning of the when we see that Noach was, ,perfect he was in his generation. ''cites an argument as to what this means. There are those who say that it is in praise of . being a in a generation of being able to withstand the evil influences how much more so would he be a in a generation of . However the other school of thought held only in a generation of was he counted as a however, had he been in a regular generation, he would not be considered a . Harav Feimer explains the two views in our ''depends on whether was a true or just merely a in his generation.

We know that when was being destroyed was forbidden to look back as there is no benefit for someone like to see other people being punished. So too if you say was not a true he would not be allowed a window to see the outside and the death of the worlds population; therefore the must have been a stone beaming with light, for use of internal only. However if was a true , he like who did look out over the destruction of - as it says . As a he needed to take on the messages of what was taking place and learn from this dreadful punishment; therefore would have a window not just to see but also to visualise the destruction, to take on the messages of the . Gut Shabbos and Gut Chodesh By Uziel Rabson

Saying of the Week A bird that you set free may be caught again, but a word that escapes your lips will not return

Thought of the Week

A person might be tempted to lock himself away in an ark of spirituality. However, the Torah teaches, Noach must "go out of the ark and take responsibility for the world around him. (from the archives)

Riddle of the Week Which Mitzvah in the Torah can someone only do when they dont want to do it?
The first randomly selected correct answer emailed to hasmolivingtorah@gmail.com will have next weeks riddle dedicated to them and a limited edition copy of next weeks Living Torah signed by the editors. (editors decision is final!)
(Answer in next weeks Living Torah)
Answer To Last Weeks Riddle:

For what sin can a person be punished in Beis Din without a warning? False Witnesses - they are proved to be false by other witnesses in Beis Din and as a result are treated to the same punishment they tried to inflict on the accused.