Parshas Re’eh 5779
[Editor’s note: As a memory of my beloved brother Shaya, I would like to continue sending out his pearls of wisdom that he has shared with all of you in the past. For some of you this may ring a bell and for others it may appear to be totally new. May the learning of Shaya’s Divrei Torah inspire us to change our ways and thereby give an Aliya to the neshama of our dear beloved Shaya whom we miss so much. A special thank you to Aaron Friedman for always looking over the divrei torah.]The Pasuk in this week’s Parsha says ‘Kee am kadosh atah la’Hashem Elokecha’ – “You are a holy nation to Hashem.” The Yalkut explains this pasuk to mean that, ‘lo sigrom li’am acher leeyos kadosh’- “Do not cause another nation to become holy.” What does this Yalkut mean?
The Divrei Sha’arei Chayim offers a beautiful interpretation of the Yalkut’s commentary. Our observance of the Torah and Mitzvos simultaneously makes us holy, as well as connects us with Hashem. If we sin, Hashem will send other nations to afflict us, thus causing Klal Yisroel to be moser nefesh [sacrifice/give up their lives], and in that way become Kedoshim (holy people).
Implementing the Divrei Sha’arei Chayim’s approach, we can better understand what the Pasuk and Yalkut are telling us: ‘Kee am kadosh atah LA’HASHEM ELOKECHA’, we should be kedoshim to Hashem directly, by adhering to the Torah and Mitzvos, and not go through a roundabout and sinful way to become kedoshim, by giving up our lives at the hands of the goyim!
The more efforts and energy we place into Hashem and His Torah, included with our sense of gratitude we have when things are going well [like here in America], the less Hashem will need to punish us to cleanse us from our impurities.
As my father writes in his ad, ‘The early rush for Teshuva starts now.’ There’s no reason to push off Teshuva until Erev Rosh Hashana [and certainly not until Na’eela on Yom Kippur].
Let us all try to work on our issues today and EVERY day of our lives. This will hopefully spare us from the many horrific tragedies that have befallen our people throughout history, and will be a merit for us to witness the final redemption, speedily in our days.
{Editor’s note: As Rav Chaim from Vilushin famously said “If the Jews don’t make Kiddush, then the non-Jews will make Havdalah. Meaning that if we don’t sanctify Hashem by keeping ourselves separate from the non-Jews and living a life devoted to Hashem and keeping his commandments, then Hashem will cause the goyim to separate us from the culture around us.
May we all live our lives giving tremendous honor to Hashem, thereby leading us to our final redemption with the coming of Moshiach very soon.
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