Shabbat Chol HaMoed Pesach 5773 Schedule

Weekly Words of Torah

Thanks for all

Insights into Shabbat Chol HaMoed of Mr. Yaakov Blustein of Yeshivat Sha’alvim, by Rav Re’uven Ungar of Sha’alvim.

When Hashem’s glory will be revealed and obvious, there will be no Karban Chatat (sin offering) because people won’t sin; there also will be no Karban Asham. But there will be 1 Karban that will still be brought in the category of Karban Shelamim called the Karban Toda- the Karban of showing thanks to HaKadosh Baruch Hu.

At this time everything that occurred in history will make sense and this will bring a tremendous sense of thanksgiving to Hashem for everything that has occurred in history. Many times we think that displaying Hakarat HaTov applies when we’re put into a tough situation and saved from it. But really, we should show this Hakarat HaTov when things are going great, as well as when things don’t seem as great.

The only part of Tefillah Chazal enacted that we say on our own even though we already read it in our private Shmona Esrai is Modim- thanksgiving. It is not sufficient that the Chazan do this on our behalf, but we must express this ourselves. Obviously when things are going well its easier to show Hakarat HaTov for everything that’s going on, but its important to display this when things don’t seem to be going well.

We see this clearly with the story of The Klausenberger Rebbe who lost his wife and 11 kids in the Shoah (Holocaust). When he was asked years later: “How’d you move on after such unimaginable pain that you went through?” He answered with 2 words: “BeDama’ich Chayee- in your blood you shall live.” What does this mean? He explained as follows: We say “BeDama’ich Chayee” twice during the year:

1) The Mohel proclaims it when performing a Brit – in order to eat the Karbon Pesach a Brit Milah is necessary so they had a Brit on the spot. As painful as it was, – we didn’t wait to leave Mitzrayim. Therefore we were told: “BeDama’ich- with THAT blood, Chayee- you lived.” It was with the merit of the blood of the Brit Milah that you left Mitzrayim.

2) The second time we say this line is by the Pesach Seder In Magid- because Bnei Yisrael slaughtered the god of the Egyptians. Were they crazy- killing the Egyptians god?!; They’ll kill the Jews for doing this! Therefore “BeDama’ich- with that blood you put your life on the line with, Chayee- you lived and weren’t harmed.”

In this coming week’s parsha, when Aharon’s 2 sons died, the Torah informs us that Aharon responded: “Vayedom Aharon”- “Aharon was quiet” after his sons died.

The Klausenberger Rebbe explains that BeDOMa’ich and VayeDOM emanate from the same Lashon- How did I move on after 11 kids were killed? You move on by being quiet and accepting what occurred because
otherwise, you’ll live the rest of your life in tremendous sadness/anger – but it won’t help, so even if I don’t understand why, I still have Emunah in Hashem that everything was done for the best.

The Slonimer Rebbe points out that if you look at the Bracha of Baruch She’amar, every line in the Bracha seems to be wonderful praise to Hashem except the line of Gozer U’Mekayeim- that Hashem makes a decree and fulfills it. Gozer ‘Decree’ is a harsh Lashon– a Lashon of Din- Judgment- How does that fit into the other praises of Hashem? The Rebbe explains that sometimes Hashem is Gozer- He gives us challenges- but when Hashem does so – He is also Mekaim- He also gives us the ability to move on.

Therefore the night of the Seder is about showing Hakarat HaTov for all that Hashem does for us, and to realize that we have not yet merited the final redemption.

Just as after we left Mitzrayim we understood that we needed the 210 years of slavery we experienced to get to where we were at, we understood that everything Hashem did for us was really for our greater good, likewise may we be zoche this year to once again bring the Karban Toda in the rebuilt Beit Hamikdash when we’ll have the Simcha of understanding that all of history’s hardships were really for our greater good and the greater good of all of Klal Yisrael!