D'Var Torah - Parsha Ki Tisa
By Rabbi Baruch Lederman - 5761

Moshe urged Hashem (G-d), "Let me know Your ways... (Ex.33-13). The ways of Hashem are indeed puzzling to us - particularly how Hashem runs the world. Things seem to make no sense. This because we only see part of the puzzle at a time. Trying to look at the world today and understand why things happen as they do, is like picking up a thousand page novel, turning to page 463, and trying to understand what is going on. Still, every so often, we are privileged to see how the pieces fit together as the following true story illustrates. Rabbi Henry & Rebbetzin Esther Soille were in their apartment in Paris when they heard a scream. They recognized it as neighbor of theirs - a non-Jewish woman. Feeling the terror in the woman's voice, Mrs. Soille said  "Lets get dressed and go help her." Rabbi Soille agreed and added, "If we wait that long she may be dead by then." So, they immediately ran outside, dressed only in their pajamas to help.        When they got outside they saw a Nazi car coming toward their building so they dashed out of sight. From their hiding place they could see that the Gestapos were going to none other than their own apartment. Had they not responded with sensitivity and courage to the anguished cries of their neighbor, they would have still been in their apartment for the Nazis to find them and drag them off. Because they engaged in a chesed (act of kindness), their own lives had now been spared. Why was the woman screaming? They later learned that the woman neighbor was screaming because the Nazis had come to seize her husband for smuggling. She told them to spare her husband and take the Rabbi next door instead. Her intention was to trade the Rabbi's life for her husband's life. It didn't even help her because they still took her husband. In attempting to betray the Rabbi, she actually saved him...

D'Var Torah - Parsha Ki Tisa
By Rabbi Baruch Lederman - 5760

In biblical times, the Jewish army would receive words of
inspiration from the kohain before going to battle. Before the kohain
sent the troops into battle he gave them four ways to back out:
1. If you were faint hearted you could leave.
2. If you just got married you could leave.
3. If you just built a house you could leave.
4. If you just planted a vineyard you could leave.

Rashi teaches us that the only valid reason to excuse someone was the
first reason. If he was scared. He might be scared of battle or he might
be scared that he had so many avairos (sins) that he would not merit
G-d's special protection. The other three reasons are not valid excuses.
Although having a new wife, house or vineyard can certainly distract a
man, it is still possible for him to focus on the job at hand and be a
good soldier.

If this is the case, why does the Torah excuse three types of men who
really should not be excused?

The answer teaches us a great lesson about how to treat people. Rashi
explains that the other three categories are included because otherwise
if someone got up to leave after the kohain excused him, it would be
obvious that that man was either a sinner or a faint heart. By creating
these other categories it is no longer obvious why a particular person is
leaving. Maybe he is from one of these other categories.

What is most remarkable here is that the Torah cares about the feelings
of someone who went and violated the Torah. We might say, "This guy is a
sinner, let him be embarrassed! Why should I care? Serves him right."
Instead, we see that the Torah cares about everyone, even someone who is
a sinner.

We find this concept by the korbonos (Temple offerings). The korbon
chatas (Sin Offering) is brought if one did a sin. The Torah tells us
that the korbon chatas is brought in the same place as the korbon oleh
(Elevation Offering). The reason is that when someone brings a korbon to
that spot, it will not be obvious that that person had committed a sin,
because one could assume that he is bringing an oleh.

The Gemora Sotah teaches us that the Shmoneh Esrei (Amidah) is said
silently for this same reason. That no one should hear us confess our
sins, hence we will be spared any embarrassment.

The Torah unconditionally cares about all people - so should we.

DVAR TORAH: Ki Sisa - Shekalim

Every Jew was commanded to contribute one half shekel to the mishkan (tabernacle). The wealthy were limited from contributing more and the poor were not permitted to contribute less. Each person’s contribution was the same. This reminds us that every person has the ability to make a contribution to society as great as anyone else. Everyone has the potential to achieve greatness. That greatness can be tapped in remarkable ways as the following true story, told to me by Rabbi Zvi Freund, illustrates:

 

Early in his career, Rabbi Hillel Mandel taught 4th grade in Yeshiva Tiferes Moshe in Kew Gardens, NY. He once had a student Heshy* (*name changed), who was not doing well in his studies and in addition to that, behaved in a manner that disrupted the class.

 

Rabbi Mandel was asked by the principal to try to "lift him up". The principal explained that Heshy’s parents were in his office, pleading that their boy had a good heart, but he was getting lost and no one was helping him. He was drowning and no one was throwing him a lifeline. The principal asked Rabbi Mandel to do whatever he could.

 

Rabbi Mandel accepted this challenge, and immediately tried every trick in the book to aid young Heshy. He tried moving him to a better seat. That didn’t help. He tried calling on him more. That didn’t help. He tried positive reinforcement. That didn’t help. He tried talking with him privately and strategizing together about his schoolwork. Still nothing. He tried giving him extra help on his assignments. All to no avail.

 

No amount of praising, coaxing, cajoling or anything else made any impact on poor Heshy. There was no change whatsoever in his poor performance. Every day, Heshy fell further and further behind the rest of the class. Rabbi Mandel truly felt for him. He was after all, a nice boy; but what could he do? He was running out of ideas.

 

In addition to his academic failings, he was not doing well socially within the class, and his behavior was going from bad to worse. Even during recess, Heshy had problems.

 

One day the class was going on a special field trip where they would eat a picnic lunch. As they were about to leave the classroom, Heshy said "Don't forget the bentchers (prayer books containing the Grace after Meals)."

 

Suddenly, a thousand lights went off in Rabbi Mandel’s mind. It occurred to him that whatever qualities and abilities Heshy possessed or lacked, he had a keen sense of responsibility. Finally there was a glimmer of hope - a leg to build on.

 

From that moment on, whenever he needed to be reminded of something, he would single out Heshy.  "Heshy, remind me to give out the workbooks. Heshy, remember to collect the extra credit assignments."

 

This proved to be the key to the mystery that was Heshy. He felt that he had a contribution to make to the class. This new sense of self-value set Heshy on a path that ultimately unlocked his potential. By the end of the year Heshy had improved dramatically - both academically and socially. He was now indeed a model student.

 

Dedicated by Howell & Elsie Schwartz in honor of their children Pamela & Daniel.

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