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D'Var Torah Rosh Hashanah - 5764
By Rabbi Baruch Lederman
Rosh Hashana is known as Yom HaDin - Day of Judgement. The Heavenly Court
judges our actions of the previous year and determines our fate for the coming
year. It is imperative that our good deeds outweigh our bad deeds. Not only are
the deeds themselves counted, but the ramifications of these deeds count. Not
only do the number of deeds count but the quality counts, as the following
tale, originally told by the venerable Rabbi Elias Schwartz illustrates:
A miser once died and was called before the heavenly court. In the courtroom
there stood a scale. His good deeds were placed on one side. His bad deeds were
placed on the other. Prosecuting Angels came and placed numerous deeds on the
sinful side of the scale, while the mitzvah side remained empty. This scale
would determine his fate in the next world and things were not looking good.
The man cried out, "Surely I must have some merit."
At that point a scrawny little angel limped in and placed two small coins on
the scale. Not much happened. The angel left and returned, limping back in with
a loaf of bread which he threw on the scale. Still not much.
Again the angel returned dragging in a sack of flour which he heaved onto the
scale. It still wasn't enough to tip the scale in the old man's favor.
Now the angel came back to the courtroom hauling in a huge farm plow. The
weight of the plow was enough to offset the other side. The good now outweighed
the bad. The man now received a favorable judgement.
The man was totally grateful and asked the angel where he came from and where
he got these items from. The angel explained that with every mitzvah a person
does, an angel is created. This angel defends you in the Heavenly Court. I am
such an angel.
The angel related, "Once, a poor man came to you begging for alms. You gave the
man two coins. With that, he had amassed just enough money to buy a loaf of
bread that he needed to feed his family."
"The baker, after selling that last loaf of bread was able to buy another sack
of flour that he needed to continue his business. The farmer after selling that
one more sack of flour, was finally able to afford the new plow which he
desperately needed to continue his farming operation."
"You got credit for all these good things that you set into motion with your
one deed," explained the angel to the man.
"I am so thankful to you for saving me; but, tell me: Why did it take you so
long to show up? Why are you limping?"
"I guess you truly don't remember," replied the angel, "The truth is that when
that poor man first asked you for help, you refused. He pleaded with you a
second time and you still refused. Finally he begged you for assistance with
his sustenance. At that point you threw the two coins at him, stomping your
feet and screaming. At the moment you threw the coins at him, I was created."
"But why do you limp?" asked the man.
"When you stomped down,” explained the angel, “You stepped on my foot."
- - - - -
May we all be inscribed in the Book of Life. May we all merit a good, sweet,
new year.
D'Var Torah - Rosh Hashanah
By Rabbi Baruch Lederman
Rosh Hashanah is the Day of Judgement. We hope that G-d judges us
favorably and mercifully. We can merit a more favorable judgement if we judge
others favorably and compassionately.
Bud Marshall kept a small box in his bedroom where he kept several
important & sentimental mementos including the medals he had earned for his
service in WWII. These medals were very precious to him, particularly the Purple
Heart and the Medal for Bravery at Okinowa. He had been exposed to grave danger
there and he valiently perservered and prevailed. The medals confered on him by
his country, meant a great deal to him. His eight year old son Mark, used to
sneak into his father's room, pry open the box, and play with the medals, even
though he wasn't supposed to. After all, Mark was proud of the medals and proud
of his father for courageously earning them. One day Mark showed them to his
friend Brian and they played together with the medals. A few days later Mark
snuck into the room, opened the box and was horrified to discover that the
medals were gone. He was baffled and afraid to tell his father. The next day in
school, he saw Brian was going around to all the kids, showing them the medals
and telling them that his own father had earned those medals. Mark was furious
and confounded. He went right to his father, told him the whole story, and asked
him what to do, "I'm bigger than Brian, I can go beat him up and get back your
medals. Should I do that?" Mr. Marshall put his arm around Mark and said, "Brian
lost his father when he was two years old. The reason he's doing this is because
he wishes he had a father. You're lucky, you have a father. Let him keep the
medals."
DVAR TORAH: Rosh Hashana
On Rosh Hashana we are reminded that
Hashem (G-d) created and runs the world with a loving plan whether we
understand it or not, as the following tale, submitted by Nechama Goodman, illustrates:
There was a couple that used to go to
England to shop in a beautiful antique store. Spotting an exceptional
teacup, they asked, "May we see that? We've never seen a cup quite so
beautiful."
The lady handed it to them and suddenly the teacup spoke, "You don't
understand" It said, "I have not always been a tea-cup. There was a time
when I was just a lump of red clay. My master took me and rolled me
pounded and patted me over and over and I yelled out...Don't do that! I
don't like it! Let me alone."
But, he only smiled and gently said; "Not yet!!"
Then...WHAM! I was placed on a spinning wheel and suddenly I was spun
around and around and around. 'Stop it! I'm getting so dizzy! I'm
going to be sick!' I screamed.
But the master only nodded and said, quietly; 'Not yet.'
He spun me and poked and prodded and bent me out of shape to suit
himself and then...
Then he put me in the oven. I never felt such heat. I yelled and
knocked and pounded at the door. " Help! Get me out of here!" I could
see him through the opening and I could read his lips as he shook his
head from side to side, 'Not yet'.
"When I thought I couldn't bear it another minute, the door opened. He
carefully took me out and put me on the shelf, and I began to cool. Oh,
that felt so good! "Ah, this is much better," I thought.
But, after I cooled he picked me up and he brushed and painted me all
over. The fumes were horrible. I thought I would gag. 'Oh, please; Stop
it, Stop it!!' I cried.
He only shook his head and said. 'Not yet!'.
Then suddenly he put me back in to the oven. Only it was not like the
first one. This was twice as hot and I just knew I would suffocate. I
begged. I pleaded. I screamed. I cried. I was convinced I would never
make it. I was ready to give up. Just then the door opened and he took
me out and again placed me on the shelf, where I cooled and waited ---
and waited, wondering "What's he going to do to me next?"
An hour later he handed me a mirror and said 'Look at yourself.' And I
did. I said, "That's not me; that couldn't be me. It's beautiful. I'm
beautiful!" Quietly he spoke: "I want you to remember, then," he said,
"I know it hurt to be rolled and pounded and patted, but had I just left
you alone, you'd have dried up.
I know it made you dizzy to spin around on the wheel, but if I had
stopped, you would have crumbled.
I know it hurt and it was hot and disagreeable in the oven, but if I
hadn't put you there, you would have cracked.
I know the fumes were bad when I brushed and painted you all over, but
if I hadn't done that, you never would have hardened. You would not have
had any color in your life.
If I hadn't put you back in that second oven, you wouldn't have survived
for long because the hardness would not have held.
Now you are a finished product. Now you are what I had in mind when I
first began with you."
Hashem is the loving Potter, and we are His clay. He will mold us and
make us, and expose us to just enough pressures of just the right kinds
that we may be made into a flawless piece of work to fulfill His good,
pleasing and perfect will.
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