In Memory of Mr.

Max Glass

Likutei Ohr
Volume V : Issue XI
Editor-in-Chief:
Jesse Hyman 16

Senior Editor:
Jack Levkowitz 17
Pinchas Gamzo 17

Managing Editors:
Noam Gershov 17
Gidon Amsellem 18

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!
Marketing:
Yosef Hier 16
!
Distributors:

Layout Editor:
Eitan Tennenbaum 17

Shayan Kohanteb 16
Eli Friedman 15
Jordan Lustman 15
Ilan Atri 15
Nathan Silberberg 16

Staff Advisor:
Rabbi Arye Sufrin

The Flame of
Our
Ancestors

A good man who

speaks evil is like a
palace next to a
tannery: one defect
destroys all the
grandeur

- Shabbat 56b

Tefillah Gems

Yosef Petlak 17

In Memory of Mr. Jack Gindi

The Pamphlet of Light

Parshat Naso

A publication of YULA Boys High School

Sotah-Nazir Connection

Gidon Amsellem 18

Parshat Naso has two integral topics that it speaks about: Sotah and Nezirut. Sotah
is a very specific case in which a husband accuses his wife of being disloyal to him.
However, there are no witnesses to back up his statements. Since this is such an
important matter, and we cannot allow a marriage to end because of a suspicion, we
leave the verdict to G-d. The Kohen proceeds to perform a ritual where he prepares
special water for the woman to drink. If the woman was disloyal her stomach will swell,
and she will die. However, if her husbands accusations were false, she has a child.
Naso also introduces the concept of Nezirut. Nezirut is taken upon a person to
strengthen his moral value. A Nazir does not cut his hair, cannot become impure (i.e.
through a dead body), or eat/drink any product of grapes for a specific amount of time
that he designates when accepting Nezirut. A Nazir would often take these prohibitions
upon himself if he noticed that he was behaving immorally and wished to fix himself. By
not cutting his hair or eating/drinking grape products, he shows that he is not focused
on his physical looks or desires. This fixes his immorality and brings him closer to G-d.
What is the connection between these two central topics of Parshat Naso?
The Haftorah this week is about the great warrior, Shimshon. Shimshon was
famous for being a Nazir from birth and possessing superhuman strength. He used that
strength to fight the Philistines and as a Shofet (judge) over Bnei Yisrael. Shimshon saw a
Phillistine woman and married her. Their marriage ended up being ruined through
people that Shimshon had made a bet with. Later, he saw a woman named Delilah and
married her. Despite his great strength, Shimshon had one weakness that led to his
downfall. His Nezirut gave him a special connection with G-d that fueled his strength. If
he in any way broke his Nezirut he would lose his strength. Delilah was bribed by the
Philistines to find that weakness. When she finally did, she exploited it (cutting his hair),
allowing his capture. Shimshon died heroically when he destroyed a building that he
was held captive in, killing him and many of the Philistines.
Although his physical weakness was that he could not cut his hair. Shimshons
moral weakness was the one that led to his downfall. Shimshon was unable to control his
desire for women. The Pasuk repeats the same phrase numerous times: Vayar IshahAnd he saw a woman (Shoftim 14:1 and 15:1). If Shimshon could have curbed his
immoral desire, the Philistines never would have captured him. This was his actual
weakness.
This is the connection between Sotah and Nezirut. A wife that has been immoral
and disloyal to her husband dies. Shimshon also died because of his immoral desire.
Shimshon missed the point of Nezirut. Nezirut is about fixing yourself, not just about the
abstinences that come along with it. G-d juxtaposed these two topics to show the
seriousness of immorality. Like a Nazir we should try to be aware of our actions in order
to fix those that are improper. Also, we should take the lesson of Shimshon to heart. We
should remember to never miss the point when following G-ds commandments

One of the most popular chapters of Tehillim is Shema Koleinu. The author of this Tefillah begins by writing, "From the
depths, I have called out to You, Hashem" (Psalms 130:1). In Gemara Berachot (10b), a question arises concerning the
meaning of these depths mentioned in the first verse of this special prayer. One explanation of the depths given is that during
Talmudic times, the Chazan would stand on a lowered platform. The reason for this was to show the Chazan how to pray,
which is in a state of humility without any feelings of haughtiness. Rav Kook provides a second explanation for the word
MeMa'amakim, "from the depths. From the plural use of the word, he explains that there are two depths discussed in this
Tehillim. The first depth teaches that we must lower our supposedly high spiritual feeling during Davening in order to become
more aware of the spiritual growth we can experience. Secondly, we must deepen our insight while Davening in order to fully
realize the worlds as well as Klal Yisraels needs, for they are integral to our existence and survival.

Our Personal Ripple

Avishai Zarifpour 16

Towards the end of the Parsha , the Torah describes the

offerings of the Nesiim- Princes - on the day that the Mishkan was
sanctified. Strangely, the Nesiim offered the exact same offerings, yet
the Torah describes each one separately in identical Pasukim. We also
know that there are no extra words in the Torah, and, therefore, the
Mefarshim ask why it is necessary to enumerate the same Pasukim 12
times? Why didn't the Torah just tell us what they brought in one
Pasuk and then tell us that each of the Nesiim brought the same
thing?
The Darchei Mussar, who quotes the Alter of Kelm,
answers this question and writes that the Torah is coming to teach
us how to relate to the individual's performance of Mitzvot within
the Jewish nation. A person thinks that when he does a Mitzvah with
a bigger group, one may think that there is no focus on an
individuals actions. However, this is not the case. Hakadosh Baruch
Hu is happy with every Mitzvah performed. God's capacity to love
and care for each Jew is infinite and is not delayed by the fact that
he also loves so many other Jews. Just like Hashem was happy
about the offering of Nachshon ben Aminadav, the prince of Shevet
Yehuda, he was happy about the offerings of all the other Nesiim.
The Torah has Psukim for each Nasi to show the importance of each
individual one.
We can learn an idea in Jewish thought in comparison to
other belief systems. For example, an atheist does not see any
intrinsic worth in the other person because he is one of several
billion human beings who are made up of flesh and bone, who live
in one of the planets of the solar system, in one of the many millions
of galaxies. An atheist would feel a great sense of lack of self-worth
because he feels so insignificant in comparison to all the other
people in the world. The lesson we learn is that it is an obligation
upon us to respect ourselves as well as others.
The Rambam writes that each person should look at the
world as being on a weighing scale of Mitzvot versus sins, and that
every Mitzvah that one does could tip the scales for the good, and
every sin that he commits could have the opposite effect. This
should imbue us with the recognition of the importance of each and
every action that we do.

Sotah: A Misunderstood Mitzvah

Halachic Illuminations

From Rabbi Nachum Sauer

The Shulchan Aruch in 339:3 states that it is
prohibited for one to dance and clap on Shabbat and
Yom Tov. According to the Gemara, this prohibition was
instituted to prevent a person from ?ixing a musical
instrument on Shabbat, which would constitute the
Melacha of Makeh BPatish. There is a Machloket among
the Rishonim as to whether the Halacha still applies
today. Tosfot and the Rama rule that the prohibition
does not pertain to modern day dancing and clapping.
Their reasoning is that when Chazal enacted this
prohibition, everyone was an expert at ?ixing
instruments. Nowadays, however, since we are not all
experts in this area, the Halacha would not apply to
dancing and clapping, although it would still apply to
?ixing instruments. The Mishnah Berurah and others
hold that the prohibition is still applicable today, so one
should refrain from dancing and clapping on Shabbat
and Yom Tov. However, Simchat Torah is an exception
and everyone agrees that it is permissible to dance with
the Torah.
It is forbidden to play musical instruments on
Shabbat or Yom Tov even if the sound produced is not
musical or rhythmic. Such prohibited instruments
include whistles, rattles, bells, and horns. The Poskim
are so stringent to the extent that even while using
ones hand, one should be careful not to create a
rhythm. Due to this Halacha, one must make sure not to
knock on doors in a rhythmic way and to avoid
doorknockers because they also create a sound.
Contrastingly, one may make noise with something that
is not intended to produce a musical sound. An example
of this exception is that it is permissible to tap on a glass
cup in order to get the attention of an audience or wake
someone from his sleep. On Rosh HaShana, after
ful?illing the Mitzvah of hearing the Shofar, the Rama
says that one may not blow the Shofar throughout the
rest of the day. However, there is no prohibition of
singing or whistling on Shabbat.

Compiled By Noah Hyman 18

Josh Resin 16

In Parshat Naso, we learn all the details of the procedure that is to be carried out when a womans husband accuses her of
committing adultery in a case where no witnesses were present. The Sotah is given the choice of either accepting a divorce or being
required to pass an unusual test. The test includes having her drink bitter waters, which has Hashems name erased into it. If she
is guilty, she will die immediately upon consuming the water, if she is innocent the waters will be beneficial for her and she will
become pregnant and give birth to healthy children. At first glance, this strange mitzvah seems degrading to women, requiring the
Sotah to go through a humiliating experience, but a closer look reveals just the opposite. The Gemara in Sotah explains that both the
husband and wife are equally and identically affected by the bitter water, meaning that both are examined at the time she drinks
it. If she is innocent the husband will feel more humiliated than the woman for wrongly accusing her of adultery; and if she is
guilty she dies. Furthermore, the woman is not even forced to go through this process or admit anything at all; she can simply
accept a divorce and go marry someone else, no questions asked. Ramban explains that the mitzvah of Sotah, unlike all other
Mitzvot, requires G-ds hand to make a miracle in order for the procedure to work. Generally, HaKadosh Baruch Hu remains
concealed to allow us the privilege of free will, for if G-d was always so obviously revealed, we would never make mistakes and
therefore not have the true power of choice. However, given His deep love and concern for the purity and holiness of a Jewish
marriage, He exposes Himself through the fate of the Sotah and makes His involvement in every minuscule detail of our lives
obvious for all to see. Only through this seemingly undignified exercise does the Jewish woman have the ability to bring about this
revelation of G-ds hand in our lives and demonstrate Hashems love for all of His people.

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