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PART OF THE CCHF SHABBOS TABLE MACHSOM L’FI PROGRAM • PARSHAS BAMIDBAR 5781 • ISSUE 240

‘Don’t Ask Him Any WEEKLY WISDOM

Why is Shavuos known as the season
Hard Questions’ of the giving of our Torah and not the
season of the receiving of our Torah?
The Chiddushei Harim explains: Because
People count on their rabbi to guide them wisely. When they have doubts about his
the giving of the Torah took place only
ability, shouldn’t they have the right to discuss those doubts?
once at Har Sinai, whereas the receiving
of the Torah takes place every single day.
T H E T H E What are you doing today to receive
DILEMMA HALACHAH the Torah?

T T
he beloved, elderly Rabbi Lieberman he Chofetz Chaim A NOTE ON THE
passed on to the next world and his states specifically
congregation mourned their loss. He had that it is loshon
“DILEMMA” SERIES
been their rav for 45 years. He knew each family, hora to say that a local The Shabbos Menu “Dilemma” section
their history, and their needs. When young Rabbi rabbi lacks knowledge is now following the order of Sefer
Bernstein was chosen as his successor, many of because it diminishes his Chofetz Chaim, bringing you the halachos,
the shul’s long-time members were disgruntled. authority, his employment with all their nuances and variations,
“He’s younger than my son,” said Mr. Tauber. prospects, and overall in the order the sefer presents them.
We hope this will enhance our readers’
“I’m supposed to go to him for advice?” The reverence for the
understanding and build, week by week,
younger members of the shul, however, were Torah.
a greater appreciation for the depth of
enthralled. “He’s so dynamic! He really gets Sefer Chofetz Chaim,
Hilchos Loshon Hora 5:4
hilchos Shmiras Haloshon.
what life is like nowadays! The kids love him!”
One day Mr. Tauber found himself involved
in a business conflict. With just one FOR QUESTIONS AND
Orthodox shul in town, and just one rabbi COMMENTS, EMAIL
running it, he went to ask Rabbi Bernstein’s Shabbosmenu@cchfglobal.org
advice. “I don’t have much experience in
this area,” the rabbi admitted. “I’m going

except
to confer with Rabbi Roth, who’s an expert “Everything in the
in this unique aspect of business law. I’ll get     world is finite
back to you tonight or tomorrow at the latest.”
“What did I tell you?” Mr. Tauber said to his

peace
neighbor the next day. “They hired someone
[for] two things:
who can’t do anything more than tell you   Torah and
how to kasher a pot!” He shared his opinion
with many members of the old guard. Was .”
this observation about the rabbi’s limited
– M e n o r a s H a M a o r,
knowledge loshon hora? Gadol HaShalom, amud 544

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 S SH HA AB BB BO OS S M ME EN NU U •   n I SI S U
SEU E2 44 02 S H A B B O S M E N U n

A sage
sage adviceadvice
A sageadvi
vie Gold was sitting shiva for his s Mrs. Klein* enjoyed her
Every child knows father,
revered that theMr.
Jewish
Jackpeople camped at
(Yaakov) Shabbos afternoon nap, her
fool the yetzer hora
Mount Sinai “as one man with one heart.” Ever since
Gold, in October 1976. Rabbi
then, unity has been our ideal. To merit our portion in
Yaakov Pollack, Rabbi of Congregation MACHLOKES:
mother came to her in a dream.
At first sheAshone
RABBI’Swith VIEW #4 smile,
a radiant
5 WayS po
the Torah, we need to be joined with our fellow Jews
Shomrei
in peace. Emunah in Boro Park and a Question:
Why Not
but suddenly shehora
“My yetzer began quits! How can I ever build yo
neversobbing.

R
maggid shiur at Yeshiva University, entered “You must make
conquer loshon hora for good?” the call!” she insisted

Answer:
the house and Ephraim
sat down. He said to thewas
a Pillow?
through her tears.
Rabbi Eliyahu Shapiro 1. Positive w
mourners, “You’re
visiting probably
a city wondering
for a speaking why
engagement. “Just tell him you’re not really giving it up. You’re just and outlook
“What call? Call who?” Mrs. Klein asked.
I came toThe be rav of the shul
menchem thatsince
avel, was neither
hosting holding off for now.” They see oth
Her mother named a woman with whom
Avie nor theJack event
Gold had a favor
ever to ask.
davened in“There’s
my a We allcomes
The answer know the story
from Dovid ofHamelech,
Yaakov Avinu. He
whoinwould came setto the
out forplace of
the beis relationship
family in the shul that’s stuck in a machlokes,” he Mrs. Klein had been embroiled a dispute.
shul. I’ll explain it to you with a story: medrashthe future
with Beis HaMikdash
the yetzer hora taggingand he wanted
along, to sleep.got
saying, “You’ve Soahe took 2. Positive wo
million
explained. “The father is an elderly man. He has When Shabbos was over, Mrs. Klein’s
“Many things twelve
to take stones
care of! and
Who’splaced
got them
time around
to sit and his head.
learn?” Rashi HaKadosh building bloc
one son years ago an
he doesn’t Orthodox
speak to. NowJewish
some of the other
man was
children aredriving
startingintoQueens
take sidesnear
andathe
Jewish comments daughter
that therushed
stones out of
started the
to house
fight to
with
family is “Oh, you think I’m going to learn?” the king would reply. “I’m really going
join
each other. “I want strengths, th
cemetery when he noticed an elderly
falling apart. Could you speak to the father?” the two
tzaddik friends
to lie on with
me,”
to take care of some important business.” whom
said oneshe would
stone. “No, be I want the tzaddik to lie
3. Positive wo
woman standing under a bus shelter. He on me,”driving
said a to different stone.
The yetzer hora, thinking New York towould
attendgoanother negativity is
Rabbi Shapiro agreed to see what he could do. he had won, away long enough for Dovid
pulled over and asked her in Yiddish where friend’s The triplittle
from their became one big stone. atmosphere w
When he met the father, he tried to open the A miracle
Hamelech to direct hischasunah.
happened feet toand
theall ofmedrash.
beis the stones
she was heading. She answered that she homes in Montreal thiswould totake
one them
Now Yaakov rested his head on the big stone. we’re
The question 4. Positive wo
conversation on a happy note. “Tell me something
was going home to Brooklyn, and she told In His kindness, Hashem allows ruse work whenever faced withisa
nice that’s happened in your family recently,” he said. challenge. asked: If a miracle
through the can turn
mountains, the twelve
over stones
the into
border one stone, why a place where
him where she lived. He replied that he The truth is, it’s not the yetzer hora that falls for the trick, it’s we who
couldn’t the miracle turn the stones into a pillow? At least let it be feels safe. Th
The
wasfather talked
heading toglowingly
the sameabout neighborhood intowe’re
a grandchild who fall for it, because upstate New
falling York,
in the and on
direction to thewe
in which city.
really want to go.
just
andhadhe awould
siddurbeplay. “Wow,
happy tothat’s
drivesuch
her nachas!”
home. comfortable. 5. Positive wo
Meanwhile, as Mrs. Klein went about in others and
Rabbi Shapiro enthused. “Not really,” the father said.
“I“During
couldn’tthe
go.drive to Brooklyn
My other son’s boy she explained
– the son I don’t
TALK What
ABOUT straightening
are the
The Rabbis answer: Nothing dangers
a big, dramatic change?
of
up theWhat
making
positive
house after
OR D R
results from a merivah, from
E C D s an
they need for
that she had yahrtzeit and had come to the
speak to – is in the same class. I couldn’t sit there ITargument are — thenot even a pillow.
benefits?
Shabbos, her dream haunted her. the Conve
ofWhat ntionspouse and c
cemetery
with to daven. She had been waiting
his family.” From a lecture
did herby Rabbi
motherEli Mansour
mean?atWhy
a CCHF Tisha
was sheB'Av program
TODAY! Torah and te
for the bus to take her home. They cordially
Incredulous, Rabbi weeping? Finally, she decided that 352.3505
845.she ext 116workplace, a
conversed until he special your father was.”

It’s Bad
Shapiro replied,
dropped her off had
The to call the person in question. She
things
A renewed waveknew of awe and be
lovea washed
“Really? You missed you’re ittalking
would difficult p

saved by
in front of her over Jack Gold’s bereaved children.
all that nachas?” The conversation,
about are and it was.
home. Their father’s chessed was so much w
man began to cry. “Do

Business
priceless!
But at the DoendPollak
of it, knew
she a

A call
“Almost
you know how many more than even
you really Rabbi
a year
hugs I’ve missed? How – becausehad gotten
Jack Gold did not live th
want to give
later, Shabbos seudos
many the other
up all of this a

going
the man
have been lonely? How woman’s
nachas over th
calledsimchos have been incomplete?”
many mechilah. As heard from Mr. Rothschild
something that has a co
the elderly
“Look,” said Rabbi Shapiro, “I know your fight with price? Please, be mevater

my way
woman Moments T
your son and
is over money. But money has a price tag. before it’s too late!”
siad, ‘Since later, the p
Hearing this story, we
we both have to be phone
might think of the father
rang. a
at the cemetery on the same day and The number sc
as an unusually prideful,
we live in the same neighborhood, I’m was her
stubborn man. But how CallNor845.352.3505 ext. 5  Visit cchf.global th
going to pick you up and we’ll go to the cem- anywhere near in the
many times,daughter’s,
Rabbi’s mother.
our own
etery together, and then I’ll drive you home.’ did he th
wayhaveand ata our
yahrtzeit
but own
the
on the same day.
level,
voice
He had simply offered himself – his time, w
“The scene repeated itself for a number of do we sacrifice
was the quality
weak and trembling. “Mommy! We’re
years, until the elderly woman passed away. patience, company–and
of a relationship conversation – to
the trust to be true: They had
takeanda little bitalive!”
of the her
burdendaughter
off
closeness – to score a victory in a one said.
fellow miracle. But Mrs. Kle
“Before she died, the woman mentioned Jew’s shoulders.
relatively meaningless quarrel? We
They had been driving along in thelose not had, in fact, been sav
the story to her son and told him the name ______________ ___________
only our happiness, but also our connection
of the man who drove her to the cemetery mountains
Excerpted with permission from Stamwhen
Torah, bythey
Rabbi hit a patch of
*Names have been changed
toStaum
Daniel the Torah that we accepted in unity.
every year on the yahrtzeit. black ice. With almost no guardrails
“The elderly woman in the story was my on thatABOUT
TALK
TALKABOUT
long stretch
IT
of highway, the
TALK Assuming th
mother, and the man was your father. So WhatWhyare
do some
chances
of achdus
the many
of their
waslessons
plunging
about the Our Mission
over the
Our Mission get message
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you think needed for Hashem

when I heard he passed away I came to best way to domountainside
chessed
to give us that hadlearn
we can
the Torah? beenfromnearly 100at the Chofetz Chaim Heritage a dream, wh
express my gratitude and to tell you how this man’s selfless act? atFoundation
the ChofetzisChaim ITHeritage
to inspire Jews this story?
Foundation
around is to
theinspire
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