The Rov will be giving a shiur in Hilchos Tefillah on Shabbos afternoon at 5:30. Everyone is invited and encouraged to attend.
Selichos will begin this coming week. We will hold the first selichos on Motzei Shabbos at 1:03 AM.
Mazel Tov to Mr. and Mrs. Naftali Weiss upon the birth of a baby boy! The shalom zachor will be held at 6200 Biltmore Avenue from 9:15pm-11pm (there will be no women's section). The bris will be held this Shabbos at 11 AM in the Club Room of 6711 Park Heights Ave (The Clubhouse Condominiums). Please use the front door to enter the building (the doorman opens the electric door). We wish them much nachas!
We would like to welcome our newest members to the kehilla:
Mr. and Mrs. Avrohom Benyowitz and
Mr. and Mrs. Ahron Loiterman
We are so glad that you have decided to join our shul!
Have a wonderful Shabbos!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dvar Torah
פרשת נצבים-וילך
If one would search for the words “ראש השנה” in the Torah, nothing will show up. Instead we find the words “״יוֹם תְּרוּעָ֖ה - “the day of shofar-blowing” (במדבר פרק כט:א). Meaning, it is really what the shofar blowing represents that is of upmost importance to us, not that it is New-Year’s day. The shofar represents the culmination of the year and addresses many important ideas and lessons we can learn.
One idea is found in the Tur’s first halacha in Hilchos Rosh Hashana (טור אורח חיים הלכות ראש השנה סימן תקפ"א). The Tur quotes from Pirkei D’Rebbi Elazar who says that when Moshe Rabbeinu went to Hashem for forgiveness, it was the shofar blast that achieved their forgiveness, since the shofar is utilized to arouse Bnei Yisroel to do teshuva (להזהיר ישראל שיעשו תשובה). The Tur adds that the shofar is also used to confuse the evil inclination (לערבב השטן). Therefore, it is our custom to begin Shofar blowing twice daily as early as Rosh Chodesh Ellul.
Seemingly these two ideas, stated by the Tur are unrelated. Yet, a careful textual analysis of the Tur shows, due to its juxtaposition, that these two ideas are related, and both contain the same central theme. What is the connection between the idea of לערבב השטן and להזהיר ישראל שיעשו תשובה?
Reb Ephraim Berger explains that while many commentaries understand the above concept of לערבב השטן as literally confusing the שטן, we can also understand the statement in a down-to-earth and personal way. The concept of לערבב השטן also refers to changing our natural habit. This idea can be gleaned from the process we follow of confusing the “שטן” with the shofar. We confuse the “שטן” by blowing the shofar starting Rosh Chodesh Elul, then pause blowing the day prior to Rosh Hashana, then start again on Rosh Hashana. Essentially, we are changing things around unpredictably, which is what one needs to do to change their natural habit. Habits are natural; everyone likes to stay within their own comfort zone. We live life the way we are used to. If it worked yesterday, it will probably work out tomorrow. However, habits do not foster spiritual growth, only change does. It is only when we change and create positive new routines that we can really grow. During this past year, due to COVID, the entire world was forced out of their habit. For better or for worse, we had to reconsider how we live our daily lives, as the past is history.
With our new understanding of the Tur, the connection between לערבב השטן and להזהיר ישראל שיעשו תשובה is applicable and relevant. When we think of “confusing the שטן” in a personal way as a reference to changing our natural inclination, then לערבב השטן is really a form of Teshuva. This is really the main form of Teshuva as it essentially represents our ability to change into a better person.
May Hashem bless us that we will all answer the call of the shofar and become better people this year.
!כתיבה וחתימה טובה
Moshe Berger
