Showing posts with label Shavuos. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shavuos. Show all posts

Friday, May 14, 2010

Just in Time for Shavuos - All of the Bilvavi Mechaber's U.S. Drashos on Preparing for Shavuos

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This just in. Thanks to Tuvia for putting these 19 shiurim up that Rav Itamar Shwartz, the author of the Bilvavi Mishkan Evneh and Da Es Atzmecha seforim. Click on the link below to listen to or download all of the Rav's U.S. shiurim given this week on topics relating to how to prepare ones self for Kabblas Hatorah.

Please note that the audio hasn't been edited yet so there are a few seconds that go by at the beginning of each shiur after the recorder is put down but before the Rav begins to speak. The site will be updated next week with the edited audio but for the meantime, here you go in time for Shavuos! CLICK HERE Picture of the Rav speaking in Boro Park last night courtesy of me. Click here to get Dixie Yid in your e-mail Inbox or here to subscribe in Google Reader.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Bilvavi Mishkan Evneh Author in US Before Shavuos!

I wanted to let everyone know that IY"H, the author of the Bilvavi Mishkan Evneh seforim, Rav Itamar Shwartz, will be in town before Shavuos.

Similar to last year, he will be holding a seminar of three shiurim in one day on Sunday May 9th at Rabbi Mayer Fund's Shul, Sheves Achim in Flatbush, Brooklyn (1517 Ave. H, off corner of East 16th [across from Q Train]). The shiurim will be at 12, 3, & 6 PM. All proceeds are going to publish more seforim by Rav Shwartz. 20ドル admission | 200ドル sponsorship (includes private meeting with the Rav). CLICK HERE or call 516-668-6397 to register.

The Rav's trip is right before Shavuos so the theme, generally, that he will be speaking on relates to how to prepare oneself for Kabalas HaTorah. The Rav will be in North American from Sunday May 9th (the day of the seminar) till Motzoi Shabbos Parshas Bamidbar, May 15th.

Also, there are still one or two slots available that you can have the Rav speak to your community/Shul. Please call 516-668-6397 for more information on that.

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Thursday, May 28, 2009

Rav Ephraim Wachsman Erev Shavuos - mp3 Shiur

CLICK HERE to get the audio shiur.

HT R' Shaima Goldberg (Mohel: (917)822-9910) & Avraham Katz

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Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Rav Yehoshua Hartman - Maharal Shiur For Shavuos

Courtesy of an anonymous friend of Dixie Yid, here is a summary and audio shiur by Rav Yehoshua Hartman in Baltimore on Maharal in preperation for Shavuos.

The Shiur was given 5/25/09 at Shaarei Zion in Baltimore in honor of the Rav's, Rabbi Moshe Hauer's, Maharal shiur completing sefer Netzach Yisrael, and as a prelude to Shavuos.

Rabbi Hartman is the renowned author of the new (blue annotated) Maharal on Gur Aryeh and many other seforim of Maharal.

This shiur discussed three approaches of the Maharal why the Jewish people were not counted at Matan Torah. Many fascinating points were mentioned along the way such as:

How do you know when you should get engaged? (Rav Hutner)

Why are we bound by the Torah if we weren't there to accept it?

Why is the word for friend and the word for evil the same in Hebrew?

Can it ever be said that a person is 'not cut out for learning'?

Once a week we should tell our kids that we are crazy about them. You can never be 'over bal tosif' with too much love."

And much much more.
CLICK HERE for the shiur.

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Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Breslov Chassidus on Shavuos Part II - Rebb. Yehudis Golshevsky

I am happy to present the second shiur in Rebbetzin Yehudis Golshevsky's series for women only covering Breslov teachings on Shavuos. In this shiur, Rebb. Golshevsky covers:
  • Meat and Dairy on Shavuos: Likutei Halachos Devarim HaYotzim Min HaChai 4:38-42;
  • Torah and Tefillah
CLICK HERE to get the shiur. Kol tuv!

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Monday, May 18, 2009

Shavuos is Not What You Think - Audio Shiur by Rabbi Boruch Leff

Here is Rabbi Boruch Leff's shiur on Shavuos, given in Baltimore, entitled, Shavuos is Not What You Think. Here, he covers:
  • Why isn't Shavuos explained as Matan Torah in the Chumash?
  • Why doesn't Shavous have a specific mitzvah?
  • Why must we indulge our bodies on Shavuos?
  • Is Shavuos really about learning Torah?
  • Can we live with Matan Torah daily?
CLICK HERE to get the shiur.
P.S. You can get "Shabbos in My Soul," Volumes 1 and 2 by Rabbi Leff, for the price of one, HERE.

Picture courtesy of Rabbi Dovid Sears at rabbiriddle.org. Click here to get Dixie Yid in your e-mail Inbox or here to subscribe in Google Reader.

Breslov Chassidus for Women on Shavuos - Rebb. Yehudis Golshevsky - Audio Shiur

I am happy to present the first in Rebbetzin Yehudis Golshevsky's series of shiurim for women only covering Breslov teachings on Shavuos. In this shiur, Rebb. Golshevsky covers:
  • a story about Rav Bransdorfer zt"l
  • Likutei Moharan II:73--the forty-nine gates of teshuvah.
CLICK HERE to get the shiur. Kol tuv!

Picture courtesy of theworldsgreatestyeshiva.com. Click here to get Dixie Yid in your e-mail Inbox or here to subscribe in Google Reader.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Series of Articles on Gerus/Conversion & Converts by Yosef Hakohen

Anyone who would like to subscribe by e-mail to the rest of the series of essays on Gerus and Gerim, converts, by Yosef Hakohen, may do so by e-mailing him at chazon8@012.net.il.

My Search for the Soul of Zion – 66

Converts and the Soul of Zion:

Introduction to the Next Segment of Our Series:

Dear Friends,

At the beginning of the series on the “soul” of Zion, we mentioned that the term “Zion” has several meanings. The following references serve as examples:

1. Although the term “Zion” refers to Jerusalem’s Mount Zion, south of the Temple Mount, it can also refer to the Temple Mount itself, as when the Temple was destroyed, the Prophet Jeremiah lamented: “For this our heart was faint...for Mount Zion which lies desolate” (Lamentations 5:17,18).

2. “Zion” can refer to Jerusalem, as it is written: “And they shall call you the city of Hashem, Zion of the Holy One of Israel” (Isaiah 60:14).

3. “Zion” is a term for the Land of Israel; thus, the Prophet Isaiah conveyed the following Divine promise regarding the renewal of the Land: “For Hashem will comfort Zion, He will comfort all her ruins; He will make her desert like Eden, and her wasteland like a garden of Hashem; joy and gladness will be found there, thanksgiving and the sound of music” (Isaiah 51:3).

4. “Zion” also refers to the People of Israel, and this reference is found in the following Divine proclamation: “And to say unto Zion, ‘You are My people!’ ” (Isaiah 51:16)

During the past year, we have begun to explore the “soul” of Zion – the inner spirit that reveals the raison d’etre of Zion. The above definitions of Zion remind us that when we discover the soul of Zion, we discover the inner spirit that reveals the raison d’etre of the Temple, Jerusalem, the Land of Israel, and the People of Israel.

In the previous letters, we discussed how the Torah – the Divine Teaching – is the soul of Zion. We also discussed how the mitzvos – the Divine mandates within the Torah – reveal the raison d’etre of Zion. With the help of Hashem, the Compassionate and Life-Giving One, we will now begin to discuss the important role of converts in helping us to gain a deeper understanding of Zion’s soul and raison d’etre.

We will also discuss why sincere converts who join our people through accepting the Covenant of the Torah have a special connection to the Land of Zion. For example, the Prophet Isaiah conveyed to these sincere converts the following Divine reassurance and promise:

“Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to Hashem, speak, saying, ‘Hashem will utterly separate me from His people’… The foreigners who join themselves to Hashem to serve Him and to love the Name of Hashem to become servants unto Him, all who guard the Sabbath against desecration, and grasp My Covenant tightly – I will bring them to My sacred mountain, and I will gladden them in My house of prayer” (Isaiah 56:6,7).

“The foreigner” – This term is referring to the converts, those who are known as gerei tzedek – converts for righteousness. (Commentary of Ibn Ezra)

Last, but not least, the next segment of our series will help to prepare us for the approaching Festival of Shavuos, when we celebrate the giving of the Torah. As we shall discuss, converts have a special and honored connection with this festival. We are reminded of this connection when we read on Shavuos the Book of Ruth – the story of the righteous convert, Ruth, who moved to the Land of Zion and merited to become an ancestor of the future Messiah.

Shalom,
Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen

An archive of most of the letters in our series appears on our website:

Hazon – Our Universal Vision

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Monday, June 16, 2008

The Gaps That Bring One Closer - R' Binyomin's Drasha From Shavuos


On the second night of Shavuos, between Mincha and Ma'ariv, Kehillas Aish Kodesh was zoche to have Rabbi Binyomin Tepfer, a Rebbe at HAFTR and a son-in-law of Rav Weinberger, give the Drasha. It was a great message that is relevant to how each of us approaches the challenges and obstacles to growth in ruchnius that we face on a day-to-day basis. IY"H, I hope to briefly summarize what he said here, though obviously I can't capture the delivery or all of the detail in a one hour Drasha. I also want to thank Rabbi Tepfer for clarifying a few points from the drasha as well.

The Setup

Rabbi Tepfer introduced three sugyos where one finds the concept of a "Retzuah," a strip of some sort, which separates between the holy and the mundane, to which Chazal have an ambivalent relationship.

#1 The Gemara in Chagiga 25a teaches the din that if one brings wine or oil for the Beis Hamikdash from Yehuda (Judea), it is Tahor. But that if it is brought from the Galil, it is Tamei. "ביהודה אין ובגליל לא מ"ט אמר ריש לקיש מפני שרצועה של כותים מפסקת ביניהן." The Gemara asks, "In Yehuda, yes [it's tahor (pure)]. But in the Galil, no [it's not pure]. Reish Lakish says that this is because there is a strip (Retzuah) of gentiles which separates between them." Rashi there explains that since Kusim live in that strip of land, it has the din (status) of Chutz La'Aretz (being outside of Israel). He further explains that the Chachamim instituted a Tuma D'rabanan (rabbinically insituted impurity) on any wine or oil passing through Chutz La'Aretz. Therefore, wine or oil that will be brought through that strip from the Galil will be Tamei. However, Rebbeinu Chananel said that the Retzuah actually was part of Eretz Yisroel, but that because mostly gentiles lived their, the Chachamim were gozer (insituted) the Tuma status because graves and the like were not clearly marked there.

However, Tosafos ask another question. How were the people from the Galil who had to pass through this Retzuah/strip able to be oleh l'regel (make the pilgrimige to the Beis Hamikdash) three times a year? To offer the Korbanos, they would have to go through a 7 day purification process, which would add a week to their trip every single time! This seems so impractical. Why would Hashem set up this michshol, stumbling block, before people, by creating this disincentive to be oleh l'regel? R' Tepfer also asked what the meaning of the machlokes is, wherein Rashi holds that this Retzuah, cutting right accross Eretz Yisroel from East to West does not even have the status of E"Y, but that Rabeinu Chananel holds that it is indeed considered part of E"Y...

#2 We are told the following by the Gemara in Zevachim 53b-54a: "וקרן מזרחית דרומית לא היה לה יסוד מ"ט? ... אמר רבי חמא ברבי חנינא רצועה היתה יוצאה מחלקו של יהודה ונכנסה בחלקו של בנימין והיה בנימין הצדיק מצטער עליה בכל יום לנוטלה שנאמר(דברים לג) חופף עליו כל היום לפיכך זכה בנימין הצדיק ונעשה אושפיזכן להקב"ה שנאמר (דברים לג) ובין כתפיו שכן." "The south-eastern corner [of the Mizbeach/Alter] had no foundation (Yesod). Why? ... Rabi Chama, in the name of Rabi Chanina, taught: There was a Retzuah/strip [of land] coming out of the portion of Yehuda['s land] and entering the portion of [the tribe of] Binyamin. And the Tzadik Binyamin was pained by this every day, that it had been taken, as it says [in Devarim 33:12) 'He hovered over it all day.' Therefore, the Tzadik Binyamin merited to become the host for the Holy One, as it is written (Id.), "And between his [Binyamin's] shoulders it [the Kodesh Hakodoshim] will rest."

We see here another example of a "pesky" strip which gets in the way of the Tzadik Binyamin's feeling of wholeness in his portion in the Eretz Hakodesh, the holy land. First, we had the Retzuah of land creating Tuma/impurity problems for the residents of the Galil who wanted to be oleh l'regel, and now we find a tiny strip of land from Shevet Yehuda taking away what should have been part of Binyamin's portion, to the point where it prevents part of the Mizbeach from having a "Yesod," a foundation!

#3 With regard to whether or not the the Retzuos (strips) of the tefillin are truly part of the tefillin or not, there is a machlokes between the Mechaber and the Rama in the Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 33:4 (page 59 in the linked pdf file). The Mechaber holds that the Retzuos do not need to be colored lishmah (for the sake of the mitzva of tefillin) and they are kosher bidieved if colored by an Eino Yehudi, a gentile. This is the same din as the actual teffilin themselves. Therefore, the Mechaber holds that the Retzuos are of the same status as the actual tefillin. Whereas the Rema holds that the Retzuos, the straps, must be colored lishma, unlike the actual tefillin themselves. This implies that they are not part of the tefillin themselves and that is why they have a different din than the actual teffilin.

Finding the Common Denominator

Rabbi Tepfer suggested the following common denominator in all of these sugyos relating to Retzuos: In all three cases, there is some interrupting separation between one's desire to connect to kedusha. In all three cases, that sepperator appears outwardly to be a lowly and mundane obstacle to holiness. But in each case, that obstacle was eventually shown to be the instigator for greater holiness.

#1 The Retzuah of Tuma that separated the residents of the Gailil from the Beis Hamikdash seemed outwardly like it wasn't even part of Eretz Yisroel (Rashi). But Rebeinu Chananel showed how even though it appeared unholy because of the kind of people living there, b'pnimius, deep inside, it really was still Eretz Yisroel. Also, that Retzuah which sepperated them from Yerushalayim and aliya l'regel ended up causing them to spend an extra week in Yerushalayim three times a year in preperation for Pesach, Shavuos and Sukkos. In all liklihood, this probably caused them to be even more influenced by holiness than people from other parts of E"Y who came to Yerushalayim only a very short time before the Chag. Also, he suggested that Hashem caused this challenge/opportunity to fall in the lap of the Galil residents because they (who live in Tzfas, Meiron, Tiveria, etc.) were more attuned to how Hashem causes aliyos (growth) to come to people through yeridos (problems).

#2 Binyamin felt that that this little Retzuah of land from Yehuda was taking away from the completeness of his kinyan, his ownership and connection to the holy land. Also, Binyamin was the brother of Yosef, the Tzadik Yesod Olam, the foundation of the world. But since he did not have the portion of E"Y at the point of the south-eastern corner of the Mizbeach/Alter, that point lacked a Yesod, foundation since it lacked that connection to the Tzadik Yesod Olam. However, it was davka (specifically) because he was so bothered by wanting to have an even more complete portion in Eretz Yisroel that Hashem responded by decreeing that he would be zocheh to have the Kodesh Hakodoshim, the Holy of Holies, housed on his territory. Through his feeling of the incompleteness of his avodah, he was zoche to have so much more than he would have had, had he felt complete in his avodas Hashem, without that Retzuah standing in the way.

#3 According to the Shulchan Aruch, who holds that Retzuos (tefillin straps) do not need to be colored lishmah, just like the Batim, the Retzuos are part of the Tefillin. According to the Yam HaChochma on that se'if in Shulchan Aruch (33:4, year 5767), the Mechaber holds that the Retzuos are the essence of Bina, just as the Batim are, and therefore neither require coloring for the sake of the mitvah. They are already the essence of Bina and don't require coloring lishma. Therefore, the Retzuos are part of the tefillin. However, the Rema holds that the Retzuos are not the essence of Bina, unlike the Batim, and therefore must be colored lishma. The Mechaber, however, who shows the influence of Kabbalah throughout Shulchan Aruch, is more in tune with the side of Bina, and therefore he is more inclined to see how the outwardly non-tefilin status of the Retzuos hide within it a deeper reality, wherein the Retzuos have the same kedusha status as the tefillin themselves. He doesn't view them as a sepperation between the person and the kedusha of the tefillin. rather, they are just as holy in that they are the medium through which one can access kedusha.

The common denominator in all of these cases, which is the same one that we can see in our daily lives, is that the things which stand in our way of achieving the levels in holiness that we know we should reach, are there just to make us want it more. That feeling of incompleteness, of wanting more but not getting it, is the source for so much more growth in Avodas Hashem than immediate success in avodas Hashem would have accomplished.

-Dixie Yid

(Picture courtesy of Yitzi Mayer)

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Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Great and Inspiring Essay on the Power of Choice to Print Out for Shavuos


Here is a great essay that's worth reading on the importance of small decisions. It's written by Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein and is entitled "Redemption And The Power of Small Things: Rav Yosef Lipovitz's ethical refraction of Megilat Rut." It originally appeared in Jewish Action Magazine. I have to thank Neil at Modern Uberdox for passing this on to me. Enjoy!

-Dixie Yid

(Picture courtesy of womeninthebible.net)

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Friday, June 6, 2008

Shiur by Rav Weinberger on Shavuos - from Philly Community Kollel


Thanks to the Philadelphia Community Kollel, I would like to present this shiur by Rav Moshe Weinberger, in preperation for Shavuos, entitled "The Divine Echo: Recapture the Thunder and Lightning." Enjoy!

-Dixie Yid

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Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Shavuos - How to Stay Up for Davening After You've Stayed Up All Night



Since Shavuos is next Sunday night, Reb Yerachmiel and I wanted to share this shiur that he gave in preperation for Shavuos.

Tikkun Lail Shavuos: Kavod La'Torah: Staying Awake to Learn, and to Daven!

Below is the link to a Pre-Shavuos shiur by Reb Yerachmiel at the Baltimore Community Kollel, in which he addressed the paradoxical yet all too common experience of staying-up all night learning on "Tikkun Lail Shavuos", only to sleep-walk through the davening and krias ha'Torah (of all things) which follow!

Reb Yerachmiel's aitza: a re-orientation to the "Ais Ratzon" of the powerful tefillos of Hotza'as Sefer Torah, and in particular, the mysterious tefillah we say each and every Monday, Thursday, Shabbos and Yom Tov: "Brich Shemay". May this inspiring shiur awaken us to not only learn beautifully on the night of Shavuos, but to keep us awake to daven and lain beautifully as well.

CLICK HERE to download.

-Dixie Yid

(Picture courtesy of Artmuz)

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Thursday, May 22, 2008

The Most Important Shiur You'll Ever Hear in Your Jewish Life


I have to share with you a certain speech given by Rav Moshe Weinberger at the Philadelphia Community Kollel (former link was to this shiur - now different). It was given at exacly this time of year, right after parshas Behar and leading up to Shavuos. If you're not already a "chassid" of Rav Weinberger, (or even if you are, as a reminder) you have to hear this speech. Much of it is the same as the shiur I first heard by him at a Hashevaynu Retreat about 10 years ago, that first made me "fall in love" with what he was teaching. When you listen, you will see why.

CLICK HERE to listen to or download the shiur. This has a couple of classic stories from Rav Weinberger, including the hilarious "jukim" story, and the must-listen "Lost Horse" story. It is so fundamental to Yiddishkeit to hear this shiur.

Update 3/16/10: It was pointed out by a commenter and in an e-mail today that the shiur that I had previously linked to here is no longer hosted by the Philadeplphia Community Kollel website. Therefore, I just changed the link above to another shiur which is equally fundamental. Enjoy.

A big thank you to Yoni Henner who (originally) pointed me to this shiur!

-Dixie Yid

(Picture courtesy of Yitzi Mayer)

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Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Shavuos Learnathon for One Family Fund for Terror Victims


Received by e-mail:

There are two main goals of the project; trying to get shuls, schools and yeshivot across the Jewish world learning b'achdut (no political content at all, the aim is to purely increase the learning of Torah worldwide), while raising funds to support the families & students of the Mercaz HaRav High School.

Our project website is also now live at www.shavuotlearnathon.com.

We are also working on Ivrit versions of the material, and also a version which does not require email or internet access to participate (rather we will distribute paper flyers & forms in charedi communities and participants can drop forms and money collected to our office or pay by credit card over the phone).

I have also attached a draft of our starter pack that shuls and schools can use to facilitate their participation in this project.

Please feel free to contact me if you would like further information.

Kol Tuv,

Yaakov Cohney
Mob: 054-262-9454 (Israel)
ycohney@gmail.com


-Dixie Yid

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Monday, May 21, 2007

Why do Chazal call Shavuos, "Atzeres?"


Rav Levi Yitzchak from Berditchev taught the following Torah in Kedushas Levi on Shavuos:

He said that when he was in Lithuania, he was asked why Shavuos is called "Atzeres," by Chazal in the mishna in Bikurim 1:10, when it is not called that in the Torah. He gives three explanations. I will quote two of them.

One: He says that most Yomim Tovim have two aspects; the unique mitzvos of that day (Sukkah, Matza, Teshuva, Shofar) and the fact of the Atzira MiMelacha (the stopping from doing melacha). Since Shavuos lacks a special mitzvas aseh, it lacks one of those two aspects. All that's left is the "atzira mimelacha," the abstention from doing melacha. Therefore, chazal call Shavuos "Atzeres," as a reference to this aspect that Shavuos only has one of the two aspects that the other Yomim Tovim have, the "atzira" or stopping from doing melacha.

Two: There is an idea that the Kedushas Levi brings down from the Ramban that when there is an awakening from Above, a spiritual energy or hashpo'oh, it must be given a kli, a vessel, of this world to dwell in, otherwise, it's impact will be lost. This can be understood on a simple level. For instance (my own example), when a person hears a great shiur, learns a great insight in a sefer, or perhaps experiences a stirring niggun at a Melaveh Malka, he is awakened from above, inspired. If that inspiration and awakening is not channeled into some physical vessel of this world, that energy will dissipate and, for the most part, be lost. The person must do a mitzva, daven for that thing, make a kabalah to take on some small new thing, as a way of giving that hashpo'oh/inspiration, some vessel/body to dwell in, in this world. The Berditchever says that this is what the Jewish people did on Har Sinai, when they were receiving the Torah through Moshe Rebbeinu. They needed a physical mitzvah in which to enclothe the tremendous spiritual experience they were having. Therefore, they used the mitva of "hagbalah," of stopping themselves from ascending Har Sinai, as the mitzva to fulfill that purpose. That mitzva of "atzira," stopping themselves from ascending the mountain when they so wanted to approach Hashem, was the vessel to hold the holiness they were receiving during Kabalas Hatorah. It is because of that aspect of Kabalas Hatorah that Shavuos is called "Atzeres," to refer to the "atzira," or withholding themselves from ascending Har Sinai that the Jewish people used to enclothe their inspiration during Kabalas Hatorah.

May we all merit to be mekabel the Torah tonight with simcha, and may we merit that our inspiration from this Shavuos should remain with us and have staying power well beyond these two days of Yom Tov.

-Dixie Yid

(Picture courtesy of The Temple Institute)
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