Rei'ach_Volume3

Avi Borenstein 85

to us.

This concern of lack of guidance when HaShem hides His face is
raised in our daily Shacharit prayers. In Psalm 30, Mizmor Shir Chanukat
Habayit, we pray every day not to suffer from hester panim (30:8):

‫ִה ְס ַת ְר ָּת ָּפ ֶניָך ָּה ִיי ִתי ִנ ְב ָּהל׃‬

You but conceal your face, I would be confounded.6

Thus, the Psalmist here recognizes that if HaShem hides his face, the result
will be that the people will be terrified. Indeed, the sense of withdrawal,
hester panim, is heard often in Tehillim, as King David often complains about
how HaShem has hidden is face from him.7

There are numerous references to hester panim in Nach. Among the
most powerful references to the impact of hester panim, and what happens
when God’s face has been hidden and then revealed, is the description of
the war of Gog and Magog in chapters 38 and 39 of Ezekiel.8

6 Translation from The Complete ArtScroll Siddur; Siddur Ahavas Shalom (Brooklyn, NY:
Mesorah Publications, 1984), p.57.
7 Examples of references to hester panim in Psalms, are:

i) Psalm 4:6: Many ask, “Who can show us the good?” Shine the light of Your face
upon us, O LORD.

ii) Psalm 31:16: Make Your face shine on Your servant; save me by Your loving
devotion.

iii) Psalm 67:1: May God be gracious to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine
upon us, Selah.

iv) Psalm 80:3: Restore us, O God, and cause Your face to shine upon us, that we
may be saved.

v) Psalm 80:7: Restore us, O God of Hosts, and cause Your face to shine upon us,
that we may be saved.

vi) In Psalm 13, David cries out four times “how long” (will I be tormented in
various ways). How long will you hide your face from me?
As portrayed by King David, despite each cry of “how long,” HaShem seems
distant. But, in the end, as we say each day at the conclusion of the Hodu prayer in
shacharit, David happily acknowledges: “Va’ani b’chasdecha vatachti, yagel libi
beshuatecha, ashirah lAdonai, ki gamal alai.”–“As for me, I trust in your kindness; my
heart will rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to HaShem, for he has dealt Kindly
with me.”

8 Chapters 38 and 39 of Ezekiel describe a major war that will occur early in the Messianic
era. At that time, the nations of the world, led by Gog, the King of a country called Magog,
will unite with other nations to invade Eretz Yisra’el. At the conclusion of the war, when Gog
and Magog are about to be victorious HaShem will intervene and powerfully and manifestly
and utterly destroy the invaders. These chapters in Ezekiel are read as the Haftarah on the
first day of Sukkot and Shabbat Chol Hamoed Sukkot.

86 Rei’ach HaSadeh

The Navi Yechezkiel, in describing the manner and power of
HaShem’s intervention in the cataclysmic war of Gog and Magog, says the
following (Ezekiel 39:23-24):

, ‫ ָּו ַא ְס ִתר ָּפ ַני‬, ‫ ִבי‬-‫ ַעל ֲא ֶשׁר ָּמ ֲעלוּ‬, ‫ ִי ְש ָּר ֵאל‬-‫ְו ָּי ְדעוּ ַהגֹו ִים ִכי ַב ֲע ֹו ָּנם ָּגלוּ ֵבית‬
, ‫ ְכ ֻט ְמ ָּא ָּתם וּ ְכ ִפ ְשׁ ֵעי ֶהם‬. ‫ ַו ִי ְפלוּ ַב ֶח ֶרב ֻכ ָּלם‬, ‫ֵמ ֶהם ; ָּו ֶא ְת ֵנם ְב ַיד ָּצ ֵרי ֶהם‬

.‫ ֵמ ֶהם‬, ‫ָּע ִשי ִתי ֹא ָּתם ; ָּו ַא ְס ִתר ָּפ ַני‬

Then the nations will know that because of their iniquity
the house of Israel was exiled, because they betrayed me
and I hid my countenance from them; and I delivered
them into the hand of their enemies, and they fell by the
sword, all of them. I dealt with them in accordance with
their contamination and their sins, and I hid my
countenance from them.9

A literal reading of this section shows that the Jewish people betrayed
HaShem, and the response was hester panim, resulting in death and
destruction to the Jewish people.

It is the Book of Esther which validates most clearly the Ramban’s
view that this concealment of HaShem’s face in the Diaspora causes
suffering but not total obliteration.

Interestingly, although in the modern era the reading of the
Megillah is among the best loved and most widely celebrated religious
traditions, it was not always so. The inclusion of the book of Esther into
the canon of Tanach was highly controversial in its day and was the last of
the books accepted into Tanach.10

9 Translation from Ezekiel, Milstein Ed. (Brooklyn, NY; Mesorah Publications, 1993), p.
315.
10 Indeed, the Gemara recounts three debates among the “Anshei Knesset haGedolah (“Men of
the Great Assembly”) following Queen Esther’s requests to include her Megillah in the
Canon. The first revolved around their fear that its inclusion would incite the wrath of the
nations, as the Megillah clearly depicts the Jewish people rejoicing over their defeat; the
second revolved around their reluctance to mandate the reading of the Megillah in the
absence of a specific Torah source to justify a Rabbinical enactment of this kind; and the
third revolved around a cryptic teaching of King Solomon about “knowledge” suggesting
that there are only three references to Amalek contained in Scripture – and that canonizing
the Megillah, which details the evil deeds of the Amalekite Haman, would violate this
teaching. The controversy was not resolved until Rav Elazar Hamodai identified a Torah
passage in Deuteronomy that served not only as a Torah source but allowed for a more
nuanced understanding of King Solomon’s teaching – thus paving the way for Megillat
Esther to be accepted into the Canon. Interestingly, the Gemara (Chullin 139b) not only
justifies this decision but explicitly links the Book of Esther to the concept of hester panim:

Avi Borenstein 87

The Purim story teaches us that HaShem is always involved with
the Jewish People, even if we cannot see his hand at the time, just as the
sun is always present even if we cannot see it on a cloudy day. However, to
understand the importance of hester panim to the Book of Esther as more
than just another historical victory of the Jews over another oppressor, one
must look even deeper into the meaning of hester panim. What is happening
that HaShem is present, but is not? Is God in fact with us in times of hester
panim?

The phenomenon of HaShem separating himself is analyzed at
length in Kabbalistic literature. Hester panim can be seen as a separation of
sorts of HaShem from his people, and an archetype of the differentiation
which the Kabbalah identifies as fundamental to the existence of our
universe, and the source of Creation and life.11 For example, havdalah is the
act of separating Shabbat from the weekday, an act which serves as an
expression of the separation that is key in other spheres of life as well.

In order to relate the Kabbalistic discussion of separation and
differentiation to the book of Esther, we start with the idea that we
recognize that HaShem occupies all of the Universe. We often say HaShem

From where in the Torah can one find an allusion to the events
involving Esther? He replied to them that the verse states: “Then My
anger shall be kindled against them on that day, and I will forsake them,
and I will hide My face from them, and they shall be devoured and
many evils and troubles shall come upon them; so that they will say in
that day: Have not these evils come upon because our God is not
among us? And I will hide [haster astir] My face on that day for all the
evil which they shall have wrought, in that they turned to other gods.”
(Deuteronomy 31:17-18).

Translation from the Sefaria Library, available at www.sefaria.org. Regarding Esther, the
Gemara there looks at the verse cited earlier in this essay, in Deuteronomy 31:18, when
HaShem is tells Moshe that in the future the Jewish people will stray from him, abrogating
their covenant with HaShem. Then, God will conceal his face and they will become prey,
and much suffering and adversity will befall them. The Gemara in Chullin notes that the
word “astir” (I will conceal) resembles the name Esther, and thus this verse is now
recognized by the Gemara as alluding to the Story of Esther, the concealment of HaShem’s
face and the Jews’ experience of affliction which occurred at the time of Esther. See Chullin
139b, Schottenstein Ed., (Brooklyn, NY: Mesorah Publications, 2003), note 38.
11 See Bereshit 1:1, Rashi ad loc. “bara Elokim,” which explains that at first, the world was
created with the thought of “Elokim” which is “middat haDin” (the attribute of strict justice).
However, HaShem saw that the world could not last if there only was strict justice and later
gave the attribute of mercy, represented by Y-H-V-H. The Elokim we speak of here is the
separation of the world and its objects into opposites: shamayim and aretz; light and darkness;
water and dry land; fish and fowl; earth and the human form. We derive from the power of
separation that apples are not oranges, and that the blurring of the lines between species and
genders and mixtures in Judaism is problematic.

88 Rei’ach HaSadeh

is “HaMakom,” everywhere – but if it is, in fact, the case that HaShem
occupies all space, then the question must be asked in Kabbalah and
rational thought, “How can there be space for humans or any other
species?”12

In response to this profound question, the Kabbalistic idea of
“tzimtzum” came into being.13 In the literal sense, as first explained by R.
Yitzchak Luria,14 the concept of tzimtzum is straightforward. Imagine the
world full of the brightest light (as if we are inside the sun). To make space
for the world, HaShem first “withdrew” his overwhelming light, in order to
make room for the universe. The withdrawal of the light formed a vacated
space in which Creation could take place. Of course, this explanation of
Creation is not to be taken literally, and much advanced Kabbalistic study is
required even to begin to grasp the implications of tzimtzum.15

In order to better understand how the concept of tzimtzum as it
relates to hester panim – and finds its way into the Book of Esther – we must
look at the relationship between ‫“( י־ה־ו־ה‬YHVH”) as it is written and as it
is read and pronounced: “Adon-ai.” Why this alteration? And how will it be
relevant in the future?

12 As hamakom relates to hester panim, and thereby to The Book of Esther, the question
becomes: is God occupying all the space all the time completely, or is there a less
encompassing occupancy by HaShem when the Jewish people are suffering from a hester
panim time? In times of hester panim is God somewhere else doing other things (which of
course is impossible) or is God there fully, but manifesting His presence in a less compelling
and less influential way?
13 An excellent resource for an overview of tzimtzum is the modern classic Inner Space. Aryeh
Kaplan, Inner Sprace (Brooklyn, NY: Moznaim Publishers, 1990), pp.120-128. R. Kaplan was
a prolific author in the 20th century and amongst his foremost books he explains the Ari’s
discussions in highly readable and popular English language work.
14 Rabbi Isaac (ben Solomon) Luria Ashkenazi (1534 – July 25, 1572), commonly known in
Jewish religious circles as “Ha’Ari” (“the Lion”), the “Ha’Ari Hakodesh” (“the Holy Ari”) or
the “Arizal” (the Ari, of Blessed Memory [zickhrono l’berekha]”), was a foremost rabbi and
Jewish mystic in the community of Safed in the Galilee region of Israel. He is considered
the father of contemporary Kabbalah.
15 This expression of withdrawal is highly metaphorical and anthropomorphic and is, once
again, not to be taken literally. One of the foremost discussions of tzimtzum, and how to
apply this concept to practice in the intellectual sense, is the classic work by Nefesh HaChayim,
by Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin. Nefesh Hachayim consists of four sections, or “Gates.” In
Yeshiva circles the study of Nefesh Hachayim often is restricted to its Third Gate which is a
mussar sefer par excellence, often called the “Shulchan Aruch of Hashkafah.” But the entire four
Gates of Nefesh Hachayim are together the quintessential work of Kabbalah describing the
tzimtzum ideas, concepts and formation. In a new, brilliant, erudite and fascinating two-
volume work called “Nefesh Hatzimtzum,” R. Avinoam Fraenkel (Jerusalem: Urim
Publications, 2015) studies Rav Chaim’s entire four gates of Nefesh Hachayim, in a readable
English discussion, which makes the monumental Nefesh Hachayim entirely understandable
(still with effort, of course).

Avi Borenstein 89

The Talmud (Pesachim 50a) quotes a passage from Zechariah (14:9)
that is quite familiar to us: “ ‫ ִי ְה ֶיה ְיה ָּוה‬,‫ ַעל ָּכל ָּה ָּא ֶרץ; ַביֹום ַההוּא‬,‫ְו ָּה ָּיה ְיה ָּוה ְל ֶמ ֶלְך‬
‫ וּ ְשׁמֹו ֶא ָּחד‬- ‫ ֶא ָּחד‬.”–“And HaShem will become the King of all the earth; on
that day HaShem will be one and his name will be one.” Regarding the
words “uShemo echad”–“and His name will be one” – the Gemara asks,
Why is God’s name not “one” today? Why will HaShem be “one” in the
future? Rav Nachman Bar Yitzchak answered that Zechariah was describing
the World to Come, which differs immeasurably from the present. In our
world, as we experience Judaism now, HaShem’s name is written ‫י־ה־ו־ה‬
(“YHVH”), but is read and pronounced, “Adon-ai” (“ADNY”). In the
World to Come, both YHVH and ADNY they will be one, with no
divergence between the ketiv and the keri, the writing and the
pronunciation.16

What is striking about this insight is the implication that hidden
within the word and the concept of YHVH is Adon-ai (ADNY). This
manifestation of HaShem inside another expression of HaShem’s name is
played out in Tractate Megillah, by applying gematria, the system of
numerical analysis of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet. In the very first
Mishnah of the tractate Megillah we find a discussion of the days within the
month of Adar when the book of Esther may be read, depending on
circumstances: the Mishnah is firm that the Megillah may be read only on
the 11th, 12th, 13th 14th or 15th day of the month of Adar. The Gemara (2b)
offers detailed reasons for each available date.17

Utilizing the conventions of gematria – i.e., by adding the numbers
11+ 12 + 13 + 14 and + 15 – we discover that the sum they yield is 65, a
number identical to the sum of the letters comprising the name “Adon-ai”
(ADNY). This is not a coincidence.

We have already learned that Adon-ai (ADNY) is hidden inside
YHVH, because YHVH is pronounced Adon-ai.

16 Rambam explains that all of God’s names represent the ways he relates to the universe.
The shem haMeyuchad, the ineffable name, is YHVH and that is God’s actual name. We are
not permitted to pronounce it as written since Man, who is dissociated from HaShem by
tzimtzum, the very process of creation, may not utter the words as written (Moreh Nevuchim
1:61). In the world to come, when man realizes he has no existence independent of God,
Man will indeed be allowed to utter God’s actual name. See Pesachim 50a, Schottenstein Ed.,
(Brooklyn, Mesorah Publications, 1997), n. 44.
17 It would seem odd that this debate would be the first subject in the first Mishnah, as
opposed to a discussion of whether the Megillah should be read as a Rabbinic requirement at
all, as discussed above. Your writer posits that the deeper meaning of this Mishnah we are
about to explore by means of gematria explains that seeming misplaced start to the Tractate.

90 Rei’ach HaSadeh

With all this emphasis on the number 65 - and with the knowledge
that Kabbalah a source of much of gematria learning which also emphasizes
the importance of separation and differentiation to the creation of the
world and to the Jewish People - we should ask: How do the limitations of
65 (the numerical totals of the days of reading the Megillah) set forth in the
first Mishnah apply to the events in the Book of Esther? Can we apply the
hidden aspect of 65 implied in Adon-ai to the hidden aspects of the events
in the book of Esther? Are there events inside the 65 of the first Mishnah,
just as there is a 26 (YHVH) inside the 65 of ADNY?

This same first Mishnah provides the answer. That Mishnah
instructs us not only when the Book of Esther may be read, but also when it
may not be read: specifically, the Megillah may be read of the 11th day of
Adar, but it cannot be on the 10th day. Thus day 10 is outside of and
separated from Day 11. Similarly, the Megillah may not be read on day 16,
the day after day 15. The limits of reading, and the limits of spirituality in
relation to the Megillah, are therefore the numbers 10 and 16.

Again employing gematria, we discover that the sum of 10 + 16 is
26, which amazingly is the numerical value of ‫( י־ה־ו־ה‬YHVH), which we
know is the real name of HaShem, and in which ADNY (65) is hidden. This
means that inside the Adon-ai, the strict God of 65 is the merciful God of
26 – meaning that the hester panim of Esther is the story of HaShem’s mercy,
as exemplified by YHVH (26), which is hidden inside the strict and exacting
65. Obviously, this gematria of 26 inside of 65 is well hidden – it itself is
hester panim – but now that we know where to look for HaShem, in the hints
in the very first Mishnah of the Tractate of Megillah, the path to HaShem’s
salvation via HaShem’s mercy is there to be found.18

What this gematria analysis means is that the Megillah – and by
extension, the entire holiday of Purim – is contained and circumscribed in
the revealed world, the world of ADNY, the world of 65, in which we do
not say or pronounce the holy word of God’s name of mercy, YHVH.
However, as the Book of Esther illustrates, even though hester panim seems
to hide and circumscribe Him, the merciful HaShem of the world of 26 is
present even though we may not be able to see him, just like we cannot see
the sun on a cloudy day, but it nevertheless is always there.

This idea of the hiddenness, of one concept being both part of and
differentiated from another, explains the seemingly strange idea that on

18 See Nefesh Hatzimtzum, Vol. 2. at p. 33, n. 21.

Avi Borenstein 91

Purim we are to drink so much that we cannot differentiate between
“Cursed be Haman” and “Blessed be Mordechai.”19 Your writer submits
that this admonition is not to get drunk but instead to engage in a physical
activity (drinking and feasting) to a degree that results in oneness even
between otherwise obviously differentiated events and people. We see the
spiritual in hard drink and in plentiful food. In the spirit of seeing the
hidden, we look beyond the material and we can see one Single Unity in the
world.

This may be suggested as a reason why it is commonly said that
Purim will survive in the messianic days to come, as will Yom Kippurim.
“Kippurim” can be translated “like Purim.” When one thing is likened to
another they are similar, but not on the same level.20 On Yom Kippur we
serve God by not engaging in worldly matters such as eating, drinking, and
intimacy. That abnegation, however, is not on the same level as the Purim
observances of indulgence for spiritual purposes. On Purim, we not only
engage in the physical but bring the physical into the spiritual. Both
holidays relate to the absolute unity of God, but Purim draws the two
worlds of our experience into each other more directly.

Thus, hester panim may be seen as a world within a world. Purim,
when observed properly, has the ability to meld the physical world in the
spiritual world. Thus, the Megillah, seemingly a paradigm of hester panim, in
fact reveals that HaShem is orchestrating every movement, every thought,
every event; it is a book that illuminates the Unity of HaShem in the
physical world, with undisclosed spiritual and Godly elements.

Understanding that there is Divine Unity even in the hidden events
of a hester panim experience, we cannot help but wonder how we, despite
living in hester panim mode today, can break out – How we move from
experiencing the undisclosed presence of HaShem to experiencing his
divine intervention in a more apparent way?

The answer, which is emphatically demonstrated in The Book of
Esther, is tefillah, prayer. Prayer can bring an opening of hester panim to
revelation.21 The Midrash there relates that R. Yochanan describes ten
terms by which prayer is described in Scripture. These ten terms include the

19 See Megillah 7b.
20 See, e.g., Taanit 7a, where the Gemara, borrowing from Moshe’s language in Deuteronomy
32:2, observes that Torah is likened to rain.
21 Prayer is referenced in Deuteronomy, parashat vaEtchanan, as discussed by the Midrash
Rabbah in great depth. See Midrash Rabbah, Kleinman Edition, (Brooklyn, NY: Mesorah
Publications, 2013), Deuteronomy, parshat Ve’etchanan, Chap. 2, Sec. 1, pp. 1-2, n. 11.

92 Rei’ach HaSadeh

“tza’akah” (crying out) and “na’sakah” (moaning). When Mordechai learned
of the King’s edict, as promulgated by Haman, the Megillah records that he
“tore his clothes and put on sackcloth with ashes. He went out into the
midst of the city and cried loudly (ze’akah) and bitterly.” (Esther 4:1)22 The
Jews of Shushan and Persia themselves cried out and prayed. “There was
great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, and weeping and wailing.”
(Esther 4:3).

HaShem was hester panim. Was it too late?

No. Under Mordechai’s leadership it was far from too late. Indeed,
we think of Mordechai and the brave and intricate intriguer but in fact,
Mordechai was renowned among his Jewish peers for his middah (quality) of
prayer. The Gemara (Megillah 12b) observes that Mordechai is accorded
several names in the text of the Megillah. Among them is “Ben Yair” (the
son of Yair, which also means “a son who brightened”). What did he
brighten? Mordechai brightened the eyes of the Jews by his prayers. How
do we know that his prayers brightened the eyes and brought about the
ultimate success of the Jews? Because at the end of the Book Esther (8:16)
we read: “La’Yehudim hoy’tah orah”-“to the Jews there was light.” This
declaration was derived from Mordechai as Ben Yair, the son of light, who
shared his light with all of the Jews.23 Mordechai is also called “Ben Shimi.”
Ben Shimi means the Son of Shimi but is translated by the Talmud as the
“son whose prayers are heeded.”24

Indeed, even beyond cases of hester panim it is never too late to
pray. This is exemplified by the story of King Hezekiah, as related in the
Gemara (Berachot 10b). The King had received word from HaShem through
the prophet Isaiah that he was to die and should hence arrange his affairs.
When Hezekiah expressed hope that he could overturn the decree, Isaiah
was not encouraging, and told him it was a fait accompli. To that King
Hezekiah declared, “I have a tradition from my grandfather’s house! ‘Even
when a sharp sword has been placed on one’s neck, he must not despair
from God’s mercy.’”

22 The Midrash wonders how was it that Mordechai merited his rise to prominence, his regal
ride on the King’s horse, his being outfitted in the royal King’s clothing, all as described in
Esther 6:11. The Midrash posits that Mordechai was constantly engaged in prayer. Even
after his power ride, he immediately reverted to prayer and sackcloth, thereby showing his
devotion and humility. These acts, with Esther’s, enabled Mordechai to accomplish the
saving of the Jews from Haman. See, Midrash Rabbah, Esther, Kleinman Ed., (Brooklyn, NY:
Mesorah Publications 2016), 38 Sec. 4, p.6.
23 See Megillah 12b, Schottenstein Ed., (Brooklyn, Mesorah Publications, 1991), n. 53.
24 Id. at n. 54 (deriving the name “Shimi” from shemah, (heeded or listened to).

Avi Borenstein 93

Hezekiah called upon the memory of his ancestor King David,
who was informed that he was to die due to his involvement with Bat-
Sheva. But King David prayed with great intensity and was spared. This
result showed that with great prayer, one can remake oneself as a person,
and can find a revitalized circumstance in one’s life. And so, King Hezekiah
lived 10 more years.

In Shushan and specifically in the 126 provinces of Persia, those
Jews were living in the Diaspora. When Jews are in the Diaspora, as
observed by Ramban, HaShem is very attentive to prayer and to teshuvah,
perhaps even more so than to that of inhabitants in Israel. The Jews in
Shushan reversed their course from engaging in the party and frivolity of
King Achashverosh and returned to their roots as a people of prayer. And
HaShem, in response to the torrent of sincere prayer, opened his face to the
Jews’ plight and they were saved.25

HaShem is a shomei’ah tefillah. In the time of Esther, the Jews wailed
and HaShem took notice. The yelling and shrieking of the Jews in trouble
was a form of davening, and unlike in Egypt, it was not merely from pain of
servitude but sincere prayer to HaShem. The mercy inherent in HaShem as
exemplified by YHVH became manifest once again, and the Jews were
saved. That opportunity remains to this day. The Story of Esther is our
opening to break down the walls of illusion with Prayer and actions and to
seek and achieve the Unity and with it, the mercy, of HaShem.

25 In the mincha service on fast days, to this day, one who is fasting adds the Anaynu
(“Answer us…”) prayer. In Aneinu, the supplicant begs: “veAl taster panecha miMenu…”-
“Answer us, HaShem….Do not hide your face from us…” Do not be hester panim now. It is
never too late to seek relief, and revelation from the blight that can be caused by hester panim,
especially if we pray for the amelioration of hester panim.

Essays

HEARING GOD THROUGH SONG:
BRIDGING THE GAP FROM THE MUNDANE TO THE SPIRITUAL

BY: JENNIFER R. CAHN

I have a vivid memory of my son from two years ago. He was only
two months old and was uncontrollably wailing. Like any parent, I was
prepared to do pretty much anything to calm him down. After determining
that he was dry, well-fed, and rested, I started singing every children’s song
I could think of. After covering every greatest hit, I desperately needed
more material, so I started humming a piece by Robert Schumann (a
nineteenth-century German composer) that I had learned in college. It was
an odd choice for a lullaby, but he magically calmed down and went to
sleep.

Every parent I know has had that moment with a child where a
certain song or piece of music calms him or her down. For an exhausted
mom or dad, that moment is nothing short of relief and for many of us, it
borders on the spiritual.

Using song in our everyday lives, whether it is calming down a
child, crooning to a favorite song in the car, or going to an epic concert, is
something that many of us embrace. But what about song within our
spiritual lives? All the more so, should this song not move and distinguish
us? Is it not a moment that connects us to God and makes us feel that we
can hear and feel the Divine’s presence?

Growing up as a member of a shul, I went with my family to
synagogue on a regular basis. We loved the regular cycle of prayer and
enjoyed listening to the rabbi’s sermon each week. Yet what moved me, and
many others in our synagogue, was the chanting of our beloved cantor,
whose singing made us feel that there was something greater than ourselves.

A good friend who is a synagogue cantor once repeated to me a
profound remark: “People do not walk out of the shul humming the rabbi’s
sermon.” Now, as an adult, I very much enjoy, along with my family and
many others, hearing the wekly sermons, derashot and teachings that our
beloved rabbi and other members of our community proffer on a regular
basis. There is much to be learned from the study and teaching of Torah,
which should be done regularly and with precision. Furthermore, the text
that we learn and daven is enhanced by the beauty of sacred chants. The
Talmud (Megillah 32a) teaches:

96 Rei’ach HaSadeh

Rabbi Shefatya said that Rabbi Yohanan said: Concerning
anyone who reads from the Torah without a melody, (i.e.
tropes1) or studies the Mishnah without a song,2 the verse
states: “So too I gave them statutes that were not good,
and judgments whereby they should not live” (Ezekiel
20:25).3

Music not only elevates the beauty of our prayer, hiddur mitzvah, but
also enhances the experience of davening and learning. Music exalts the
quality of the words we recite.4

How can we use song to elevate prayer and create Godly
moments? First, we need to prioritize the fact that nusach is important
within our daily, weekly, and holiday davening. Meaning “order,” nusach
refers to both the text of liturgy used within our davening (Ashkenazi,
Sephardic, etc.) as well as the musical order of davening. For these purposes, I
am referring to the music.

Nusach represents both the mundane as well as the spiritual. It gives
order and a sense of time for the different sections of prayer, which helps
us to understand the point in davening that we have reached, as well as the
particular service we are a part of. As prayer is a regular and seemingly
ordinary part of our lives,5 nusach helps give us a clock to mark those
moments. What is incredible to note is that whether you are in Israel, Paris,
Los Angeles, or Springfield, the nusach within the davening is the same; it is
the spiritual common ground. It should be an incredibly spiritual moment
to pray together as Am Yisra’el.

Second, we need to embrace congregational singing. Sometimes
when a shali’ach tzibur approaches the amud, he can take the kahal for
granted. Many who come to shul do so out of halakhic obligation, but that
does not mean that we cannot provide a spiritual experience for everyone.
We should balance our choices of congregational melodies that we know

1 Rashi ad. loc.
2 Tosafot ad. loc. (explaining that chanting with a melody aids memorization, necessary prior
to the redaction of the Talmud).
3 Translation from the Sefaria Library, available at https://www.sefaria.org/Megillah.32a.12.
4 See Reuven Hammer, Entering Jewish Prayer: A Guide to Personal Devotion and the Worship Service
(New York: Schocken, 1995), p. 17.
5 See e.g. Berachot 29b: “ ‫ מאי קבע אמר רבי יעקב בר אידי‬:‫רבי אליעזר אומר כל העושה תפלתו קבע וכו׳‬
‫”אמר רבי אושעיא כל שתפלתו דומה עליו כמשוי‬-“R. Eliezer says: One whose prayer is fixed, his
prayer is not a supplication. What is the meaning of fixed? R. Yaakov Bar Idi said that R.
Oshaya said: Anyone for whom his prayer is like a burden upon him.” Translation adapted
from Sefaria.

Jennifer R. Cahn 97

with some less familiar tunes. If we are concerned that people in the pews
will not know these melodies, maybe we should teach them during a time
where many of them are in one place (Shalosh Seudot comes to mind). The
ba’al tefillah should practice those newer tunes ahead of leading davening so
that the text fits perfectly, making it easier for the congregation to follow
along. And when we sing a congregational tune, we should not rush
through the singing but instead sing at a pace that allows everyone to
participate. Taking the time to chant a melody brings the whole community
together and thus facilitates a greater chance to actually feel God’s presence
in the moment. It is wise to remember that a shaliach tzibur does not just
represent himself but rather an entire community.6

Finally, we should prioritize religious singing within our homes and
at our Shabbat and holiday tables. While the shul is a huge part of our daily
lives, Judaism centers around the family and home. When we sing zemirot
during a festive meal, not only do we allow ourselves to connect to our
spiritual selves, but we also send the message that combining song and
spirituality are just as important in our home lives as they are in shul.

Therefore, I ask each one of you to take the singing that you use in
your day-to-day lives and try applying it to your spiritual side. This approach
might be easier for some, but I promise that no matter your musical ability,
God will find it beautiful.

6 See e.g., Shulchan Arach, Orach Chaim 53:22 (Rema): “‫“–”ואין לאדם להתפלל בלא רצון הקהל‬A
person may not [lead prayers] without the will of the congregation.”

HAKOL MISHAMAYIM:
LISTENING WITH YOUR HEART

BY: ELANA EREZ

There have been many times in my life that I wished I had been
alive during the times of nevu’ah (prophecy). How much easier would it be
to consult a Navi to seek their counsel with difficult decisions or to answer
questions regarding the unknowns that exist in your personal reality? For
example, wouldn’t it be so much more pleasant for singles who are in the
process of dating to know that they will not find their spouses for another
seven years? This knowledge would likely impact how they would manage
their remaining time, while simultaneously reassuring them that they will
indeed find what they are seeking. This scenario would hold true for a
myriad of individual hardships.

Yet, upon further contemplation, it is clear that Jews in every
generation that has existed in this world have not been strangers to
hardships and tests. Avraham Avinu would have been spared tremendous
suffering had he received nevu’ah before going through the acts of the
akeida, and known that he would not in fact end up sacrificing his son
Yitzchak. Certainly if Moshe Rabbeinu, the greatest Navi that was and ever
will be, had known that hitting the rock would have cost him entry into
Eretz Yisra’el, would he not have refrained?

To me – in our day and age – hearing the voice of HaShem is not
so much a matter of nevu’ah as much as it is an exercise in emunah, in
conjunction with searching for the hashgacha pratis (Divine Providence) in
the ways that HaShem governs our personal lives.

How many instances can you recall where things worked out just
right for you? For example, you pull out a light jacket from the closet for
the first time since last spring to find $20 in the pocket. Then you head out
to put gas in the car and upon arrival the attendant tells you they currently
cannot accept credit cards. How perfect! You pay with the cash in your
pocket. Perhaps you find a parking spot right in front of the building the
morning of an interview so that the 15 minutes you sat in traffic caused no
negative impact on your arrival time. One could conjure up innumerable
examples of this phenomenon, ranging from the most mundane to
incredible, major salvations. I experience these types of moments all the
time. I tend to view them as HaShem giving me, leHavdil, a pat on the back
as if to say, “I’ve got you.”

Elana Erez 99

On the flip side, things are not always so smooth. As individuals
and a nation we remain, unfortunately, no stranger to tragedies. Those are
times especially where I long for nevu’ah. Might it be marginally easier to
hear through a shali’ach (messenger) of HaShem why we have to experience
something painful? Would it not make us feel somewhat better to hear
from HaShem directly that the hardship we are experiencing is what He
wants?

This lack of certainty is precisely where emunah comes in. Emunah
requires constant work and toiling to accept that everything that happens to
us is from HaShem, both the brachos (blessings) and the nisyonos (challenges).
That is not to say that we will not have questions; even Moshe Rabbeinu had
questions for the Ribbono Shel Olam. Moshe desperately wanted to
understand HaShem’s ways, specifically the concept of “tzaddik v’ra lo.”
(“the righteous person who suffers”). HaShem’s response to Moshe is, “ki
lo yir’ani haAdam vaChai”-“no man may see my face and live,” (Shemos
33:20) and “veRa’ita es achorai veEs panai lo yira’u”-“but my face will not be
seen.” (Shemos 33:23)

While I know that the generally accepted meaning of these passukim
(verses) is that we cannot ever truly understand HaShem and His ways
while in this world, a part of me feels that they inspired the common saying,
“Hindsight is 20/20.” If we are fortunate, sometimes the reasons we
experienced pain, losses, or tests at a specific time or place become clear at
a later point in our lives; it could be days, months, or even years after other
events have unfolded. Suppose you have lost a job and a few weeks later,
amidst searching for new work, a close family member ends up in the
hospital. You now have the flexibility and opportunity to help in a way that
would otherwise have been impossible. Perhaps you have lost a close
blood relative to an illness, and you are advised to undergo annual
screenings for precursors of that disease. As a result, years later, when the
early stage of the disease is detected at one of these screenings, it can be
treated and cured.

Sometimes HaShem blesses us with what I think of as “20/20
insight.” By no means am I suggesting that this minimizes the pain of the
experience; but perhaps there’s a measure of nechamah (comfort) in being
able to piece together the hashgacha pratis surrounding such a difficult time in
one’s life. Unfortunately, there are also times we are never privy to a
plausible rationale, or the experience is too painful to allow for any
resolution, even with the passage of time.

100 Rei’ach HaSadeh

The question to ask in our day and age, in a time quite distant from
the days of the nevi’im, is whether can still hear the voice of HaShem. Can
we see the involvement of HaKadosh Baruch Hu in both the mundane and
more significant experiences in our lives? Possibly the most difficult
question of all: Can we accept that whatever happens is ultimately from
HaShem?

Each day that we wake up, HaShem is presenting us with a new
opportunity to be in this world, with the day ahead of us to live His Torah
and be our best selves. I pray we hear His voice guiding us through the
decisions of each day, which will ultimately lead us to hearing the sounds of
Mashi’ach Tzidkeinu, may it arrive speedily in our days.

THE REMAINING SONS
BY: ROBERT GOLDBERG
The narrative that follows – as well as the dialogue of any individual
– is written by the author and attempts to weave together numerous
Midrashim and other commentaries on Chapter 10 of VaYikra.1
It took an awful moment for Aaron to realize his children were
dead. The fire from G-d had burst forth from the Tent of Meeting and
receded in an instant. Nadab and Avihu were still standing, smiling and
silent. The fire, rather than incinerating their bodies, had entered through
their nostrils and burned their souls. Only the mix of coals and food they
had piled on the fire pans had been consumed.2
Moses had seen everything and knew. Drawing near to Aaron he
said (10:3): “This is just what the L-rd spoke when he said: ‘Through those
close to Me shall I be hallowed and in all the people’s presence shall I be
honored.’”
What could Aaron say in response? What would he want to say?
His children were dead. But in the seconds after they were gone, Moshe
knew he had to address the balance between creation and covenant, as well
as the fact that nothing Nadab and Avihu had done was unplanned.
They had known that any one of their omissions would lead to
death; yet they deliberately tore down every barrier and ignored every ritual
G-d had established.
They were drunk and barefoot when they rushed up to the Tent of
Meeting – not to mention nearly naked, for they had stripped off their
priestly clothing and were wearing only their tunics, their underwear. The
fire and food they brought with them consisted largely of leftovers. Their
bursting forth was designed to disrupt the careful balance between life and
death, the holy and the ordinary, that all the barriers to access were
designed to preserve.

1 Direct translations in this article have been adapted from Robert Alter, The Five Books of
Moses: A Translation with Commentary, (New York: W.W. Norton, 2008).
2 See Midrash Tanhuma (Shemini, 12): “He sent the fire like two strings to each and every
one, in their nostrils, and burned their souls; but He did not touch their flesh nor their
garments. ‘And they approached and carried them by their tunics.’”

102 Rei’ach HaSadeh

They understood that just as Shabbat is a sacred time to be shared
with G-d, so too was the Mishkan meant to be the sacred space where G-d
and the world could connect. And they knew that all the rituals were
designed to prevent any disruption of that connection, and that the strict
procedures carried out in the presence of the Jewish people were designed
to create a nexus where a chasm would otherwise exist. Finally, Aaron also
knew their actions were not rebellious.

The night before they died, after a long day of instruction in priestly matters
before the Mishkan was consecrated, Nadab and Avihu discussed with their father the
Golden Calf incident, as they often did:

“What did you so that was so wrong, Abba? The people felt alone and
abandoned. You kept them from bursting forth, from ascending Har Sinai and storming
to the top, where they would have died in an instant.”

Aaron usually deflected the discussion by asking his sons: “Can we talk about
my favorite subject another time?”

But that evening, their father’s effort at humor was not enough to dissuade
them: “When we climbed up Har Sinai, we knew our place. We knew that G-d had
told Uncle Moshe to meet at the top and that the rest of us would have to stay behind.
And we –”

Aaron interjected, “Think you should have been right there with him. You
and everyone else. You know that would have been impossible, right?”

Nadab responded, “Give us more credit than that, Abba. We weren’t jealous.
So don’t lump us in with Korach and the rest of those ingrates. We didn’t have a
problem with Uncle Moshe staying with G-d while we and the tribal leaders had to stay
behind. “

“Exactly,” Abihu added. “We all saw G-d the first time Moshe went up Har
Sinai. That sapphire glow that was the same glow Uncle Moshe saw when he rushed up
to check out the Burning Bush when he was hiding from Pharaoh.”

Aaron smiled, replying, “As I recall, G-d told your uncle to back off.”

“But not because he would be burned alive and you know that. The first close
encounter would have been overwhelming. Moshe has seen and been with G-d more than
most because of his position and responsibility, correct?”

Robert Goldberg 103

Aaron nodded in agreement as Nadab continued: “In fact, Abba, before we
went up Har Sinai to get the instructions for setting up the Mishkan, G-d commanded
the rest of the people build twelve steles, one for each tribe. He told the children to go past
those pillars to make burnt offerings, communal sacrifices, before reading the Torah to
everyone.”

Before Aaron could respond, Nadab completed his brother’s argument: “G-d
gave the people a way to approach Him without dying, too. Just like the Burning Bush.
Not like when He uttered the Ten Sayings, not like then, Abba. That was a deadly
fire. The people realized that when rituals are followed according to the words of G-d or
Moshe, they would feel G-d’s love and appreciation. When Moshe went up Har Sinai,
you know that they didn’t lose faith. You know they wanted Moshe to come down so
they could continue to connect with G-d. They only got frightened when provoked by that
group who wanted to abandon our journey and get everyone to go along.”

“Many died that day. That blood is on my hands. “
“It could have been worse, Abba. We could all have been abandoned by G-d
for abandoning Him.”
“But because of me, we were banished from the mountain,” replied Aaron.
“There is a distance between G-d and the people that didn’t exist. A little distance, a
little giving back of the impulse of life to create a boundary that allows us to connect with
G-d’s essence slowly, over thousands of years. But now –”
Abihu gently said, “Yes, we know Abba, we know. To close that distance, we
need to show that the people need a different way to connect with G-d. But to do that
someone must be brave enough to create new boundaries.”
They grew silent together. Aaron felt uneasy even though he did not know what
his children had concluded, nor what they were planning.
Bursting forth begets bursting forth. That’s what the story of
Noah and Great Flood was about, too. It was a lack of boundaries that
caused G-d to unleash that primal surge, drown His creation with same
power.
And how was it repaired? By giving humanity restrictions on how
to take life. By not tearing the limbs off of living animals in order to eat, by
not guzzling fresh blood to fill a need. The sacrifices at the foot of Har
Sinai were a means of bringing the people closer to G-d. But they had been
virtually eliminated. Only the Kohanim could perform them and even then,
under stringent conditions.

104 Rei’ach HaSadeh

Something had to be done to show G-d and Moshe that new
boundaries needed to be established to replace the one-time sacrifices
before Har Sinai.

Aaron had come to this realization as Moshe rushed up to him, fiercely focused
on trying to put back together what Nadab and Abihu pulled apart. Moshe shouted at
Aaron not out of anger, but out of urgency (10:3): “This is just what our L-rd meant
when he said: ‘Through those close to Me shall I be hallowed and in all the people’s
presence shall I be honored.’” Aaron stood silent as Moshe instructed Mishael and
Elzaphan, the sons of Aaron’s uncle, Uzziel, to take Nadab and Abihu away from the
Mishkan and outside the camp. They did so, carrying their bodies off in their tunics.

And then Moshe told Aaron and his other sons Eleazar and Ithamar, “Do
not go without a haircut and do not tear your garments. Do not leave the Tent. If you
do these things, you will incite G-d’s anger on you and all the people.” This order was not
just to stave off traditional signs of mourning and continue with the priestly service, but
perhaps it was also meant to serve as a warning not to follow in Nadab and Abihu’s
fateful footsteps. And by the way, Moshe added, this time seemingly harshly, “Do not
forget to eat the sacrifices they offered.”

Now, Aaron knew he had to complete Nadab and Abihu’s mission. So, he
did not eat the sacrifices and neither did Eleazar and Ithamar. When Moshe saw that
they had not eaten the cakes and goat meat that comprised the sacrifices, he grew angry.
He chided them: “Leaving the sacrifices uneaten? Do you want you spit in G-d’s face
like your sons, like your brothers did?”

Aaron turned to Moshe, pointed to where Nadab and Abihu died and said
(10:19): “Look, today they brought forward their offense offering and their burnt offering
before the LORD, and this happened right before my eyes.”

“They were not burnt alive, my brother. They were consumed by the same fire
that had come forth when we consecrated the Mishkan; it was the same fire that you saw
in Midian. G-d could have destroyed them, but as you said, my brother, they honored G-
d by drawing near to Him as they did. They honored G-d with sacrifice before the
people, just as they did before you went up Har Sinai to receive the first tablets.”

The people needed a gradual and routine way to honor G-d with
sacrifices, just as the generation after the Flood were commanded to limit
their consumption of animals and blood. They needed to understand that
the L-rd does not want us to burst through according to our own desires,
but rather to draw gradually closer to Him by way of the barriers He
establishes for us.

Robert Goldberg 105

Moses listened to Aaron and became silent. (10:20) What Aaron
said seemed right in his eyes. The zones of the Tabernacle, from the Holy
of Holies to inner court to outer court, represented gradual steps toward
G-d; toward holiness. But there was a corresponding zone that was missing
from the life of the people. Nadab and Abihu’s actions made that clear.
Therefore, G-d immediately told Moshe to instruct the people in the
observance of kashrut (VaYikra Ch. 11), to replace the sacrifices abandoned
after the Golden Calf and to strengthen the Covenant. The barriers of
kashrut would reinforce the inappropriateness of breaking through on our
own, and the importance of respecting life. Kashrut became yet another
zone of holiness because Aaron’s sons completed the effort to reconnect
the people with G-d.

REBBE NACHMAN OF BRESLOV & HITBODEDUT:
A PRACTICE OF COMMUNICATING WITH HASHEM

BY: ADAM GREISS*

When contemplating what it means to “Hear the Voice” and think
about “How HaShem Communicates with Benei Yisra’el,” I decided to focus
on a Kabbalistic practice from the great Rebbe Nachman of Breslov:
Hitbodedut.

HITBODEDUT. One of Rebbe Nachman’s most
important and best-known teachings introduces the idea of
private, secluded prayer as the ultimate level in our
relationship with God. Unlike the regular daily prayers,
Hitbodedut is prayer in one’s mother tongue and in one’s
own words. It is a ‘one on one’ audience with God, an
opportunity to release all our inner feelings – the joys and
depressions, the successes and frustrations – that we
experience each day. Through Hitbodedut, we examine and
re-examine our actions and motives, correcting the flaws
and errors of the past while seeking the proper path for
the future.1

While HaShem communicates with us and sends us messages all
the time, we often go through life unaware of this occurrence. We often ask
ourselves “What is HaShem trying to tell me?” or just plain “Why?”

Hitbodedut is seeking a response to these questions. It is the
practice of developing a personal relationship and line of communication
with HaShem. Once developed, we can seek answers to the questions we
have about or lives – or, perhaps, we might not have as many questions as
before. We now have a channel to God and He to us. The communication
lines are open, and they do not have to be organized or follow any halachic
process. Hitbodedut becomes our own personal method of prayer.

Before we delve a little deeper into this approach to
communication, let’s look at who Rebbe Nachman was:

* A special thank you to Chaya Rivka Zwolinski of the Breslov Research Institute of
Jerusalem and New York for her inspiration and guidance. Please visit www.breslov.org for
more information on the institute and its work.
1 Chaim Kramer, Rabbi Nachman and You (Jerusalem/NY: Breslov Research Institute, 2013),
p. 113.

Adam Greiss 107

Rebbe Nachman is a unique figure in the history of
Chassidut, the Jewish revival movement founded by his
great-grandfather, the Baal Shem Tov (Master of the Good
Name). In his lifetime, the Rebbe was well-known as a
Chassidic master, attracting hundreds of followers. Today,
over 200 years after his passing, his following numbers in
the tens of thousands, making him a vibrant source of
encouragement and guidance in today’s world.2

While Hitbodedut was a normative form of tefillah throughout the
generations, it had become diluted over time. Rebbe Nachman combined
the esoteric secrets of Judaism from the Kabbalah with in-depth Torah
scholarship. His religious philosophy revolved around closeness to HaShem
and speaking to him out loud in normal conversation – as one would with a
best friend. This idea is central to his thinking. It is through Hitbodedut that
one not only speaks/prays to HaShem but one also hears from Him:

Speech is the vessel with which we receive the flow of
blessings. According to the words, so is the blessing. One
who attains perfection in the way he speaks, can receive
abundant blessings by means of the vessels formed by his
words. This is the reason why when we pray, we must
actually pronounce the words with our lips.3

Through the daily practice of Hitbodedut (which can be done at any
time, any place), one can connect deeply to HaShem and literally draw
HaShem within:

When a person meditates and speaks to God, the very
words he speaks are ru’ach hakodesh, the holy spirit. As soon
as a person makes this meditation a regular practice and
prepares himself, indeed forces himself to speak to God,
then God himself sends the words to his mouth.4

Everyone must strive to be totally merged with the Source
of his being. To achieve this requires bittul – self
nullification. The only way to attain bittul is through

2 https://breslov.org/who-is-rebbe-nachman/
3 R. Noson of Breslov, Advice: Rabbi Nachman (Likutey Etzot), trans. Avraham Greenbaum
(Jerusalem/NY: Breslov Research Institute, 1983), p. 75. R. Noson was the chief disciple
and scribe of Rebbe Nachman and is credited with the preservation and growth of Rebbe
Nachman’s legacy and Breslov chassidut after Rebbe Nachman’s death.
4 Id.

108 Rei’ach HaSadeh

secluded prayer with God. When a person goes aside to
converse with God, he nullifies everything else and
attaches himself only to God. In this way he becomes
merged with his source.5
One has to constantly work at Hitbodedut. While it seems simple
(and, in theory, it is), the practice takes consciousness, passion, and a deep
desire to connect with HaShem; we must work at developing a direct
dialogue that enables Him to speak to us, and enables us to be receptive to
his messages:
It is written ‘Water wears away a stone’ (Job 14:19). It may
seem that water dripping on a stone cannot make an
impression. Still, after many years, it can actually make a
hole in the stone. We actually see this (357 Cf. Avot
D’Rabbi Natan 6:2, regarding Rabbi Akiva). Your heart may
be like stone. It may seem that your words of prayer make
no impression on it at all. Still, as the days and years pass,
your heart of stone will also be penetrated.6
What can one do if one does not even know what one is looking
for? There are many people who say, “I wish to pray, but I am speechless; I
do not even know where to begin! How can I speak to HaShem? How can I
hear messages from him? I am lost.”
While it may seem counterintuitive, that is exactly the moment
when one should communicate with HaShem:
When God helps you to pray you will be able to express
yourself before Him in the same way that a person speaks
to a friend. You should get into the habit of talking to God
like this. As if you were speaking to your teacher or your
friend. For God is close by. He can be found everywhere.
The whole earth is full of His glory.7
Make a habit of praying before God from the depths of
your heart. Use whatever language you know best… In
many places, we discuss the importance of making this a

5 Id. at pp. 80-81.
6 Rebbe Nachman’s Wisdom (Shivchey HaRan/Sichot HaRan), trans. and annot. R. Aryeh Kaplan
(Jerusalem/NY: Breslov Research Institute, 2015), p. 329.
7 Likutey Etzot at p. 86

Adam Greiss 109

regular practice. This is the way all the Tzaddikim attained
their high level. Look well into our words.8

Through Hitbodedut, we open this channel to receiving messages,
and from this process, the messages start flowing. It is as if some blockage
has now been removed and we can now see and hear HaShem in everything
– loud and clear.

What is the point of all this? The goal is to return to God – to
return to our source. Reb Noson makes this very clear in some of his letters
to his close family and friends:

- A person must give careful attention to every thought,
word and event which comes his way every day,
because God places Himself within them, as it were,
sending each person different messages, appropriate to
time and place. (Letter #37)9

- Everyone most certainly has the freedom to choose,
and everything that happens to a person, whether
good or the opposite, God forbid, is sent as a hint, a
clarion call to him to return to God. (Letter #24)10

- God desires our prayers, and this is why these things
happen: it is to remind us to pray before him. Then, in
the process of praying about this, we will pray for our
own needs as well, and most importantly, draw close
to God. This is the foundation of everything – and
whatever happens to a person is a hint to remind him
of this. (Letter #242)11

Knowing his time to leave this world was imminent, Rebbe
Nachman moved to Uman in the spring of 1810. He gave over his last
lesson to hundreds of followers on Rosh haShanah of that year and passed
away a few weeks later, on 18 Tishrei 5571 (October 16, 1810), at the age of
thirty-eight. He was buried in Uman. While the Rebbe’s two sons and two
of his daughters died in infancy, he was survived by four daughters.
Without sons to succeed him, it was natural that his Chassidut would die out

8 Rebbe Nachman’s Wisdom at p.326 (citing Outpouring of the Soul (Hishtafkhut HaNefesh)).
9 Reb Noson of Breslov, Healing Leaves: Prescriptions for Inner Strength, Meaning and Hope, comp.
Yitzchok Leib Bell (Jerusalem/NY: Breslov Research Institute, 1999), p. 25.
10 Ibid.
11 Id. at p. 82.

110 Rei’ach HaSadeh

without a leader. However, Rebbe Nachman had a secret that ensured the
continuation of his teachings and the growth of his following for
generations to come. That secret was his main disciple and scribe, Reb
Noson, who guaranteed the survival of Breslov Chassidut for hundreds of
years, up to and including our present day, by recording the Rebbe’s
teachings and methodology.12
I hope I have enlightened you with the concept of Hitbodedut and Rebbe
Nachman’s and Reb Noson’s writings. These teachings show us that all we
really need to do is speak and listen.

CONNECTING TO AVINU MALKEINU

BY: SAMANTHA, JORDANA & NOAH HANOVER

As Yom Kippur begins, and we devote our focus to capitalizing on
the incredible opportunity of redemption and forgiveness afforded to us,
many of us cannot help but have a troubling thought gnawing away at us: “I
know I’m not perfect. I know I’ve done things that I’m not proud of. How
do I know my prayers will be accepted? Do I really deserve this? Maybe
HaShem’s answer is going to be no.”

When this inevitable apprehension attacks each and every one of
us, and threatens to derail our concentration and our hope, we believe that
there is one very important perspective that we all must keep in mind.

Throughout Tanach, myriads of analogies are provided to describe
the relationship between the Jewish people and HaShem: From slaves, to
friends, to a betrothed wife. Each of these analogies is intended to
showcase a specific aspect of our multi-faceted relationship with HaShem.
However, the one dynamic that is uniquely showcased when it comes to
prayer is that of a child to a parent.

The Yamim Nora’im (High Holy Days) were specifically established
to proclaim and solidify G-D’s sovereignty and authority as a king, and yet
every time we mention the word “malkeinu”- “our king” in the prayers, it is
preceded by the word “Avinu”-“our Father.” This formulation comprises
the familiar phrase, “Avinu Malkeinu”-“our Father, our King.” Even when
tasked with the sole objective of accepting G-D’s monarchy, we must
understand that an effective prayer can only be accomplished when
approached from the perspective of children beseeching their father.

This dynamic is elucidated by the Gemara (Kiddushin 32a), in which
our relationship with HaShem is compared to that of a child with his or her
father. The Gemara states in the name of Rabbi Meir that the uniqueness of
a parental relationship is that whether or not a child acts with proper
respect and devotion, he is still their child.

Every relationship has its tipping point. A slave can be banished or
sold, a friend can be disavowed, and a wife can be divorced. But a child
cannot be sold or divorced, and disavowal will not change biological facts.
The one relationship that has no exit strategy is that of parents to their
children. Further, the Gemara goes on to explain, even when the Jewish
people worship idols and deny the existence of their connection and

112 Rei’ach HaSadeh

relation to HaShem, He continues to care for us and answers the cries of
our prayers. Why? Simply because we are his children. “Unfaithful sons”
(Devarim 32:20) – yes. “Corrupt [destructive] sons” (Yishayahu 1:4) – yes.
But sons nonetheless.

The parent-child dynamic between Benei Yisra’el and HaShem is a
reason that the one merit that we so tirelessly attempt to invoke throughout
the Yamim Nora’im, both through the blowing of the Shofar and countlessly
throughout the prayers, is that of the Akedah (Binding of Isaac). At the
moment when Avraham allowed the word of HaShem to supersede his
own overwhelming parental instincts, the Jewish people became deserving
of HaShem’s parental feelings (so to speak) toward us.

Thus, while parents may not always agree with their children about
what is in their best interests, or when they can most benefit from particular
endeavors, the one response that no parents are capable of is indifference.
No parents can truly ignore their children’s pleas.

So, open your machzor, pray as best as you can, and know that our
Father is eagerly listening!

DON’T TALK! SH SH! JUST LISTEN

BY: BEN HOFFER

There is a famous song by Yerachmiel Begun and the Miami Boys
Choir called “We Need You,”1 which is probably best known not for its
title but for the chorus: “Don’t talk! Sh Sh! Just daven, so your tefillos can
reach Hashem!”

There is no debate that if researchers wanted to study the life and
practices of the religious Jew in 2019, they would readily discover the
primacy of tefillah in his or her daily life. The fact that tefillah was the theme
of Congregation Israel of Springfield’s inaugural edition of Rei’ach HaSadeh
clearly speaks to its central role in our own community. On a more global
level, sefarim on tefillah are so prevalent that a quick search on Amazon for
“Jewish Prayer Booksˮ yields 823 books that can be ordered immediately
(many even via Amazon Prime).2

Of course, while tefillah is a highly personal experience, its formal
structure does provide us the framework that enables us to daven to G-D
appropriately, in terms found in the Torah.3 Yet without diminishing the
value and efficacy of tefillah it seems counter-intuitive that we are so focused
on G-D hearing our voices, when we know that G-D is the source of all
things, and that being close to G-D is the greatest joy we can ever
experience.4 To put it plainly, why are we not more focused on hearing
G-D’s voice?

While it is altogether plausible that many people do not want to
hear G-D’s voice because doing so would require them to make serious
changes in their lives, there is no shortage of people who spend their entire
lives wishing they could have a connection to G-D that leaves them with a
clear understanding of what they are meant to do.5 It is possible the answers

1 Yerachmiel Begun and the Miami Boys Choir, “We Need You,” Shabbos Yerushalayim,
1989.
2 https://www.amazon.com/Prayerbooks-Judaism-Religion-Spirituality-Books/b?ieUTF8
&node=12569
3 The Talmud (Brachos 33b) discusses the idea that it is prohibited to praise G-D in a way
other than that used in the Torah or established by the Anshei Kneses HaGedola as any
descriptive term can also be perceived to be insulting to G-D based on our limited
awareness of G-D’s true greatness.
4 See generally, R. Moshe Chaim Luzzato, Mesillat Yesharim, Ch. 1.
5 R. Jay Marcus tells a story where he was taking a group of prominent U.S. Congressmen on
a tour of the Kotel tunnels. When they reached the point where there is a stone that is
believed to be opposite the Kodesh Hakedoshim where many of the keilim from the Beis

114 Rei’ach HaSadeh

we seek from G-D are right in front of us, or potentially even within us, but
we are simply not sufficiently focused on hearing the message that G-D is
sending to us.

There is an old joke about a man who finds himself trapped in his
home as the floodwaters rise in and around his home. When the fire
department comes to rescue him, the man says to the firefighter trying to
evacuate him, “I don’t need you, G-D will save me.” As the flood waters
rise even higher, the coast guard comes via boat. Again, the man responds
to those trying to rescue him, “I don’t need you, G-D will save me.” With
the man now forced to climb atop the roof seeking refuge from the flood
waters that have all but completely swallowed the house, a helicopter comes
to airlift him to safety. Nevertheless, the man remains steadfast and shouts
to his would-be saviors, “I don’t need you, G-D will save me!” Shortly
thereafter, the man drowns. The man comes before G-D and complains,
“G-D, I had complete faith in you, why didn’t you save me?!?” G-D
responds, “Why didn’t I save you?!? I sent you a fire truck, coast guard boat
and a helicopter to save you, and each time YOU sent them away!!!!” This
joke is poignant in its simple truth: G-D is trying desperately to
communicate with us, but we are often unable to discern the message.

At this point, we might ask, “So, WHAT does G-D want from us?ˮ
However, there is no single answer to this question. We all have unique
messages from G-D. Even the way each of us listens and looks for G-D in
our everyday lives is a deeply personal endeavor that can’t be distilled into a
set of directions in an article such as this6. Therefore, we will focus simply
on the concept it of piercing the veil of confusion which cloaks the
messages G-D sends to every one of us.

Before we begin trying to refine our ability to be aware of and
subsequently internalize the messages we receive from G-D, we need to
acknowledge the shortcomings of the tools we use to discern them. Doing
so will empower us to identify how we can maximize the tools at our
disposal. We must recognize that what we see and hear is not always what it
seems to be. Although a common saying is “Seeing is believing,” we know

HaMikdash, including potentially the Aron Kodesh, may be even until this day, one of the
leading Congressmen said: “Then let’s move the rock and see the Holy Ark.” R. Marcus
replied to the Congressman, “If we move the rock and you see the Aron Kodesh itself sitting
there, are you prepared to make changes in your life? Are you prepared to keep Shabbos?
Keep kosher?” The Congressman thought for a moment and then just stood there quietly
acknowledging that he was not ready to make a change in his life.
6 The Tanya is a great place to look to if someone wants to gain a greater ability to navigate
their spiritual self but that is a much more complex endeavor than this article allows for.

Ben Hoffer 115

that the lens through which our vision is filtered can produce images that
differ greatly from reality.

In one of the most enigmatic stories in the Torah, we learn that
Bilaam whips his donkey three times for its seemingly baseless disobedience
before the donkey speaks out, questioning the reason for Bilaam’s sudden
distrust of his long-time loyal subordinate. (BaMidbar 22:20-34). However,
when it is revealed to Bilaam that an angel of G-D has been blocking the
way with a sword, and that Bilaam would have been killed had the donkey
obeyed his commands, we encounter a perfect example of our inability to
see what is sometimes standing right in front of us.

The same distortion affects all of our senses. This is why a Ba’al
Nefesh (lit. “owner of soul”)7 must be so careful with everything he or she
not only eats, but listens to, looks at, or comes in contact with in any way
shape or form. We can infer the importance of abstaining from aveirah from
the power of performing a mitzvah. In The Practical Tanya, R. Chaim Miller
explains that the Ba’al HaTanya teaches (quoting the Zohar):

‫ ולשמח לבם בה׳ השוכן‬,‫ לנחמם בכפליים לתושיה‬,‫ותהי זאת נחמתם‬
‫ והוא בהקדים לשון הינוקא (בזוהר‬.‫אתם בתוך תורתם ועבודתם‬
‫ וכי באן אתר עינוי דבר‬.‫פרשת בלק) על פסוק ״החכם עיניו בראשו״‬
‫ דתנן לא יהך בר נש בגלויא דרישא‬.‫נש כו׳? אלא קרא הכי הוא ודאי‬
‫ וכל חכם עינוהי‬,‫ מאי טעמא? דשכינתא שריא על רישיה‬.‫ארבע אמות‬
‫ וכד עינוי‬.‫ אינון בההוא דשריא וקיימא על רישיה‬,‫ומילוי ברישיה‬
‫ בגין דגופא‬,‫ לנדע דההוא דאדליק על רישיה אצתריך למשחא‬,‫תמן‬
‫ ושלמה מלכא צוח ואמר‬.‫דבר נש איהו פתילה ונהורא אדליק לעילא‬
‫ ואינון‬.‫ דהא נהורא דבראשו אצתריך למשחא‬,‫על ראשך אל יחסר‬

.‫ ועל דא החכם עיניו בראשו‬.‫עובדאן טבאן‬

“Let this be their consolation” (see Job 21:2), to offer
them comfort with “a double measure of wisdomˮ (ibid.
11:6), and to let their hearts rejoice with G-D, who is
present with them in their Torah and worship. We first
need to examine a teaching of the inspired child (yenukah)
in the Zohar, Parshas Balak (3, 187a), on the verse, “A
wise man has eyes in his head” (Ecclesiastes 2:14). The
Zohar asks, “In What other place would a man’s eyes be?
Might they be in his body, or in his arm, such that

7 More figuratively, a Ba’al Nefesh is someone who is concerned with the wellbeing of their
soul. This person doesn’t just look to what is permitted or prohibited but looks deeper about
how different situations, actions, people, what have you, will impact their soul.

116 Rei’ach HaSadeh

(Shlomo) the “wisest of all men” (who wrote this verse) is
letting us know otherwise?” Rather, the Zohar answers,
“The verse definitely has the following implication.” We
have learned that a person should not walk four cubits
with his head uncovered” (See Talmud, Kiddushin 31a).
What is the reason? Because the Shechinah (Divine
Presence) rests on his head, and the eyes and words of
every wise man are, “on his head.” Meaning to say, (he is
focused) on that which rests and remains on his head, i.e.
upon the Shechinah. “And when his eyes are there,” and
he’s conscious of the Shechinah’s presence, “he will be
aware that the flame lit above his head is in need of oil,
since a person’s body is a wick, with a flame lit above it.
And King Shlomo shouts out to us, “Don’t allow oil to be
lacking from your head!” (Ecclesiastes 9:8) “because the
flame on his head needs oil.” And the “oil” refers to good
deeds done by the person. “And it was concerning this
(concept that the verse says) a wise man has eyes in his
head.” 8

R. Miller goes on to explain the Tanya’s perspective on this
teaching: Even though the soul is a piece of G-D, the Shechinah won’t rest
on a person’s body, which is compared to the “wick,” unless it performs
“good deeds” (mitzvos). If this is the power of a mitzvah, we can infer that
when a person becomes ensnared by the sitra acher (“realm of impurity”) and
involved in sinful behavior, such conduct compromises the accurate
sensory perception of emes and sheker (truth and lies), and ikar and tafel (lit.
“primary and secondary”). Such a person’s capacity to connect to the
Divine Will is greatly impaired.9

Now that we understand that our ability to process G-D’s
messages properly depends on our performance of mitzvos and abstention
from aveiros, we can transition to what each individual should try to perceive
in order to hear G-D’s voice.

I was fortunate to have the opportunity to meet privately with one
of the Gedolei HaDor, Rav Matisyahu Solomon shlita, the Mashgiach Ruchani
of Beth Medrash Gavoha in Lakewood, NJ. I asked him how people can
know what G-D wants from them. How can they know what their tafkid
(lit. purpose) is in this world? He told me that G-D gives people the exact

8 Chaim Miller, The Practical Tanya, (Brooklyn, NY: Kol Menachem, 2016), p. 388-389.
9 Id at pp. 389-400.

Ben Hoffer 117

abilities, interests and challenges they need to accomplish their tafkidim.
Nothing more, nothing less. Therefore, if people look discerningly at the
abilities, interests and challenges given to them by G-D, they can gain some
insight into what G-D wants – and even expects – them to do to help
improve the world.

I think there is another practice that can prove helpful in this
critical endeavor. Not only do I believe that we can look to our abilities and
interests to understand what G-D wants from us; I believe that we are
better suited to connecting with G-D -- and understanding with much
greater intellectual and emotional clarity what it is that G-d wants from us --
when we are engaged in activities that give us joy, satisfaction and lift our
spirits. My father10 has shared with me numerous times over the years that
he always felt much closer and more connected to G-D when working with
his hands in the garden than he did while in shul reading from a siddur, or
while learning Torah or hearing a shiur in the beis midrash. He says that
feeling the dirt in his hands, and knowing that G-D was his partner in
making plants grow, made him feel like he was physically connected to G-
D. It is still at these moments when my father feels the greatest clarity in
hearing G-D’s voice. While my father is clearly a very holy person, many
other holy people working in a garden will not feel this connection and will
just feel dirty.

The same is true of those who connect with G-D in other ways.
For example, I was recently discussing how much members of our
community have been enjoying our Shul’s Sunday night softball games with
my friend Dr. Jeff Singer. 11 Jeff conveyed to me that he enjoys the
experience so much that the when we daven mincha on the field before the
game, and ma’ariv on the field after the game, it is like Yom Kippur
davening for him. Clearly, the happiness of the softball field gives Jeff a
higher level of inner satisfaction that allows him to connect to G-d in a way
that is usually reserved for our most sacred day of the year when G-d is in
our midst. I certainly enjoy playing softball with my friends, but regrettably,
my davening in that time and place does not offer me quite the same
connection to G-D that Jeff is fortunate to experience.

This concept is supported by the episode in the Torah (Bereishis
27:1-29) in which we learn about the encounter between Yitzchak Avinu
and his sons Eisav and Yaakov. Yitzchak recognizes that his life will soon
end and he wishes to convey his blessing to his first-born son Eisav. First,

10 David Hoffer, formerly of Springfield, NJ and currently of Deerfield Beach, FL.
11 Chair of CIS Religious Committee.

118 Rei’ach HaSadeh

however, Yitzchak Avinu tells Eisav to go find the food that Yitzchak
enjoys most. Significantly, Yitzchak makes this request not simply to satisfy
his hunger, but because Yitzchak hopes that after enjoying this delicious
meal, his soul will be uplifted and he will be able to bless Eisav. (Bereishis
27:4). This sequence of illustrates not only that the physical can be utilized
to achieve spiritual heights, but also that a physical state of happiness plays
an integral role in enabling us to connect spiritually.

However, while Yitzchak was correct in seeking to utilize physical
happiness as a means of elevating himself spiritually, he learns soon
thereafter that we gain far more clarity when we seek connection to G-D
through spiritual happiness. The Midrash Rabbah (65:22) teaches us that
despite Yitzchak’s blindness, he could sense the holiness of Yaakov when
Yaakov stood before him. His recognition of his son’s holiness gave
Yitzchak such joy that it caused the Shechinah to rest upon him, thereby
enabling Yitzchak to be able to convey the correct blessing – the blessing of
the first-born – to Yaakov instead of Eisav. Maybe the reason Yitzchak
sought and failed to give the blessing to Eisav was that he initially and
erroneously tried to achieve a spiritual connection through the physical
satisfaction of eating the food he loved so much. However, when his
happiness was based on the spiritual satisfaction of perceiving the holiness
of Yaakov, Yitzchak was successful in blessing to the true heir of his
spiritual heritage, even if he did so unwittingly.

Rebbe Nachman teaches us that “mitzvah gedolah lihyot beSimchah
tamid” (lit. “It’s a great mitzvah to always be happy).12 I would like to
suggest that happiness is so important because without it, the shechinah will
not rest on us and we will therefore be unable to connect to G-d in a true
and unadulterated way. Ideally, our joy should be spiritual, for such joy is
everlasting -- unlike physical joy, which is temporary and nothing more than
a biological/emotional reaction. Nevertheless, simchah is still so powerful
that even when our happiness is based on only physical satisfaction it can
result in an elevated spiritual awareness. Furthermore, as we learn from the
episode with Yitzchak, when our connection is based on spiritual
happiness, we are capable of acting in the manner which G-D desires even
without being aware of it.

We must prioritize listening for G-D’s voice. We can do this by
recognizing that the things that occur in our daily lives emanate from the
Master of the World, and are not random happenstance. The best way to
see things for what they truly are is to commit ourselves to a life of Torah

12 Rebbe Nachman, Likutei MoHaran, Lesson 24.

Ben Hoffer 119

and mitzvos filled with simchah, based on spirituality; but when that is elusive,
physicality can also help us connect. If we are successful in doing this, we
can merit to experience the Shechinah resting upon us, and gain the clarity
needed to hear G-D’s message without any distortion or confusion.

May we all be zocheh to lead spiritually elevated lives, and to raise
ourselves, our families, friends, communities and the entire world to such
heights that G-D will deem us worthy of Mashiach Tzidkeinu and the Ge’ulah
Shelemah, when we will dance in complete simchah as we celebrate the
building of the third and eternal Beis HaMikdash!

HOW TO HEAR THE CALL OF G-D TODAY

BY: MOSHE B. ROSENWEIN*

Jewish history begins in sefer Bereishis with HaShem’s call to
Avraham to leave his “father’s house to the land that I will show you.”1
Beginning with this first contact to Avraham, there are numerous calls from
HaShem to Moshe Rabbeinu and the Nevi’im throughout Tanach. For
example, in the Haftorah to parashas Yisro, HaShem reveals Himself to
Yishayahu. During the revelation, the prophet recounts, “I heard the voice
of my Lord saying, Whom shall I send and who shall go for us?”2 Another
example of HaShem calling on a prophet is found in Chapter 3 of Shemuel
Aleph. When HaShem calls on Shemuel for the first time, Shemuel is not
sufficiently experienced to discern the voice of HaShem. Only after Eli the
Kohen instructs him that it is, in fact, HaShem calling out to him, Shemuel
answers, “Speak, for Thy servant is listening.”3

Alas, we live in post-Biblical times, a time that is marked by Hester
Panim (literally translated as [G-d] hiding his face [from the Jewish people]).
During these times – for example during the Sho’ah (Holocaust) and terror
attacks in Israel and Jewish communities around the world – it seems that,
G-d forbid, HaShem has broken off communications and His relationship
with us. Moshe warns the Jewish people at the end of sefer Devarim, “I
[HaShem] will hide my face on that day.”4 Today, our faith is often tested
and challenged, as we seek to hear the voice of HaShem and have Him
central in our lives.

The Torah itself acknowledges that hearing the call of G-d can be a
challenge for humankind. The first word of sefer VaYikra – VaYikra – is
spelled with a small aleph.5 Rashi contrasts the phrase “VaYikra el Moshe” –
HaShem called out to Moshe – with the phrase “VaYikar el Bilam” – HaShem
appeared to [the wicked] Bilam.”6 Although the Hebrew words – VaYikra and
VaYikar – sound very similar, they actually have two very distinct
meanings. VaYikar describes an engagement that happens by chance,
whereas VaYikra is used to describe a specific calling from HaShem with a

* I am grateful to Adam Sheps for his comments to an earlier draft of this essay.
1 12:1: “‫ ֲא ֶשׁר ַא ְר ֶא ָּך‬,‫ ָּה ָּא ֶרץ‬-‫ ֶאל‬,‫ ְלָך ֵמ ַא ְר ְצָך וּ ִממֹו ַל ְד ְתָך וּ ִמ ֵבית ָּא ִביָך‬-‫ ֶלְך‬,‫ ַא ְב ָּרם‬-‫” ַויֹא ֶמר ְיה ָּוה ֶאל‬
2 Yeshayahu 6:8: “‫ ָּלנוּ‬-‫ וּ ִמי ֵי ֶלְך‬,‫ ִמי ֶא ְשׁ ַלח‬-‫ ֶאת‬,‫ ֹא ֵמר‬,‫קֹול ֲא ֹד ָּני‬-‫” ָּו ֶא ְשׁ ַמע ֶאת‬
3 Shemuel Aleph 3:10: “ ‫ ִכי‬,‫ ְב ַפ ַעם ְשׁמוּ ֵאל ְשׁמוּ ֵאל; ַויֹא ֶמר ְשׁמוּ ֵאל ַד ֵבר‬-‫ ַו ִי ְק ָּרא ְכ ַפ ַעם‬,‫ַו ָּיבֹא ְיה ָּוה ַו ִי ְת ַי ַצב‬
‫” ֹשׁ ֵמ ַע ַע ְב ֶדָך‬
4 31:18: “ ‫ ַה ְס ֵתר ַא ְס ִתיר ָּפ ַני ַביֹום ַההוּא‬,‫” ְו ָּא ֹנ ִכי‬
5 1.1: “‫ ֹמ ֶשׁה‬-‫ ֶאל‬,‫” ַו ִי ְק ָּרא‬
6 BaMidbar 23:4: “ ‫ ִב ְל ָּעם‬-‫ ֶאל‬,‫” ַו ִי ָּקר ֱאֹל ִהים‬

Moshe B. Rosenwein 121

particular mission and message. R. Lord Johnathan Sacks explains that the
small aleph signifies that sometimes it is difficult to hear the voice of
HaShem. Sometimes the call is very hushed and quiet – a “kol demamah
dakah”7 – in the manner that HaShem reached out to Eliyahu as he was
running for his life from Achav and Izevel.7

Our challenge in the modern era is to hear and recognize the
“hushed and quiet” call of HaShem. We can take a lesson from Queen
Esther in the Purim story. The name ‘Esther’ is derived from the same root
as Hester (as in Hester Panim). Her real name is Hadassah, which she hides
from the Persians. Megillas Esther – which recounts the story of Purim –
contains other ‘hidden’ elements, such as the absence of any mention of
HaShem in the narrative. Significantly, the story is set in the Diaspora – in
Persia – where the Jews experience the burden of hester panim through
Haman’s anti-Semitic decree to exterminate them. However, there is a point
in the Megillah narrative where the tide begins to turn for the Jewish people.
When Esther protests to Mordecai that she cannot go and see the king to
plead for the Jewish people, Mordechai responds, “If you are silent and you
do nothing at this time, somebody else will save the Jewish people.” 8
Mordechai continues, “And who knows whether it was just for such a time
as this that you attained the royal position.”9

For R. Sacks, Mordechai’s response is the “ultimate statement of
hashgacha pratit” which is “our fundamental belief that G-d never abandons
us, that He puts us here [in this world] with something to do.”10 HaShem –
through Mordechai – is reminding each of us to understand our unique role
and purpose in this world.

It can be difficult at times, as it was initially for Queen Esther, to
recognize our true calling in this world. The modern world is a very busy
place, and we are constantly being pulled in so many directions. Demands
on our time are numerous, and it seems that we are being pinged 24/7 (or
6). R. Sacks suggests that we need to step back from the hubbub and create
for ourselves a silence that allows for the kol demamah dakah to penetrate.
The Torah was given in the desert, a desolate and quiet place. In Pirkei Avos,
Chazal refer to silence as “a fence to wisdom.” 11 We achieve silence
through tefillah – prayer. The silent Amidah – a central pillar of davening – is

7 See Melachim Alef 19:1-3: “‫ קֹול ְד ָּמ ָּמה ַד ָּקה‬,‫ לֹא ָּב ֵאשׁ ְיה ָּוה; ְו ַא ַחר ָּה ֵאשׁ‬,‫” ְו ַא ַחר ָּה ַר ַעשׁ ֵאשׁ‬
8 Megillas Esther 4:14: “‫ ֶר ַוח ְו ַה ָּצ ָּלה ַי ֲעמֹוד ַל ְיהוּ ִדים ִמ ָּמקֹום ַא ֵחר‬--‫ ָּב ֵעת ַהזֹאת‬,‫ ַה ֲח ֵרשׁ ַת ֲח ִרי ִשׁי‬-‫” ִכי ִאם‬
9 Ibid.
10 R. Lord Jonathan Sacks, “God’s Hidden Call,” March 22, 2016, available at
rabbisacks.org/gods-hidden-call.
11 3:13: “‫ ְס ָּיג ַל ָּח ְכ ָּמה‬, ‫” ְשׁ ִתי ָּקה‬

122 Rei’ach HaSadeh

based on Channah praying for a child, when “she spoke in her heart. Her
lips moved but her voice was not heard.”12 Silence is lauded by Dovid
haMelech in Tehillim: “to You [HaShem], silence is praise.”13

Each of us has been blessed with certain talents – as well as certain
blind spots. HaShem is asking us to recognize our talents and understand
the opportunities to put those talents to work. HaShem seeks for mankind
to be partners with Him in creating and sustaining this world. In the first
Creation narrative in Bereishis, HaShem states, “Let us make man in Our
image, after Our likeness.”14 We strive to emulate HaShem by observing
Mitzvos and advancing the moral principles upon which the Torah is based.

One of the core principles, underlying many of the Torah’s mitzvos,
is the concept of deferring instant gratification. For example, if a person is
hungry, he or she may not simply reach out and grab the first food item
that is spotted. The Torah prescribes a process for eating that includes
abiding with the laws of kashrus and saying a berachah, both before and after
eating. Similarly, mitzvos involving fellow human beings also require a
discipline and self-control with respect to one’s actions. Sometimes, due to
the fast pace and demands of day-to-day life, we transgress and yield to our
impulses – without sufficiently pausing and asking ourselves, ‘What is the
Torah’s guidance with respect to a particular action or decision that we
undertake?’ The Torah strives to train us so that we may slow down the
pace and achieve a certain inner balance and tranquility, thereby enabling
the voice of G-d to penetrate and guide us in the proper path. It is not
surprising that, on Shabbos, when we turn off the sights and sounds of the
week, the kol demamah dakah has a much higher likelihood of reaching us.

As we enter the New Year of 5780, may HaShem give us the inner
fortitude and mental stamina to achieve the silence that is needed to let in
the voice of HaShem. May we be blessed with an ability to understand and
find meaning in our mission in this world – big or small. May we merit to
follow in the steps of the Prophet Yishayahu who, upon hearing the call of
HaShem, responded with “Here I am! Send me!”15 G-d willing, each of us
will be eager and ready to carry out our life’s special and meaningful mission
with the gifts bestowed upon us by the Almighty.

12 Shemuel Aleph 1:13: “‫” ְלָך ֻד ִמ ָּיה ְת ִה ָּלה ֱאֹל ִהים ְב ִציֹון‬
13 Tehillim 65:2: “‫” ְלָך ֻד ִמ ָּיה ְת ִה ָּלה ֱאֹל ִהים ְב ִציֹון‬
14 Bereishis 1:26: “‫ ַנ ֲע ֶשה ָּא ָּדם ְב ַצ ְל ֵמנוּ ִכ ְדמוּ ֵתנוּ‬,‫” ַויֹא ֶמר ֱאֹל ִהים‬
15 Yeshayahu 6:8: “‫ ִה ְנ ִני ְשׁ ָּל ֵח ִני‬,‫” ָּו ֹא ַמר‬

:‫עורו ישנים משינתכם‬
THE CALL OF THE SHOFAR

BY: WILLIE ROTH

The Rambam (Mishneh Torah, Hilchos Teshuvah 3:4) says:

‫ כלומר‬,‫ רמז יש בו‬,‫אע"פ שתקיעת שופר בראש השנה גזירת הכתוב‬
‫עורו ישינים משנתכם ונרדמים הקיצו מתרדמתכם וחפשו במעשיכם‬
,‫ אלו השוכחים את האמת בהבלי הזמן‬.‫וחזרו בתשובה וזכרו בוראכם‬
‫ הביטו‬,‫ושוגים כל שנתם בהבל וריק אשר לא יועיל ולא יציל‬
‫ ויעזוב כל אחד מכם דרכו‬.‫לנפשותיכם והטיבו דרכיכם ומעלליכם‬
‫לפיכך צריך כל אדם שיראה עצמו כל‬.‫ ומחשבתו אשר לא טובה‬,‫הרעה‬
‫ וכן כל העולם חציו זכאי‬.‫השנה כולה כאילו חציו זכאי וחציו חייב‬
‫ הרי הכריע את עצמו ואת כל העולם כולו‬,‫חטא חטא אחד‬.‫וחציו חייב‬
‫ הרי הכריע את עצמו‬,‫ עשה מצוה אחת‬.‫לכף חובה וגרם לו השחתה‬
:‫ שנאמר‬,‫ואת כל העולם כולו לכף זכות וגרם לו ולהם תשועה והצלה‬
‫)זה שצדק הכריע את כל העולם‬. ‫ כה‬,‫"וצדיק יסוד עולם( "משלי י‬
‫ נהגו כל בית ישראל להרבות בצדקה‬,‫ ומפני ענין זה‬.‫לזכות והצילו‬
‫ובמעשים טובים ולעסוק במצות מראש השנה ועד יוה"כ יתר מכל‬
‫ונהגו כולם לקום בלילה בעשרה ימים אלו ולהתפלל בבתי‬.‫השנה‬

.‫כנסיות בדברי תחנונים ובכיבושין עד שיאור היום‬

Notwithstanding that the blowing of the ram's horn
trumpet on Rosh HaShanah is a Scriptural statute, its blast
is symbolic, as if saying: “Ye that sleep, bestir yourselves
from your sleep, and ye slumbering, emerge from your
slumber, examine your conduct, turn in repentance, and
remember your Creator! They that forget the truth because
of the vanities of the times, who err all of their years by
pursuing vanity and idleness, which are of neither benefit
nor of salvation, care for your souls, improve your ways
and your tendencies, let each one of you abandon his evil
path and his thought which is not pure! It is, therefore,
necessary for every man to behold himself throughout the
whole year in a light of being evenly balanced between
innocence and guilt, and look upon the entire world as if
evenly balanced between innocence and guilt; thus, if he
commit one sin, he will overbalance himself and the whole
world to the side of guilt, and be a cause of its destruction;
but if he perform one duty, behold, he will overbalance
himself and the whole world to the side of virtue, and
bring about his own and their salvation and escape, even as

124 Rei’ach HaSadeh

it is said: “But the righteous is an everlasting foundation”
(Proverbs 10:25), it is he, by whose righteousness he
overbalanced the whole world to virtue and saved it. And,
because of this matter, it became the custom of the whole
house of Israel to excel in alms-giving, in good conduct
and in the performance of duties during the intervening
days of Rosh ha-Shanah and Yom ha-Kippurim above
what they do during the whole year. It also became a
universal custom to rise early during those ten days, to
deliver in the synagogues prayers of supplication and ardor
till the dawn of the day.1

Two questions emerge from a close textual analysis of the
Rambam. First, if the Rambam seeks to describe the symbolism of teki’as
shofar, why is it necessary to qualify this discussion with the subordinating
conjunction, “‫”אך על פי שתקיעת שופר בראש השנה גזירת הכתוב‬-“Even though
teki’as shofar is a decree of the King2 it has a symbolic element”? Second,
what exactly is the connection between the notion that teki’as shofar
symbolizes “‫”עורו ישנים משנתכם‬-“Wake up, you slumberers from your
sleep” and one’s obligation to view himself throughout the year as ‘evenly
balanced’ between innocence and guilt? What is the Rambam trying to
convey through the use of the word “‫“( ”לפיכך‬therefore”)?

The Brisker Rav3 posits that the Rambam’s source for the concept
that teki’as shofar has an underlying symbolic component, and is not merely
‫גזירת המלך‬, is the Passuk in Tehillim (81:4-5) which in some respect is a
slogan of Rosh haShanah: “ ‫ ִכי ֹחק ְל ִי ְש ָּר ֵאל‬.‫ ְליֹום ַח ֵגנוּ‬,‫ִת ְקעוּ ַב ֹח ֶדשׁ שֹׁו ָּפר; ַב ֵכ ֶסה‬
‫ ֵלאֹל ֵהי ַי ֲע ֹקב‬,‫הוּא; ִמ ְשׁ ָּפט‬.”-“Blow the horn on the new moon, on the full moon
for our feast day. For it is a law of Israel, a ruling of the God of Jacob.” The
Passuk intimates that the Shofar has not only an element of ‫חק‬, namely the
‫גזירת הכתוב‬, but also an element of ‫משפט‬,4 namely the symbolism of ‫עורו‬
‫ישנים משנתכם‬.

1 Translation from the Sefaria Library, available at www.sefaria.org. All translations in this
piece are from Sefaria unless otherwise noted.
2 Herein the Rambam’s use of the term ‫גזירת הכתוב‬, literally a decree of the Scripture, is
understood to be referring to the concept of a Mitzvah as a ‫גזירת המלך‬. The underlying
notion of ‫ גזירת המלך‬is that the obligatory nature of a Mitzvah is that it is simply a decree of
the King; one’s obligation to perform the Mitzvah requires no further explanation or
symbolism.
3 Chidushei HaGriz, 203.
4 While the terms ‫ חק‬and ‫ משפט‬are literally both terms that generally mean “law,” in Tanach
and Rabbinic literature, ‫ משפט‬often refers to laws whose purpose is often logical and easily

Willie Roth 125

Rav Soloveitchik expands on the dual nature of teki’as shofar by
explaining that according to the Rambam, teki’as shofar has both objective
and subjective components.5 The objective component, captured in the
concept of teki’as shofar as a ‫גזירת הכתוב‬, is to simply listen to the sound of
the Shofar. The subjective component, expressed through the notion of
‫עורו ישנים משינתכם‬, is an emotional awareness and feeling of awakening
from a spiritual slumber that the Shofar seeks to engender. And for Rav
Soloveitchik, this dual nature has halakhic implications, such that one who
merely listens to the Shofar, but has not achieved the ‫קיום שבלב‬, the
emotional awareness, has not fulfilled his obligation to hear the Shofar on
Rosh Hashanah. In light of this perspective, it would appear that the
Rambam’s use of the subordinating conjunction ‫ אף על פי‬is intended to
highlight that even though the Mitzvah of teki’as shofar appears to be
fulfilled merely through the performance of an act (listening to the Shofar),
in fact it is fulfilled only through internalizing the message of ‫עורו ישנים‬
‫ – משינתם‬of “hearing the call” and being awoken from spiritual slumber.

In a different context, Rav Soloveitchik notes that the Rambam’s
placement of the halakhah (4) cited above is particularly striking, as it
appears to interrupt the flow of a slightly different discussion.6

In Hilchos Teshuvah 3:3, the Rambam writes:

‫ כך בכל שנה ושנה‬,‫וכשם ששוקלין זכיות אדם ועונותיו בשעת מיתתו‬
‫שוקלין עונות כל אחד ואחד מבאי העולם עם זכיותיו ביום טוב של‬
‫ נחתם‬,‫ ומי שנמצא רשע‬.‫ נחתם לחיים‬,‫ מי שנמצא צדיק‬.‫ראש השנה‬
,‫ אם עשה תשובה‬.‫ תולין אותו עד יום הכפורים‬,‫ והבינוני‬.‫למיתה‬

.‫ נחתם למיתה‬,‫נחתם לחיים ואם לאו‬

And, even as man’s virtues and vices are weighed at the
time of his death so are the vices and virtues of each and
every one who cometh on this earth weighed on the holy
time of Rosh ha-Shanah. He who is found righteous is
sealed for life; he who is found wicked is sealed for death,
and the mediocre is suspended till the Day of Atonement,
if he did repent he is sealed for life, if not he is sealed for
death.

ascertainable whereas as ‫ חק‬often refers to laws whose underlying purpose is not readily
apparent and are typically understood as obligatory simply because they are ‫גזירת המלך‬.
5 See Arnold Lustiger, Before HaShem You Shall be Purified: Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik on the Days
of Awe, (Edison, NJ: Ohr Publishing, 1980), p. 18.
6 Id. at p. 94.

126 Rei’ach HaSadeh

Why does the Rambam seemingly digress from his discussion in
Halakhah 3 regarding measuring one’s actions annually on Rosh haShanah
with a statement regarding the symbolism of tekias shofar, only to return to
the discussion regarding measurement of one’s actions? Rav Soloveitchik
suggests that the Shofar’s message of ‫ עורו ישנים משינתכם‬is not only to
awaken us from our slumber, but to accentuate the urgency of the situation.

The Shofar seeks to thrust us in crisis mode, given our precarious
situation, and hopes to guide us toward action to tip the scales of mitzvos in
our favor. Viewing the Rambam’s perspective of the role of Shofar in this
light is supported by the way in which the Rambam ends Halakhah 4 – by
focusing on the fact that during this time of year people have the custom to
increase their performance of mitzvos. If the Shofar’s message has been
internalized and has fostered a sense of “crisis awareness,” it will propel one
to action to tip the scales in one’s favor.

This perspective on the Rambam also clarifies his use of the word
‫ לפיכך‬in this context. The Ma’aseh Roke’ach is bothered by the Rambam’s
use of this word, and therefore suggests that the Rambam is merely noting
that because one forgets the truth due to one’s occupation in the vanities of
time, one must combat this tendency through conscious awareness of one’s
precarious spiritual legal predicament. 7 However, according to Rav
Soloveitchik’s reading of the Rambam, the Rambam is explaining that if one
understands the symbolism of the Shofar and attains an internal “crisis-
awareness,” he will view himself as evenly balanced between merits and
transgressions.

In a similar but slightly different vein, the Tzitz Eliezer explains
that according to the Rambam, the Shofar’s message of ‫עורו ישנים משינתכם‬
is to direct one’s attention to the fact that the continued existence of the
world depends upon the actions of the individual.8 The Rambam’s use of
the word ‫ לפיכך‬in this context becomes self-evident. The Shofar seeks to
call attention to the importance of individual action, and therefore a person
must embrace this perspective during this time of year. According to this
understanding of the Rambam, one could suggest that the Shofar needs to
wake up even those who are “sleeping” because the world’s existence
requires the positive of action of each individual.

While according to Rav Soloveitchik the message of the Shofar is
harrowing and daunting, it can also be inspiring. The Avudraham famously

7 Ad. loc.
8 Shu”t Tzitz Eliezer, 12:1.

Willie Roth 127

attributes to Rav Saadiah Gaon ten reasons for blowing Shofar on Rosh
haShanah, one of which is to recall the Shofar blasts heard at Matan Torah.9
The Maharshal in Chochmat Shlomo, perplexed by the seemingly unapparent
connection between Rosh haShanah and Matan Torah, suggests the reason
the Shofar was blown at Matan Torah was specifically to evoke the message
of Teshuvah captured by the Shofar of Rosh haShanah. 10 HaShem
recognized that Benei Yisra’el were overwhelmed by the task of fulfilling the
Torah and fearful of the possibility of being punished for misfeasance.
Therefore, HaShem utilized the trembling engendered by the sound of the
Shofar to teach them that even if they were to violate the Torah, they could
be inspired by hearing the Shofar on Rosh haShanah to do Teshuvah and be
recreated. In this way, the Shofar’s message of ‫ עורו ישינים משינתכם‬serves
not only as a means of evoking a “crisis-awareness,” but as a medium for
inspiration as well.

As we approach the Yamim Nora’im, and contemplate the various
explanations and messages of teki’as shofar, we should internalize the call of
‫ עורו ישנים משינתכם‬and use it as a spiritual alarm clock to recognize both our
responsibilities and our opportunities.

9 269. David ben Yosef Abudraham (mid.-14th century) was a Spanish rabbi and
commentator on Jewish liturgy. His best known work is Sefer Abudraham, one of the earliest
and most widely accepted commentaries on Jewish liturgy.
10 Orach Chaim 585:4.

MOSHE’S NUCLEAR FAMILY:
THE CHALLENGE OF RESPONSIBILITY

BY: NOAM ZEFFREN

Moshe’s nuclear family experienced significant challenges. Given a
family dynamic that was marred by servitude and solitude, Moshe’s parents
and siblings would hardly be considered a typical, cohesive family unit by
any standard. Yet, despite suffering along with the rest of the Jewish people,
the family rose to defy great odds. Yocheved and Amram, leaders in their
own right, were successful in raising three unmatched leaders of the Jewish
people – Moshe, Aharon and Miriam – each with remarkable individual
qualities. What was their secret? How could Moshe’s family have had time
to instill the need for leadership and communal responsibility while simply
trying to survive? What traits did the family of Yocheved and Amram
possess to merit not just redemption, but leadership?

From Moshe’s infancy to his rise within Egypt’s hierarchy, details
of his life are sparse. Similarly, his parents’ bravery in raising a family in
bondage is minimally recounted. These years are described in such little
detail in sefer Shemot that we are forced to fill in information and read
between the lines. What we know with certainty is that Moshe’s parents felt
compelled to abandon him for his own safety – sheltered in a wicker basket
floating on the Nile River – while Miriam hid in the weeds of the riverbank
to guard her younger brother from harm. Moshe’s name is passive,
reflecting his rescue from the water. Similarly, in his career as High Priest
after the tragedy of his sons’ passing, Aaron was found to be silent.1 The
ability to remain passive, in the proper context and intent, is seen not as a
failure but as a representation of principle and faith.

Tradition teaches us that the Jews were steadfast in three areas
while in Mitzrayim: they did not change their clothes, names and language.2
The Chatam Sofer is said to have explained that these three practices merited
their redemption.3 Why did these three ideals hold B’nei Yisra’el in such
good stead? And how did Moshe and his siblings personify them?

1 See VaYikra 10:3.
2 This famous “midrash” is actually an amalgamation of two different midrashim: one from
Vayikra Rabbah Sec. 32 (Emor) and the other from Minor Pesikta, Devarim 41a (Ki Tavo).
See Elli Fischel, “They Did Not Change Their Names, their Language or their Dress”: The
Life-cycle of a Peculiar Midrashic Variant,” May 31, 2016, available at
https://www.academia.edu/28574595/_They_did_not_Change_their_Names_their_
Language_or_their_Dress_The_Life-cycle_of_a_Peculiar_Midrashic_Variant.
3 Ibid.

Noam Zeffren 129

Moshe took the strength of his principles and faith to places and
situations few could imagine – or succeed at. For example, because of his
communal responsibilities as the consummate leader, teacher and prophet
of the Jewish people, Moshe was required to be in a state of purity at all
times, should G-d determine it necessary to converse with him. sefer Shemot
(33:11), describes Moshe’s unique connection – “panim el panim”-“face to
face” – with G-d. As a result, he had to separate from his wife and family,
for which he was ridiculed by his siblings,4 and he could not experience
ordinary relationships.

Moshe’s siblings were also prophets who built on the principles
and faith they learned from their parents. They too lived unique lives with
special connections to the Almighty. Miriam led the women in song and
dance, a manifestation of her love for HaShem after traversing the Red Sea
and escaping the oncoming Egyptians.5 Aharon was known to be ohev shalom
veRodef shalom (“a lover and pursuer of peace”), his unwavering service as
the High Priest a reflection of that characteristic.6

In the haftarah for parashat Balak, taken from sefer Michah, all three
siblings are singled out as seminal leaders of the Jewish people, and Michah
articulates one of the most famous dictums in all of Tanach regarding the
standards to which we are to hold ourselves (6:8): “What is it that HaShem
requires of you: to do justice, to do goodness, and to walk modestly with
G-d.” Perhaps these three siblings each represented one of these attributes.
Moses was the ultimate anav, as he is described as the most humble among
all men. Despite speech impediments and feelings of inferiority to his older
brother, Moshe humbly rose to the challenge of serving as one of our
greatest leaders. Aharon was known as ohev shalom, and there is nothing that
more acutely exemplifies goodness than peace. Miriam’s life was marked by
justice. On the one hand, she was punished with tzara’at (a Divine disease
with skin manifestations) middah keNeged middah (“measure for measure”)
for her slander of her brother; but it was in her merit that a well
accompanied the Jewish people in the desert, providing them with fresh
water. Once she passed, the water ceased flowing.7

The fact that Benei Yisra’el were not completely broken by the
Egyptian servitude8 can be correlated to their singular focus in maintaining

4 See BaMidbar 12:1-2.
5 See Shemot Ch. 15.
6 See Pirkei Avot 1:12.
7 See BaMidbar 20:1
8 Various commentaries describe their descent into the 49 levels of tumah in Egypt. See
Zohar Hachadash, Yitro 31a; Ohr HaChayim, Shemot 3:8.

130 Rei’ach HaSadeh

the three pillars – name, language and clothing – which linked them to one
another. Moshe, Aharon and Miriam shared those ideals, but they were
motivated to move beyond themselves to serve the community. The family
was imbued with doctrines and faith, and responded with leadership.
Despite personal setbacks and hurdles, Moshe and his siblings instilled
accountability, community, family accord and justice at a time when all logic
would suggest these were unachievable.

In our generation, it is our responsibility to imbue others with these
ideals, not by focusing on the struggles that may lie ahead, but by inspiring
others to seek out opportunities for leadership that have been paved by
those who predated us.

Reflections

“SURELY GOD IS PRESENT IN THIS PLACE!”:
HEARING HASHEM IN THE LAND OF ISRAEL

BY: CHERYL BECKER

“The Torah marches with the Jewish nation during highs and lows, good and bad.
The Torah accompanied us in our wanderings, in our exile,
and will accompany us in our redemption.”
– Israeli President Reuven Rivlin

One of the most inspirational nights of my life occurred when I
witnessed the dedication at the Kotel of the same Torah scroll that was
carried to the Western Wall at its liberation during the 1967 Six Day War.
This Torah scroll, along with many others, was dedicated, as part of a
ceremony honoring the sixty-seven fallen IDF soldiers, five Israeli civilians,
and three teenage boys kidnapped and murdered by Hamas the previous
summer during Operation Protective Edge.

Several organizations in Israel and abroad worked together to
restore the seventy-five Torah scrolls that were dedicated to the fallen
during this special ceremony in August, 2015. Each of the scrolls had been
damaged during the Holocaust, and would soon be placed in synagogues
and army bases around Israel that were in need of a kosher Torah.

The historical significance of this event overwhelmed me. The
Torah is the epitome of the Jewish people’s eternality, as the Torah was
initially given to us by HaShem while Benei Yisra’el travelled through the
desert and brought with us to our homeland, Israel. When Israel reclaimed
the Old City of Jerusalem during the Six Day war in 1967, Mordechai Gur,
the commanding officer, famously declared “Har Habayit b’yadeinu!” – “The
Temple Mount is in our hands!” Now, here I was, some fifty years later,
standing in the same square in front of the Western Wall. I was completely
surrounded by my fellow Jews in the presence of the Torah, celebrating
both the dream of establishing a Jewish homeland and honoring the
sacrifices necessary to hold onto it. I felt unity between all Jewish people
and felt a strong feeling of belonging. I cried tears of both joy and sadness.

That night, as a soldier held up the original 1967 Torah that was
brought to the Western Wall as the Israeli soldiers captured Jerusalem and
the Old City, the crowd began to sing Hatikvah, Israel’s national anthem – a
song of love, a song of sacrifice and hope – and I have never felt so proud
to be a Jew and a Zionist.

Cheryl Becker 133

As I stood there, I heard G-d’s voice that night. I could actually
feel the echoes of His voice reverberating through history and I felt our
people’s history, and especially the day that the Torah was given to us by
HaShem. Benei Yisra’el travelled through the desert with it and brought it
with us to our homeland, Israel.

In the many centuries since, we have risen from horrors of the
distant past, as well as the ashes of the Holocaust, to establish the State of
Israel—and we have also miraculously won battle after battle to maintain
control of our land. That night, I felt that I was part of our people’s present
as I stood at the Western Wall, surrounded by my fellow Jews and certain
that G-d is always protecting our land and listening to our prayers. Today,
I feel gratified by the knowledge that people from all over the world
continue coming to the Holy Land and praying at the Kotel, and thus have
that direct connection of prayer to G-d. I also know that we will continue
to hear G-d’s voice in the future as we strive to connect to Him and watch
as He continues to display miracle after miracle by protecting our
homeland, Israel.

I pray for peace for Kelal Yisra’el and peace for the land of Israel.

THE VOICE OF REASON:
A POEM FOR OUR SON’S BAR MITZVAH

BY: CLARA HARELIK MEVORAH

Guide your son, and he will give you comfort; He will also delight your soul.
-Proverbs 29:17

Listen, my son, to the discipline of your father,
and do not forsake the guidance of your mother.
- Iggeret haRamban, the Ramban’s Letter to his Son

“Hearing the Voice,” the theme of this edition of Rei’ach HaSadeh,
defines what our family encountered when our son Michael recently had his
Bar Mitzvah. While each family member heard different messages, the
voice was consistent, that of G-d.

The Bar Mitzvah boy heard G-d’s voice through the text of the
Torah, Haftorah, and prayers from the Siddur while studying for his Bar
Mitzvah. When attending and following along with the services, the Bar
Mitzvah boy also heard G-d’s voice aloud through the reader. However,
once the Bar Mitzvah boy became the reader and the leader of the services,
he heard G-d’s voice from within. Suddenly, he became the voice the
Congregation was following. The power of the Bar Mitzvah boy’s voice in
prayer elevated the congregants, but more importantly, it heightened the
Bar Mitzvah boy’s awareness and acceptance of the spirit of G-d.

“Hearing the Voice” is only the beginning of the process.
Listening to the message that the voice speaks, understanding the message,
and then acting on that message are the next steps. This multi-step process
was designed by G-d to be the map that guides the Bar Mitzvah boy
through the rest of his life.

A Bar Mitzvah boy truly hears many voices, not just the voice of
G-d. He also hears the instructional voices of the Rabbis, the encouraging
voices of family and friends, the memory of the voices of those no longer
with us, and finally, the loving voices of his mother and father. It is G-d’s
plan for the Bar Mitzvah boy that fuels these voices.

To say that Michael’s parents constantly had to remind him to
practice for his Bar Mitzvah would be an understatement. Of course, the
Bar Mitzvah boy interpreted his parents’ voices as driving him crazy,
instead of realizing that our message was driven by love and the significance