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Shabbat Parashat Vaetchanan | 5768

Vaetchanan | 15 Av 5768 | 16/08/2008

A Man Who Can Enter the Land

Our parasha opens with Moshe’s rejected pleadings to enter Eretz Yisrael. It continues with important lessons from the period in the desert. Moshe warned the people not to get caught up with the practices of the C’na’anim after their period of national isolation in the desert was completed. The specific theme that was repeatedly stressed is to avoid making images of a god or to represent G-d.

Should a Single Man Wear a Tallit

In a recent article, you assumed that single Ashkenazi men need not wear a tallit for tefilla. I understand that some relate this minhag to the juxtaposition in the Torah of tzitzit and marriage (Devarim 22: 12-13). However, the Shulchan Aruch, Rama, and many others rule that the mitzva d’orayta of tallit begins at bar mitzva. Isn’t it a mistaken minhag to avoid this mitzva?

Different Methods of Fighting the Yetzer Hara

Rav Levi bar Chama said in the name of Rav Shimon ben Lakish: A person should always agitate the yetzer hatov (good inclination) against the yetzer hara (evil inclination), as it says: “Get agitated and do not sin…” (Tehillim 4:5). If it [the yetzer hatov]defeated it [the yetzer hara], good; if not, he should occupy himself with Torah study, as it says, “… say in your hearts… ” (ibid.).

Workers Who Could Not Work Due to Snow – part II (Harav Akiva Kahana)

We ended off last time with the opinion of the Maharam that when a teacher is forbidden by the government to teach Torah he receives full pay, which implies that this is the rule whenever a makkat medina (a problem that affects many people) prevents work.

Hemdat Yamim of this week
isdedicated in memory of

Gila Bat ElyahuMicha-el

on the occasion of her yahrzeit, 21 Av

and

Yitzchak Eizik Ben Yehuda Leib a"h,

whose Yahrtzeit is the 29th of Av

as well as

R ' Meir ben Yechezkel Shraga Brachfeld

o.b.m

Hemdat Yamim is endowed by Les & Ethel Sutker of Chicago, Illinois in loving memory of
Max and Mary Sutker and Louis and Lillian Klein, z”l.

A weekly divrei Torah leaflet: A Glimpse at the Parasha, Ask the Rabbi, From the writings of Harav Avraham Yitzchak Hakohen Kook, zt”l, Pninat Mishpat (Jewish Monetary Law).