restated by Rabbi Yair Hoffman We are so very fortunate to have Gedolei Torah in our midst where we can draw life-giving water from their insights, wisdom, and deep Gemorah shiurim.  The following is from a Vaad given last year on Parshas Todos.  In memory of R’ Tzvi Dovid ben R’ Moshe Based upon a Vaad delivered in 5784. The Pasuk The Parsha describes the tefillah of Yitzchok and Rivkah for a child with the posuk: “Vayetar Yitzchok laHashem l’nochach ishto ki akoroh hi, vayeater lo Hashem vatahar Rivkah ishto” – And Yitzchok davened to Hashem opposite his wife because she was barren, and Hashem accepted his tefillah, and Rivkah his wife became pregnant. Understanding Their Tefillos – The Physical Arrangement In explaining the words “l’nochach ishto”, Rashi quotes a Gemara in Yevamos that tells us “zeh omed b’zovis zu umispalel v’zu omedes b’zovis zu umispalleles. – Yitzchok stood in one corner and davened, while Rivkah stood in the other corner and davened.” However, the posuk emphasizes “vayeater lo” – that the Borei Olam (Creator of the World) answered his – Yitzchok’s – tefillah. The Power of Lineage in Tefillah Rashi explains that “she’ein domeh tefilas tzaddik ben rasha l’tefilas tzaddik ben tzaddik l’fichoch lo v’lo loh” – the tefillah of a tzaddik ben rasha can in no way be compared to the tefillah of a tzaddik ben tzaddik. Therefore, the tefillah of Yitzchok, who was a tzaddik ben tzaddik, was answered before the tefillah of Rivkah, who was a tzadaikes bas rasha. The Alter of Kelm’s Novel Interpretation The Alter of Kelm presents a different understanding of the power of a tzaddik ben tzaddik’s tefillah. Chazal tell us in Yoma 29 that there is a principle of “atiksah kasheh meichadata” – The old is more difficult than the new. This suggests that maintaining righteousness across generations presents unique challenges. The Role of Mesiras Nefesh The Gemara in Brochos 20 contemplates why earlier generations were zoche to so many nissim while we are not. This question leads us to explore the relationship between self-sacrifice and divine intervention. The Malbim’s Understanding of Kedushah The Malbim, at the beginning of Parshas Kedoshim, teaches that there exists an olam godol and an olam koton. The olam godol is our physical world, and the olam koton is mankind, with every individual representing an olam koton. The Borei Olam programs these worlds so that events in the olam godol mirror the behavior of the olam koton. Natural and Supernatural Governance Every person has a teva with retzonos and taavos – natural self with inclinations and desires. When we live according to our teva, following our taavos and retzonos, the Borei Olam runs the world b’derech hateva – through natural means). However, explains the Malbim, when a person elevates himself above his teva by negating these natural desires, the Borei Olam responds by running the worldabove the natural way – supernaturally). The Deeper Meaning of Kedoshim Tihiyu The Toras Kohanim teaches: “Im mekadshim atem atzmeichem maaleh ani aleichem k’ilu kedashtem osi.” The Borei Olam tells us that when we sanctify ourselves, He considers it as if we sanctified Him. The Malbim explains that while we cannot add kedushah to the Borei Olam, who is kulo kodosh (entirely holy), we can influence how He interacts with our […]