(By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5tjt.com) [Written in honor of the shalom zachar of our ninth grandchild – born to Moshe and Aliza Hoffman.] The Klausenberger Rebbe zt”l was once shot in the arm r”l by a Nazi while he was in Auschwitz. He was afraid to go to the Nazi infirmary, even there were doctors there. He knew that if he entered that building, it was true sakanas nefashos, and he might never come out alive. Instead, the Rebbe plucked a leaf from a tree to staunch the bleeding. The Rebbe then cut off a branch and tied it around his wound to hold it in place. It healed in 3 days. He then promised himself that if he would survive the horrible evil that was Auschwitz, he would build a hospital in Eretz Yisrael where every human being would be cared for with dignity. And the basis of that future hospital would be that the doctors and nurses would believe that there is a Creator in this world and that when they treat a patient, they are fulfilling the greatest mitzvah in the Torah. Fast forward 32 years. The Rebbe did survive. We are in Union City, New Jersey in the Yeshiva’s building. It is now 1976, slightly after Purim, and the Rebbe is conducting a Shalom Zachar, but it is not for his child nor a grandchild. Nor is it for any child of one of his Chassidim. Who was it for? In 1976, the maternity ward of the Klausenberger Rebbe’s Laniado hospital in Netanya had just opened up.  Its first baby was born.  It was a boy.  The Rebbe was called and the phone was taken in the nursery where the Rebbe could hear the child cry. The Rebbe was overcome with emotion.  The Nazis had been defeated and Klal Yisroel had survived. A new child had entered Klal Yisroel. How could he not make a Shalom Zachar?  How could he not make a seudas Mitzvah of thanks?  And so he did. ON SHABBOS AFTER MAARIV After Maariv in thousands of shuls across the world, the gabbai will announce that a shalom zachar will take place at the house of so and so.  We are all tired after a hard week.  But the emotion felt by the Klausenberger Rebbe in seeing the continuity of Klal Yisroel should be felt by all of us. How can we not go? THE MINHAG It is a minhag in Ashkenazic Jewish circles to host a Shalom Zachar where the baby is found on the Shabbos after a baby boy is born.  It is generally held after the Shabbos evening meal.  It is not a meal where people wash. IMPORTANCE OF UNDERSTANDING THE REASON FOR MITZVOS The Rambam (Hilchos Me’ilah 8:8) tells us that it is important to understand the reason why we do our Mitzvos.  He also writes this in Moreh Nevuchim (3:31).  It is also the view of the  Zohar (Parshas Yisro p. 93b) and Rabbeinu Yonah Shaarei HaAvodah #54. This is also true for understanding why we perform our customs.  There are three main reasons cited for the custom of the Shalom Zachar. GRATITUDE REASON The Terumas HaDeshen (Siman 269) explains that it is a Seudas Hoda’ah, a meal of thanksgiving.  It is held in thanks that the […]
The post An Overview of the Shalom Zachar appeared first on The Yeshiva World.