Introduction

In this week’s parsha of Toldos we are introduced to our cousin Yishmael. Interestingly, we are standing at a time when there is a great deal of friction and threats coming from from Yishmael on all fronts.

Iran seems to be on the verge of attacking Eretz Yisroel r”l, and Hezbollah keeps shooting rockets at Eretz Yisreol. B’chasdei Hashem, most missiles are missing, but the danger is not over, and there have been many korbanos Hy”d.

In general, the Arabs around the world have become increasingly aggressive as we just saw in Amsterdam and many other incidents around the world, as well. It’s mind boggling how things are escalating with Yishmael at this time.

Then there are the grandchildren of Eisav who we are introduced to in this week’s Parsha. We are referring to the Western countries, and according to historians, America descends from Eisav [obviously now American is a melting pot, but they are referring to the original pilgrims who came mainly from Britain].

We know that we are in galus Edom. We are standing in a time when Eisav is being kind to us and we need to appreciate the chessed. However, as we can see from the past century, that for many people it backfired in many different ways.

One example and perhaps the saddest example is the staggering assimilation that occurred over the past century. Then there is the mingling amongst the gentiles and the all the influence that we picked up over the years. Many times we are not even aware that we have been influenced and there are many examples to this.

We are standing right before the Shabbos that we bentch Chodesh Kislev, and we are also at the threshold of Rosh Chodesh Kislev. The light of the Chashmonaim that fought against the influence is burning strong. The light of the Menora is also descending at this time. Let’s use the light of the Torah [which is the Menora] to fight against the influences of Eisav.

Moreover, this month has the light of the nissim of Chanuka. This makes this a month of nissim. May we be zoche that this month be the month that will bring forth the nissim that Hashem promised He would perform. Hopefully we will see the fruition of the nevua of ויהי החודש הזה כנבואת אבי חוזה וישמע בבית הזה קול ששון וקול שמחה אמן

Pinchas Halevi Doppelt

מכתב ברכה

באתי בשורות קצרות אלו לחזק ולעודד את ידידי הנכבד והמפואר הר״ר פינחס הלוי שליט״א שהוא ידוע לי כתלמיד חכם ובעל יראת שמים ועובד ה’ שעמל בכח רב להוציא דבר יקר, קונטרס מלא יראת שמים ומלא דברי מוסר המעורר לבבות של בני האדם לבא ולחשוב חשבונו של עולם ולהתעורר ממקרי הזמן המתרגשים ובאים בעולם ולהתגבר על הנסיונות המתחדשות בכל יום, וחזקה על חבר שאינו מוציא מתחת ידו דבר שאינו מתוקן, ואברך אותו שבכל יום אשר יפנה יצליח ומובטחני שכל המעיין בדבריו היוצאים מן הלב יתעורר לחזק עצמו להתקרב לאבינו שבשמים.

ועל זה באתי על החתם היום

שלמה רפאל לאווי

What Should Moshiach Mean To Us?

Before we begin, let us make it clear: Nobody really knows exactly what it’s going to be like when Moshiach comes. Many things are not clear and there are often different opinions about what will transpire. We are מאמינים בני מאמינים—we wait anxiously and look forward to see what will occur when Moshiach comes.

However, what we do know is that when Moshiach comes, the world will change so drastically beyond our wildest imagination. It is true that when people hear this, many will whip out the Rambam that says that when Moshiach comes עולם כמנהגו נוהג, just without שעבוד מלכיות.

Obviously it’s foolish to think that we will live a normal life, just we will have the Bais Hamikdash. After all, a world without the evil of שעבוד מלכיות is a whole different world. That’s pretty basic, and there are additional points to consider, as well.

Let us discuss what Moshiach should mean to us on a personal level. Then we will try to bring it to the next level be”H. Tragically, there are some people who may have the same concept of Moshiach they had in first grade or kindergarten.

Let’s begin with a quiz. The point of this quiz is not to put anyone down, chas v’shalom, but rather to bring out a specific point.

1. Tefilla – We know that when we daven Shemonei Esrei we are standing ‘לפני ה. The Mishna Berura writes that it’s as if we are in the Kodesh Hakadoshim. Can we imagine what it looked like when the Kohen Gadol went inside the Kodesh Hakadoshim? Does our שמונה עשרה look anything like that? Are we connecting to Hashem, or perhaps to other things r”l?
2. Torah – The Gemara tells us that when one learns Torah it’s greater than the Kohen Gadol going into the Kodesh Hakadoshim on Yom Kippur. We cannot fathom how much Kedusha is in the Torah. Is that what our learning feels like? Or perhaps do we take too many coffee breaks in middle of learning r”l. Or sometimes we can even joke around in middle of learning r”l.
3. Mitzvos – Dovid Hamelech tells us in Tehillim שש אנכי על אמרתך כמוציא שלל רב. Dovid Hamelech is telling us that his excitement for mitzvos [and even one word of Torah] is equivalent to winning the billion dollar lottery. My friends, stop and think how we would react if we won the billion dollar lottery. There aren’t enough descriptions to express the exhilaration, the ecstasy, the joy, the excitement and the jubilation. What about us? Do we feel anything even close when we do the precious mitzvos? Are we dancing for joy when we do a mitzva, or do we pat ourselves on the back when we remember to have in mind that we are doing a mitzva [which is great]?

In many shuls there is a screen outside the shul that informs people all the zmanim [which is an amazing luxury for us if you think about it]. Additionally, they have a countdown to the zman Kriyas Shema and the Zman Tefilla, etc.

One night I glanced at the digital screen and I saw that there was a countdown toward הנחת תפילין [that is עלות השחר, when one can begin putting on the Tallis and Tefillin]. Then it hit me like a bolt of lightning. Why am I not counting down the time that I can put on Tefillin? The answer is pretty obvious, because unfortunately we are not excited. If we would be getting a million dollars at the עלות השחר we would be counting down the time, wouldn’t we?

Now I must make a disclaimer: there truly are people who feel connected when they daven, learn, and do mitzvos [which is a separate discussion]. I am here to discuss the average yid, however, who may feel connected at times, but in general he doesn’t feel the excitement. What’s going on with us? Are we sick?

The answer is that we’re more than sick. We’re dead. The Gr”a in the end of ספרא דצניעותא says that the destruction of the Bais Hamikdash marked the death of Klal Yisroel r”l (Rav Yonasan Eibshitz says similar). Ever since then it’s like the beginning of the decay of the body. The farther away we are from the Bais Hamikdash, the spiritual death [so to speak] gets stronger and stronger, which makes us weaker and weaker.

This can explain the concept of the drastic ירידת הדורות that we have been experiencing over the past two thousand years. The Gemara in a few places compares the one generation to the next, and notes how things were going downhill [see Megilla 21a regarding learning Torah], and more.

Now we can understand why, generally speaking, our Avoda is so dry. That’s because as the Gr”a is telling us that spiritually [which is our essence] we are considered dead, which started with the Churban Hamikdash. Now we are likened to tiny sparks remnant from a once-blazing Lag Baomer fire.

With this concept we can understand beautifully another famous saying from the Vilna Gaon as well. The Gr”a used to say that he had a השגה (a grasp) in the greatness of the Rishonim. He even had an השגה in the greatness of the אמוראים, and even the holy תנאים. However, he cannot fathom the greatness of a simple Yid in the time of the Bais Hamikdash.

If you think about it, this מאמר from the Gr”a seems to be unfathomable. How could it be that a simple Yid in the time of the Bais Hamikdash was greater than the תנאים? How do we understand this? According to the previous statement of Gr”a, it fits right in, because during the time of the Bais Hamikdash, Yidden were alive [so to speak], and the churban was the death of Klal Yisroel. Therefore, since these תנאים came after the churban they weren’t as great.

שיעבוד מלכיות – On top of all this we live in Galus, amongst non-Jews in a strange land known as America. In the early years in America, Klal Yisroel suffered particularly with tests in Shabbos. Some Yidden prevailed while many, many of them fell through r”l and assimilated. Painfully, we lost a tremendous amount of Yidden over the years.

Now we stand at the end of Galus America and the tests are many in all areas, and especially in regards to Kedusha. This includes obviously Kedusha of our eyes, our thoughts, and our mouth, but also Kedushas Bais Hamidrash, Kedushas Tefillin and Kedushas Shabbos, as well.

Moreover, Hashem gave us luxuries that were unheard of since the creation of the world. These luxuries, if we indulge, can take us even further away from Hashem and His Torah r”l. While we are grateful for the bounty and the luxuries and they can enhance our life, they also can be a stumbling block, if we indulge in them.

The question is, what does Hashem want from us? How can we prevail in such a society and when our hearts are so hard? Now we understand why they are so hard– it’s because we are so far from the Bais Hamikdash and we are like walking skeletons (spiritually speaking) r”l, as was explained. Furthermore, we are under the influence of society, and many of us have indulged in the luxuries and have difficulty climbing out.

However, our Gedolim have instructed us with our mission during the time before Moshiach comes: to take the few sparks that we have and fight with all our might. Obviously, we need to try to intensify our fire and put it into our Torah and Mitzvos. The Sfas Emes writes that just like we need to love Hashem בכל נפשך even if Hashem takes away our soul, so too בכל לבבך–we need to love Hashem even if He takes away our heart.

There is a relatively new song that is spreading around like a fire. It starts off with the words אש תמיד תוקד על המזבח לא תכבה. The song continues with the words א פייער ברענט אין הארץ פון א איד. This means that a fire is burning in a Yid’s heart. In other words, a Yid’s heart is like the מזבח, as Chazal tell us, and every Yid has a fire burning in his heart, which must not be extinguished.

Many of us may not feel the fire, as it has become so dim over the years. After all, as we said earlier, we are standing at the end of Galus, very far from the previous Bais Hamikdash in America, with all the luxuries, under the influence of our society. But it’s our job to fuel the flames, even if it takes lots of mesiras nefesh.

The question one may ask is, how can we be mechazek ourselves to fuel the fire with the few sparks that we have? How can I be mechazek myself when the nisyonos are many, including all the luxuries that we have that can bring us down?

The answer is to pay attention to what’s really going on in the world and we will realize that over the past number of years Hashem has given us tremendous sources of chizuk. Here are just a few examples and there is much more.

1. The Weekly Kuntreisim – For example, the Toras Avigdor, Rav Meilich Biederman, Rav Yisroel Brog, and more, that spread tremendous hashkafos to the masses. The amount of chizuk and hashkafa that is being spread is simply mind boggling. The Toras Avigdor and Rav Meilich are translated it into different languages as well. The weekly booklets that go out each week exude chizuk and hashkafa and beautiful stories that grace the Shabbos tables of hundreds of thousands of Yidden.
2. Torah Anytime and Kol Halashon – These choshuve organizations are loaded with hundreds of thousands and perhaps millions of shiurim on all different subjects. They also have phone lines to access their wide variety of shiurim.
3. Stories to Inspire – This organization has inspired millions around the world with their inspirational real stories that have touched the lives of many. A while ago they started a phone line to tune in to their amazing inspirational stories.
4. Hotlines – There are so many amazing hotlines that offer so much chizuk to the masses on all different subjects. There are quite a few amazing hotlines on Bitachon. There is a hotline that has shiurim on almost any topic out there. There are hotlines on Tzipisa l’yeshua and a daily halacha [that was just launched]. Then there are hotlines with chizuk on technology (וימאן).
5. Speakers and Maggidei Shiur- We have so many amazing speakers that give so much chizuk to our generation. This includes all the maggidei shiur on the Daf, the Amud, and everything in-between. I won’t start enumerating them as there are way too many of them, Baruch HaShem.
6. Organizations and Gemachs – The amount of organizations and Gemachs throughout the world is beyond words. The amount of chizuk and chesed that Klal Yisroel does and receives is staggering. I once heard someone say that perhaps if non-Jews would know about all these organizations and Gemachs they would convert immediately. With this, perhaps we can say an explanation on what we say in Hallel that when Moshiach comes הלל את ה’ כל גוים וגו כי גבר עלינו חסדו. The Meforshim question: why will the non-Jews praise Hashem? The answer is because of all the Chesed Hashem. Perhaps we can say that when they find out about all the chessed that the Yidden did with each other during the galus, they will acknowledge that they deserve all the chesed that is coming to them.

My friends, all of this and much more is not a coincidence that our generation was zoche to get. I firmly believe that obviously we need to show appreciation to all those involved in the chizuk that we discussed. However, we cannot forget that ultimately it’s Hashem Who is behind all this chizuk that we are receiving.

Perhaps the reason we are getting all this chizuk [more than the previous generations] is because we need all the chizuk now at the end of days [known as the עקבתא דמשיחא] when our war with the Yetzer Hara is so strong from many different angles, as was explained. We just need to realize that it’s Hashem behind all this chizuk. This knowledge will fill our hearts with love for Hashem, our Father.

Getting back to our yearning for Moshiach, if we realize with ultimate clarity that although we have so much Torah and chesed but ultimately it’s maybe one percent (or perhaps even less) from what we should really be, this should get us thinking. This should give us the urge to yearn for our תחיית המתים [so to speak] which will come after the arrival of Moshiach.

Let us understand this with a mashal: Imagine someone in a hospital who is a vegetable r”l. He cannot move almost any part of his body, but he can blink his eye. Can we imagine how much this person is yearning and longing to once again be able to move his hands and feet, to run skip and hop? He would give everything in the world to get his body back once again.

My friends, we need to realize that most of our souls are locked up deep down inside and they are crying out, as it says ‘ממעקים קראתיך ה. The Pintele Yid is buried under the grime of the נ’ שערי טומאה and is yearning to be released from its quarantine. It is as if we are buried deep underground waiting for our resurrection. Shouldn’t we be waiting for Moshiach with all our heart and soul, when we will be able to once again be free and not confined like a vegetable in the hospital r”l?

Another description highlighted by the Gr”a highlights is based on Chazal which states: Moshiach is like the birth of Klal Yisroel. This is why Chazal call the Tzaros before Moshiach חבלי משיח – compared to a laboring woman suffering from labor pains — חבלי לידה. Based on the previous quotes from the Gr”a, we understand that since we are pretty much clinically dead (spiritually), therefore Moshiach is like a birth as we come back to life.

There is a fascinating בעל הטורים at the end of Parshas Chayei Sara that seems to be playing out in front of our eyes [hopefully]. The Parsha ends describing Yishmael’s end with the words על פני כל אחיו נפל. Then this week’s Parsha starts with the words אלה תולדת אברהם אברהם הוליד את יצחק.

Says the בעל הטורים: at the end of days Yishmael will have his downfall [נפילה] and at that time Moshich will come which the Torah say אלה תולדת אברהם אברהם הוליד את יצחק. So we see from this בעל הטורים clearly this concept that Moshiach is called the לידה of Klal Yisroel.

Lets get practical – Chazal tell us that when there are wars going on in the world we should anticipate the arrival of Moshiach. When looking around the world today, we see the world brewing with wars all over. This should get us excited that perhaps our salvation is about to arrive at last. In other words our personal יציאת מצרים is coming our way.

More importantly, now that we have a glimpse and an understanding of the significance of Moshiach, we can take it to the next level. Although now we [hopefully] understand how much Moshiach offers to us, we will still wait for Moshiach for Klal Yisroel, and more importantly for the Shechina that’s in galus, that is waiting for the redemption.

Many Seforim tell us that this was the nisayon of לך לך. Although Avraham understood that the benefits of moving to Eretz Yisroel were many, he put aside all his personal interests and went for one reason only, because this is what Hashem wanted. Let us follow in the footsteps of Avraham and put aside all our personal interests and beg Hashem for the Geula for Hashem’s name to be exalted in the world [also because this is what Hashem wants as well].

I believe that when we look at the events that are transpiring in the world, every thinking person understands with clarity that Hashem wants to bring Moshiach. Whether it’s the ongoing wars in Eretz Yisroel, or the Russian-Ukrainian war that most countries are involved in, including the United States. The nuclear threat seems to be getting stronger and stronger as we speak. It’ss not a joke. It’s a real threat!

The only question is: what are we doing with this information? Are we nodding our head as if it’s some interesting piece of news, or some may exclaim that “Moshiach is coming” and then continue on in life, as if nothing is happening? My friends, we need to grab hold of ourselves and shake ourselves up. We need to start yearning for Moshiach for ourselves, for Klal Yisroel and most importantly for Hashem’s name to become great.

Therefore, when we cry out each day אמן יהא שמי‘ רבא, כי לישועתך קוינו כל היום, or anywhere else when we daven for Geula, we should gather all our energy of love that is sitting in our hearts [even if it’s deep down]. Then we should say it with all our concentration until we start feeling the yearning for the return of the Shechina.

This may sound very lofty, but if we worked on Ahavas Hashem with Emuna and Bitachon, which many people have been doing over the years, we can now take our love for Hashem to a new level and put it into action. After all, as we said earlier א פייער ברענט אין הארץ פון א איד. What kind of fire? A fire of love for Hashem is burning in the hearts of each Yid. We just need to stoke the coals and start the fire going.

We need to extend this fiery love to our fellow Yidden who are the children of Hashem, as it says in the Pasuk בנים אתם לה אלוקיכם. This calls for us to eliminate any hatred or הקפדה that one may have for a fellow Yid r”l. It’s time to get ready for Moshiach now, as the world seems to be heading in that direction.

For starters, we need to sit down and drain all the hatred from our hearts that we have against anyone, [we are including a ten step program on the bottom to help you along]. Then we need to replace those feelings and convert it to love for Hashem and His beloved Nation.

In the zechus of taking the fire of hatred and converting it to fiery love, Hashem should bring down the בית המקדש של אש and we should once again be zoche to the אש תמיד תוקד על המזבח. Going forward, we will be zoche to the era of לא תכבה that the fire will burn strongly and it will not be extinguished, because מים רבים לא יוכל לכבות את האהבה.

Let’s get ready to greet Moshiach, and let’s get ready for the fire in our hearts to become inflamed with Kedusha, tahara and love for Hashem very, very soon. And we beg Hashem אנא קל נא רפא נא לה בהראות לה נועם זיוך אז תתחזק ותתרפא והיתה לה שמחת עולם אמן

The “KEY” to the Geulah: Why and How to Forgive

Reviewed by Harav Elya Ber Wachtfogel

The Sefer Tomer Devorah explains the great power of forgiving. He discusses the thirteen Middos Harachamim of Hashem – one of which is forgiving, and explains that when we emulate His midda of forgiveness, not only does He fully forgive us for our sins, but He introduces extra rachamim into our life – and to the entire world, measure for measure. And when we are mochel beyond the requirement of the letter of the law, Hashem, too, is mochel lifnim meshuras hadin. In this zechus, He prevents illness and war, and brings yeshuos to those in need.

The Elucidated Tomer Devorah (Feldheim) is a great source on how beautiful the middah of forgiveness is.

Forgiveness Made Easy

Before working on forgiving, it is important to acknowledge that if you were hurt or harmed by someone, and you feel pain or anger, it is 100% valid. The pain is real. If you feel it, you have a good reason for that. You may think about it and allow yourself to feel the pain for a short while. However, feeding into and holding onto it will only cause

you more pain – and harm – in the long run.

The following ten steps will help you release the pain, so that you can be healthy and happy despite the incident that occurred. You will feel lighter once you have released the negativity.

Ten Step Forgiveness Method:

By the time you are done with these ten steps (which take just five minutes), you should be able to release any hurt, pain & anger that was harbored, and forgive the person who caused it.

1. Know that Hashem was 100% behind the incident, (not the person), and it was for your ultimate benefit.¹

2. The seforim say we are all a gilgul; a soul that was here before – that has returned to either forgive or to ask forgiveness from someone. And neither soul can enter Gan Eden before one forgives the other.

3. Hurt and embarrassment are a kaparah, an atonement for sin. In the moment we are hurt and don’t respond,we are fully cleansed of sin, and can pray and be answered for any yeshuah we ask for.

(Tip: Write a “letter” to the person or people who offended you. Include your feelings and details, and place it in an envelope. In the same envelope, write a letter to Hashem – that you fully forgive the person for the incident, including monetary loss.² In this merit, specify the yeshua that you require, and seal the envelope. Then, after some time, you can dispose of it.)

4. Love comes from giving. Try giving to the other person – by either praying for them or sending them cards and gifts. The hate will fade away. Why do we love our family? Because we give to them. If your child hurt you, would you hold onto that hurt?! 

5. Hurt comes from the ego getting bruised. Ego reflects an inflated self. You will realize that the haughty part of you doesn’t allow the release of the hurt. Only a humble person can release a grudge. So, work on developing humility.

6. We are all human, and make mistakes.   If the person who hurt you didn’t mean to, or is usually kind, then remember that we have all hurt someone in our life by accident. Don’t we want them to forgive us?

7. It is possible that the person who hurt you suffers from low self-esteem and a lack of self-love or from jealousy. Do not make things personal. Rather, be aware that it may very well be the person’s own issue and not yours. Develop self-esteem and self-love, and you will be able to easily let things slide.

8. To immediately get rid of the negative feeling, ask yourself ‘what is the lesson and benefit to this incident or pain?’ Once you comprehend the lesson, the negative feeling will quickly dissipate.

9. If all the above didn’t help, ask yourself, “Would I want to spend my entire Olam Habah, the World to Come with people who are still holding grudges? Or would I want to be with those special people who forgave others quickly – who went above the letter of the law?”

10. You are now ready to forgive and let go. It is important to verbalize the forgiveness by stating ‘I fully forgive so-and-so – and anyone who has ever hurt me, even if I don’t remember’.

You have now accomplished greatness!

• 1. Sefer Hachinuch, Mitzvah 241 – Not to Take Nekama (Revenge)
  2. The Chofetz Chayim writes that a person will be repaid double when they do not make an argument over money. If the one who borrowed, caused damage etc. refuses to repay, turn to Hashem, and ask Him to repay you!

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“Forgiveness is not surrender; it is victory!”