On the Parsha:
By Rabbi Yisrael Zilberberg shlit"a of the International Organization dedicated to spreading the Torah of the Zerah Shimshon z"l
וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹקִים נַעֲשֶה אָדָם בְּצַלְּמֵנוּ כִדְּמוּתֵנוּ וְּיִרְּ דּוּ בִדְּגַת הַיָם וּבְּעוֹף הַשָמַיִם וּבַבְּהֵמָה וּבְּכָל הָאָרֶץ וּבְּכָל הָרֶמֶש הָרֹּמֵש עַל הָאָרֶץ (א, כו)
("And G-d said let us make man in Our Image, like Our Appearance, and he shall rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and the animals and on the entire land, and on all of the insects that crawl on the land" 1:26).
The Zerah Shimshon brings a medrish that says that when Hashem came to create man, He first asked the opinion of different forces of the world (which Hashem had already created). Chesed (kindness) said yes to create man, for man does kindness. Emes (truth) said not to, for man is full of falsehood. Tzedek (justice) said to create man, for man does justice(?!). And shalom (peace) said not to create man, for he is full of fighting. So what did Hashem do? The medrish says that Hashem took emes and threw it down to the ground, and then said that "truth will grow from the ground" (Tehilim 85:12)(as an aside, this is the concept of Torah shebi'al peh, from Rebbi Moshe Shapira z"l).
Now the Zerah Shimshon asks a question: What is this language that we find in several places (like in Tehilim 34:15 and Avos 1:12) of "pursuing" peace? Isn't the concept of "pursuing" usually found specifically against an "enemy"? What does it mean to "pursue" (l'rdof) peace?
Says the Zerah Shimshon allegorically: According to this medrish, it is well understood—the person that is at peace with himself and with others "pursues" this attribute of shalom that had said that all man knows it to fight all day long. He proves him wrong! No, man can have "peace" (and #1 with himself, and then m'meila with Hashem and l'havdil other people).
Story:
Rebbi Dovid Bliecher z"l was the star of Europe, and a #1 talmid of Rebbi Avraham Grodzensky z"l of Slabodka. Once while still a bachur, he went to visit his grandparents who lived in the city of Novardok. The Novardoker "spies" got a hold of him (both Slabodka and Novardok were "infamous" for their spies, who were on the lookout to catch "good heads" to be used to fight against the Haskalah, the ones pulling people away from Hashem, G-d forbid), and soon he found himself deep in conversation with the Alter from Novardok z"l himself. The Alter spoke to him about different matters, and the whole while Rebbi Dovid was in doubt whether to return to Slabodka or to stay in Novardok (Don't worry, the baalei mussar were all friends), until the Alter said like this: "Do you have any advice for me how to bring the entire world back to like it was before Adom haRishon's sin?" Such lofty aspirations did the trick, and Rebbi Dovid went on to become the esteemed Rosh Yeshiva of Novardok of Mezritch, and Rebbi Gershon Libman z"l said that Rebbi Dovid was the full embodiment and "successor" of the Alter.
Question:
Continuing the greatness of the yomim tovim onward.
Answer:
Torah! Ein umah zu nikreis umah ele biSoraseha ("This nation is only a nation with its Torah", from Rav Saadia Gaon z"l). The Torah is what makes us great! And in particular: your private part of Torah that speaks to your neshama! The sefer Sheivet Mussar begins with is exactly this point: Your part in Torah! We want to hear what you have to say (with a rebbi's guidance). And Rebbi Gershon Eidelshtein's advice for bachurim in yeshiva: Gemara-Rashi- Tosfos, and that's it. The other commentaries come later. First the "basics"! And our advice for getting a real, next-level grasp of halacha (to those that this is applicable): Tur-Beis Yosef! He gives "background" and "big picture" (with a rebbi).
