כִּי-יִִּֽהְי ֶ֣ה לְאִִּ֗ישׁ בֵֵּ֚ ן סוֹרֵֶ֣ר וּמוֹר ֶ֔ה אֵינ ֶ֣נּוּ שֹׁׁמֵֶ֔עַ בְק֥וֹל אָבִִּ֖יו וּבְקֶ֣וֹל אִּמּ֑וֹ וֹ֛תֹׁא וּאיִִּ֧צוֹהְו וֹּ֑מִּאְו ויִֶּ֣בָא וִֹ֖ב וּשְׂפָ֥תְו :םִֽ היֵלֲא עִַ֖מְשִּׁי א ֹׁלְו וֶֹ֔תֹׁא וֶּ֣רְסִּיְו א ל-זִּקְנֵ֥י עִּירִ֖ וֹ וְא ל-שַׁ֥עַר מְקֹׁמִֽוֹ: וְאִָֽמְר֞וּ א ל-זִּקְנֵֶ֣י עִּירִ֗וֹ בְנֵֵ֤נוּ ז ה֙ סוֹרֵֶ֣ר וּמֹׁר ֶ֔ה אֵינ ֥נּוּ שֹׁׁמִֵ֖עַ בְקֹׁלֵּ֑נוּ זוֹלִֵ֖ל וְסֹׁבִֵֽא: וּּ֠רְ גָמֻהוּ כָל-אַנְשֵֵׁׁ֨ י עִּירֵ֤ וֹ בִָֽאֲבָנִּים֙ וָמֵֶ֔ת וּבִִּֽעַרְ תָ֥ הָרִָ֖ע מִּקִּרְ ב ּ֑ךָ וְכָל-יִּשְׂרָאִֵ֖ל יִּשְׁמְע֥וּ וְיִּרִָֽאוּ: (כ"א, י"ח -כ"א)
We are discussing here the laws of the "wayward son" and what should be done with him.
Asks the Ohr haChaim haKadosh z"l: Why does the verse say ainenu shomei'a ("he does not listen")—the verse should just say aino ("he does not"), without the extra Hebrew letter nun. What is the reason for the addition?
Says the Ohr haChaim: The verse is teaching us a very important lesson. Ainenu shomeia: His heart is so "stuffed up" with his evil inclination that he does not even hear the "Call of Hashem" to begin with. He simple does not understand what all this "Hashem business" is all about.
My friends, in honor of Elul, let's all pray for all those "wayward sons" out there (it's not their fault), and maybe even do something to help them, like getting out on zikui harabim (outreach)!
Story:
Rebbi Yosef Yozel Horovitz z"l was a successful businessman who would learn Torah in all his extra time. One day, while running about his business in a city called Mamal, he was spotted by Rebbi Yisrael Salanter z"l, who realized that this young man was no "regular person." Rebbi Yisrael asked Rebbi Yozel where he is running to. Rebbi Yozel answered: "To have with what to live." Rebbi Yisrael responded b'mesek l'shono: "And with what will one die?" The words struck a chord, and after listening in to a series of Rebbi Yisrael's shiurim on the sefer Mesilas Yesharim, the rest was history, and "Novardok" was born!
Question:
We are already deep in the middle of Elul. What should I be doing?
Answer:
Eat ice cream (or whatever works for you)! And when you have finished with what you have in the house, go out and buy some more! In Slabodka they said like this, quoting the beginning of the Ramchal's Mesilas Yesharim: Ha'adam lo nivra ele l'hisaneig, man was created for pleasure, period, el Hashem, to Hashem.
In other words, the first rule of life is: Enjoy! Have a blast! Life is great! Everything is already perfect! The world is a good place, with nothing to worry about whatsoever. Now, you have got that down? El Hashem, now you know what serving Hashem is all about.
Hashem does not need our Torah and mitzvos, but we do. The Torah teaches us how to live a happy life, both in This World and in the Next (see Rambam sof Hilchos Temura and Madreigas ha'Adam: Tikun haMidos Ch. 2). Rebbi Avigdor Miller z"l has a sharfe mashul of a person that lived a life of "suffering" so much in the service of Hashem, expecting great reward in the Next World. "Upstairs", however, they were not so impressed, and sent him right back down here again to learn how to enjoy this world! Life is not and will never be "tough" (P.S. Don't tell this to someone that is not holding there).
Spreading Hashem's Wonders (see Tehilim 105:2):
- Awareness is spreading about the 100% goodness and positivity of Hashem, and how we will all merit to receive Moshiach in perfect health, speedily in our days, with nothing to worry about whatsoever.
- Another Yemenite ballistic missile shot out of the sky.
- 750-ton weapons shipment seized in Yemen.
- More Hamas leaders eliminated, along with other terrorists.
Thank you Hashem!
