The Midrash (Yalkut Shimoni, Toldos, 115) tells that when the Romans wanted to enter Har Habayis, they said that first a Yid should go inside. They said, "Whoever volunteers to go inside, whatever he takes, he can keep for himself." Yosef Meshisa volunteered to be first. He went inside and came out with the menorah. The goyim told him, "It isn't proper for a regular person to have this precious utensil. This is fitting for the king. So go in again, and take out something else for yourself." But Yosef Meshisa didn't want to do so. He said, "It is enough that I angered my Creator once. I will not do so a second time." The goyim tried to bribe him, but he refused. They gave him terrible and painful yesurim, but he refused to go into the Beis HaMikdash a second time.
They brought him to an olive press, and placed him between the two heavy, grinding rocks, and he was killed with terrible yesurim. He shouted, "Woe is to me that I angered my Creator."
Yidden died in a plague. Pinchas stood up like a lion, standing up for Hashem's honor. For this, he merited, for him and his children, greatness. As it states (25:13) בְּנֵי עַל וַיְכַפ ֵּר לֵאלֹקָיו ק ִנֵּא ֶׁראֲש תַּחַת עוֹלָם כְּה ֻנַּת בְּרִית אַחֲר ָיו וּלְזַרְעוֹ לּוֹ וְה ָיְתָה יִשְׂרָאֵל, "It shall be for him and for his descendants after him as an eternal covenant of kehunah, because he was zealous for Hashem and atoned for Bnei Yisrael." This tells us that even if a person fell to very low places, r'l, if he picks himself up to do Hashem's will, he will attain Olam HaBa and blessing for himself and his children, for generations.
Some years ago, the following remarkable story became famous. A family living in Eretz Yisrael employed a maid to help with household work. One day, the maid arrived at their house and unexpectedly informed her employer that she was returning to her family in Romania. The baalabuste said an emotional goodbye to her loyal employee. There were some fruits on the table, so she gave them to her to eat on the long trip home. Shortly afterwards, the husband came home and he heard about the gift. He said, "Those fruits are Shemittah fruits. It is forbidden to give shemitah fruits to a goy. Furthermore, it is forbidden to take them out of Eretz Yisrael!" He quickly ordered a taxi, and they rushed to the airport to retrieve the fruits. The Romanian maid saw them coming from a distance, and shamefaced, she said, "I admit... I am guilty... I will return all the jewelry I took. Just don't call the police. Let me leave in peace."
This was a miracle. She had stolen their jewelry, and when she saw them, she figured that they must be coming to get their jewelry back. So, for keeping the mitzvah of shemitah, they were spared a tremendous financial loss.
We can learn from this story lessons on how to combat the yetzer hara. One is to recognize the enemy. They didn't suspect their maid and didn't know she was a typical Romanian ganav. Had they known, they would have been more careful with their jewelry. The lesson is to be cautious with the yetzer hara. Be aware that he is out to harm you, r'l.
Another point is that this Romanian maid pretended that all she wanted to do was to say goodbye to the family, where she had worked. No one knew that she had another intention when she came to their house that day. Similarly, sometimes the yetzer hara comes and you think that all he wants is that one should look once where he shouldn't, or say something that he shouldn’t, and he thinks that this is the entire intention of the yetzer hara. But his intention is for much more than that. He wants to bankrupt you, materially and spiritually.
11. It was forbidden for him to be in the Beis HaMikdash. A Yisrael may not go to the place where the Menorah stood. Nevertheless, the kedushah of the place changed him entirely, and he was prepared to be moser nefesh for Hashem.
We add that Shabbos has the kedushah of the Beis HaMikdash. So, every Yid on Shabbos has the potential to elevate himself. Even if he is on a low level, he can rise to high levels and become a tzaddik yesod olam.
The question is, how did Yosef Meshisa pass this test? He was a great rasha, as we see from the beginning of the story. How did things turn around for him to become so passionate about Hashem? The Ponovitzer Rav zt'l said that he was in the Beis HaMikdash. The kedushah of the Beis HaMikdash influenced him.
The beginning of this Midrash tells that when Yaakov came to Yitzchak for the brachos, it states (Bereishis 27:27) בְּגָדָיו רֵיחַ אֶת וַיָּרַח, "[Yitzchak] smelled the fragrance of [Yaakov's] garments." His clothes had a scent of Gan Eden. The Midrash says that we should read it, בוגדיו רֵיחַ אֶת וַיָּרַח, Yitzchak smelled the fragrance of those who rebel, and the Midrash gives an example of Yosef Meshisa. This is because each Yid has a fragrant scent before Hashem, and there is good in every Yid.
Reb Yaakov Meir Shechter Shlita teaches: Which time of Yosef Meshisa's life is the Midrash referring to, when it states that Yitzchak smelled the fragrance of the rebel, Yosef Meshisa? If it is referring to after Yosef Meshisa did teshuvah, he was no longer בוגדיו, a rebel. It must be that it refers to the time before he did teshuvah, when he was still a rebellious, sinful person. Even at that point in his life, Yitzchak perceived that there is potential there, that there is holiness concealed deep within Yosef Meshisa – as this was indeed revealed at the last moments of his life. Yitzchak perceived Yosef Meshisa's potential greatness, even when he was still a sinful person. The potential good was always there, and he smelled a scent of Gan Eden. This gives chizuk to every Yid, to know that within him lies holiness, begging to come forth, and when it does, it will be with an enormous and powerful light.
The Three Weeks
The Arizal teaches that each month of the year represents a part of the face, and the months Tamuz and Av are represented by the two eyes. Imrei Noam (Masai ויצא ה"ד) says that this tells us that Hashem is watching us and caring for us, even during these challenging times. "We shouldn't think that Hashem abandoned His hashgachah pratis, His compassion, and His caring eye during these days. The root of [the churban] was a lot of compassion, only it is concealed and isn't revealed to all."
During the Bein HaMetzarim, we mourn the churban Beis HaMikdash. The mourning is very bitter and intense. But at the same time, we know that everything that occurred is ultimately good for us. The Midrash (Eichah Rabba 4:14) states that the churban was a tremendous chesed for Bnei Yisrael. Hashem poured out His wrath on wood and stones and not on His nation, chalilah.
Rebbe Yitzchak of Neshchiz zt'l (Toldos Yitzchak) writes, "During the days of Bein HaMetzarim, each year, a clear manifestation of Hashem's chesed is revealed. For it is known that it was all for the benefit of Bnei Yisrael. Hashem poured out His anger on wood and stones and didn't destroy Bnei Yisrael. This occurred because Hashem's love for Bnei Yisrael was aroused from a very high place in the upper world. This occurs every year during this time. When these days arrive, Hashem's immense love for us is awakened, and Hashem's kindness and compassion come to us and all Yisrael."
