In the past we mentioned the Baal Turim comment that the word Shmos is Rashai Taivos for Shnaim Mikrah Vechaad Targum. We expanded on the importance of this obligation and the benefits. We also mentioned that even if you’re only starting now there are great benefits and you can make up Braishis before Simchas Torah. I want to connect this to our current events with a story that happened to me this last visit to Israel on El Al.
After takeoff, I was preparing the daf yomi when I noticed an Israeli-looking young man sitting to my left on the next row. It seemed obvious that he is Jewish, especially that this is El Al, although he was without a yalmuka; unfortunately, many times a Jew isn’t identifiable as Jewish, but on this flight it wasn’t difficult to assume that he was. And my mind began the guilt game: why are you learning and focusing on yourself when your brother is watching junk on the screen and you know his soul is thirsty? And especially now during the war when there is so much unity and secular Jews are waking up to the truth, you can't just sit there and ignore your brother.
Lemaseh, the yetzer hatov got the better of me and I got up to say hello. We conversed in Hebrew and then I asked him if I can share with him an idea that I heard from Rav Noach Weinberg z"l. He said "sure." Rav Noach related how he once was explaining to the Rosh Yeshiva of Mir z"l what his plans for kiruv are. This was before kiruv was popular and mainly was being done by Lubavitch. He said "If I introduce to a chosson his beautiful kallah, will he say 'no thank you'? Well the Torah is the kallah of Klal Yisrael and that is exactly what I plan on doing is to introduce the Torah to the Jews that are not connected to it."
My new friend like the mashal and I then shared with him Mishnayos Pirkai Avos that I had brought to learn with on the plane. His ability to read Hebrew allowed him to read easily the end of the first Mishna which teaches profound lessons. He agreed that it has much more depth than the video shows he was watching and kept the sefer till the end of the flight. We exchanged contacts and hopefully this was his first positive date with his new kallah.
The lesson from this is two-fold. Firstly, the Torah is the kallah of our neshama, and secondly we are all brothers, and we're responsible for sharing the Torah and its insights with each other.
As you learn shnaim mikrah, look for the messages that are there for you and what you can share with others.
by Rabbi Daniel Coren
