Last Week’s Geshmake Question:
Text your answer in by Sunday to (347) 622-0325 or by email to [email protected]
Geshmake Purim Question:
PURIM is coming: Here is a simple and deep question:
Why do we get dressed on Purim? What is the reason for this?
R’ Zechariah Wallerstein zt”l was very close to his father. He said he was his father, best friend, role model, and his everything.
R’ Wallerstein remembers going to the doctor with his father one day, as he wasn’t feeling well, and the doctor said, “You have 3 months to live.”
He went to every Rabbi and mekubal, said the whole Tehillim at the Kosel, and begged Hashem, and tried everything to save him. But 3 months later, he died.
“It was the most painful thing that happened in my personal life,” R’ Wallerstein said. His father was 67.
As R’ Wallerstein sat shiva, he called the yeshiva he was teaching and said, “I quit.” He was very upset. For 20 years, he had been a Rabbi, helping others and now is this the reward. He was lost.
After a week not going in to teach, a talmid from years earlier came to visit him and said a few words that changed everything.
“R’ Wallerstein,” the talmid asked, “What would your father want you to do? Would he want you to quit and give up; especially because he passed away?”
R’ Wallerstein knew that his father was very proud of him, that he was teaching and helping others grow, and said “he would want me to do even more.”
It was that conversation that made R’ Wallerstein decide to do even more and open the Ohr Naava for women and girls, which went on to help and inspire thousands of girls and women.
What’s the lesson? R’ Wallerstein was broken and felt lost. And the power of a good word helped R’ Wallerstein see a different way to view the situation, which changed the world.
Use the power of a good word!
This Connects To This Week’s Parsha:
We learn about the Aron, and it ended up holding two luchos, (1) the broken one Moshe threw down when he saw Klal Yisrael sin with the golden calf, (2) and the new luchos that Moshe later brought down again.
Question: Why were the broken luchos kept in the Aron?
Answer: R’ Aharon Leib Shteinman zt”l said, “Hashem was teaching us not to run away from brokenness.”
Meaning, do not let brokenness in your life stop you. You may always remember the pain, but keep going.
Get back up and continue the next chapter of living your life.
You may even be able to use the pain to inspire you to do more.
R’ Shruel Klein Answers:
The hidden answered as one nation, because we are one.
R’ Yechezkel Abramsky zt”l told his students that when he was a bachur, there were the smart bachurim who got all the attention for asking good questions, and they loved the attention.
Then there were the quiet bachurim who weren’t the smartest, but they tried their best and learned quietly without getting any special attention.
When World War II broke out, everyone went into hiding. The bachurim who were very smart and asked the best questions didn't open a sefer and didn't learn. Because they usually got all the attention, and weren't getting it now, so they stopped learning.
The quiet bachurim continued to learn as much as possible. I realized that only the quiet bachurim (who didn't get all the attention) who became gedolim.
R’ Abramsky finished by saying, “Forget if you have the best head or not. Learn because this is what you are supposed to do. This is what Hashem wants. That is how you grow!”
What’s the lesson? Hashem wants the heart, not the head! When no one sees you, and you decide to learn or do a good thing, this is an opportunity for true growth.
This connects to this week’s parsha:
It says whoever wants should take terumah and donate it for the mishkan.
Question: It should have said, “Whoever wants to give and donate.” Why does it say take?
Answer: Because when helping give or by doing good, even though one is technically giving money or their time to others. But they are the ones truly gaining. They are growing and getting rewarded for doing all the good. This is called taking!
When it comes to learning Torah, it isn’t for others to see, it’s for you to be spiritually healthy and happy! By giving your time to learn, you are the one taking and gaining!
Schwartz Answers:
Because Klal Yisroel was b’achdus they answered as a tzibbur.
D. Schwartz Answers: Because the Torah was given to all of Klal Yisroel the only way to keep it is as a tzibbur.
Shea Rosenblum Answers: The hidden knew that the only way they were able to accept the Torah was if they will stick together that’s why they said naaseh v’nishma “we will do”.
So Broken.
This Is How You Grow.
R’ Shmuel Kohn Answers: it is impossible for any Yid to be able to do all 613 mitzvos such as things that a Kohen can do and not a Yisroel, and the opposite also, or differences by men and women, the hidden still said “we”, because all together we can do all the mitzvos.
R. Z. Answers: They were mekabel arvus on each other.
Why did Klal Yisroel answer "WE" will do and "WE" will hear? They should have said "I" will do and "I" will hear?!
