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Dvarim Hayotzim Min Halev
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Volume XIV - Issue 15
The DRS Weekly Torah Publication
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Wisdom in the Heart By Aryeh Helfgott, 12th Grade
I n this week’s Torah Portion, Vayakhel-Pekudei, the fledgling nation of Israel is engaged in the building of the Mishkan. This is
not the first time this information was relayed to the Jews; it was relayed first in instruction form, and then later in storytelling
form, in what way the Jews built the Mishkan. The commandment to keep the Sabbath is intrinsically connected to the building
of the Mishkan, and thus in both places in the Torah the commandments are linked. The first time, however, the commandment to
honor the Sabbath is brought upon the conclusion of Mishkan-related instruction, and the second time (in Vayakhel) it is brought at
the beginning. What is the reason for this seeming lack of parallelism within the Torah?
The Sfas Emes explains that the parameters of the relationship between the Sabbath and the Mishkan are action-based. The
actions, or Malachot, done for the Mishkan at the time of its building are Assur to do during the present day Sabbath, and thus the
first time we see the Mishkan, it is mentioned before the Sabbath, as it influenced the Sabbath. On a deeper level, the pasuk says
“Asu li mikdash vshachanti be’sochum”, “Build Me a sanctuary and I will dwell amongst them,” meaning that the Mishkan is all
about bringing the Shechina into our own lives via added sensitization to the fact that our ultimate goal in all work is to serve G-
d. Therefore, when we build the Mikdash, Hashem will dwell amongst “them”, not “it”, as it is the nation of Israel Hashem will
dwell in.
So why, then, is the Sabbath discussed pre-Mishkan in this week’s portion? The Chidushei HaRim explains that the instruc-
(Continued on page 2)
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The Lost Purpose of Work By Yehuda Fogel, 12th Grade
The pasuk in this week’s Parshah says, “And every wise-hearted person among
you shall come and do all that God commanded.”
E veryone knows that the source of all wisdom and intellectual thoughts is
in the brain. Why then does the Torah speak about “wise hearted” people,
connecting wisdom to the heart, which is the place of human emotion?
Rabbi Eliezer Shach explains as follows: the Mishanah (Avos 4:1) tells
us, “Who is wise? One who learns from all people.” At first glance, this is very
perplexing. The Mishanh does not ask, “who is a good student?” or “who stands
to gain wisdom?” Rather, the Mishnah asks, “Who is wise – already?” But if so,
what is the meaning of the answer? How does the fact that a person learns from
all people prove him wise?
Rabbeinu Yonah writes in his commentary to this Mishnah: “the non-
Jewish wise men say that a person who is knowledgeable in all fields of study,
but does not love them, is not a wise man but a fool. But someone who loves
knowledge and thirsts for it to, even if he knows nothing, is considered wise be-
cause eventually he will gain the knowledge he seeks.” It is with this in mind that
the Mishnah tells us, “Who is wise? One who learns from all people.” The person
who has such an intense love for knowledge and seeks to learn from all people
(Continued on page 3)
PARSHAS
VAYAKHEL-PEKUDEI
PARSHAS HACHODESH
26 ADAR, 5773
MARCH 8, 2013
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Page 2
ב “דברים היוצאים מן הל 2
Torah Teasers
By Rabbi Moshe Erlbaum
פקודי-פרשת ויקהל Questions
1. This parsha begins with Moshe assembling the
entire congregation together (Exodus 35:1).
What are two other places in the Torah where
someone gathers together a congregation?
2. In this parsha, what four types of jewelry do
the Jews donate to the Mishkan?
3. Where in this parsha are wings mentioned?
4. Which two items in the Tabernacle are made
of one solid piece of gold? What other item,
used in the desert, was fashioned from one sol-
id piece of metal?
5. Which three items found in the Tabernacle are
a perfect square?
Answers
1. In parshas Korach, Korach gathers a rebellious
congregation around Moshe and Aharon
(Numbers 16:19). In parshas Chukas, Moshe
and Aharon gather together the congregation
before bringing forth water from the rock
(Numbers 20:10).
2. The people bring “bracelets, nose rings, rings,
and body jewelry” (Exodus 35:22).
3. The cherubs had wings that spread over the
Holy Ark (Exodus 37:9).
4. The cover and cherubs on top of the Holy Ark
is made “of one banged out solid piece of
gold” (Exodus 37:7), as is the Menorah (37:17)
In parshas Beha'aolscha, Moshe is commanded
to fashion two trumpets, each out of “one solid
piece of banged out silver” (Numbers 10:1).
5. The following items are shaped as squares: the
Golden Altar (Exodus 37:25), the Copper Altar
(38:1), and the breastplate (choshen) of the
High Priest (39:9).
with his wife. She, too, was Jewish. “We want to learn about
Judaism,” they said. The Rebbe of Modzitz began teaching
them about one commandment after another. Passover ar-
rived, and the commandant of the fortress made his routine
inspection. When he passed the house of the Jewish orchestra
leader, he was surprised to find the family’s servant eating
outside.
“What happened?” he said jokingly. “Did your master
banish you?”
But the servant wasn’t smiling. “Yes, that’s exactly
what happened. They actually asked me to eat outside, be-
cause they’re eating matzah according to the Jewish custom.
Since I’m eating bread, which is forbidden on their holiday,
they don’t allow me to eat inside.” The commandant was en-
raged. An officer in the Russian army observing the Jewish
way of life? There had never been such a thing! Immediately
he issued an order of exile for the orchestra leader and his
family, and they were forced to leave the fortress empty-
handed. Not only that, they would have to undergo a military
trial.
The Jewish officer went straight to the Modzitzer
Rebbe. “What should I do now?” he asked. “If not for this,
what would you be doing now, on an ordinary day?”
“I would actually be with the commandant, the man
who had me exiled in the first place. This is the fixed hour
for his violin lesson.”
(Stories of Greatness — Continued from page 6)
(Continued on page 5)
The complete edition of
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tions to build the Mishkan were pre-golden calf and the actual building
was post-calf. This changed everything. Pre-calf, Am Yisrael was sole-
ly entrenched in serving G-d with everything, every action and
word. This is “Naaseh V’nishmah”, we were focused entirely on doing,
acting for G-d. The Naaseh level corresponds with serving Hashem
solely for purpose of serving Hashem, as the Angels are able to do. This
was the Mishkan. The Nishmah level corresponds to learning, to ob-
serving the Sabbath because that brings added knowledge of G-d, as the
verse states, “In order to know that I sanctified you” (“L’daat ki ani ha’
mikadshchem”). Working in the Mishkan to serve G-d in theory should
have led to an unsurpassed spiritual experience of knowledge of G-d on
the Sabbath, the bringing together of the Naaseh and the Nishmah.
This was until the episode with the Golden Calf occured, when
everything changed. With this horrible sin, we lost our focus, and the
clear understanding that everything we do, we do L’maan Shmo, to glo-
rify Hashem’s presence and to bring the Shechina into our lives, was
lost. We were no longer able to use the Mishkan as a place to work to-
wards connecting with Hashem, culminating in a major spiritual experi-
ence. Now we needed the Sabbath first, with the Nishmah, the learning
of G-d’s nature first purifying our beings, followed by our toil in the
Mishkan. For this reason, the commandment about Shabbos was
brought before the Mishkan in this week’s portion. May the clarity and
holiness of Shabbos purify our work and serve to remind us of why we
are really working and what we are working towards.
(Yehuda Fogel — Continued from page 1)
Page 3
Dvarim Hayotzim Min Halev 3
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Shabbos: Our Special Connection to
HaKadosh Baruch Hu By Yoav Deutsch, 9th Grade
For the last few weeks, the Torah has been dealing with the commandment that was given to Moshe and Bnei Yisroel of
building the Mishkan. We find that the Bnei Yisroel contributed in many ways to the building of this holy sanctuary. The Bnei Yisroel
gave generously in order to build this holy place, in which Hashem’s Shechina would rest amongst the Jewish people. In one of this
week’s parshiyos, Parshas VaYakhel, we learn about the actual building of the Mishkan. One might have thought that the building of
such a holy structure should take place throughout all hours of the day, 7 days a week. This would make it possible to perform the
task as quickly as possible, thus allowing the Shechina to rest amongst the Bnei Yisroel sooner. However, at the beginning of Parshas
VaYakhel, we are commanded to keep Shabbos and stop the building process. Rashi comments that this comes to teach us that despite
the importance of the Mishkan, it may not be built on Shabbos. What is so special about Shabbos that it supersedes this important
task, which will allow the Shechina to rest amongst Bnei Yisroel sooner?
A similar idea is that we find that Chazal decreed that a number of mitzvos from the Torah should not be done on Shabbos in
order to protect the sanctitiy of the holy day. An example of this is the mitzvah of shofar. We know that the blowing of the shofar has
the power to change an evil decree against the Jewish people to a positive judgment. Still, Chazal did not allow us to blow shofar on
Shabbos because they were concerned that someone might forget their shofar and carry it in a public domain. Because of the concern
for this single person and the sanctity of Shabbos, the entire Jewish people were not able to perform this “decree-changing” mitzvah
from the Torah. Again, we see that there is something special about the kedusha of Shabbos, that it overrides the kedusha of the other
612 mitzvos.
The idea of Shabbos is the basis for our emunnah and bitachon in Hashem. When one recognizes Shabbos, he is acknowledg-
ing that HaKadosh Baruch Hu not only created the world, but also is involved in our lives on a daily basis. When we say in Kiddush,
“zaicher lema’aseh beraishis,” we are acknowledging that Hashem created the world. However, there is more that we have to
acknowledge; we must acknowledge the fact the HaKadosh Baruch Hu plays a constant role in our lives and that everything that we
have comes from Him. This concept must take precedence over our performance of any mitzvah. Therefore, before one can do mitz-
vos, he must acknowledge that everything in this world is from Hashem.
Now we can understand why the building of the Mishkan would not take priority over Shabbos. Rav Shimshon Dovid
Pincus, in his sefer Nefesh Shimshon, explains that only Shabbos has the special tefilla of Kabbalas Shabbos to greet it. No Yom Tov
or any other special time receives a welcome like Shabbos does. It is only on the holy day of Shabbos that we have the specia l mitz-
vah of Kabbalas Shabbos, where we greet the Shabbos Queen. The Brisker Rav zt”l wrote that this “reception ceremony” is learned
from what took place at Har Sinai. There, the Jewish people greeted and received the Shechina in the manner that a king is greeted
and received. When we greet Shabbos, we are actually greeting the Shechina. This is our time to develop a personal relationship with
Hashem.
Now, we should all be prepared for Shabbos as it arrives, an opportunity to greet and receive the Shechina!!!
will inevitably be successful and deserves to be considered a wise man.
That is, a wise person in the intellectual sense only, if possessed of a vast knowledge in all fields, is essen-
tially an ignorant person who serves as a source for wisdom. Since he has no emotional attachment to his wis-
dom, he and his wisdom do not merge into a single entity. The true wise man loves knowledge. His is truly the
wisdom of the heart; it is tied to his very essence. For this reason, the Torah instructs, “Every wise-hearted person
among you shall come and do all that God commanded.” The construction of the Mishkan and the holy utensils
could only be accomplished by true wise men, not by ignorant people who had knowledge in them.
Perhaps we can also use this as a lesson for our daily Torah learning. When a person learns, he should
have the intention of getting closer to Hashem, as he is learning His Torah, and not just learning because it is in-
tellectually stimulating.
(Aryeh Helfgott — Continued from page 1)
Page 4
ב “דברים היוצאים מן הל 4
Pesach
Preparations
“From Slavery to Slavery:
Hallelu Avdei Hashem”
By Elly Deutsch,
Editor of Rabbinic Articles
Towards the end of Maggid, we say that in every generation we have an obligation to see ourselves as if we are leav-
ing Mitzrayim. We therefore have an obligation “to thank, laud, praise, glorify, exalt, adore, bless, raise high, and sing prais-
es to Hashem.” Additionally, we sing a “shira chaddasha” to Hashem. The next paragraph that we say begins with the words
“Hallelu Avdei Hashem,” “Give praise, servants of Hashem.” The Vilna Gaon explains that the 9 leshonos of shevach corre-
spond to the first 9 makkos; the tenth lashon of “shira chaddasha” corresponds to Makkat Bechorot.
In Massechet Megillah, our Rabbis question why we do not say Hallel on Purim, where we went from death to life,
if we say it on Pesach, where we only went from slavery to freedom? The answer given is that on Pesach, we were the serv-
ants of Pharaoh and then became the servants of Hashem, whereas by Purim, we were still the servants of Achashverosh and
in galus after being saved.
The Vilna Gaon explains that after we say the first 9 leshonos of praise and thanks to Hashem, we could not say the
paragraph of “Hallelu Avdei Hashem,” because at that time, we were still the servants of Pharaoh. However, once we thank
Hashem for the tenth and final makka, Makkat Bechorot, with our “shira chaddasha,” we can say “Hallelu Avdei Hashem.”
The Brisker Rav explains that the “shira chaddasha” that we are singing to Hashem is a shira for taking us out of Mitzrayim
on that night. We are singing praises to Hashem as if He were actually taking us from being Avdei Pharaoh to Avdei Ha-
shem. May we all be able to see ourselves as if we are leaving Mitrayim and understand the zechus that we have to be Avdei
Hashem!
“And Betzalel… made all that God had commanded Moshe.” (Shemos 38:22)
Rashi remarks that the verse does not state “all that Moshe commanded him,” implying that he was direct-
ly tuned to God’s will beyond what Moshe had told him. Rashi then states that Moshe had commanded him to
make the vessels before telling him about the Mishkan itself, but Betzalel said that one makes a building before
making the vessels that will be placed therein. Whereupon (Rashi continues:) Moshe said, “So I heard from God”;
Moshe said to him, “You were in the shadow of God (in Hebrew, this is the translation of Betzalel’s name split
into two syllables), for surely thus God commanded me,” and so he made the Mishkan first and then the vessels.
This comment is worded in a most enigmatic way. What did Moshe mean in stating, “So I heard…”? Is
“so” what Betzalel just said, or is “so” Moshe defending his original instructions (in the apparently improper or-
der) because this is how God presented it? The second suggestion sounds more plausible, but Moshe agrees with
Betzalel’s suggestion anyway and considers it prophetic. Surely we should not imagine that first Moshe defended
himself, and a moment later he remembered the truth, realized he had switched the order, and was amazed that
Betzalel had grasped it before he remembered the proper order himself!
Rav Eliezer Ashkenazy, in his masterpiece “Ma’aseh Hashem”, develops the following solution: God had
indeed described the fashioning of the vessels first, and that is how Moshe presented it to Betzalel. When God
informed Moshe that he is calling forth Betzalel for the work, He pictured him as one who can “think out
thoughts”, and we know that all action must be preceded by careful thought. Only when the builder learns of all
the vessels he will be making can he then plan how to build a home to properly house them.
This is why he is first told about all the vessels that will occupy the Mishkan. Moshe understood this, and
in telling Betzalel first about the vessels, he did not mean that they were to be actually built first. But Betzalel
(Continued on page 5)
The Wisdom of Betzalel By Jakob Deutsch, 9th Grade
Page 5
Dvarim Hayotzim Min Halev 5
This weeks Parshot, Vayakhel-Pekudei, discuss the building
of the Mishkan. Although it is very important to mention every detail
of the creation of such a holy structure, which is crucial to our na-
tion, it seems that this week’s Parsha is repetitive to the words of
Moshe in Parshot Teruma and Tetzaveh, when Moshe initially gave
these commandments. So what is being taught by this repetition?
Perhaps we could understand the seemingly unnecessary rep-
etition based on a Midrash quoted by Rashi. The Midrash states: a
princess near the building of the Mishkan was willing to donate
whatever was needed to be put on or in the Mishkan and that was not
yet donated. However, when she gave the remaining gift, which was
very precious gems, she did so with an unenthusiastic attitude.
Therefore, although her gifts were much more valuable than all the
others, they were accepted like all the other donations. That is why
when the Torah writes “Nissim” (miracles), it is written without a
yud, to show that this gift was a defective miracle. The reason why
this gift was not any more special than the others is not because of its
value, but because of the attitude it was given with.
The same was the case by the uplifting of the Mishkan; when
Hashem wanted to honor Moshe with the task of lifting the Mishkan,
Moshe was not nearly strong enough for the task. However, Hashem
helped him out, but only on the condition that Moshe make an effort
to lift it first, and then the Mishkan would bring itself up. Why would
Hashem honor Moshe with something he couldn’t even do? The rea-
son is because it wasn’t what he was doing, which was bringing up
the Mishkan, it was how he did it, which was putting an effort into
something he knew couldn’t do. The reason these seemingly redun-
dant details of the Mishkan and its parts are so important to repeat is
not to describe what was built, but how Bnei Yisrael went about do-
ing it. Hashem would only reward them with the Shechinah if the
building of the Mishkan was done with a smile and excitement.
Not What, But How... By Eitan Kaszovitz,
9th Grade
“Then go to him as usual.” The
officer didn’t hesitate. He went.
Understandably, the commandant
was taken aback to see the man he had just
banished, at his door, violin in hand.
“Where are you coming from?” he asked.
“I’m coming from the house of the
man who taught me my new way of life,”
came the reply.
“Aha!” The officer nodded trium-
phantly, and his grave expression deep-
ened. “They’ve brainwashed you.”
“No, no one tried to brainwash me.
I was captivated by him on my own.” And
then, instead of continuing to explain, he
raised his violin, laid it on his shoulder
and began an entrancing melody. For a
long while the music of Modzitz filled the
room. The quivering violin notes penetrat-
ed the commandant’s soul, as it played
tunes of yearning for the Creator and of
longing for the final redemption.
When the orchestra leader finished
the melody and drew the bow off the vio-
lin strings, the senior commandant looked
at him with tear-filled eyes. “You don’t
have to say another word,” he said slowly.
“I must see the man who taught you these
tunes.”
“Was the commandant also a
Jew?” the boys burst out as soon as Reb
Berel concluded his story.
Reb Berel nodded. “And he too
returned to Judaism through the power of
the niggun (chassidic melody) that flowed
from the heart of the Modzitzer Rebbe.”
(Stories of Greatness — Continued from page 2)
misunderstood the presentation and though he was being given the actual order of production. When he explained
his problem to Moshe, Moshe said, “So I heard from God,” i.e., I presented it to you in that order, presuming that
you would understand the building of the Mishkan will precede the work on the vessels (as explained above).
When Betzalel greeted this statement with silence, Moshe then clarified that indeed Betzalel had wisely come to
the proper conclusion on his own.
And There Shall Be Light - Rabbi Yitzchak Meir Goodman
(Jakob Deutsch — Continued from page 4)
Page 6
ב “דברים היוצאים מן הל 6
STORIES OF GREATNESS TOLD OVER BY: DAVID LAUER
Rabbi Kaminetsky always says; “The
key to the neshama is Song”. The following
story “The Power of a Niggun”, by A. Sheleg,
illustrates the strong effect a niggun can have
on any Jew’s neshama. Have an amazing
Shabbos!
As the boys noticed Reb Berel coming
out of his house and walking towards them,
they could sense a story in the air. All they
had to do was remain silent and walk very
slowly, so that there would be enough time
for Reb Berel to finish it before they reached
the synagogue. They were not disappointed.
Reb Berel began his tale:
Imagine the third Shabbat meal in the
court of the Modzitzer Rebbe. The tables in
the synagogue crowded with chassidim, every
available spot of floor space taken, and clus-
ters of young men hanging from the win-
dows. Yet despite the large crowd, there was
absolute silence. The Rebbe was singing! The
chassidim were soon swept away by the Reb-
be’s strong voice that could command four
octaves.
His tunes were a combination of soft
notes and rhythmic ones, the sounds of nature
and creation singing their own song, and a
voice that rose up from the depths of the soul.
As the Rebbe sang, the darkness that settled
in the large room as the sun set on the holy
Shabbat took his listeners far, far away along
with the music. The hour grew late. It was
time to recite the blessings at the end of the
meal and end the Shabbat. Someone lit a
lamp. People squinted at each other in the
sudden light, and then, to their shock and sur-
prise, they noticed a new face among them. A
shudder ran through the crowd at the sight of
the unknown Russian officer who had man-
aged to make his way into their midst.
“May I speak with the Rebbe?” he
asked in the tense silence. After the recital of
Havdalah , the Rebbe spoke to him privately.
“I am a Jew,” the officer said, and
then he burst into sobs. “I come from an as-
similated family. My brothers all converted
out of Judaism, and I did too. I went into the
army and climbed up the ranks until I became
the commanding officer of the military or-
chestra, based in the nearby army fortress.
“This afternoon I was out walking,
and as I passed here, the music pulled me in-
side. Listening, I felt layers of my heart peel-
ing off and falling away; I felt as if some
spark that had been extinguished years ago
had been reignited. There was even a vague
memory of something . . .”
“A memory of what?” the Rebbe
asked, trying to tug at the Jewish roots that
obviously still existed somewhere in the
man’s heart.
The officer creased his forehead in an
effort to remember. “Two words rose up in
my mind. Something like Baruch atah. . .”
The rebbe grasped at these two words.
“Go home,” he instructed the officer, “and
repeat these words to yourself again and
again. Then come back to me.”
A few days later the man returned
(Continued on page 2)
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Ari Brandspiegel Brian Chernigoff Jakob Deutsch Yoav Deutsch
Hillel Field Yehuda Fogel Max Fruchter Ben Gelman
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