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Rab Sholom Shwadron zt”l brings an interesting insight of how Hakadosh Baruch Hu loves our service to Him even if we are not on such a high level. The father of Rab Yaakov Galinsky zt”l learned in the Yeshiva of the Hafetz Chaim. One day he asked the Hafetz Chaim, the Zohar Hakadosh says that if one does Misvot without fear and love of Hashem, it will not reach the Shamayim – meaning there is no heavenly reward. How will all of our (his) generation be accepted by Hashem, since they are mostly simple Jews who do what they are expected to do in a simple manner and are far from the great people of previous generations? The Hafetz Chaim consoled him and explained what he meant by an incident that occurred to him. There was a baker who complained to him about the hard labor he puts in to bake the bread. He is up all night baking a thousand rolls. He cried “During the day I sell six hundred of them and by noon I must sell the remainder for animal food. People complain that the rolls are too hard, some too soft, some not risen enough, etc. Therefore I lose a large amount of my profits. Please bless me that I should prosper in my baking.” I then blessed him and he went on his way. I later on saw him one day, after the World War broke out and asked him how he was doing. To my surprise he said very well. I asked him how is it in the times of war that you are so successful? He explained and said since it is wartime, people are grabbing any type of bread that they can get their hands on, since there is a shortage of bread in the market. The Hafetz Chaim said to his talmid, “This is similar to our service to Hashem. You see all the problems that all the Jews have being amongst the Goyim and their hatred towards us. The constant Gezeirot, sicknesses and the Yetzer Hara who is constantly gnawing away at us by impoverishing us and wanting us to be like the Goyim. Each person’s trials and tribulations make it very difficult to serve Hashem, but still in all here we are sending our children to Cheder and Beit Hamidrash, fulfilling Misvot daily, keeping away from the Darchei Hagoyim. Our women are Tzniut, keeping Taharat Hamishpacha under difficult cicumstances. This is considered wartime in the eyes of Hashem, and he takes all of our Misvot and caresses them and brings them up to the Kisei Hakabod and proudly shows

Hashem Loves Our Mitzvot Shabbat Schedule

Friday/ ערב שבת Minyan #1 Shir Hashirim 6:00 Minyan #2 Mincha 7:00 Hadlakat nerot 7:00

Shabbat/שבת Shachrit #1 netz Amida 6:32

Shachrit #2 korbanot 8:00

Shema Magen Abraham 8:55 Shiur Chovot Halevavot

Afternoon/שבת Halacha Shiur 5:05

Kids Tehilim

Mincha 6:20

סעודת שלישית Shekia 7:17

Rabbi’s lecture 7:50

Arbit

Rabenu Tam 8:29

Bachurim Program

Learning 5:45

Mincha

Seudat shelishit

Arbit

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The kallah had finally arrived at the home of her future in-laws. It had been quite a long trip, necessitating first a bus ride to Tel Aviv from Yerushalayim, and then a second bus from there to Bnei Brak. But Batsheva didn’t mind at all and looked forward to the upcoming Shabbos. Batsheva was greeted by a very surprised woman. Her future mother in law asked why she had come alone. How else would she have come, wondered Batsheva? Rebbitzen Miriam then explained that her son, the chosson, was to have met her at the bus

station and escorted her to their home. Where was he? Batsheva had no idea. Finally, her illustrious future father in law solved the mystery. His son, a great talmid chochom and masmid had probably begun learning at the bus station and had become so engrossed in his learning they he had forgotten where he was! A trip to the bus station confirmed his suspicion and found R’ Chaim Kanievsky shlita, deeply engrossed in his learning, as his father, the Steipler had said. Batsheva said that in the future R’ Chaim should not trouble himself as she could come by herself and he should continue learning undisturbed. The couple lived this way for the rest of their marrige, Rav Chaim learning diligently and Batsheva doing all she could to ensure his uninterrupted learning.

the Malachim how wonderful My dear children are serving Me under such duress. He concludes we are standing in the throes of עקבתא דמשיחה, (the footsteps of Mashiach) and the Yetzer Hara is out in full force to try and accomplish as much as he can before his downfall. אשרינו מה טוב חלקינו that we have such a loving Father in heaven. Let’s strengthen ourselves in our Torah and Misvot to show how much we love Hashem.

Shabbat Shalom Harav Ezra Zafrani

STORIES OF OUR GEDOLIM

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Mankind was established on Rosh Hashana with the creation of Adam Harishon. The purpose of his creation was for him to come to an awareness and recognition of his Creator. This is accomplished by studying Hashem’s wondrous creation.

Our rabbis established the custom of eating certain foods on this special night. One of these foods and probably the most famous is the apple. How appropriate it is to eat such a food on this night as we shall soon see.

Rabbi Avigdor Miller zt”l sang the praises of the apple as well as all the other beautiful and delicious fruits that Hashem created. He used to actually walk around with apple seeds in his

pocket to remind him of this and all of Hashem’s handiworks at all times. We will attempt to bring out some of the points that this Gadol hador spoke about.

First, let us just marvel at the fact that food can come out of a piece of wood! Imagine if your table could produce food; wouldn’t that be an amazing sight!? We’ve grown accustomed to seeing the sight of trees and their fruits. However when the first generation of Klal Yisrael came into Eretz Yisrael after being born and raised in the desert for 40 years only eating Mann, they were shocked to see that food can grow out of the ground as opposed to falling from the sky! “Hamosi lechem min haaretz” they exclaimed! They were dumbfounded at the amazing sight! However after time, the yeser hara dulls the effects, which wear off and today we are accustomed to the sight and therefore it does not excite us. However one must think into it and get excited over such a miracle!

As the fruit begins to grow, it is sealed in a waterproof packaging to prevent it from getting ruined by the weather. The Creator took into consideration that this fruit would be exposed to the elements and therefore gave it a protective coat. Even once the fruit is separated from the tree, this covering is very convenient and allows us to wash the fruit without any worries. This peel itself is very nutritious as well as attractive. The beautiful color of the apples that we see, did not start out this way. As a matter fact the fruit was the color of the leaves in order to hide it until it becomes ripe. The Creator did not want the fruit stand out yet since it’s not ready to be eaten. When the fruit does ripen, it becomes a beautiful color which stands out as if to say, “Come and get it!” Not only that, the stem which was holding on to the apple very tightly now begins to loosen so that the apple is easily picked! apples come in array of beautiful colors, but only when the apple is ready to be eaten.

Harav Yisroel Brog shlit”a described how as a young boy he was one time hiding in his grandfather Rabbi Miller’s house and watched and listened to his grandfather experiencing an apple. Rabbi Miller went through a detailed description of experiencing the crunch of the apple and the fragrance of the apple and all different details until finally he made his beracha with such feeling of excitement! This is the intention of all things that were created for such a spiritual experience by eating an apple! Not only were we given the wonderful gift of being able to enjoy an apple, when you open it up it comes with a free coupon which entitles you to another which are the seeds that lie within the apple. Each seed contains millions of details and the potential to create endless amounts of apples!

Not only do apples have a sweet wonderful taste, they are also healthy for you! All of the candies and junk that are out on the market cannot imitate the delicious taste of a nutritious apple and they are also very harmful to us. All these artificial flavored sugary foods are the causes of sicknesses and cause our teeth to rot. However, not the wonderful foods that Hashem created!

These are just some of the points that Rabbi Miller had brought out. Understanding this, we now see how appropriate it is that we are eating this fruit on the night commemorating the creation of the world. This fruit is just one example of the tremendous kindness and wisdom of the Creator. Let us try to focus on this lesson and thank the Creator for all he has given us and this way He will bless us with a year of sweet blessings!

Rabbi Eliyahu Tobal

HASHEM’S AMAZING WORLD/ נפלאות הבורא

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Weekly Halachot - הלכה למעשה

The Abudarham writes in the name of Rab Saadia Gaon ten concepts for the Misva of blowing the shofar on Rosh Hashanah.

1. Hashem, the Creator began His kingdom on earth on Rosh Hashanah. To commemorate that He is our Creator and our King, we declare this by blowing the shofar, similar to the way a mortal king is honored on his inauguration of his dominion.

2. Rosh Hashanah is the first day of Aseret Yemei Teshubah- ten days of repentance. The shofar blasts are both a call for repentance and a warning that he who does not repent is responsible for that which will befall him. [Rab Moshe Feinstein as he was being taken for a surgery was heard saying, “If I only moaned a little harder on Rosh Hashanah I could have avoided this surgery.” Rab Nissim Yagen delivered his last speech on Rosh Hashanah. He declared if only I knew last Rosh Hashanah the illness that has befell me I would have begged Hashem with all my heart to save me.”]

3. When we accepted the Torah at Har Sinai, the powerful sound of the shofar was heard. We blow the shofar to remind us that we accepted the Torah and we must continue to accept the Torah.

4. We blow the shofar to remind ourselves of the admonishing words of the Prophets, which are compared in intensity and power to the sounding of a shofar.

5. The shofar blasts remind us of the destruction of the Bet Hamikdash and of our enemies’ victorious sounding of the shofar. Hearing the shofar inspires us to pray for the rebuilding of the Bet Hamikdash.

The Thoughts for the Shofar

6. Shofar blasts remind us of Akedat Yishak- the binding of Yishak, at which time Yishak was prepared to sacrifice his life for Hashem. By sounding the shofar, we express our readiness to give our lives for the sanctification of Hashem’s Name. We hope that this expression will contribute to our being remembered favorably before Hashem.

7. The nature of the shofar is to cause one to tremble and be fearful. We blow the shofar to instill in us that awe and fear of the Yom Hadin, so as to inspire us to come humbly before Hashem and trembling in fear of Him.

8. The shofar blasts remind us of the great Day of Judgment that will come at the End of Days. By blowing the shofar, it instills in us fear of that awesome day.

9. Shofar blasts remind us of Kibutz Galiyot- the ultimate ingathering of the exiled Jews, at which time a great shofar will be blown. When we hear the shofar, we arouse within ourselves yearning for that amazing day.

10. The shofar blasts remind us of Techiyat Metim- Resurrection of the dead, at which time a shofar will be blown. By blowing the shofar, we strengthen our belief in this great event. Rabbi Michael Levy