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November 2004

For Shaykin Twins (2004)

Chanukah Ketuvim Bar & Bat Mitzvah
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Halakha 12: This halakha seems strange: why should a poor person, who subsists on charity, be commanded to borrow money or sell his clothing in order to buy oil or candles for Hanukkah? Why should Hanukkah be regarded as so different and so special compared to other mitzvot? The answer implied by the Rambam is that Hanukkah is חביבה היא עד מאוד, very much beloved, and we must be careful in performing the mitzvah because its purpose is to express thanks to Hashem for the נסים He performed for us. What the Rambam may have in mind is, if we read between the lines, that even the poorest of men should exert himself to perform the mitzvah of Hanukkah because he will thereby learn the lesson of hope: just as Hashem performed miracles for כלל ישראל on Hanukkah, so can He do for me as an individual, and I must therefore never give up hope for a better and more secure future. So, even if it is true that אין סומכין על הנס, we must not rely on a miracle, but we can certainly hope for one! And that hope is worth sacrificing for, even to the extent of selling your garment to buy oil for Hanukkah! – Halakha 13: Here again we find emphasis on the miraculous nature of Hanukkah. Given a choice between buying wine for Kiddush or oil for a Hanukkah candle, we must choose the oil for Hanukkah – because of the element of the נס that occasioned the celebration of Hanukkah. Perhaps we can offer an explanation in line of what we said before. The poor man, even if he is a beggar living on the dole, must stretch and buy oil for the Menorah because the miracle of Hanukkah gives him hope in his own personal situation. Similarly, if we have a choice between Kiddush wine and נר חנוכה, we choose the נר חנוכה. We should remember that wine is a sign of joy – p^ אין שמחה אלא – and while Shabbat is a time to be glad that we can make it holy, nevertheless the joy that comes from hope is even greater! Joy from wine is not as effective as joy that comes from hope for a radical change in our fortunes – w…
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Daniel Lamm’s הנחת תפילין – 12/17/2000 (Lion’s den – Lawyers’ Den): מי יעלה בהר ה׳ ומי יקום במקום קודשו נקי כפים ובר לבב אשר לא נשא לשוא נפשי ולא נשבע למרמה (המדרש: נקי כפים – אבא שאול אומר זה שנמנע מליטול ממון שאינו שלו). Q: Understand נקי כפים – behavior, mitzvot; understand בר לבב – sensitivity, love, respect. But why come in with not swearing falsely? A: There’s something beyond doing or feeling good – something that helps you stay נקי כפים ובר לבב – commitment! To know that you’re fully dedicated to Torah.Hal: if sw ear violate Tor, avera, doesn’t count bee מושבע ועומד מהר סיני—every soul J, born/1־J already swore...so: pre-commitd...DANIEL: fine boy, good son/brothr/gr-son.Good athlete, good friend, good Jew. As become BM, will b as always was נקי כפים ובר לבב;Now as put on !תפילי, you resolve to be totally committd—& knowing tht you took the oath at Sinai will energ you always...
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