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Home -> 5778 -> Mishpatim

לא תשמע שמע שוא

Roberto Szerer
In Mishpatim, 5778

Do not accept a futile report. (23:1)

Growing up, one of the easiest types of tests to ace was the “true” or “false” quiz. After all, it was either true or false. Growing up, the distinction between true or false was perceived as quite simple: it was no different than yes or no. Moving on from there, we assume that something which has been proven correct or real is considered true, while something which has failed to be proven true is false. Obviously, there are areas in which this does not prove correct, since a claim that has not been credited as true does not necessarily mean…

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Home -> 5778 -> Mishpatim

ואנשי קדש תהיון לי

Roberto Szerer
In Mishpatim, 5778

And men of a holy calling shall you be to Me. (22:30)

The Torah does not say anashim kedoshim, holy men; rather, it says anshei kodesh, men of a holy calling. Not all men can achieve the apex of kedushah, holiness, but all men can – and should – live as individuals who are charged with a Heavenly mission to achieve holiness. Our goal must be to become holy. Kedoshim tiyehu, “Be holy!” would then be interpreted: as strive for holiness; imbue your life with kedushah; attempt to reach the level whereby you are sanctified. Demanding personal holiness might be difficult for the individual. Expecting everyone to strive for holiness, to focus…

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Home -> 5778 -> Mishpatim

אם ענה תענה אתו כי אם צעק יצעק אלי שמע אשמע צעקתו

Roberto Szerer
In Mishpatim, 5778

If you dare cause him pain…! – For if he shall cry out to Me, I shall surely hear his outcry. (22:22)

Causing pain to a person whose life is wretched, who stares misery in the face each and every day, is wrong – regardless of one’s motivation. Sometimes, a person’s intentions are noble. He is acutely aware that the individual who is suffering might well put his suffering behind him, if he would only pray with greater devotion. Some people need to be up against the wall with little or no hope for salvation before they pray like there is no tomorrow. They must feel that it is all over; there is no way out; there is no tomorrow. Only then,…

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Home -> 5778 -> Mishpatim

כל אלמנה ויתום לא תענון

Roberto Szerer
In Mishpatim, 5778

You shall not cause pain to any widow or orphan. (22:21)

The obligation to identify and care for the needs of the widow and orphan (and anyone who, likewise, has no one to care for him) extends beyond their physical and material needs. One must act toward them as a father acts towards his children, providing material, as well as spiritual, sustenance. We must endeavor to provide a Torah education for the orphaned child, just as we do for our own. This (I feel) applies as well (and possibly more so) to those children who can sadly be referred to as lebedik yesomim, living orphans, children whose parents are physically alive,…

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Home -> 5778 -> Yisro

תקע בשופר... ושא נס לקבץ ...וקבצנו יחד

Roberto Szerer
In Yisro, 5778

Teka b’shofar…v’sa neis l’kabeitz… v’kabtzeinu yachad

Sound the shofar…and raise a banner to gather…and gather us together. This prayer includes three expressions that imply ingathering: sound the shofar for our freedom; raise a banner to gather in our exiles; gather us together from the four corners of the earth. Ten tribes were exiled prior to the tribes of Yehudah and Binyamin. We refer to them as the Ten Lost Tribes. These Ten Tribes were split in their exile, with some exiled somewhere in “the dark mountains,” and the rest going even further to a place that was “beyond the Sambatyon River.” The Gaon, zl, m’Vilna explains…

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Home -> 5778 -> Yisro

כבד את אביך ואת אמך למען יאריכון ימיך

Roberto Szerer
In Yisro, 5778

Honor your father and mother, so that your days will be lengthened.

The Aseres HaDibros, Ten Commandments, were inscribed on two tablets. Hence, the name: Luchos. The Ten Commandments are divided equally with: five devoted to mitzvos bein adam laMakom, between man and G-d; and five devoted to mitzvos bein adam lachaveiro, between man and his fellow man. Interestingly, the mitzvah of kibud av v’eim, honoring one’s father and mother, is listed on the tablet dedicated to bein adam laMakom. Chazal (Kiddushin 30b) teach that, when one properly honors his parents, it is considered as if he has honored Hashem. This is probably due to the fact that they “partner” with Hashem…

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Home -> 5778 -> Yisro

זכור את יום השבת לקדשו ... לא תענה ברעך עד שקר

Roberto Szerer
In Yisro, 5778

Remember the Shabbos day to sanctify it … You shall not bear false witness against your fellow.

The Midrash Rabbah (47:6) teaches that the Aseres HaDibros, Ten Commandments, were written side by side, five on each tablet. Thus, the injunction to observe Shabbos Kodesh stands opposite/next to the prohibition against false testimony. A Jew who observes Shabbos attests that the world was created by Hashem’s utterance. When one bears false testimony, he corrupts his speech, which leaves him unable to testify that Hashem created the world. (He created it, then He rested on the Seventh Day. Shabbos attests to this verity.) Truth is the force that keeps the world alive, while falsehood is destructive. One who prevaricates…

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Home -> 5778 -> Yisro

וישמע יתרו...כי הוציא ד' את ישראל ממצרים

Roberto Szerer
In Yisro, 5778

And Yisro heard…that Hashem had taken Yisrael out of Egypt. (18:1)

Originally, Moshe Rabbeinu had taken his entire family with him to Egypt. Aharon HaKohen urged him to send them back to Midyan. His contention was very practical: The Jews in Egypt were already suffering; why should Moshe add to their number? Now, after hearing about all of the miracles, Yisro realized that the time had come for the family to be reunited. Chazal (Midrash Rabbah, Shemos 4:4) relate Moshe’s response to his brother’s admonishment. He said, “Tomorrow (in the near future), they (Klal Yisrael) will leave Egypt and stand at the foot of Har Sinai, where they will hear Hashem…

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Home -> 5778 -> Yisro

וישמע יתרו

Roberto Szerer
In Yisro, 5778

Yisro heard. (18:1)

The name of a Parsha is not arbitrary. It has been chosen by design, for a reason, for a purpose, to teach a lesson. This brings us to the name of our parsha: Yisro. Unquestionably, Yisro was an extraordinary human being: father-in-law of both Moshe Rabbeinu and Elazar ben Aharon HaKohen Gadol and the grandfather of Pinchas, who is Eliyahu HaNavi, but do their relationships warrant that a parsha be named after him? It is not as if we have a parsha named for the Patriarchs, Yosef HaTzaddik or Aharon HaKohen. Veritably, our parsha is about Mattan Torah, the Giving…

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Home -> 5778 -> Beshalach

תקע בשופר גדול לחרותנו

Roberto Szerer
In Beshalach, 5778

– Teka b’Shofar gadol l’cheiruseiu. Sound the great Shofar for our Freedom.

Horav Levi Yitzchak, zl, m’Berditchev, was known as Klal Yisrael’s advocate, their defender who viewed everything through a positive lens. One Rosh Hashanah, following his derashah, lecture, preceding Tekias Shofar, he turned around, his back to the congregation, his face facing the Aron HaKodesh – and he began to cry bitterly. The congregation obviously waited patiently for their Rav – despite his incessant weeping, which seemed to go on and on. No one could think of a reason why specifically now, of all times, he was crying so passionately. Suddenly, he stopped crying and spoke softly to Hashem, like a…

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