This year was more Litvish. The Yeshiva I was at made a huge bon fire...out of particle board! It burned great about a half hour. We sang and danced about an hour, then everyone went back to the beis hamidrash. A Spharadi place a few minutes away had a bon fire, I think it was about the size of a bus. I couldn't get close enough to look because my facial hairs began to smolder just by turning onto the street it was on.

I remember the stories Rav Wolfson told us last year, live, in person, in the flesh, face to face, up close and personal, to express his emotions and, no doubt, to give us an appreciation of where we were. At the time we were at a small motel in Tiveria. Tiveria is a non-religious tourist town. For a group accustomed to the sanctity of a Torah community, the streets of Tiveria left much to be desired. Rav Wolfson told a story of a man who's son was living outside of Israel. Whenever the father would send his son a letter, via camel-jockey express (this was maaaaany decades back) he would go every morning to the camel stables to see if a response had arrived. This never put him in very good spirits because the place stank and one can't learn or even think Torah in such an environment. Passers-by who would greet the father were usually acknowledged in return with a grunt.

One morning a passing friend said hello and remembering what would be the inevitable response, he tried to retract his words. This time the father responded with a very friendly and warm greeting! The friend asked about the transformation. The father said it had finally occurred to him how many tsaddikim the world over would give anything just to stand next to an arab camel stable on Israel's soil!

When one is in a place of kedusha- sanctity, the kedusha is everywhere! It's just a question of how one looks at it. I'd look...oy! Rav Wolfson looks...only holiness.

We were there to see the burial site of a holy man. How much more so are would we want to see the man himself. Any holy man, for that matter. Truth is, when we know someone and THEY saw a holy man, we are already drawn to make a connection. There are still a precious few Tsaddikim around, until 120 G-d willing, who learned under the Chafets Chaim! They themselves are walking Torah Scrolls. But they saw the Chafets Chaim!!! "Let's go get a blessing from them." Any connection to spirituallity attracts the Jewish soul. Rav Wolfson said that there in Tiveria we get to see the very same mountains who saw the great Tannaim and Amoraim of the Gemorah over 1500 years ago!! I look...oh, a mountain. It goes up on one side and then peaks and then comes down the other side. Rav Wolfson looks...only holiness.

We passed by a forest planted by the Keren Kayemet, funded from the donations of Jews overseas. Rav Wolfson had said that the purity of heart of the donors was evident by the beautiful forest it produced which flourishes till today.

On the bus from Tiveria to Merone, Lag b'Omer night, Rav Wolfson had told us of Reb Shlomo of Zvhil. A Chassidic Rabbi who loved Lag b'Omer because it reminded him of the Shalosh Regalim- the three pilgrimage festivals. The Spharadi's would bring their food, fresh- and slaughtering it on location. This reminded Rav Shlomo of the korban Pesach- the Pascal lamb. All the over-nighters would be camping out in their tents. This reminded him of Sukkos. And the mountain itself and the nation of Israel all around, would remind him of Mt. Sinai and Shavuos.

There is more there than what meets the eye because it says in Parshas Mishpatim, in a paragraph dealing exclusively with the Shalosh Regalim (Shmos 23:17), "Shalosh p'amim bashanah yaira'eh kol zchurcha el pnai ha'adone, Hashem."- Contextually translated as, "Three times a year shall all your menfolk appear before the L-rd, Hashem'. The Zohar says that the word 'ha'adone' (the L-rd) refers to Rav Shimon bar Yochai!?! What??? Blasphemy! Apostasy! Heres...y...you know...takah, that answer's 2 difficult questions!

First of all, in this context the word 'ha'adone' wouldn't mean 'the L-rd' but 'the lord' or 'the master'. Lower case letters. The word 'ha'adone' in this verse is written lacking a the letter 'vav'. With people's names we use and addition or subtraction of letters to learn out various attributes or shortcomings in their personalities. Not the kind of thing we should be doing with G-d's name. So the Zohar tells us it's not referring to G-d. This would work!

Second, in the trop- the cantillation marks of the verse, there is a 'pseek', which is a pause, between the words "ha'adone" and "Hashem". Why would the Torah deliberately separate two names of Hashem?? Unless, again, the "ha'adone" refers to a man! Then it should absolutely be separated from the name of Hashem. Eating by friends one Shabbos, I told this tid bit of Torah over and the hostess (Faith Neuman) pointed out that of two renowned songs we sing on Lag b'Omer, praising Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, one ends every stanza with "adonainu bar Yochai"- our master, bar Yochai. As it turns out, when Rav Shlomo of Zvhil made a connection of the celebration of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai to the Shalosh Regalim, apparently he wasn't the first!

And speaking of a connection, maybe this weekly dvar Torah will eventually connect to this weeks

B'har opens saying that at Mt. Sinai Moshe learned all the details of the laws of Shmittah, the 7th year when the land is left fallow. The question asked by all is why suddenly bring up Mt. Sinai again and why attach it to the mitsvah of Shmittah? Rashi explains that just as all the details of this mitsvah was explained at to Moshe Mt. Sinai, so too was all the details of all the mitsvos explained to Moshe at Mt. Sinai. Rashi continues that the mitsvah Shmittah were chosen because it is not repeated in the book of D'varim. If another mitsvah was used, one might think that all the details but those mentioned later where given at Sinai. Then Hashem filled in the blanks just before entering Israel. Since Shmittah is not mentioned in D'varim, now all the laws from Sinai means ALL the laws!!

Other commentaries offer that the very last thing Bnei Yisrael were able to do was the Shmittah. The laws of Shmittah include all Jews being settled in Israel. It took Yehoshua 7 years to conquer Israel and another 7 years to get everyone settled. Then the counting started! So the 21st year after entering was the first Shmittah year. If there was any law that Bnei Yisrael was not in a hurry to hear about, it was the Shmittah! And if they got that one at Mt. Sinai, they got every one at Mt. Sinai. (Of course the first Yovel- Jubilee year wasn't till the 64th year after entering Israel so it would have been a better choice. Perhaps that can be answered by the similarities of the Shmittah and Yovel years. Discussing one discusses the other as well.)

The Chasam Sofer offers another answer to 'why Shmittah'. It is one of the more 'G-dly' mitsvahs. For background, we mentioned above the parsha first commands the Shmittah and then mentions the 6 years leading to it. Why in this order? The Ma'or Einayim explains that the Shmittah is the end point, the focus. What is the means to this end? The 6 years of planting. We can't lose sight during those 6 years of labor that it is not our land, it is Hashem's. It is not our labor that produced the results, it is only H's will. The Shmittah year will prove that. The 7th year, like the 7th day, testifies the world belongs to Hashem. Every farmer knows the fields have to be left fallow sometime. But the way of the world is to leave it every other year or every third year. None would think of going 6 straight years before giving the land rest. The Torah is telling us that first recognize the goal, Shmittah. Now that you've done that, go ahead and plant 6 straight years and every year will be a healthy crop. This is what the Chasam Sofer meant. ONLY Hashem can make a promise like that. Only a Divinely written book can give the masses a 'test' opportunity, that in a few short years they will know if it's a book of truth or lies. Other religions can only promise heavenly rewards because anything else it's followers can check for accuracy. Knowing this, the human originators promise nothing tangible.

The Torah goes even farther! G-d assures that the 6th year's crop will last till the beginning of the 9th year!!! (When that which was planted in the 8th will be harvested and ready to eat.) And that can be done in two ways. For the believers, the standard produce of the 6th year's crop will miraculously last for three years. People will be satisfied from eating a third as much food. The work in the 6th year will be the same and the next three years of cooking and washing dishes will be a blessing as well.

But if one asks, "What will we eat in the 7th year?" If they doubt Hashem then hashem 'forces' a blessing. An unbelievable bumper crop in the 6th year! What should be the field's weakest year will be an explosion of three years worth of produce!!! Harvesting will be a back breaking work! Finding storage will be a nightmare! The Sages say "An increase in property is an increase in worry." There will be concerns of spoilage, theft, infestation. Cooking and cleaning will be as usual. This is a vort in and of itself. Our point again being that only Hashem could write such promises for His children. And so the mitsvah Shmittah was chosen to say that just as it could only come from the Sinai, a Divinely revalation of Divine laws and in all it's detail, so too is mitsvah from Sinai. Divine in origin to it's finest detail!

And speaking of Divine in origin,

opens (26:3), "Eem b'chukosai tailaichu v'es mitsvosai tishmeru va'asisem osom"

The Ohr HaChayim HaKodosh (Oh"C) lived over 200 years ago. As the story goes, he used to give out meat to his talmidim for Shabbos. Once in a time of shortage, the Oh"C managed to acquire a generous supply of meat while most of the community had none. One of the men of the town came to him and complained why should his do-nothing-students eat so well? The Ohr HaChayim ignored the man. Shortly thereafter, the Oh"C realized that he himself belittled Torah by remaining silent and not reprimanding that man. He put himself into exile. He packed a small bag and went wandering from town to town, come what may. The Oh"C left home during this week of Parshas B'chukosai. Already accepting the Oh"C's regret and act of tshuvah, the Heavens opened and revealed to him 14 insights into the first verse.

The Oh"C came to a town and a kind homeowner took him in. That Friday night in shul, the Rav of the town stood before the congregation and said, "It has been revealed to me from Heaven in the name of the Oh"C the following dvar Torah." And he gave it over. The Oh"C, from the back of the shul shouted, "Ahhh! The Oh"C is no big deal." To dissipate the anger of the crowd the Oh"C's kind host jumped to the vagrant's defense insuring the congregants he was a simpleton and doesn't realize the foolishness of his words. More Torah was then revealed to the Ohr HaChaim.

Shabbos morning, the Rav got up with another revelation, again in the name of the Oh"C. Again the Oh"C, insulted himself and his Torah. Again the crowd needed pacification by the host. Again the Oh"C received a wellspring of Torah. Shabbos afternoon, a repeat performance. This time it could not be tolerated. The town Rav ordered the vagrant locked up till it could be decided what punishment to give him.

Motsai Shabbos, the Rav went to bed and had a dream. The Sages tell us that on Shabbos, even Gehenom rests. Purification doesn't resume till we make havdalah. (Food for thought for those who can't wait for Shabbos to end.) The Rav dreamt that night that Gehenom had not yet began operations because the Ohr HaChayim HaKodesh had not yet said havdalah. The Rav woke, baffled. Why would he have such a dream...until it occurred to him...there was one man in town who was not in a position to make havdalah! They threw the Ohr HaChaim HaKodosh in jail!!!

The Rav told the Oh"C of his dream and the Oh"C took it as a message his self imposed exile was over. He could go home. All together, 42 insights of the first verse were revealed to him that Shabbos. I managed to get through about 20 of them. Lets see how many we can get through now.

26:3> "Eem b'chukosai tailaichu v'es mitsvosai tishmeru va'asisem osom" (Torah)

"If you follow My decrees and observe My commandments and perform them" (ArtScroll. Not one of the Oh"C's.)

"If in My statutes you will walk and My mitsvos you will guard and you will do them"
(Me. Going for a more literal translation.)

The numbering is the Ohr HaChaim HaKodesh's.
1) Similar to Rashi on the verse, we know to do all 613 commandments from the second set of words "My mitsvos you will guard ". So what is taught by "in My statutes you will walk"? To toil in Torah. A person may go over something 2-3 or 10 times and feel the topic is mastered. The Torah is telling us to toil in it. Go over again and again and again anyway. The toiling is an end in an of itself. Not just for what else there is to learn.

"Chukosai" is written without the letter 'vav' so it appears to be the singular form. It is read with a the vav which is the plural form. What appears as one is really two. But don't think it's two, it's really one! The one Torah is 2, Written Torah and Oral Torah. Day and night (2 times frames to learn in) is really one 24 hr. day. One has to learn every 'day'. Learning is learning! But there are two types of learning, for ones self and for teaching to others.

And "..you will walk" means learning on the road. Not just at home or in school or nly in the most conducive environment. Always be going over something in your head.
(This seems like at least 2 but it's really the first one.)
2) "...You will walk": It should be that natural to you. King David would leave the palace, say, on his way to the grand opening celebration of Toyeth art Us. The next thing he knew, he was standing in the bais hamidrash! "Oh!? How'd I get here? Might as well stay and learn something."
3)"Tailaichu" is plural, "You will walk [them]": There are four roads to the Torah. Pshot (context), drash (exponding), remez (allusions), sode (?). These four roads each break off into paths, tracks, trails, etc. Walk 'em all!!
4) "...in My statutes you will walk": You heard the term 'walk of life'? Don't learn just for the sake of conversation and intellectualism. "...in My statutes you will LIVE!" At home, on the job, at play, in shul, standing in line....
5) You should learn hard and deep and you should come up with your own chidushim- new, personal interpretations! But "mitsvosai tishmeru"- you will watch My commandments, Hashem warns!! In your new ideas, don't make holy the profane or profane the holy!!! (Unless you write for the Jerusalem Post)
7) [Twice the 10 commandments is recorded. Once it says to 'guard' Shabbos and once it says 'remember' Shabbos. The 'guard' is said to be going on the prohibition commandments and the 'remember' is referring to the active commandments. Here the Oh"C seems to be taking the word "tishmeru"- guard, in that context.] "Eem b'chukosai tailaichu"- if you walk in My ways, "v'es mitsvosai tishmeru"- and you 'guard' yourself, then "va'asisem osom!"- you will have done them! Done what? You will be rewarded as having done the positive commands as well.
9) "...va'asisem osom"- and you shall do them! This hints to the 48 ways to acquire Torah in Perkai Avos. Having the desire for Torah is not enough. You have to DO what is required to attain Torah.
10) "...tailaichu"- you will walk. Sins can block the rewards for mitsvos but NOT rewards for the study of Torah. With Torah "you WILL walk" into the heavenly court.
11) "...tailaichu"-you will walk. in the next verse the Torah begins to list 'rewards' for doing this verse, but don't think you are doing this for the earthly rewards. The purpose of earthly rewards is simply to alleviate ones burdens in order to provide more opportunity for more involvement in Torah and mitsvos. Your Torah learning is a pension plan. With Torah "you will walk" into Olam Habah- the world to come.
13) We say every morning in the blessing over Torah that "Talmud Torah k'neged koolam"- learning Torah out weighs all mitsvos. So "Eem b'chukosai tailaichu"- If you toil in Torah, then Hashem will credit you "v'es mitsvosai tishmeru" like you guarded the prohibitions, "va'asisem osom" and did the positive ones!
14) "Eem b'chukosai tailaichu v'es mitsvosai tishmeru"- IF you learn Torah and IF you desire to do the mitzvahs, but they are not available to you, (i.e.: Shmittah, sacrifices) "va'asisem osom"- it will be considered as if you did them.
16) "Eem b'chukosai tailaichu": If it's with My statutes then you will walk, unharmed! Torah is Traveling insurance against the dangers of the road.
17) "...tailaichu"-You will go. Future tense. You are on your way to do a mitzvah but you are stopped, against your will, "va'asisem osom" it will be considered as if you did it.
19) Yeravum was the first king of Israel to lead the Jews astray yet he had enormous merit from Torah learning. G-d said to him, "If you do tshuva, Me and you and (King) David will walk through Gan Eden together. "...tailaichu"- "You will walk," literally, in Gan Eden! [G-d put Yeravum before David Hamelech in His question!! Yeravum's response, "Who walks first, me or David?" Having JUST lost a brownie point by that, G-d answered "David." Yeravum said "No thanks!" Can you believe it? Ethics of the Fathers, 4th chapter, Rabbi Elazar Hakafar says, "Jealousy, desire, and honor take a man from the world." We thought Rabbi Elazar meant poor goals lead to an unproductive life. Or mybe the eventual punishments will do him in. Then maybe Rabbi Elazar should have said, "...WILL take a man from the world." Yeravum just taught us how it happens in the present tense. He did it to himself!!!]
23) An animal stays an animal its whole life. Eats, sleeps, eats sleeps. An Angel only has one leg because it is created with one function and can not grow. Only humans have the potential to develop and grow in depth and breadth. Nothing in creation is like us. What will bring the potential into actualization? Only "Eem b'chukosai, tailaichu!"- If you go in My ways, then you'll be walking! Two legs! Greater than the angels! Otherwise we are just glorified animals. Right Bill?
24) Torah is light. When a person dies, they need that light to know where to go. "B'chukosai tailaichu"- With the light of Torah you will walk, on your own! If it's dark...someone will have to come and get you...and you ain't gonna like it where they're takin' ya!
25) "B'chukosai"- My chuk's. A 'chok' in the Torah is also referred to as an 'ohs'- a sign. Tifilin are called an ohs as well. Bringing tfilin, via ohs, into chok we have, "Eem b'chukosai tailaichu"- If with My tfilin you will walk... [Only very few Tsaddikim today keep their tfilin on all day. There was a time when all male Jews were on a level to have them on all day. It should only be that way again!] "...v'es mitsvosai tishmeru"- and the laws you guard... [when wearing tfilin one needs proper dress, a clean body (nothing in the bowels or bladder). Not to think foolishness or worse, to control the eyes] "...va'asisem ASEM!"- They'll make YOU! ['Osom'- them (which we've been using up until now), is written without the letter vav. The word, therefore, could be read 'asem'- you (plural)! So don't read it "va'asisem osom"- and you will do them, but, "va'asisem asem"- 'and they will do you.] If you wear tfilin all day and keep all the laws, they will make YOU, into something great!
41) Death is referred to as a 'chukuk Hashem', from a similar root word as in "b'chukosai". "Eem b'chukosai tailaichu v'es mitsvosai tishmeru, va'asisem osom!"- If in death you walk- or rather- If you go through life thinking this may be the last day, then certainly the mitsvos you will watch and do them.

And speaking of watching and doing, or at least watching what we're doing, let's avoid the admonition in this weeks parsha! It's far worse than the one we read in the Shema twice a day, "And you will swiftly be banished from the good land that Hashem has given you." Another 13% of Israel is on the chopping block. I'd say 'G-d forbid' but it's up to us. It's all laid out as clear as can be. From the laws of Shmittah to the laws of being shmettered, r'l! And they unfold before our very eyes. Is anyone watching? Some feel the redemption started because the Sages say in the time of the redemption Israel will bare her fruit, and it is! So 1 + 1 = 2! How about the Torah which says that line read in the Shema? And another 13% on it's way out? Is 1 + 1 still 2??? Nowhere does it say in the Torah or in the Prophets or the Writings that the key to Jewish existence in the land of Israel is building a 2 flat on a hill top.

"Eem b'chukosai tailaichu v'es mitsvosai tishmeru, va'asisem osom..." What were those aforementioned rewards? A few verses later, "I will provide peace in the land and you will lie down with none to frighten you." It's just that straightforward and simple.

This Shabbos welcomes the new month of Sivan. The month blessed and which blesses us with Shavuos! We have a few more days of the Omer to work on those last areas of refinement in ourselves and in our service of Hashem. We count every single day because every single day counts! Rabbi Orlofsky pointed out we that don't count a week once, a week twice, a week three times. We count week one. Then week one and a day. Then week two and a day. Week three AND... Because this way it is a constant building on what was before. That's the only building we need. And even if you're not happy with what you've accomplished till now or feel there's nothing to build on, HORG WARSH!!! These final days have the ability to accomplish it all! In the last day alone you can achieve all 50 days of growth. And I have no doubt that is exactly what Rav Wolfson will be discussing in next week's Shabbos shmooz.

And speaking of Shabbos, get going by going and getting ready for a go-getting, chukosai observing, mitsvosai watching, Shabbot Shalom!