From Our Archives

Husbands, Wives and Children

by HaRav Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg

Part II

In the first part of this essay about the very important topic of sholom bayis HaRav Scheinberg noted that generally a couple starts out compatible and together, but later breaks apart. The long and intimate contact of married life brings out frictions that were not visible previously. In discussing how the Torah begins with chesed, Chazal cite Hashem's actions towards Odom Horishon and Chavah after the sin, because then chesed became hard and unnatural, as it were. But that is when chesed begins. He also noted and quoted that the Rambam details the way husband and wife must treat each other, but the Rambam writes the husband's obligations first, to teach us that he must start. The reasons for this are discussed below.

Hashem created men and women to have complementary roles in life. Therefore, husbands and wives have two different natures. Shlomo Hamelech, in Mishlei (1:8) writes, "Listen, my children, to the mussar of your father and do not forsake the Torah of your mother." Mussar involves discipline and this role naturally suits the father. The father is usually the more stern, demanding parent, whereas the mother has the natural capacity to be more compassionate and kind.

The Prime Objective: Speak About My Name Everywhere In The Land!

by HaRav Yitzchok Shlomo Silbermann, zt'l

In this shiur, HaRav Silbermann clarifies the main objective of yetzias Mitzrayim. His penetrating conclusion has important consequences for fulfilling the mitzvoh of sippur yetzias Mitzrayim at the seder. This shiur was delivered two years ago, on erev Pesach 5760, and was prepared from the notes of one of the listeners by A. Chefetz. It is being presented here to mark HaRav Silbermann's first yahrtzeit on 18 Adar.

Why Just Three Days?

A close examination of Moshe Rabbenu's conversations with Pharaoh reveals something strange. In Shemos 5:3, Moshe Rabbenu tells Pharaoh, "We have been called upon by the G-d of the Hebrews, please let us go on a three day journey in the desert and we will sacrifice to Hashem our G-d, lest He smite us [i.e. you -- Rashi] with plague or with the sword."

Nisan is the Month of Geulah

by Mordecai Plaut

The postwar generation has generally had it pretty good. In the West it grew up and came of age in a time of increasing prosperity and general calm. There have been crises in the West and wars in Israel, but they were usually pretty short -- a few months at most. For the most part, the past half a century has been a period of secure establishment and growth.

The ascendent social ideas were tolerance and freedom. Although in theory these are far from the Torah ideals, in practice their power has proven pleasant for the Jewish people who had been generally persecuted, along with whoever else may have been out of favor. With tolerance for our existence and the freedom to pursue what we wanted, life seemed pretty good.

On the whole, Jews were accepted and even admired at times for their skills and successes. The Torah community went from a defensive period to a period of consolidation and onwards to expansion and increase along all fronts. Things seemed to be getting better all the time.

Although many of the trends are continuing, the past several years have brought many changes in unwelcome directions.

Shevii Shel Pesach: How the Depths of Despair Lead to the Depths of Hashem's Lovingkindness

by S. Bilgrei

The most powerful day of Sefiras HaOmer is Shevii Shel Pesach which is a real yom tov. Shevii Shel Pesach was the day of Krias Yam Suf, the splitting of the sea.

Chazal compare Yetzias Mitzrayim to a birth, with similar stages. The initial exodus is described as "nin'ar havlad lotzeis," the baby is aroused to emerge. Sometimes however, there is a crisis called, "Ki bo'u bonim ad mashber veko'ach ayin leleidoh" (Yeshayoh 37:3) -- the birth cannot proceed, creating a life-threatening situation.

The birth began when Am Yisroel started leaving Mitzrayim, but as long as the Egyptians were alive and they related to them as their masters, they were not completely detached and the birth was not complete.

As they were going out, the Jews reached a terrible crisis. The sea was in front of them, the Mitzrim were bearing down behind them, and then came the decisive prosecution in Heaven: "Hallolu ovdei avoda zora vehallolu ovdei avoda zora" -- the Jews worshiped idols just as their oppressors. The birth could not proceed, posing a threat of disaster. Krias Yam Suf was the final, successful birth and that was truly the moment of redemption.

Preceding the arrival of Moshiach, we will experience the same procedure. We don't know when Moshiach will come, but we know that we are in the process. Never was a generation so painfully lacking spiritually -- which is a reflection of the birth pangs. We are in the situation of, "Ki bo'u bonim ad mashber veko'ach ayin leleidoh." We are waiting for the resolution of birth.

What happened at Krias Yam Suf, and how will this repeat itself in our generation? We must analyze and learn what actually split the Sea because that will bring us the final redemption as well.