Rabbi Benjamin Yudin Discusses Parshas Mattos-Maasei and The Nine Days (5786)

Good morning, good shabas everybody. Whoa. This week is Shabas Kazak which means that we are girded with more energy. The Shabas we complete the fourth book of the Torah of Bidbar. Two parios of Mats and M. Interesting. We've caught up with Erit Israel. The two have two partials m according to has two mitzvos one positive one restriction and the restriction interesting is the dvoro you are not to make your everyday speech profane in other words who speech is a gift that was given to man by hashem him who breathed a soul into man became he man became a living being what does that mean a living being so the explains it as a ru literally Once he had a soul, he became a speaking being. Ooh, speech is a gift that comes from Hashem. And we are not to, God forbid, profane it by speaking in an ill fashion. Be it God forbid n be it har be it inappropriate speech in a place where one is to speak appropriately. Many many examples of this you want to say it in a few words. Honesty is the best policy. The Torah had it first by Lel Doro. The second para of Mas contains a total of six, two positive and four restrictions. So that is so to speak the number of mitzvah that we have and who if we have a moment I hope we'll come back to a very important ma related to paras mats okay I want to begin with a gammorra in the gammorraas 60b be which is exceedingly important. The Gomorrah tells us the following that this is the third wide line down on the rabbis taught regarding the second basu meaning once the second bas was destroyed there were pushim pushim are individuals who are what they call them in English aesthetics, meaning people who were ready to withdraw. And they said now that unfortunately the B mikdash was destroyed, they said we should prefer we should not drink wine and we should not eat meat. Why? Because the BA mikdash on a daily basis we had corbanos. Now that the ba mikdash was destroyed, no more corbanos with meat. No more misim libations with wine. So to remember that unfortunately we don't have a bikash. The rabbis the perushim the aestheetics said what should we do now? Very simple. Don't eat meat. Don't eat wine. Don't drink wine. All year long unfortunately properly so tried to dissuade them by engaging them in conversation and therefore he said to them, "My loving children, Why aren't you eating meat, drinking wine? And they answered since meat was brought constantly on the altar. And now unfortunately desist could should we drink wine which was again poured on the bay. So Yeshua said to them if so we shouldn't eat bread. Why not? because the carban min which came from flour was discontinued with the destruction of the temple. So they said okay if shall be peros we can get by by eating fruits. So, oh my goodness, Yoshua said to them, "You can't not eat bread cuz after all, come on. You're not to eat Come on." So, they said, "Okay, we won't eat bread. We'll eat fruit." He said, "No." And they said no fruit because after all but they stopped bringing first fruits to the bas mikdash. So he said okay eat other fruits not among those seven that are listed as the special produce of the land of Israel. Okay. How about wine? How about water? Excuse me. We want to drink water because no longer do we have onoid sucos. So listen very carefully to the words of Raboshua. Rebeha said to them the following. Shalomar. This is the most important thing for us to hear. not to have any observance of mourning for the second temple zera happened meaning the temple was destroyed. We can't go on as usual without the bdash. However, to impose on the people a restriction which is going to be too much, too far, too hard that you can't do either. Why? We only make a decree that the people can follow. They can do it. In other words, in our preparation for quote the nine days which comes and begins this coming Tuesday night, the nine days to and through. So this coming Tuesday night is Tuesday the 14th at night with sunset is when the nine days begins and it continues through Wednesday night and Thursday the 23rd of July which is tish ab next week we'll talk about shabu the shabis right before tish and the week of tish aba. Today we will focus on the laws of the nine days and the shabas included in the nine days. So the first thing we to realize is that during the nine days as we saw in the Gamorra, we do not eat meat or poultry or drink wine or grape juice starting this coming Tuesday night. And interestingly, if one davenin did early my on Tuesday night, then that's when you would have to stop eating meat and drinking wine. Okay? Beer, whiskey, and other liquids not containing wine may be consumed during this period. Interesting. While ch while children, boys under bar mitzvah, girls under bas mitzvah are not obligated to fast from the letter of the law. Even if their baron bas mitzvah come shortly after tishabove from the letter of the law, they're not obligated. However, already from the age of six, we try our best to have the children as well abstain from meat and fowl, wine, and even grape juice during the nine days. because not so much that they are obligated to mourn but they're obligated to be part of the community. And since the community, mommy, daddy, brothers, sisters are not having meat, they too, if we can will have them as well abstain from meat and wine. grape juice. If a sick person has to eat meat, preferably poultry should be used when possible. Now, this coming Shabus, okay, meat and wine may be consumed as usual on Shabas. And interesting, a person who takes shabas in early, this shabas certainly can eat meat and drink wine during this earlier period while it is still Friday. on the calendar. After you've accepted Shabis, you come home, you make kiddish, you drink wine, you eat meat during your meal. Now, after Shabas, you may not eat meat left over from the Shabas meal. So even though many of us enjoy the leftovers from Shabas starting this shabis no okay even though you might not have meat for shalos or shall all year long should you want to have it this shabas not a problem. Okay. Now, interesting. Moy Shabis, the wine or grape juice from Abdullah should preferably be drunk by a boy less than 13 years old. However, if no such child is available, the person making Abdullah may and should drink the wine himself. If a person completes a portion of learning during the nine days, he may make a summ after which all participants may partake of meat and wine during the meal. Now learning specifically for a seal where is this happening? If this is happening in a camp, okay, then one can understand not only some of the younger children under 13, but everybody can participate. When I say everybody, not just those who actually participated in the learning, but one who's participating in the meal that follows the sem. So if we are talking in a camp situation, everybody in the camp can eat meat, drink wine that night in honor of the seum which is the completion of a either attractate of a sea of shas or these three trackctates of Mishna or one of the books of Tanakh with commentary. Ideally, one should refrain from making a sem after the sixth day of. Okay. Now, interestingly, one may eat meat, drink wine at this meal, even if they did not attend the seum part, but they're part of that group, family, camp, etc. Now, speaking very openly, what is the whole purpose of this seal excitement of Torah? If it has worked out that a person has been learning regularly and quote it just happens that he finishes during the nine days by all means you do the seam right now but to start learning now so that I'll be able to make a seam next week in the nine days. I hope you all agree doesn't smell right. We're not looking to avoid, especially not in the camp situation. We're not looking to avoid the prohibition of meat and wine. We don't welcome it, but we accept it and we understand. And even if it it should be somewhat of a quote inconvenience, how often can I eat blind's fish? The answer is it's good that we have this sense of abstaining as these push wanted to do all year long. But if Yeshua said you can't all year long, but just as we can't all year long, we could for nine days. And it should not be looked upon unfortunately as a okay, I do it because I have to do it. We do it not the simra but we remind ourselves of this same daf in bababasra call abel alushim whoever truly mourns appropriately for the destruction of your shallayim and the ba mikdash. So the kimar says will merit to witness its reconstruction and the attendant rejoicing. Okaymar and he quotes the plea. Okay. So it's a question of attitude and the situation that we're in. When it occurs, we make it meaning that we are just as we're eager as we say in everyone, we are ready for another year unfortunately to abstain from meat and wine, reminding us in a stronger way of what we are missing. Okay. At a sudas mitzvah such as a bris or a pulabin, one could have u wine and meat. Okay. During the nine days, it's very slippery, pardon the pun, as to bathing and washing parts of the body. If a person is going from an air conditioned home to an air conditioned car to an air conditioned uh office back to the air conditioned home to the air conditioned sh for back to the air conditioned wherever you got my point I'm not suggesting but if one does take showers regularly make it a little bit less hot make it a a little bit shorter. In other words, understandably in yesterday year it was very possibly personal hygiene was somewhat different all over. Now that we have become quote spoiled or for sure someone who is out of doors not in an air conditioning environment, it's a very different situation that they for sure can could shower as regularly. Swimming we know is not permitted during the nine days. Okay, for young children if it is really hot quote unquote what we call swimming instructional home that could be permissible as really it is a mitzvah to teach young children how to swim. Okay. nails may be cut during the nine days, preferably on Arab Shabas. During the nine days, one should not shine shoes except for Arab shabis. If these laws sound technical, the answer is they are. But I am sharing them with you because there's a reason for all this. The reason is that we should again be familiar with all these restrictions for the nine days as indeed they are all these quote nuances and laws help us appreciate and prepare psychologically for the tisha, the ninth of a, if you were to start the last moment. So interestingly the rabbis point out when a person has a personal loss loeno a parent so we know that the day that the parent dies they're an onain and they're even to abstain as we know from mitzvos from brahos then we have the day of burial we have shiva we have and but as we go down the restrictions become lighter here just the opposite here it's a distinction between Ashkanazim and do the restrictions of meat and wine begin as Ashkinazim do this coming Tuesday night or no as far do starting ing next is meat and wine. But whether you're ashkin or we gradually build up in order to forgive me appreciate tishab we need to be careful in already starting next this forthcoming Tuesday night so that we can appreciate next Wednesday night Thursday tish. Okay. And except for children's clothing, clothes may not be washed or dry cleananed. And you're going to say to me, why not? And I'm going to tell you that you're right. Years ago, they didn't have washing machines. The women would gather together on Thursday, and to be safe, many women would come down together to the river. Okay? And they're washing clothes. Okay. Understandably, the company of other women made the experience safer and more pleasant. And so today, I don't know how pleasant it is to put clothes in and out of a washing machine, but we continue this practice of abstaining to remind us, oh, this is the nine days. And most of us, thank God, today, except for children's clothing, can have enough clothing to keep us going without having to wash clothes during the actual nine days. Okay, once again children's clothes can and understand that all these things should not be a burden upon us but all these things you know could should be looked upon as a form of being part of the community. Rejoicing when the community rejoices and mourning when the community mourns. Okay. New clothes may not be bought or worn during the nine days. They may not be bought even if they will not be worn till after. In the case of an unusual sale, talk to your local Orthodox RV. One may not buy shoes during the nine days except for shoes which are permissible non-leather shoes during on tishabove. I'll tell you a beautiful story very quickly. A gentleman came in and said in a shoe store, "I'd like a pair of new shoes." This was before the nine days or even Okay. And he said, "Give me a pair." He got it wrong. I'm sorry. He asked for to uh Yeah. He asked for a pair of shoes and he asked for Mashiach shoes. Mashiach meaning at the same time he bought the non leather shoes for he also bought shoes that Hashem will be ready for the coming of Mushia. Okay. One may not sew fix clothes during the nine days even though many of you going to say hooray for that one but it reminds us a flashback. However, to crochet needle point or embroider a hook rug all these are prohibited during the nine days. Painting, wallpapering, a house or an apartment should not be done during the nine days. You should not put down lenolium or carpet during the nine days. However, someone renting an apartment or buying a house, but you're not going to move in until after may fix and paint the house or apartment. Furniture and expensive utensils which do bring with it a certain amount of pleasure. Even if no blessing is made, should preferably not be done during the nine days. Grass and hedges should not be trimmed unless it would otherwise be difficult for people to pass by. It's inappropriate to give gifts during the nine days. One should not go on a pleasure journey during the nine days. And as the shar teaches us, court cases with a nonjew should be delayed at least from Tuesday night until after next Thursday. And finally, s elective surgery should not be performed during the nine days even if it's only minor or plastic surgery. And once again, the blessing of a goal could be recited during the nine days. And the blessing of kdish depending upon your custom can be done before. Those that wait for after the fast should preferably have something to eat first. But if you won't be able to do it with a minion, then you can do it right after the fast. Okay. I hope I won't be taking too much time from let me try just to end with an uplifting idea. The nine days as we can understand are days of reflection. We're to think about our own lives to realize how much has changed that so much loeno disease cancer etc that we almost take for granted. We've been responding to this and fighting this for so many years that okay, it's part of life. The answer is no. With a BA mikdash, we wouldn't have this with the B mikdash. We're not going to have wars. It's we're not just missing a building. We're not just missing barbecue of carbonos. We are missing a whole different way of life. I want to just give you a very quick idea based on paras ms. One of the historical events found in paras, the beginning of chapter 31 is Hashem says to Moshe, "Okay, it's time for the Jewish people to avenge the uh stain of immorality that Midian brought upon the Jewish people." And then interestingly Moshe is told he will die. Whoa. And the med says had Moshe waited 20 30 years he could have lived longer. What does Moshe do immediately? He says let's go guys. We're going. And the Torah tells us in verse 5 and they literally delivered. Meaning each tribe said, "I don't want I don't want because we don't want to be part of hastening Moshe's death." And Moshe doesn't take himself personally into account and does it immediately. The rabbis praise him for this. And interestingly, Moshe's takeover, Yoshua, God said to him, "Be a good boy, and I'll be with you as I was with your teacher, Moshe." Yet Yoshua lives for 110 years and Moshe 120. And the rabbis ask, "What's going on?" And they answer that unlike Moshe who attended to the task immediately even though his life depended on it, Yoshua said, "Oh no, I have to destroy 31 provinces in Israel and after that I will die." So he took his time and Hashem took 10 years from his life. I want to share with you one quick thought and that is that we find in the Gammorra kaducian a fascinating toos that I want to share with you and I hope that I have not overstepped my bounds and that is that reparon was ill. His colleagues came to visit him. They were greeted at the door by his elderly mother who said to them, "Pray for my son, Tarafhone. He's such a good son." Well, once she said that, they asked her, "What do you mean he's such a good son?" So, she told him one shabus afternoon, we were walking, the strap from my sandal broke. There was no a roof. We could not fix the sandal. So what did my son Tarphone do? He got on his hands and knees, put his hands in front of me, walked backwards so that my feet should not get dirty. I walked on his hands. When I heard this, I said, as most of you would say, "Wow." The rabbis said, "Huh, he hasn't done half of what a son should do." Very difficult to explain. Explained it in the following way. Listen carefully. Everybody comes into this world with a tap, a mission. We don't know what our mission is. and they don't take us until we had a chance to fulfill our mission. When the rabbis heard Tarafon's dedication of kibbut aim of dedication to his mother, they said to themselves, "Oh my goodness, maybe the tough kid, the mission of Rafaron is not only to be one of the decisors of oral law, the barpla Dono argued constantly with Ryaka to clarify Jewish law. Maybe it was put in this world to show how far a son could slash should go to do for a parent. Having done this, maybe they were calling him back to Shamayim. So the they were praying for him by saying, "Whoa, he hasn't done even half of what a son should do." Meaning if he fulfilled his mission already, let him have more years to honor more his parent. Whoa. Finally, the RV teaches us that this teaches us that we are to realize that we're not taken from this world until we have the opportunity to fulfill our tough kid. I mentioned this right before the 3 weeks, right before the nine days. Meaning that this is the time that the rabbis remind us that a bit more introspection is most appropriate. What's this retrospection all about? May I suggest and with this I conclude everybody was put into this world with a mission. We don't know thankfully what our mission is but after a while maybe maybe we might have some clues be it something positive to do or a or a significant challenge that we are to abstain from. That's our mission. And finally, remember that he, Hashem, doesn't recall our soul till after we've had an opportunity to fulfill our mission. I take this opportunity to wish everybody a meaningful nine days beginning with this forthcoming Tuesday night ending with Thursday night after the fast which we'll talk about. Please go next week. Wishing everybody a wonderful Shabbat Kazak and Shabbat shalom to all.