PREPARING FOR KABBOLAS HATORAH - WITH LIMUD HATORAH - Shiur by Rabbi Nachum Scheiner

I want to assure you, we appreciate you coming. Thank you. Everyone was very excited. We appreciate it. I just want to say I really feel like I'm in Shul. Besides it, most of the faces here are Shul's faces. Also, just looking around, even the beams in 18 Forshay, we have these beams. 84 Viola has the fireplace in the middle. So, it's just the cookies. I really feel at home over here. Thank you. Every Yom Tov has a certain mitzvah. And then you prepare for that Yom Tov. We're coming off Pesach. Pesach had the mitzvah of matzah. So, everybody in their way you prepare for matzah, whether it's chabura matzah, you get the thin matzah, the thick matzah. You prepare for the mitzvah. Dalet Kosos, what wine are you going to drink? Better wine, grape juice, mix, bigger Kosos. You prepare for the Yom Tov. Sukkos, you buy dalet minim, you build a sukka, you prepare for the mitzvahs of the Yom Tov. Even Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur there's a mitzvah of chuva. So, you prepare for the mitzvah through Aseres Yemei Teshuva. You don't just roll into Yom Kippur to do Teshuva. Rosh Hashanah there's a mitzvah of shofar. I happen to be a baal tokea. So, for the whole month before I'm already practicing. So, at least for me, I'm you prepare for the mitzvah. Chanukah, Purim, all Yom Tovim. Chanukah you prepare your menorah. Purim, mishloach manos. You prepare for the Yom Tov. Shavuos, we're exactly a week away from Shavuos. There's no mitzvah in the Yom Tov of Shavuos. So, how do you prepare for the Yom Tov? We're going to try to focus tonight for a few minutes being very practical. How do you prepare for Shavuos? Yes, there are many minhagim. These minhagim of flowers, these minhagim of eating milchigs, cheesecake, these minhagim of staying up Shavuos night, but there there's no mitzvahs hayoyim to prepare. So, what do you prepare for? The Yom Tov of Shavuos is Kabalas haTorah. We say in davening, "Zman Matan Torah Seinenu." Chazal teach us that every single year there's a Kabalas haTorah. It's even brought You know, a lot of people know that there's a big segulah during Krias haTorah of Shavuos. You can have in mind somebody that's sick. Just like the Zman Matan Torah, when a person was sick, all the sick people were healed. There's a Kabalas haTorah every single year. Furthermore, the Shlah says the following. The Shlah's famous now. Today the Tvilas haShlah, or tomorrow or Shabbos, but one of these days. But the Shlah says based off a Gemara. The Gemara in Megillah, the Gemara says that at the end of the year, before Rosh Hashanah, we read the Tochacha. The Tochacha of Parshas Ki Savo is at the end of the year, says the Gemara, "Tichlas hashana vechilas ha'aretz." Says the Gemara, "The same is also before Shavuos." Before Shavuos, before Shavuos, we read the Tochacha. That was last week. Last week, Parshas Bechukosai, we read the tochacha. Why? Tichleh shanah ve'kilaloseha, which means we want to finish off the tochacha and start the new year fresh. Now, Bishlama, Rosh Hashanah is a new year, I understand. But Shavuos, what's the new year of Shavuos? It's not a new year. We're not holding now a Rosh Hashanah. So, what does it mean, Tichleh shanah ve'kilaloseha, that we read last week the tochacha? So, the Gemara says that Shavuos is Rosh Hashanah le'ilanos. Shavuos, Rosh Hashanah le'ilanos is not what we know about Tu Bishvat. That's also Rosh Hashanah. That's for trumos and ma'asros, it's a new year. But how the fruits are going to grow throughout the year, the Rosh Hashanah is Shavuos. Agav, and I'm just mentioning it cuz it's the day for this week, the Gemara says we read the tochacha before the Rosh Hashanah of Shavuos, cuz tichleh shanah. But it's not before Rosh Hashanah, before Shavuos. There's a week in between, it's Bamidbar. So, the Rishonim say, Tosafos explains that we don't want it to be too close. We want to finish off the tochacha, have a break, and then start the new year. Shouldn't the tochacha shouldn't go into the new year. It's brought by halacha in the Shulchan Aruch, at the end of chelek daled, almost the last siman, the Shulchan Aruch says, lo oilam, we always laid Bamidbar before Shavuos. There are exceptions of Naso, but as opposed to Bechukosai, it's never before Shavuos. Al korbonam, the Gemara says that Matan that that uh Shavuos is Rosh Hashanah le'ilanos. Now, you really have to understand Rosh Hashanah le'ilanos. So, what does it have to do with tochacha? What Why Rosh Hashanah le'ilanos? There's a lot of Russia Shana throughout the year Pesach is Russia Shana for the tour the Gamora the mission says in Russia Shana so why Russia Shana honest Russia Shana so that's why there's a lot of Russia Shana throughout the year what's so unique about the being a Russia Shana Russia Shana so the says that the Russia Shana is the following cloud Israel's Paris cloud Israel is the Paris and Elon is the so it's Russia Shana now coming up Russia Shana now for us what's the Russia Shana says the that a person on gets judged for the Torah that he learned the previous year and on a positive note the says that it's a Russia Shana for this coming year how much you'll be able to learn how much you'll have in the upcoming year being so let's try to speak a little bit for a few minutes a little bit practical of how to be able to and learn the Torah the all the days of are days of Isaac the says the 49 days of are split into three parts Torah avoid the and and to be Isaac in Adam that was told by him from now the last third from till the person should be and learn the Torah so we're holding now the final stretch before to be and learn the Torah It's not only the final stretch, it's the last week. It's exactly 7 days till Shavuos. We have a reminder this week the Pirkei Avos this week. The Menachos Kinyan HaTorah Niknas Bam. In many Seforim this Shabbos is called Shabbos Kallah. And Shabbos Kallah, just like a Shabbos Kallah we're going to get married to the Torah this Shabbos before, it's also preparing for the wedding, preparing with Torah. I want to try to go through some different ways how to be mechazek in limud haTorah. And some of you might connect to one over the other. I think the number one challenge that we all have, each and every one of us, especially people that are working for a living, there's very little time to learn. And rightfully so, a person works a full day, then he comes home, he has an obligation to take care of his kids, and then he has the yeshiva's making the dinner, and he has simchas and events to go to, and there's very little time left. When I started in Shainers, I still tried to do it. My job was to find people chavrusa's. So I used to reach out right, left, and center to people if you want a chavrusa in the morning, at night. Some of you know about it. The number one answer was, "Thank you, I really appreciate it. I just don't have time." And and it's right, In getting the kids out, then go to work, you come home, you put the kids to sleep. The vision of Cerebra of Monsey, the one over here, the previous one was rather for many years who started vision at Cere Monsey almost 50 years. He had something with Hasidim. They called it Saplock, notes that you wrote down. It seems like you know, if I don't if I'm not saying it clearly, you'll help me. hours You wrote down, you recorded how much time you learned. Which by the way, it's an unbelievable idea. Because sometimes a person thinks he's learning and then you write it down, you look at the end of the week and you open up that page, that booklet, it doesn't really add up. That's his Hasidim used to go in to him with that booklet, with the hours, how much they learned. I actually heard over from somebody who was my Bar Mitzvah that went in. So maybe it starts then. So the Bar Mitzvah asked him, "You also do it?" So the Rebbe pulled out of his pocket, he showed he also does it. Anyways, there was a person that went in with his booklet, with his page to show his hours. And he takes it out, he shows it to the Rebbe and it's blank. So he explained, "Why is it blank?" He said the following, "Usually I learn, I have an hour at night to learn. However, both of my parents are not well, they're both in the hospital. When I come home, the time that I have, I go to take care to help out my parents." The Rebbe said 100% of course, "Kavod Hashem, of course you take care of your parents. But when you come home late at night, take out that tomorrow off the off the shelf, put it down on your table, open it up, close it and put it back in the shelf. At least take an action to be connected to Torah. And write that into the page. Write it in, you'll do that. So the person said, "If I already took out the Gamara, you think I didn't learn a Mishna? I learned a little bit." It could be the intention was even just to take out a Gamara. But if you find a little bit of time, even when there's no time, you find a little bit of time. I think it's famous, but I'll say it anyways. Somebody asked Rav Zalman Auerbach, "I only have 10 minutes a day to learn." It's an interesting question. What should I learn? I only have 10 minutes. Should I learn Gamara, Mishnayos, Chumash, maybe Emunah U'Bitachon? So Rav Zalman said, "You should learn Mussar." 10 minutes a day, learn Mussar. Now, you might think cuz Rav Zalman was the movement of Mussar, so he picked Mussar. He explained, "When you learn Mussar, you'll find time." So the first thing is, it's true, a lot of we're really busy, and it's very tight with the time, but to try to find time. There's a story with Rav Chaim Kanievsky. This I heard this uh during the Shiva. They had a a Asifa. Rav Chaim Kanievsky once called He wanted to make a gathering of all the Mohelim. So the Mohelim got excited. What's this action? What's going on? What is he going to speak about? It's always interesting, a Mohelim conference. Last night I was by a Mohelim conference. It was very, very interesting. They had urologist. It was very It was very very interesting. Reb Chaim Kanievsky, that was interesting. Could you imagine Reb Chaim Kanievsky being there speaking. Anyways, he calls everybody together, all the mohels. He gets up and he makes a siyum on Shas. Why did he invite the mohels? He told the mohels, "I finished Shas all the times that I was a sandek between one bris, when I have to wait to be a sandek, another bris. Those few minutes here and there, I finished Shas." Well, not Reb Chaim Kanievsky to finish Shas in between waiting, but at least a person could find time. What if a person has Mishnayos or he has a certain masechta that he learns? This morning I was schmoozing with my friend Akiva Goldberg, the head of Kinyan, one of the heads. And he was a person Somebody passes by. He says, "This is the Kinyan jogger." I said, "What do you mean?" He says, "When he jogs, he jogs like crazy. When he jogs, he's constantly chazering blatt a finished sukkah like a hundred times." I reached out them to make sure that I got the story clear. He said he went once to Eretz Yisrael, he learned the whole masechta on the plane. The point is The point is when a person finds time. Oh, very When a person There's no time, but you find time. Person exercises, he finds time. Just on a personal note, my uncle Laser was speaking about Shas. You got to bring him in also. Speak about him. Recently, he got into learning Mishnayos. The night before the wedding, a miracle, he made a siyum on Shulchan Aruch Even Haezer. Then soon later, he made a family get-together, Pesach, again Even Haezer. Anyways, he's learning a lot of Mishnayos. I figured, "Listen, you learns I'm not sure, but Mishnayos." So, I started learning Mishnayos, couple Masechtos, and my kids picked up. They started making like every Shabbos a siyum, making a whole dessert. So, now already, I don't have a choice. Already my daughter made already desserts for this week. I'm glad I'm learning Halachos. And I have three, four prakim left. So, I have a I still have a night tonight. I don't have a choice. They made the dessert already. So, what am I saying? I'm I'm just saying that a person they start at no time, but you got to figure out a little bit here and there, of course, in a normal way. But, we're talking about how to be mechazek in Kabbalas HaTorah. Shavuos is Kabbalas HaTorah. What can we do to try to connect to tap in? So, the first thing is, of course, to learn. If we don't have time, we have to try to find time. To try to find time. Another pointer, if we're already learning, the way we learn. And this is it's hard. The Gemara says there's a machlokes, interesting machlokes Tanoim, in a person's way of life. Rebbi Shimon bar Yochai holds that a person is supposed to learn all day, every day. That's why he's here in this world. He should plant, he should get involved. That's shitas Rebbi Shimon bar Yochai. Rebbi Yishmael says, "No." Rebbi Yishmael says, "The Torah we say it every day in Krias Shema, 'Ve'ahavta es Hashem Elokecha.' The Torah says you work, you support your family, 'Ve'ahavta es Hashem Elokecha.' Machlokes. So, the Gemara says, "Harbei did like Rebbi Yishmael." They worked. Of course, they were eating the Torah. They worked and and that's how they supported themselves. However, a lot that tried doing like like Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai, also be Adam, they did not succeed. Gamorah. So, I once heard a p'shat. This is from the Vishnitz Rebbe of Bnei Brak, Yeshua Shmuel, but it's a very powerful yesod. He says, "Harbe to learn the whole day, harbe a lot of hours like Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai, that's we can't. You work, you can't do the whole day. But at least a little bit, the miut, when you work that little bit of time, those few minutes should be like Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai, which means you should be present." Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai learned the whole day. There was nothing else on his mind. So, a person when he learns, whatever time he finds, he's learning 20 minutes, 15 minutes a night, but those 15 minutes he should be zoomed in. No phone, connected to learn. That little bit of time a person should be connected. Connected, focused. However words you want to say, but it's to be those few minutes that a person learns, he should learn. One more idea, I think some could appreciate is a lot of times or many times or most of the times when a person sits down to learn, he has no brainpower anymore. He's finished. He's shut down. He's wiped out. It's the end of the day. He just doesn't have koach anymore. So, this uh eitzah that's given, you just sit down and you learn, even if you only understand 10%. And this eitzah was done over and over, and there are people that finished all of Shas because of that. Meaning to say is they started and they learned. And eventually you sit down, you train yourself, you even though you can't really comprehend, you learn a little better, a little more, you chazer it over, and you can connect, you can understand, you can understand. One last pointer, and with this I conclude, and it's connected to this week's parsha. Sometimes a person thinks, "I could only learn a few minutes. What difference does it make?" Really, what difference does it make? It's important, but what's difference? "I'm not finishing a mesechta anytime soon. I'm not writing a safer, I'm I'm not giving a shiur. Just to learn a few minutes, what difference does it make?" Says Rav Moshe Feinstein, this week's parsha, the reason why parshas Bamidbar, this Shabbos, is the Shabbos before Shavuos. We said before that it's the haftorah in between the tochacha, but why is Bamidbar before Shavuos? Bamidbar, the parsha speaks about counting Bnei Yisrael. Says Rav Moshe, "Just like the counting of Bnei Yisrael brought out that every person is chashuv, so too a person has to know we're going against the kabbalas haTorah. The way to appreciate and to be mekabel the Torah is by appreciating even a little bit. The little bit that we can learn, we we also appreciate. That gives a person chizuk to be able to learn more." We should daven to be zocheh to take some of these ideas, all of these ideas, to be able to prepare now the last week, countdown to Shavuos, we should all be zocheh for kabbalas haTorah. Amen. Amen. >> [clears throat]