The Haftoroh

This weeks Haftorah is found in the book of Yeshayohu (61:10 to 63:9)

This week Netzovim and Vayeilech are read together and the Haftorah of Netzavim is read. It is the 7th and the last of the Haftorah of comfort that are read between Tisha Beov and Rosh Hashanah It provides a climax of happiness to hopeful prophecies of redemption and salvation that the other 6 have provided. The connection between the two sedras and the Haftorah is easily evident. Parshas Netzovim discusses the hope that the Geula gives us and the Haftorah prophecies about the era of the redemption. The first pasuk says: [When moshiach comes Bnei Yisroel will say] I greatly rejoice in Hashem, my soul jubilates in G-d for He has clothed with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me in clothes of reward like a chosson who looks like a Cohen Gadol in beautiful clothes, like a Calah who adorns herself with jewellery. Our jubilation and excitement can be described with a moshel from the Medrash: Once a queen lived alone; her sons and daughter-in-laws had abandoned her and even her husband the king,
Editorial Team: Shmuli Margulies Yossi Prager Mikey Lebrett Avraham Grant Micha Athersych Contributors: Alex Jaffe, Rabbi D. Meyer, Yaakov Levy Director : Rabbi D Meyer

had left on a journey. All manner of accusations flew around with regards to his sudden disappearance only making the queen feel worse. What seemed like years later, she heard that her sons and daughter-inlaws were returning, but her despondent mood remained. One day there was a massive up cry in the country. The king was returning! People were ecstatic and finally the queens mood lifted. In Aleinu we say: Bayom Hahu Yihyeh Hashem Echod Ushmo Echod. Whilst we are in Golus, Hashems name is disgraced and mocked. People accuse him of abandoning His nation out of a lack of concern. When Moshiach arrives we will rejoice, not only due to our salvation but also because our, father, our king, whom we love so much will finally be recognized as supreme ruler over the whole world.May this year be the year that sees the coming of Moshiach Zidkenu and the universal acceptance of Hashem as The One. Gut Shabbos and Kasiva Vechasima Tova. By Yoir Chalk
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The Hasmonean High School Weekly Sedra Sheet 23rd Issue Shabbos - September no. Ends @ 5771 2011 380 7:45

ROSH HASHANAH - JUDGEMENT DAY

This Shabbos is the last Shabbos of the year and a time when we look towards the coming of Rosh Hashanah, our day of judgement. However, it is interesting to compare the contrast between a person approaching a court case and one approaching Rosh Hashanah. Every person facing legal action is taught that the first thing they must do is get a lawyer, and the more severe the problem the more important this is. Indeed, if a person was to appear in court accused of a serious crime without a representative the court would appoint one for him. The duty of the lawyer, irrespective of his innocence, is to ensure that he is acquitted. He will caution his client not to say anything without a lawyer being present, and certainly not to admit to any crime. Should the defendant be found guilty, then as a last recourse, the lawyer will try and justify the actions by pleading mitigating circumstances. However the court of Heaven is very different. There is no option of having a representative, every individual must stand up and represent himself. There is no need for legal expertise as the only chance of salvation is to admit ones guilt, and woe betide the person who suggests "it wasn't my fault!" These differences in approach actually reflect a significant flaw within modern society. The first recourse when a person is in trouble is to get someone else to shield the blame. The absolute standards of right and wrong are too often distorted behind legal calisthenics, and when a person is ultimately found to be in the wrong, there is always a reason or an excuse. Indeed more often than not we are told society is to blame. By Rabbi D. Meyer (Executive Headteacher) May I take this opportunity to wish you a and may all our actions be and may we have the strength to aspire and achieve to the best of our ability in all our endeavours. On Rosh Hashanah we are judged not just as to whether we are good, but by comparing how good we have been against how good we could have been. This is a fundamental concept which should permeate throughout every aspect of our lives. We cannot accept being "just good enough", and must strive to be the best we can be. Indeed, the determination to better ourselves, and to achieve this through Torah and mitzvos, must be at the core of our educational values, and essential in the upbringing of our children. Interestingly even within the concept of right and wrong there is a significant difference of approach. Society dictates that right and wrong are an absolute level, and so long as a person does not cross the line his actions are legal. Jewish Law however shows us that whilst there is a clear distinction between right and wrong, even if a person is on the right side of the law, this is not enough. There is a requirement that every person must aspire to achieve above and beyond the requirement of the law. Indeed we even ask of Hashem that He should interact with Bnei Yisrael In the world of the Torah there is no one else to blame and each individual must take responsibility for his actions.

Story

Dvar Torah

Hidden Potential
Rabbi Yosef Karo (Author of the Shulchan Aruch) once encountered an extremely difficult sugya in the Gemora. After many days and nights of toil, he finally succeeded in understanding its meaning. At a nearby table in the Beis Hamedrash sat a man who would come every evening for an hour or two of learning. Although his business consumed the bulk of his day and his Gemora skills were limited, he diligently pursued his nightly Daf of Gemora. Rabbi Yosef noticed that this man was approaching the very sugya that had given him such difficulty; curious as to how his neighbour would deal with it, Rabbi Yosef listened in. To his great surprise, the businessman mastered the passage without any difficulty, immediately hitting upon the very interpretation which he had himself arrived at only after so much effort. Rabbi Yosef was greatly distressed by the incident. Obviously, he thought, there is something lacking in my understanding of Torah. Why else would it have taken so much time and hard work on my part to see what is so readily obvious to even a part-time, rather unexceptional Gemora? student of That night, Rabbi Yosef had a dream, in which it was revealed to him the significance of what had occurred. Know, he was told, that from the time that the Torah was given at Har Sinai, no man had understood the particular insight which you have uncovered. This is why you had to labour so strenuously to work it out -this aspect of the Hashem's wisdom had yet to enter our world of earthly intellect. But your efforts and hard work opened the channel by which this truth was revealed. Having opened this channel, you have made this truth readily accessible to every mind that approaches the study of Hashem's Torah. We can see from this story that each and every single person has an insight into Torah that only they can give. If they were to go through life without ever giving their unique insight then this insight would be forever lost from the world. By Micha Athersych

Parshas Nitzavim-Vayelech
Reb Shimshon Pinkas in his sefer Tifferes Shimshon writes that in actuality, the two sedras we read this week are in fact just one but sometimes they are split up and separated in order to ensure that Parshas Nitzavim is read the Shabbos before Rosh Hashana. He then adds that Nitzavim is always before these auspicious days as it contains much mussar, rebuke pertinent to this time in the calendar. He continues by quoting the passuk (19,18) in Parshas Nitzavim - -- This passuk is talking about when a person will hear all the various words of rebuke and curses that may come about due to our disregard of G-ds instruction and say to himself, these curses do not apply to me at all and He will bless himself in his heart saying there will be peace for me, although I walk as my heart sees fit. The next passukim then go onto to describe the punishment for one who so brazenly desecrates the Torah Then the wrath of G-dwill burn against that manAnd G -d will eradicate his name from the heavens above Now, this punishment isnt coming on one who simply defies G-d, but one who defies Him and disregards Him with not even a modicum of fear for the punishment from Hashem that will befall him. This, Rav Pinkus writes is also true on Rosh Hashana. One who stands before G-d on these days with his head held high, thinking that he is perfect with nothing to change is the very one unto whom all these punishments will be enacted. However, on the other hand, if, as we stand in our court case thinking the scary words of Unesana Tokef; who will live; who will perish; who with water; who with fire etc. and we realize that we are standing before G-d and we are fearful of the wrong we have done as we cry out to Hashem for mercy, mercy will surely be bestowed unto us. In fact, our Rabbis teach us that this is the very job of the Shofar. On Rosh Hashana as we stand at our court case before G-d as our prosecutors stand by waiting, we blow, as commanded by G-d, the Shofar. The reason for this is for the sounds it makes, which we are told is meant to remind us of crying and is what goes to heaven and destroys all claims of our attackers thus allowing us to be judged as innocent. A very interesting mashal is given to illustrate a point. Say there was a boy who one day didnt behave properly in school and before hed got home, his teacher had telephoned his parents to describe their childs behavior that day. From that phone call until the child gets home his parents are thinking about what punishment to give the child. However, as he walks in the door, suddenly his finger gets caught in the door and he lets out a massive, loud cry and scream. His parents will come running to the door, check hes okay and comfort him. Any thought of punishment will be immediately forgotten and even more than that, theyll buy him sweets and gifts to comfort him and make him feel better. This is exactly the same on Rosh Hashana. When we blow the Shofar it represents our, the Jewish peoples, most heartfelt cry it is a cry that pierces the heaven and destroys our attackers claims. Therefore, when we realize that, as we approach the day of judgment on which all happenings of the year are decided, all illnesses are given and all money distributed and we dont say to ourselves that we are perfect with nothing to change and we appreciate that we must ask of our Creator mercy, for us, our friends and our family, immediately G-d will have mercy on us and write us and seal us for a year of goodness, happiness and health. Gut Shabbos and Gut Yom Tov. Ksivah Vchasima Tova By Yaakov Levy (Headboy)

Saying of the Week Man's chief superiority over animals is his power of speech; if he abuses it, he is no higher than they. - The Sassover Rebbe

Gematria of the Week

This weeks Parsha always falls on the last Shabbos of the month of Elul, just before Rosh Hashana. When Moshe is describing how Hashem will bring us back if we do Teshuva, the posuk states: ' And Hashem will circumcise your heart and the hearts of your children. If you take the the first letters, you find the name of this month, , coded into the posukim talking about teshuva, the main goal of the month. (Courtesy of A. Jaffe)

Yisroel is trapped in a room. The room has only two possible exits: two doors. Through the first door there is a room constructed from magnifying glass. The blazing hot sun instantly fries anything or anyone that enters. Through the second door there is a fire-breathing dragon. How does Yisroel progress?
What is the connection to this weeks parshah? Please send your answers to: hasmolivingtorah@gmail.com

Riddle of the Week

(Courtesy of Y. Prager)

(Answer in next weeks Living Torah)