Rabbi Leo BRESLAUER Special Address Nitsovim -Vayelech

Synopsis of a Special Address by Rabbi Leo BRESLAUER

of Congregation Kehilas Yaakov of Washington Heights

 

My friends, all of Kehillas Yaakov!

Although I had already given notice in our Board some times ago, I am sorry that by force of circumstances I had to delay my appearance before you. Now, that we have moved to Monsey, we are in the situation of a Niftor M’Chaveiro, one who parts with his friend and does not want to be forgotten. We in Monsey will surely never forget you. After all those forty years how can we forget so much of our individual life span. But you are a Tsibbur, your  timing is different.

I would like to follow the advice of Chazal; they said: “If, Chaveirim are parting with each other, it should be done by a D’var Halocho. Being Chaveitim they belong together, and a D’var Halocho can keep them together even while separated by the longest distance.

We are now in the Parshios Nitsovim-Vayeilech. These two words reflect our problem. Nitsovim means remaining firmly, and is a Loshon Rabbim, plural, referring to K’lall Yisroel. But Vayelech means moving, and a Loshon Yochid, referring to a single person. Even tough he was Moshe Rabbeinu, yet he was a mortal individual and the Tsibbur would still remain long after him. And also he might have been concerned about being forgotten, were it not for the Toras Moshe which made him unforgettable.

So, I came now to take leave from you with two Divrey Halocho.

First, a D’var Halocho on Vayelech. It is a matter of Hashkofo. I will try to be very precise.  Moshe Rabbeinu had to teach Shiras HaAzinu to B’nei Yisroel so intensively that it would never be forgotten. Its essence is: Heaven and earth are made witnesses by their Creator that “Hashem bodod yanehenu ve’ein lmo Eil Neichor.” HaShem alone shall guide His people and no strange god with him.

About  65 years ago, in Kattowitz, the Agudas Yisroel World Organization was founded expressively for the purpose to put up an absolute negating factor against the worldwide wide Zionist movement, which denied and opposed the belief in Shomer Yisroel. Political Zionism, the very Eil Neichor, declared that the Jewish nation cannot rely on Hakodosh Baruch Hu for its survival. It must normalize itself by establishing a secular Jewish national statehood, independent of HaShem and His Torah. Real Meenus ‘atheism). To make bad worse, political Zionism, characteristically prone to disguise, insisted on Admas Kodesh (the Holy Land) for its unholy statehood, thus turning the Meenus into the gravest tempting test for Torah true Achdus. A real Satan: In the year 5709, the United Nations recognized a part of Palestine as a territory of the Zionist State and so gave unwittingly recognition to the worst global Chilul Hashem, which – to our shame – was seconded by the prompt silencing of protesting Ma’aminim  (Faithful) among us.

Now, again a Knessio Gedaulo of Agudath Yisroel World Organization in Jerusalem is in the making, but the genuine Agudath Ysroel World Organization of Kattowitz  faithful to her raison d’être for the sake of K’vaud Shomayim – would never parade in a Jewish national state of secular normalization, which l’maan Hashem should never have come into being – even without enjoying the facilities of the capital and official felicitations.

So, who is who?

As long as Torah-political truth is basis  Hashkofo in Kehilas Yaakov, we will be united in mutual remembrance.

Second, a D’var Halocho on Nitsovim:  Areivus as responsable in behalf of the Tsibbur. Rabbon Gamliel, in the second peirek calls it “La’aruk im hatzibbur le Shem Shomayim.” Also we all being members of our Kehillas Yaakov, must be concerned about it, although not in the same way. First of all, those who do the administrative or fulfill specific congregational functions or represent K.Y. in social and public life. Also those who are learning Torah or teaching it. Then, those who take part in making in making K.Y. AN Eido of Yereim morning and evening. And even those who just say “Omein”. Those last ones are far from being the least ones.

You probably heard about New Square, a Chassidic village in Spring Valley. They had a beautiful Shul and in it a small cheder where the Rebbe could be by himself, to daven and meditate. One day, a fire destroyed the Shul but the cheder survived unharmed. Someone asked the Rebbe, “Is it true?” and he answered, “It is; but why are you so amazed by it? In my cheder there is never Sichas Betello, no shmussing during the davening.”

The Sh’mone Esre is primarily a substitute for the daily Korban Tamid in the Beis Hamikdosh. Just as one lamb was offered for K’lal Yisroel, all united by the common Shekel, so its substitute  is the Sh’mone Esre, said by one man for the entire Tsibbur, all united by the common “omein”, in other words, the loud repetition  of the Sh’liach Tsibbur. Nobody would have dared to shmuss during the offering of the Korban Tomid in the Beis Hamikdosh, the House of the Shechino, nobody should dare to schmuss during the loud Sh’moneh Esre in our Mikdosh M’at, also a House of the Shechino. This is the meaning of the sign over the Aron Hakodesh: “Da Lifnei Mi Ato Omed.” No schmuess even with the friend, not even a word of Torah, only “Omein”. If this is not done, then, chas vesholom, our Beis Haknesses is not properly shielded in spite of all insurances. But those who resist all temptations and say “Omein” and only “Omein” in the loud Sh’mone Esre because they feel responsible for the Tsibbur, even the ladies on their balcony, they, that are “oskim im HaTsibbur LeShem Shomayim” in the fullest sense of the word “Ve’Lezikosom Omedes l’ad.”

Now you might ask.: Is this mutual remembrance among people really so important?  Perhaps is it just a human frill? You are right: If just among people, it can be just unimportant. But our remembrance of two or more B’ nei Yisroel is trough a D’var Halocho which is Torah, and Thora is always remembered by HaKodosh Boruch Hu, thus performing the very important union of Hakodosh Boruch , Torah and Yisroel.

 It is just what we are praying and hoping for in  these days of Slichoss “Zochreinu LeChayim, Melech Chofetz Bachaim”

May H akodosh Boruch Hu grant us this Z’chiro, all of us and Klall Yisroel, today and forever, omein!

 

Source: The Jewish Guardian Archive

Vol 2 Number 5 1982