A Sichah from Maran HaGaon Rav Gershon Edelstein shlita, Rosh Yeshivas Ponevez - Vayishlach 5773 #35

I
know
of
a
family
whose
performance
of
hachnosas
orchim
is
commendable.
They
give
up
their
beds
for
the
comfort
of

the
 guests,
 while
 they
 lay
 on
 mattresses
 supported
 by
 two
 rows
 of
 chairs.
 The
 regulars
 of
 this
shiur,
 as
 well,
 performed
 this

mitzvah
by
giving
up
their
seats
for
our
guests
from
Israel’s
south,
who
were
forced
to
flee
their
homes.



‫
‐
תיראי אותי תיקחי מוסר‬Witness Me [these  
 Rabbeinu
 Yona
(Shaarei Teshuva
(2:2)
 brings
 the

events], and Learn a Lesson.
 following
 passuk
 from
 Yeshayahu
 (42:25):
 ‫ותלהטהו‬
We
will
speak
of
relevant
and
pertinent
ideas,
 ‫[ 
‐ 
מסביב ולא ידע ותבער בו ולא ישים על לב‬the
 fire] 
regarding
the
current
events
transpiring
here
in
Eretz  Shall  burn  around  him  and  he  will  not  know,  it  shall 
Yisroel.
The
Gemara
in
Yevamos
(63a)
says: ‫אין פורענות‬ burn  inside  him  and  he  will  not  notice.
 First,
 suffering

comes
 “around  him”,
 referring
 to
 events
 in
 other

‫באה לעולם אלא בשביל ישראל שנאמר הכרתי גוים‬
nations
 but
 “he  will  not  know”;
 as
 the
 verse
 in

‫‐וגו' וכתיב אך תיראי אותי תיקחי מוסר‬  All  suffering  Yeshayahu
 says
 (1:3)
 Yisroel  did  not  know,  My  nation 
comes  to  the  world  for  the  sake  of  Israel,  as  it  says:  I 
did  not  take  note.
 This
 level
 was
 insufficient
 to
 bring

have destroyed the nations...and it says: You will notice 
home
 the
 point
 so
 the
 suffering
 comes
 closer
 “it  shall 
these events and learn from them.
If
suffering
occurs
in

burn  inside”,
 referring
 to
 inside
 those
 that
 did
 not

the
world,
even
in
a
faraway
land,
to
a
different
nation,

awaken
and
even
still
they
did
“not notice”.
 
its
 sole
 purpose
 is
 for
 Am  Yisroel
 to
 take
 notice
 and

Many  troubling  and  tragic  events  are 
realize
 that
 everything
 that
 occurs
 is
 governed
 by

occurring  in  the  world.  Just  recently  there  was  a 
Hashem
and
His
constant
hashgocho
‐
providence.
If
we

terrible  storm  in  America;  just  as  the  passuk  tells 
look
 at
 these
 events
 correctly,
 we
 should
 awaken,

us  (Tehillim  148:8)  Storm  winds  perform  His  will. 
repent,
and
grow
in
our
yiras
Hashem.
If
we
choose
to

Some  were  completely  not  moved  by  this  to 
ignore
 such
 events
 and
 explain
 them
 as
 mere,
 natural

repent.  There  are  also  wars,  floods  and 
coincidences,
 not
 intended
 directly
 for
 the
 sake
 of

earthquakes  throughout  the  world.  With  today’s 
Yisroel
 to
 repent,
 such
 an
 attitude
 could
 cause
 an

technology,  people  find  out  what  is  occurring  on 
escalation
 of
 the
 suffering.
 The
 passuk
 says
 (Yayikra

the other side of the world, as never before. Due to 
26):
 ‫­ 
אם תלכו עמי בקרי והלכתי עמכם בחמת קרי‬  If  people’s  complacency,  the  troubles  reached  the 
you  shall  walk  with  me  with  an  attitude  of  Holy Land, as the passuk says, “it shall burn inside”; 
happenstance,  I  too,  shall  walk  with  you  with  it  is  very  severe  if  one  doesn’t  heed  the  warning 
happenstance
 [a
 seeming
 natural
 progression
 of
 signs.

events].
 The
 passuk
 teaches
 us
 that
 if
 we
 ignore
 the
 We
 must,
 therefore,
 realize
 that
 Hashem

warnings,
 the
 situation
 can
 worsen.
 The
 verses
 of
 directly
 guides
 every
 misfortune
 that
 occurs.
 The

rebuke
 and
 punishment
 in
 the
 Torah
 are
 said
 to
 the

Gemara
(Shabbos
55a)
tells
us:
 ‫אין מיתה בלא חטא ואין‬
entirety
of
Am
Yisroel;
if
we
keep
the
Torah,
we
merit

‫‐ 
ייסורים בלא עוון‬  There  is  no  death  without  [prior 
blessings
 and
 rewards,
 if,
 on
 the
 other
 hand,
 we

unintentional]  sin,  and  there  is  no  suffering  without 
forsake
the
Torah,
we
can
come
to
ideas
of
heresy.
One

[prior  intentional]  sin.
 Why
 is
 it
 that
 death
 can
 result

starts
 believing
 that
 everything
 is
 just
 a
 natural

from
 ‫ 
חטא‬yet
 suffering
 is
 due
 to
 ‫ 
?עוון‬Tosfos
 explain

occurrence,
 thereby
 rendering
 the
 wake‐up
 call,

useless.

 that
 suffering
 comes
 specifically
 as
 a
 result
 of
 aveiros



 1

 that
are
intentional
but
death
can
also
come
as
a
result
 passed
 all
 his
 tests
 and
 grew
 from
 them.
 It
 was
 with

of
unintentional
sins.

 this
 mistake
 that
 made
 Adom
 eat
 from
 the
 Eitz 
We
can
explain
that
there
is
no
death
without
 HaDaas, which
resulted
in
death
coming
to
the
world.

prior
unintentional
aveiros
with
a
case
in
point:
the
sin
 We
 find,
 therefore,
 that
 death
 came
 to
 the
 world

of
the
Eitz Hadaas.
This
aveira
brought
the
concept
of
 through
an
aveira
‫
‐
בשוגג‬unintentional sin.


death
to
the
world
yet
it
was
cause
by
an
unintentional
 We
 are
 told
 of
 four
 levels
 of
 sins
 and
 their

aveira
‐
 ‫שוגג‬.
My
Rebbi,
Harav
Hagaon
Rav
Dessler
zt”l
 respective
 teshuva
 processes
 (Yoma
 86a).
 Some
 sins

(Michtav  MeEliyahu
 B‐146)
 explained
 in
 the
 name
 of
 are
 atoned
 from
 through
 teshuva,
 some
 through
 Yom 
the
 Ariza”l
 as
 follows.
 Adom
 Harishon
 had
 good
 Kippur
 and
 some
 can
 only
 merit
 atonement
 via

intentions
when
he
ate
from
the
tree.
He
surmised
that
 suffering.
This
is
true
when
these
aveiros
(specifically,

if
 he
 will
 strengthen
 the
 Yetzer  Harah
 within
 him
 and
 sins
warranting
kares – spiritual excommunication,
and

still
 not
 falter,
 despite
 facing
 a
 harder
 test,
 he
 would
 the
death
penalty)
were
committed
intentionally.
This

gain
a
much
closer
and
deeper
connection
to
Hashem.
 is
the
meaning
of
what
we
said
above
that
there
is
no

Through
this,
there
will
be
a
greater
kiddush
Hashem
‐
 suffering
 without
 prior
 intentional
 sins.
 Only
 when

sanctification
 of
 Hashem’s
 name,
 in
 the
 world.
 The
 committed
 intentionally,
 we
 find
 certain
 aveiros
 that

Nefesh HaChaim
(Shaar
1:6)
explains
that
prior
to
this
 must
be
punished
with
suffering.


sin,
the
Yetzer Harah
was
external
to
man.
Adom
fully
 Suffering
brings
one
to
stronger
emunah.
Years

understood
the
severity
of
sin
and
was
afraid
of
it
just
 ago,
I
went
to
get
a
doctor
on
Shabbos,
when
one
of
the

as
a
person
is
afraid
of
placing
his
hand
into
a
fire.
The
 children
 was
 sick.
 I
 saw
 that
 the
 doctor
 did
 not
 keep

snake
had
to
incite
Adom
externally,
as
he
did
not
have
 Shabbos
 as
 she
 was
 cooking
 in
 her
 house.
 On
 a

any
internal
desire
to
sin
and
eat
from
the
Eitz Hadaas.
 different
 occasion,
 when
 her
 son
 was
 ill,
 she
 sent

As
 a
 result
 of
 the
 sin,
 the
 Yetzer  Harah
 became
 candles
to
a
shul,
in
the
merit
that
her
son
should
have

ingrained
in
man
as
second
nature.
A
person
truly
feels
 a
 speedy
 recovery.
 As
 we
 said,
 suffering
 strengthens

as
 if
 he
 wants
 to
 sin
 and
 that
 the
 desire
 is
 not
 just
 a
 one’s
 emunah;
 she
 knew
 there
 is
 a
 mitzvah
 to
 give

foreign
 pull.
 Chazal
 tell
 us
 (Bava
 Basra
 16b)
 that
 the
 candles
 to
 a
 shul
 and
 therefore
 performed
 this
 act
 to

Yetzer
 Harah
 is
 also
 the
 Satan
 and
 also
 the
 Angel
 of
 help
in
her
son’s
recovery.


Death.
His
plan
of
attack
is
as
follows.
He
first
incites
a
 

person
 to
 sin,
 he
 then
 prosecutes
 against
 him
 in
 the
 Love
of
Olam Habah

Heavenly
court,
and
finally
he
comes
to
take
away
the
 Practically
speaking,
we
must
know
that
there

neshoma.
 Man
 is
 convinced
 it
 is
 himself
 that
 desires
 are
 two
 differing
 paths:
 one
 focuses
 on
 Olam  Hazeh

physicality
 and
 sin
 and
 is
 unaware
 that
 it
 is
 actually
 and
 the
 other
 on
 Olam  Habah.
 The
 Chovos  Halevavos

the
work
of
the
Yetzer Harah.
All
bodily
pleasures
are
 (Shaar  Cheshbon  Hanefesh
 Ch.3)
 teaches
 us
 that
 the

products
of
the
evil
inclination,
as
the
person
is
really
 love
of
these
two
worlds
is
diametrically
opposed.
One

a
spiritual
neshoma
and
not
the
‫
‐
גוף‬body.
The
essence
 who
 loves
 Olam
 Hazeh
 and
 its
 worldly,
 physical

of
 man
 is
 not
 his
 hands,
 legs,
 or
 even
 his
 heart.
 We
 pleasures,
 cannot
 love
 Olam
 Habah.
 Every
 person

know
 that
 during
 a
 heart
 operation,
 the
 surgeons
 can
 should
 think
 to
 himself
 which
 of
 these
 two
 he
 truly

take
 out
 a
 person’s
 heart
 and
 keep
 him
 alive
 via
 a
 prefers,
as
one
cannot
simultaneously
have
a
desire
for

respirator,
 yet
 when
 the
 neshoma
 departs
 the
 body,
 both.
 Tzaddikim
 appreciate
 and
 desire
 Olam
 Habah,

even
 if
 the
 body
 is
 completely
 intact,
 the
 person
 dies.
 whereas
 the
 wicked
 prefer
 this
 world.
 Roshoyim,

The
body
is
just
a
cloak
for
the
neshoma
and
therefore
 therefore,
 receive
 the
 rewards
 for
 their
 mitzvos,
 here

one
 must
 allow
 his
 neshoma
 to
 govern
 his
 body
 and
 in
this
world,
thereby
rendering
them
empty
of
merits

not
the
other
way
around.

 
 when
 they
 arrive
 in
 Olam
 Habah.
 Tzaddikim,
 on
 the

When
 Adom
 HaRishon
 committed
 this
 sin
 it
 other
 hand,
 choose
 Olam
 Habah
 over
 this
 world
 and

was
 under
 the
 category
 of
 ‫ 
‐ 
עבירה לשמה‬a  sin  for  therefore
 sometimes
 undergo
 suffering
 here,
 in
 order

Heaven’s sake.
Rav
Yisroel
Salanter
zt”l
teaches
us
that
 to
 cleanse
 them
 of
 the
 aveiros
 they
 committed.
 This

we
 must
 “Heighten
 our
 fear
 of
 Heaven
 and
 lower
 our
 will
 leave
 them
 free
 of
 aveiros
 and
 they
 will
 not

trials”.
 Adom
 mistakenly
 thought
 he
 could
 contend
 require
 Gehinom,
 after
 they
 die.
 The
 Gemara
 in

with
an
internal
Yetzer
Harah,
thereby
making
a
bigger
 Berachos
(57b)
tells
us
that
the
fire
of
Gehinom
is
sixty

kiddush
 Hashem,
 similar
 to
 Avrohom
 Avinu
 who
 times
 stronger
 than
 the
 fire
 in
 this
 world.
 Who
 can



 2

 withstand
placing
his
finger
in
a
fire
here,
let
alone
in
 strength
to
burn
his
Rebbi
in
Gehinom?
When
will
I
die

Gehinom?
 Furthermore,
 the
 suffering
 in
 Gehinom
 acts
 and
 put
 out
 the
 smoke
 from
 his
 grave?”.
 Rebbi

upon
 the
 nefesh
 ‐
 soul
 ‐
 and
 not
 the
 body.
 Spiritual
 Yochanan
was
able
to
show
more
of
Acher’s
merits
to

suffering
 is
 much
 worse
 than
 physical
 pain.
 With
 the
 Heavenly
 court,
 thereby
 pardoning
 him
 from

physical
pain,
the
body
cannot
withstand
the
suffering
 Gehinom
altogether;
and
indeed,
when
Rebbi
Yochanan

and
eventually
perishes.
The
nefesh
is
eternal
and
can
 died,
 the
 smoke
 stopped
 emanating
 from
 Acher’s

therefore
 withstand
 the
 terrible
 suffering.
 If
 so,
 it
 is
 grave.

preferable
to
suffer
slightly
in
this
world
and
not
suffer
 Everyone
 should
 introspect
 and
 see
 which
 of

the
fire
of
Gehinom,
which
is
sixty
fold
and
affects
the
 these
 two
 worlds
 is
 his
 primary
 focus.
 One
 should

nefesh.

 minimize
 physical
 pleasures.
 Of
 course,
 one
 must
 eat

The
 story
 brought
 in
 the
 Gemara
 (Chagiga
 and
 sleep,
 but
 the
 intentions
 should
 be
 to
 engage
 in

15b)
 teaches
 us
 that
 it
 is
 preferable
 to
 suffer
 through
 these
acts
to
be
healthy
and
have
the
strength
to
be
a

the
 pain
 of
 Gehinom,
 in
 order
 to
 then
 pass
 on
 to
 Gan  servant
of
Hashem.
One
who
sleeps
and
eats
with
this

Eiden.
Elisha
Ben
Avuya,
also
known
as
Acher
(lit.
the
 as
his
main
motive
is
considered
an
eved
Hashem
even

other
one)
was
the
teacher
of
Rebbi
Meir.
He
went
off
 while
 sleeping
 (Rambam,
 Hilchos  Deos
 3:3).
 With

the
 Torah
 path,
 yet
 even
 while
 riding
 a
 horse
 on
 regards
 to
 sleeping,
 one
 can
 easily
 intend
 to
 sleep
 for

Shabbos
 (a
 Rabbinic
 prohibition)
 he
 would
 recite
 the
 right
 reasons.
 Sometimes
 it
 is
 hard
 to
 fall
 asleep

words
 of
 Torah.
 Rebbi
 Meir
 would
 walk
 behind
 him,
 and
 one
 is
 tempted
 to
 schmooze
 with
 others,
 which

learning
his
teacher’s
words.
Only
Rebbi
Meir
was
able
 caused
 him
 to
 stay
 up
 longer.
 With
 a
 little
 bit
 of

to
 keep
 learning
 from
 Acher
 without
 being
 negatively
 determination
one
can
fall
asleep
without
this
idle
talk

affected.
The
Gemara
refers
to
this
as
“Eating
from
the
 and
 thus
 make
 his
 sleep
 for
 the
 sake
 of
 Heaven.
 With

inside
 (fruit)
 while
 discarding
 the
 shell”.
 Rebbi
 Meir
 regards
to
eating,
this
process
is
slightly
more
difficult.

implored
 his
 teacher
 to
 repent
 but
 Acher
 responded
 Given
 that
 people
 tend
 to
 enjoy
 their
 food.
 A
 person

that
 he
 has
 heard
 from
 “behind
 the
 curtain”
 that
 he
 must
 think
 that
 he
 needs
 to
 enjoy
 his
 food
 so
 that
 he

will
 not
 be
 able
 to
 repent.
 This
 means
 that
 some
 will
 feel
 good
 and
 therefore
 learn
 with
 joy,
 as
 one

people
 merit
 Divine
 assistance
 in
 their
 process
 of
 cannot
learn
while
he
is
sad.


teshuva
 while
 others
 do
 not.
 For
 them,
 teshuva
 is
 an
 Let
 us
 recall
 the
 words
 of
 the
 GR”A
 who
 tells

even
harder
process
that
entails
a
lot
of
determination.
 us,
 regarding
 physical
 pleasures,
 that
 “Eventually

The
 Rambam
 (Hilchos  Teshuva
 Ch.4)
 explains
 that
 everyone
 ends
 up
 buried
 in
 earth
 with
 worms
 and

there
are
twenty‐four
hindrances
to
repentance,
yet
if
 maggots.
All
his
pleasures
will
be
turned
to
bitterness

one
 truly
 wants
 to
 do
 teshuva
 and
 will
 put
 all
 his
 and
that
death
is
intrinsic
in
a
person”.
He
is
telling
us

efforts
 into
 this,
 he
 too
 can
 succeed.
 Acher
 knew
 he
 that
the
pleasures
that
one
derived
here
in
Olam Hazeh

was
 not
 worthy
 of
 help
 from
 Shomayim
 and
 was
 not
 translate
 into
 worms
 after
 his
 death,
 and
 the
 less
 he

able
 to
 bring
 himself
 to
 do
 teshuva.
 After
 his
 passing,
 pursued
these
pleasures,
the
more
whole
his
body
will

he
 was
 not
 allowed
 into
 Gan  Eiden
 as
 he
 had
 sinned;
 remain.
 It
 is
 said
 that
 when
 the
 body
 of
 the
 Alter
 of

yet
he
was
also
not
allowed
into
Gehinom
as
the
merit
 Nahvardhok
 zt”l
 was
 moved
 from
 Russia,
 his
 student

of
his
Torah
protected
him.
Had
Acher
received
the
lot
 yelled:
 “It’s
 Rebbi,
 It’s
 Rebbi!!!”
 as
 he
 saw
 that
 his

of
 Gehinom,
 he
 would
 have
 eventually
 gone
 into
 Gan
 Rebbi’s
body
was
still
whole,
just
as
when
he
was
alive.


Eiden
 but
 he
 wasn’t
 given
 this
 right
 and
 instead,
 he
 What
 we
 must
 take
 out
 of
 all
 of
 this
 is
 to

was
 stuck
 (a
 spiritual
 punishment
 in
 which
 the
 minimize
engaging
in
worldly
pleasures
and
when
we

suffering
 is
 tremendous).
 When
 Rebbi
 Meir
 was
 must,
we
should
intend
that
what
we
are
doing
should

informed
 of
 his
 teacher’s
 judgment,
 he
 proclaimed:
 be
 for
 the
 sake
 of
 Heaven.
 One
 should
 go
 to
 sleep

“When
 will
 I
 die
 and
 cause
 smoke
 to
 rise
 up
 from
 his
 without
prior
idle
talk
and
with
intention
to
be
able
to

grave?”.
 What
 he
 meant
 was
 that
 he
 will
 request
 that
 properly
serve
Hashem
the
following
day.
By
doing
so,

the
Heavenly
court
grant
Acher
entrance
into
Gehinom,
 the
 person
 converts
 all
 the
 hours
 of
 his
 sleep
 (six,

thereby
 eventually
 granting
 him
 entrance
 into
 Gan
 seven
 or
 eight
 hours,
 each
 according
 to
 his
 need)
 to

Eiden.
 Indeed,
 when
 he
 died,
 smoke
 was
 seen
 rising
 avodas
 Hashem.
 This
 should
 be
 the
 approach
 with

from
Acher’s
grave.
Rebbi
Yochanan
heard
all
this
and
 eating
and
all
other
bodily
needs.


questioned
 this
 method.
 He
 said:
 “Does
 it
 take
 such
 



 3

 Toil
In
Torah
 he
 forgets
 all
 about
 his
 worries
 and
 it
 is
 the
 happiest


In
 regards
 to
 suffering
 that
 atones,
 Rabbeinu
 time
of
his
day.


Yona
 (Shaarei  Teshuva
 4:11)
 teaches
 us
 that
 one
 who
 Because
of
the
recent
events,
there
are
people

has
transgressed
sins
which
require
suffering
in
order
 who
 find
 themselves
 in
 a
 state
 of
 galus
 ‐
 without
 a

to
 gain
 atonement,
 should
 toil
 and
 exert
 himself
 in
 home
 or
 a
 community.
 The
 GR”A
 would
 deliberately

Torah
 study.
 He
 should
 lose
 sleep
 over
 this
 and
 this
 exile
 himself,
 creating
 situations
 of
 this
 state
 of
 galus.

will
 be
 counted
 as
 suffering.
 The
 more
 he
 learns
 and
 He
would
travel
to
places
where
the
townsfolk
did
not

refrains
 from
 sleep
 as
 a
 result
 of
 his
 longer
 hours
 of
 know
 him
 and
 he
 was
 the
 recipient
 of
 plenty
 of

Torah
 (of
 course,
 according
 to
 his
 abilities
 and
 not
 mocking
 and
 embarrassment.
 He
 explained
 that
 the

more
 than
 that),
 more
 of
 the
 suffering
 that
 he
 was
 pain
 of
 such
 suffering
 is
 very
 important
 and
 saves
 a

deserving
 of
 gets
 cancelled.
 This
 is
 considered
 his
 person
 from
 much
 of
 Gehinom.
 It
 is
 preferable
 to
 go

suffering
 and
 this
 negates
 the
 need
 for
 Gehinom
 after
 through
such
trials
of
ridicule
in
this
world
and
not
be

he
dies.

 in
Gehinom.
As
well,
this
type
of
pain
does
no
harm
to

Toil,  exertion,  and  concentration  in  Torah  the
 body
 and
 is
 forgotten
 with
 the
 passing
 of
 time.

learning, adds kedusha to a person and through his  With
Hashem’s
help,
through
the
merits
of
Torah
study

efforts,  one  forgets  all  that  is  troubling  him.  The  and
 good
 deeds,
 we
 shall
 be
 redeemed
 from
 these

Mishna in Avos (6:4) says that, “The way of Torah is  troubling
times
and
merit
the
Geula Shleima!

as follows: one shall eat bread with salt, drink a bit  

of  water,  sleep  on  the  floor  and  live  a  life  of  pain, 
all  while  toiling  in  Torah.  If  you  do  this,
 ‫אשריך‬
‫
‐
בעולם הזה‬You are meritorious (worthy or happy) 
in this world. We see that despite a life of troubles, 
he is referred to with ‫אשריך‬. This is because while 
a  person  is  engrossed  in  Torah  he  feels  the 
pleasure  of  Torah  and  this  enjoyment  causes  him 
to forget his suffering.


I
 remember
 a
 story
 from
 many
 years
 ago

about
 a
 group
 of
 orchard
 owners.
 They
 used
 to
 make

their
 profits
 by
 shipping
 their
 oranges
 to
 other
 

countries.
All
of
a
sudden
competition
began
and
their
 

revenues
 significantly
 declined.
 Many
 were
 worried

about
 their
 income
 but
 one
 man
 said
 that
 despite
 his

constant
 worry,
 while
 hearing
 his
 daily
 Gemara
 shiur





























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