Rabbi Dvir Shiur Pre Yom Kippur

Rabbi Dvir Shiur Pre Rosh Hashanah

Meorei Hamizrach - Rabbi Yaakov Culi (1689-1732), commonly known as Me’om Lo’ez

Our Great Sephardic Rabbies by: Ike Sultan

Rabbi Yaakov Culi (1689-1732), commonly known as Me’om Lo’ez, was a Sephardic Talmudist and Biblical commentator. He belonged to an exiled Spanish family, and was the grandson and pupil of Moses ibn Habib. He edited various important works, starting with his grandfather's writings. While engaged on the works of his grandfather, he entered into close relations with the chief rabbi of Constantinople, Rabbi Yuhuda Rosanes (also known simply as Mishne La' Melech), at the time generally regarded the highest authority of the Orient. Rabbi Rosanes appointed Rabbi Culi dayan (local judge), which, together with his position as teacher, secured to him a sufficient livelihood. Rabbi Yaacov Culi’s most important work is his commentary on the Pentateuch, entitled "Me'am Loez". This work, which is held in high regard by the Jews of the East, is a very elaborate encyclopedic commentary in Ladino, dealing with Jewish life in all its relations. However, Rabbi Culi only managed to write his work on Genesis and on two-thirds of Exodus before he died. Because of the overwhelming popularity of the Me'am Loez, other prominent rabbis of Turkey took over this endeavor and completed the remaining volumes.
Rabbi Yaakov had just finished printing his grandfather's Shemos BeAretz, when tragedy struck the Jewish community. His great master, Rabbi Yehuda Rosanes, passed away on 22 Nissan (April 13), 1727. During the mourning period, the sage's house was looted, and a number of his manuscripts were stolen. The rest were left in a shambles, scattered all over the house. Assuming authority rare for a man of his youth, Rabbi Yaakov Culi undertook the responsibility of reassembling these important writings and editing them for publication. During the first year, he completed work on Perushas Derachim, a collection of Rabbi Yehuda's homilies. But his main work had just begun: Rabbi Yehuda had left one of the most significant commentaries ever written on the Rambam's Mishneh Torah, the monumental Mishneh LaMelech. Rabbi Yaakov spent three years carefully assembling and editing this manuscript. Contemporary scholars struggle through the lengthy, profound sequences of logic found in this commentary; to be sure, the editor was in perfect command of every one of these discussions. Where certain points were ambiguous, or where additional explanations were required, Rabbi Yaakov added his own comments in brackets.

Divar Torah from Rabbi Guy Dvir - Parashat She'Lach

Spiritual blindness

Dear Friends,In this week’s parasha the Jewish people send spies into the land of Israel to survey the land. The spies, however, come back with a negative report that caused a severe blow to the nation’s faith in God Who had promised them the Land was good and that He would enable them to conquer it. This parasha begins immediately following the incident in which Miriam was punished for having criticized Moses. The Midrash Tanhuma explains the connection between Miriam’s criticism of Moses and the story of the spies. Although the spies witnessed the terrible consequences of gossip they did not apply the lesson to their own lives. They were not deterred from slandering the Holy Land. R’ Yisrael of Pilov sees a profound insight into human nature. One who does not want to see the truth will suffer spiritual blindness, even if the truth can be clearly seen. The spies were not seeking the truth and were therefore blinded to it. They witnessed what happened to Miriam, but did not internalize the message.

A life lesson

The Torah teaches that “a bribe will blind the eyes of the wise” (Devarim 16:19). This refers to every type of bribe, not just financial gain. Honor, illicit pleasures, personal prestige or a vested interest all serve to blind man even to self-evident truths. A bribe distorts one’s way of thinking and how one sees himself.

Meorei Hamizrach - Rabbi Solomon Eliezer Alfandari (1820-1930)

Our Great Sephardic Rabbies by: Ike Sultan

Rabbi Solomon Eliezer Alfandari (1820-1930), also known as the Saba Kadisha ("Holy Grandfather"), was a distinguished rabbi, kabbalist and rosh yeshiva in his native home of Constantinople, and later served as Chief Rabbi of Damascus, Syria, and Safed, Israel. He was known for his stringent interpretation of halacha and his uncompromising dedication to Torah values. One of Rav Shlomo Eliezer's most distinguished students was Rav Chaim Chizkiyahu Medini, the Sdeh Chemed. All of Rabbi Solomon Eliezer’s responsa and halakhic rulings were published posthumously.
Story: Rav Shlomo Eliezer was so humble that he not only refused to accept a rabbinical post, but also recommended his student, Rav Yitzchak Akarish, for the position of Istanbul's chief Rabbi. Rav Yitzchak, author of Kiryat Arba, was one of Rav Shlomo Eliezer's most outstanding students, and he devoted himself solely to Torah study. When his family's financial situation became desperate, however, he sought Rav Shlomo Eliezer's advice. Rav Shlomo Eliezer promised to find Rav Yitzchak a rabbinical post - on one condition: he had to accept any position offered to him. Rav Yitzchak agreed to Rav Shlomo Eliezer's terms, but was startled when Rav Shlomo Eliezer secured him a position as Rav of Istanbul. How could he serve as a rav in the very same city in which his illustrious mentor lived? But he had already accepted Rav Shlomo Eliezer's condition, and couldn't renege on his word. Istanbul's Jewish leaders were likewise reluctant to appoint Rav Yaakov - for the very same reasons. However, they couldn't disregard Rav Shlomo Eliezer's directive or his demand that Rav Yaakov receive a respectable salary. From then on, whenever questions were addressed to Rav Shlomo Eliezer, he would refer them to Rav Yitzchak, stressing that he was the city's rav.

Divar Torah from Rabbi Guy Dvir - Parashat Behaalotcha

Complaining

Dear Friends,

In this week’s parasha the Torah describes a specific incident in which the Jewish people complained about not having delicious food to eat. It is stated:

“The people took to seeking complaints….Who will feed us meat? We remember the fish that we ate in Egypt free of charge. But now, our life is parched, there is nothing; we have nothing to anticipate but the manna (Bamidbar/Number11)”

In refuting the Jew’s complaints about the manna not being sufficient, the Torah says that in fact the manna was perfect in its taste, smell, and in every way. Yet the Jews still found room to complain about the manna. In response to the people’s complaining, God punishes the complainers by providing them with an overabundant supply of meat and then killing them. One may ask whether God’s punishment was befitting the crime. What is so bad about complaining that God couldn’t forgive the people or at least give a lesser punishment? After all, we all complain from time to time.

To answer this, we must realize the root of complaining. It is not true to think that people complain because they are lacking what they need. Just as illustrated in our parasha, a person can have everything they need and still complain as if they have nothing to be thankful for. Complaining expresses dissatisfaction with what God gives a person. It is as if a person spits in God’s face and tells him, “You have done nothing for me”. It is considered as totally disregarding God’s kindness and Goodness.

We all feel the need to complain from time to time for various reasons. Most often it is that we want more than what we need, or think we deserve better than what we have, that leads us to complain. If we are dissatisfied with life we must search for the reason why this is so, but not complain. All complaining does is foster negativity and distances us from knowing the truth.
Shabbat Shalom

Meorei Hamizrach - Abraham ben Moses ben Maimon (1186 – 1237) the son of Maimonides (Rambam)

Our Great Sephardic Rabbis by: Ike Sultan

Abraham ben Moses ben Maimon (1186 – 1237) the son of Maimonides (Rambam) was the leader or Nagid of the Egyptian Jewish community following his father. Avraham was born in Fostat, Egypt - his father, Maimonides, was fifty-one years old then. The boy was "modest, highly refined and unusually good natured"; he was also noted for his brilliant intellect and even while a youth became known as a great scholar. When his father died in 1204 at the age of sixty-nine, Avraham was recognized as the greatest scholar in his community. Thus, he succeeded Rambam as Nagid (head of the Egyptian Jews), as well as in the office of court physician, at the age of only eighteen. Rabbi Avraham greatly honored the memory of his father, and defended his writings and works against all critics. Thanks to his influence, a large Egyptian Karaite community returned to the fold of Rabbinic Judaism.
One example of Rabbi Avraham’s effort to support his father’s seforim involved Rav Daniel HaBavli, a talmid of Rav Shmuel ben Eli the rosh yeshiva of Baghdad, who wrote a letter to Rav Avraham in 1213 containing 47 complaints against the Rambam’s views in Yad HaChazaka and Sefer HaMitzvos. Rav Avraham begins his reply by complaining: “I say, alas my master! Do you want to use up my little time! Is not some of it consumed serving the nations of the land (as a doctor) and some of it directing the vineyard of Hashem, and some of it for the seforim that I began to author and commentaries that I have begun to write, and if you challenge me with this matter when will I have time to take care of my affairs?” He then answers Rav Daniel’s questions by pointing out that the Rambam’s Gemara had a different girsa (version) or that Rav Daniel’s text of the Yad was inaccurate. In other cases he says that he himself worked for years to figure out an answer to the difficulty presented, and in some instances he frankly admits that Rav Daniel’s objection is correct.