Vayikra

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 Table of Contents
Torah Wellsprings - Vayikra

Everything is From Hashem...........................................................................................4

Pesach Cleaning ...............................................................................................................6
Avoiding Anger ................................................................................................................9
When You Become Angry, You Lose ..........................................................................10
Counsels to Overcome Anger ......................................................................................11
Chametz Represents the Yetzer Hara .........................................................................13
Tefillah ..............................................................................................................................15
 Torah Wellsprings - Vayikra

Everything is From Hashem to hint that the word should be understood

as if it were written ‫ויקר‬, "it happened." Thus,
The parashah begins (1:1), ‫ויקרא אל משה וידבר ה׳‬ the pasuk can be read, ‫ויקר אל משה וידבר ה׳ אליו‬,
‫אליו‬, "He called to Moshe and Hashem said to "Whatever happened to Moshe, Moshe
him." It would read easier had it stated, ‫ויקרא‬
understood that Hashem was speaking to
‫ה׳ אל משה וידבר אליו‬, "Hashem called to Moshe
him." 1 Moshe Rabbeinu went through hard
and said to him."
times, but he knew that it didn't happen by
The Beis Avraham zt'l explains that the chance. And through these episodes, Moshe
Torah writes the word ‫ ויקרא‬with a small ‫א׳‬, attained the highest levels of emunah.2

1. In parashas Vayechi (49:1), it states that Yaakov Avinu summoned his children, ‫ואגידה לכם את אשר יקרא לכם באחרית‬
‫הימים‬, "and I will tell you what will happen to you at the end of days." It should state ‫יקרה‬, with a ‫( ה׳‬because
‫ יקרה‬means happen). Why does it state ‫ ויקרא‬with an ‫( א׳‬which means to call)? Yaakov was telling his children that
whatever happens to them, Hashem is calling out to them.

The Torah (Bereishis 42:38) tells us that Yaakov Avinu didn’t want to send Binyamin with his brothers to
Mitzrayim, because he feared ‫וקראהו אסון בדרך‬, that an accident might happen in the way. Once again, the word
‫קראהו‬, which means calling is difficult. It seems it should have said ‫קרהו‬, happen.

And, in fact, when Yehudah repeated Yaakov Avinu's fears to Yosef, Yehudah said, ‫וקרהו אסון‬, "lest an
accident happen." This time it is spelled as we would expect it. But why did Yaakov Avinu say ‫ קראהו‬with
an ‫א׳‬, which means call, and not happen?

Reb Yaakov Galinsky zt'l answered that Yaakov understood that if an accident happens to Binyamin, it is
Hashem calling to him. Therefore, he said, ‫וקראהו אסון בדרך‬. But when Yehudah was speaking with the viceroy
of Mitzrayim, and Yehudah didn’t know that it was Yosef, so he figured that the viceroy wouldn’t
understand that everything is Hashem's calling. Therefore, Yehudah said, ‫קרהו אסון‬, "lest an accident happen"
and he didn’t mention that it is Hashem's calling.

When Nadav v'Avihu were niftar, Aharaon said (Vayikra 6) ‫ותקראנה אותי כאלה‬, "If something like this happened
to me." Once again, it seems it should state ‫תקרנה‬. But as it is written, ‫תקראנה‬, the translation is calling." The
answer is, whatever happens, it is Hashem's calling.

The Noam Megadim (Bo) tells a mashal of a king who summoned someone to his palace. It was this person's
very first time in the king's palace, and he was stunned by the majestic beauty that was seen everywhere
in the palace. The king began speaking to him, but it was obvious that this man's mind was still on the
beauty he beheld: the chandelier, the paintings on the wall, etc.

The king hit him on the head with his stick.

The man understood that the king isn't punishing him. On the contrary, the king wants to speak to him,
and this was to get his attention.

So, too, when we go through hardships in life, it is often to help us recognize Hashem. Don't look at it like
a punishment, rather as Hashem's strong desire to get our attention so we can communicate with Him.

2. It states (Tehillim 89:16) ‫אשרי העם יודעי תרועה‬. The Noam Megadim explains that ‫ תרועה‬is from the word ‫רע‬, bad.
The Jewish nation are ‫ ;יודע תרועה‬they know how to interpret the ‫רע‬, the bad things that happen to them.
They know that it doesn’t happen by chance, rather it's Hashem's call to them, for their benefit.
 Torah Wellsprings - Vayikra 5

The Chasan Sofer zt'l (grandson of the said, "Give me twenty gold coins, and your
Chasam Sofer zt’l) says that Moshe Rabbeinu wife will give birth."
suffered many hardships in his lifetime.
When he was three months old, he was cast The man replied, "I'm poor. How can I
into the Nile River. Then he was brought up get twenty gold coins?"
distant from his family, in the home of the The Rebbe replied, "You can sell your
wicked Pharaoh. After killing the Egyptian wife's jewelry, and you can sell the furniture
man, he had to flee to Midyan. Even after in your home. That will get you close. For
Moshe became the leader of Bnei Yisrael, the rest, you can borrow money, or you can
there were times when Moshe feared for his collect money from the Yidden of this city."
life. As he said (Shemos 17:4), ‫עוד מעט וסקלני‬, "A
little bit more and they will stone me." But The man left the Rebbe's room,
all of this was for his benefit because these brokenhearted.
made Moshe the greatest navi and tzaddik.
He was in heaven with Hashem three times, The Divrei Chaim of Tzanz zt'l (who was
present at this incident) quickly caught up with
forty days each time! He received the Torah
from Hashem! He attained madreigos that no the poor man and said, "I will daven for
other human being ever achieved. The your wife, and everything will be well. And
hardships he endured undoubtedly played a you don't have to pay me anything."
pivotal role in bringing him to this level. Indeed, the Divrei Chaim davened, and
the wife gave birth to a son.
Each one of us also goes through
challenging moments in his life, but they are But a week later, the mother died.
all from Hashem, for our good. The Mabit
(Beis Elokim, Shaar HaTefillah 16) writes, "In our The Divrei Chaim lamented, "Why did I
generation, in galus, a person must know get involved in Rebbe Hirsh Riminover's
that whatever happens to him, even when matters? I saw (through ruach hakodesh) that
he stubs his finger…it is all from Hashem. the husband doesn't need to pay so much
Hashem's hashgachah over us in galus is money to merit salvation. But Rebbe Hirsh
greater than when we lived on our land. saw further. He saw that it was decreed that
Only, now Hashem's hashgachah is concealed, this woman die and that with a pidyon of
to the extent that sinners and rebels can twenty gold coins, her life would be saved.
think that some events don't come from Because‫עני חשוב כמת‬, a poor person is considered
Hashem. However, the wise person as if he is dead, and the poverty and great
understands that whatever happens to us in expense would be in exchange for her death."
galus, for the general community, and the This story teaches us that even when
individual, is all by Hashem's hashgachah." something seems bad, it is really for the
good.
The Rosh (Orchos Chaim 69) writes, ‫רצה כאשר‬
‫ירצה יוצרך‬, "Want what your Creator wants." Let's not be short-sighted and look only
Because whatever happens to you is destined at the present moment. Keep in mind the
by Hashem's, and therefore, they are indeed bigger picture and believe that everything
the best for you. we go through is from Hashem, for our
good.
A husband came to Rebbe Hirsh of
Riminov zt'l, and said, "My wife is in labor; A Holocaust survivor with many
she's a ‫מקשה לילד‬. The doctors say that if she questions on the way Hashem runs the
doesn't give birth soon, her life is in danger." world came to the Chazon Ish zt'l. The
Chazon Ish took a Gemara and asked the
Rebbe Hirsh Riminover was deep in older man to explain a Tosfos. The man
thought for a few moments, and then he studied the Tosfos, offered an explanation,
6 Torah Wellsprings - Vayikra

but the Chazon Ish showed him that his medresh, a few days before Pesach. The
answer was incorrect. Tepliker Rav zt'l stood near the bimah and
called out, "There are widows in our
The Chazon Ish told him, "If you aren't neighborhood who need help with the
even able to understand a Tosfos, how do Pesach cleaning, koshering their homes, and
you expect to understand Hashem's ways?" purchasing the groceries for Pesach. Who
Another time, the Chazon Ish compared volunteers to help them?"
our limited vision to a young child who
knows how to learn Mishnayos but still can't Everyone wanted to help. They lined up
learn Gemara. Similarly, people can be wise, in front of the rav, and he gave each of them
know many things, but that doesn't mean a slip of paper with the address of where
that they are smart enough to understand they should go.
Hashem's ways.
We can't understand Hashem's ways, but They read the addresses and realized that
we can believe in Hashem and believe that each person received the address of his own
everything is for the good. home.

Pesach Cleaning The Rav explained that their wives don't

need to suffer just because they are married.
Every aspect of Yiddishkeit should be They need help, and their husbands should
performed with joy, Pesach cleaning, too. participate in the Pesach preparations.
Reb Nota Zehnworth zt'l once said in
beis medresh, "When there's an ‫עת צרה‬, klal And when the husbands help, they will
Yisrael responds by making a ‫יום תפילה‬, a day experience greater holiness at the Seder. One
of fasting and davening. I think we should year, Rebbe Aharon Roth zt'l wanted to
do the same, now." prepare for Pesach with learning alone. He
didn't want to involve himself in other kinds
No one knew what he meant. They asked, of preparations for Pesach (such as cleaning).
"What tzarah are you referring to? Is there a In retrospect, he said, "I never had such a
problem?" poor Seder (in a spiritual sense)." He didn't
have the uplifting feelings he generally had.
With a smile, he explained that Pesach is This is because he lacked the preparations
approaching, and we have to clean… and that help us experience the light of the
people become anxious and worried. They holiday.
feel as if it is an ‫עת צרה‬. So, we should make
a ‫יום תפילה‬, a day of fasting and teshuvah."
Therefore, we shouldn't be upset about
Once, in Yerushalayim, many yungerleit the work involved in cleaning our homes for
were learning in the Tepliker Rav's beis Pesach. We should consider it a privilege.3

3. There was a yungerman who told his rav, "I was thinking about how women clean for Pesach, and I
concluded that they don't clean well enough. They clean the floors by pouring water over the floors, and
then they mop it up. But what about all the crevices!? Chametz can get caught there and pouring water
won't take it out. I told my wife to clean the floor with a toothpick, to get out all the chametz in the crevices,
but she isn't interested in taking on this chumrah. She said that if the rav agrees that it is important to clean
the floors with a toothpick, then she will do so."

The rav replied, "You are correct. It is a very important chumrah. In fact, it is so important, I think you
should do it yourself. You shouldn’t rely on your wife or anyone else to clean the floors. You should clean
the floors yourself."
 Torah Wellsprings - Vayikra 7

‫( שו״ת מן השמים‬71) writes, "Be machmir with malachim that come forth from the ‫קראצין‬
chametz on Pesach, and whoever is cautious, ‫( שאייערין רייבין קערין‬rubbing, scraping and cleaning for
will live long." Pesach), roshei teivos ‫קשר״ק‬, go up to heaven
and say good about the Jewish nation."
The Kav HaYashar (90) writes, "I received
Because cleaning for Pesach creates holy
a kabbalah that every activity one does in
malachim, similar to the malachim created by
honor of Pesach, and becomes tired from the
the blowing of the shofar.
toil, this kills many mazikim, which are called
‫נגעי בני אדם‬."
Once, in the beis medresh of the Beis
Many machzorim write the abbreviation,
Aharon, there were chassidim who wanted
‫ קשר״ק‬to represent ‫ תקיעה‬,‫ תרועה‬,‫ שברים‬,‫תקיעה‬. And
to buy new tables in honor of Pesach. The
the machzor states the following prayer: "May
Beis Aharon replied, "What would the
the malachim that come out from the ‫ קשר״ק‬go
Bardichover Rav say?" The Bardichover Rav
up before Hashem to be meilitz, and to say
would say that cleaning the tables create
good about the Jewish nation."
malachim that go up to heaven and are meilitz
The Berdichever Rav once saw women yosher, speak good things, about Bnei Yisrael,
cleaning for Pesach, and he said, "May the and this annuls all kitrugim Above.4

The lesson: Husbands shouldn’t make things difficult for their wives. And if they feel something should
be done, and their spouse doesn’t want to, they can do it themselves…

There is an old translation, in Yiddish, for each of the 15 simanim of the Seder, which is customarily recited
at the Seder.

People who attended the Chebiner Rav's Seder tell that the Chebiner Rav would translate the simanim ‫קדש‬
‫ ורחץ כרפס‬etc. into Yiddish, as customary, but when he said ‫שולחן ערוך‬, he didn’t say the Yiddish translation,
which is, ‫מען גרייט צו די טיש מצה מיט פיש און אלע גוטע זאכן‬, "We prepare the table with matzah, fish, and all good foods."

One year, after the Seder, someone asked him why he didn’t say the traditional Yiddish phrase. He replied,
"When I said ‫קדש‬, the Yiddish translation tells me that I should make kiddush. When I said ‫ ורחץ‬the Yiddish
phrase tells me to wash my hands. But when I said ‫שולחן ערוך‬, I was telling the women to set the table and
to serve good foods. When you are speaking to others, it isn't proper to repeat it. I said it once, peacefully,
and in brief, ‫שולחן ערוך‬, and that's all."

The Chebiner Rav's second Rebbetzin was a granddaughter of the Chasam Sofer zt'l. To honor her, the
Chebiner Rav would tell her a dvar Torah from the Chasam Sofer every day, or he would tell her a story
about the Chasam Sofer.

The Chasam Sofer used to eat kneidlach at the Seder. One year, Reb Shmuel Binyamin Schiffer from Vienna
was at the Seder of the Chebiner Rav zt'l, and he asked the Rav why he doesn’t eat kneidlach at the Seder.
His question implied, "You speak about the Chasam Sofer every day, to honor your wife, and you try to
follow the Chasam Sofer's ways. So why don’t you honor her with eating kneidlach at the Seder, as the
Chasam Sofer would do?"

The Chebiner Rav replied, "You are correct that we should follow in the ways of tzaddikim. Therefore, we
must learn their divrei Torah and emulate their holy ways. But we don’t have to begin with the kneidlach."

In other words, there are more important matters we can emulate from the Chasam Sofer. We don’t have
to rush to eat kneidlach.
4. Rosh Hashanah, we blow the ‫תקיעות דמיושב ותקיעת דמעומד‬. This means we blow shofar before the mussaf
Shemonah Esrei and then again during the mussaf tefillah. The Gemara (Rosh Hashanah 16.) says that we blow
these two times, in order to confuse the Satan.

Tosfos quotes a Yerushalmi, which explains how blowing the shofar confuses the Satan:
8 Torah Wellsprings - Vayikra

The Beis Avraham zt'l also praised the was poor, but money never prevented him
greatness of cleaning for Pesach. He from doing what he felt was necessary. If he
compared it to the service of the kohen gadol thought it was better to have a Pesach house
on Yom Kippur. He proves this from the or a Pesach kitchen, he would have one.
word ‫זאת‬. It states ‫ זאת‬in reference to Pesach, Obviously, he didn't consider this chumrah
(Shemos 13:5) ‫ועבדת את העבודה הזאת בחודש הזה‬, "You necessary."
shall do this work in this month." And it
states ‫ זאת‬in reference to Yom Kippur, (Vayikra Perhaps this is because Hashem enjoys
16:3), ‫בזאת יבא אהרן אל הקודש‬. This teaches us that when we toil to get our homes kosher
cleaning the home for Pesach is compared to l'Pesach.
the kohen gadol's avodah on Yom Kippur.
Cleaning for Pesach, and being cautious
Once, Rebbe Shlomo of Bobov zt'l visited about chametz, causes a degree of discomfort.
Baron Rothchild’s home, and the Baron Often, the house is topsy-turvy, and we
accorded the Rebbe with great honor. The don't have a regular place to eat. Some eat
Baron showed the Rebbe his Pesach house, on the porch, the yard, in a corner, and so
where he lived, and where he cooked food on. The Pela Yoetz (‫ )גלות‬writes that during
for the eight days of Pesach. He explained these times, one should have in mind that he
that this is how he knows he is undoubtedly is enduring galus, exile. Even this minor
chametz-free. displacement can be considered a micro-
galus. And galus atones on his sins.
The Rebbe remained silent.
As the Pela Yoetz writes, "Also, erev
The Baron said, "Doesn't this chumrah Pesach, when the houses are cleaned out for
find favor in the eyes of the Rebbe?" bedikas chametz, and the baal habayis has to sit
between the oven and the stove, he should
Rebbe Shlomo Bobover replied, "My accept this with love, and he should intend
grandfather, the Divrei Chaim of Tzanz zt'l, that this should atone like galus."5

"When the Satan hears the first blast of the shofar, he is afraid, and he isn't afraid (‫)בהיל ולא בהיל‬. When he hears
the shofar the next time, the Satan says, 'This is certainly the great shofar of Moshiach. I will be destroyed.'
He becomes confused, and he isn't able to speak kitrug (slander) on the Jewish people."

As we wrote above, the Bardichover Rav zt'l says cleaning for Pesach creates similar malachim as are
created by blowing the shofar. Therefore, we can say that when women clean their homes for Pesach, the
Satan becomes afraid, but he isn't totally afraid (‫)בהיל ולא בהיל‬. But then a child comes into the house carrying
chametz in his hands, and nevertheless, the parents don’t become angry. This is like the second time we
blow shofar, and the Satan becomes very afraid. Due to his fear, he isn't able to speak kitrug against the
Jewish people.

5. The Pela Yoetz writes, "If a person must travel, either to learn Torah or for parnassah, as this is the way
of merchants, it is good for the person to pray to Hashem that this should be counted like he went to galus.

"He should accept Hashem's decree with love, for this hardship will atone his aveiros. As Chazal (Sanhedrin
37:) say, ‫גלות מכפרת עון‬, exile atones for sin.'… If one isn't destined to travel anyplace, some move from one
house to another, as this is also like a galus, and he should have the same intention (that the galus should be
his atonement). Chazal (Psikta d'Rav Kahanah ch.29) say that on Succos, when one moves from the house to dwell
in the succah, this is like a galus that atones for sins. Similarly, when he goes to the beis kneses or beis
medresh, and this is hard for him on a hot day or on a cold day, and when one spends the entire day in
beis medresh, and he doesn’t have as much yishuv hadaas (serenity) as when he has at home, he should accept
these discomforts with joy, and he should intend that this should atone for his sins.

"Also, erev Pesach, when the houses are cleaned out for bedikas chametz, and the baal habayis has to sit
 Torah Wellsprings - Vayikra 9

Avoiding Anger example, when one is tempted to do an

aveirah, it is good to be lazy and push it off
Cleaning for Pesach can sometimes cause for later (because perhaps he can push it off
arguments and anger. We should judge forever).
those who become angry ‫לכף זכות‬, because the
root of their anger comes from a good place: Similarly, all attributes have a positive
They are very concerned that there shouldn't side, which can be used for Hashem's service.
be chametz in their homes during Pesach, The exceptions are gaavah and anger, which
and this anxiety can result in anger. one should never use, even in Hashem's
service. The pasuk says (this week's parashah,
Nevertheless, anger is destructive – 2:11), ‫כי כל שאור וכל דבש לא תקטירו ממנו אשה לה‬, "All
always. It is never good to become angry, sourdough and all honey you should not
not even when it is for a mitzvah. sacrifice for Hashem…"
The Bardichover Rav zt'l said, "People Reb Chaim Chayka Amdura zt'l explains
can attain ruach hakodesh from cleaning for that sourdough represents gaavah, arrogance,
Pesach, but anger ruins it."6 because when one has arrogance, his chest
fills up with air, similar to sourdough that is
The Gemara (Shabbos 105:) says, ‫המקרע בגדיו‬
filled with air.
‫בחמתו והמשבר כליו בחמתו והמפזר מעותיו בחמתו יהא בעיניך‬
‫כעובד ע׳׳ז‬, "If a person rips his clothes in a fit When the Torah writes ‫דבש‬, Reb Chaim
of anger, or if he breaks utensils when he is Chayka Amdura says that it hints to bees'
angry, or if he throws away his money when honey. Bees have a toxin in their stinger
he's angry, look at him like a person who called ‫עכס‬, the letters of ‫כעס‬, anger.
worships avodah zarah."
Thus, the pasuk is hinting that ‫שאור ודבש‬,
The Torah juxtaposes avodah zarah with arrogance and anger, ‫ לה׳‬...‫לא תקטירו ממנו‬, should
being cautious with the laws of Pesach. As never be used in Hashem's service. As
it states (Shemos 34:17), ‫אלקי מסכה לא תעשה לך את חג‬ opposed to all other negative traits, which
‫" המצות תשמור‬Don’t make images of avodah have their occasional good side, these two
zarah. Keep the yom tov of Pesach." Rebbe traits should never be used.
Asher of Stolin zt'l says that the Torah is
warning that when you prepare for Pesach, The sefarim explain that both gaavah and
don't worship avodah zarah, which means, anger fill the person's heart with air. The
don't become angry. uniqueness of matzah is that it has no air
inside it - unlike chametz, which grew and
Most bad attributes have their good side, blew up with air. So, when we clean the
too. For example, atzlus (laziness) is a negative home from chametz, we should avoid anger
trait. But atzlus has a good side, also. For because chametz represents anger. It is

between the oven and the stove, he should accept this with love, and he should intend that this should
atone like galus.

Because there's no difference between a big galus or a small galus; they all add up, as long as one intends
that it should be galus and for his atonement and accepts it with love."

6. The rasha in the Haggadah says, ‫מה העבודה הזאת לכם‬, "Why are you doing this work?"
Why is the rasha so upset with the Seder? If he was upset with Tisha b'Av or Yom Kippur, we would
understand. But at the Seder, we sit with family and there is good food. Why doesn’t he want to be there?

Perhaps the rasha is referring to the anxiousness and anger he saw on the days leading up to Pesach. He
asks, ‫מה העבודה הזאת לכם‬, "Why do you need it?" He doesn’t want to have anything to do with it.
10 Torah Wellsprings - Vayikra

specifically anger that we are trying to clean The rav of Lemberg was a great tzaddik.
and eradicate from our homes and hearts. Once, erev Shabbos, the Lemberger Rav was
going to the mikvah, when a poor person
When You Become Angry, You Lose (known in the city) came over to the Rav and
hit him lightly with a broom. The poor man
I heard avodah zarah and anger are similar said, "You fasted a couple of days this week,
because they both don't accomplish anything. and so did I."
As Chazal (Kiddushin 41:) say, ‫רגזן לא עלתה בידו‬ A few minutes later, the poor man hit the
‫אלא רגזנותו‬, "When someone is angry, all that rav on the back again and said, "You fasted
he accomplished is his anger." It doesn't all week (‫)תענית הפסקה‬, and I did the same. The
accomplish anything else. difference between us is that tonight,
Shabbos, you have a good meal waiting for
In fact, when you become angry, you end you, challah, fish, meat. All I have in my
up losing. house is some dry bread, salt, and water.
The Chareidim (‫ )פס״ו י׳‬writes, "Someone But you shall know that if you go home
who lost a ‫( פרח‬a type of coin), does it make tonight and find out that a cat ate your fish,
sense for him to become so upset about it and you become angry, you will lose all the
that he will break a vessel worth a thousand reward you gained from fasting this week."
‫"?פרחים‬
That night, by the seudah, when it was
But this is what happens when people time to eat the fish, his rebbetzin told him
are angry. They destroy more with their that a cat ate his fish. The rav remembered
anger than the issue that ignited their anger. what he heard from the poor man. If he
becomes angry, he will lose the merit of the
A good example is when someone is fasts. This helped him overcome his anger.
angry with a family member (spouse, child, in-
law, etc.). Often, the matter is not very serious. The Lemberger Rav realized that the man
But if he doesn't control his anger, he might who warned him that he shouldn't become
say something that will cause far more angry was a tzaddik nistar, for he knew that
significant damage. So, the anger didn't a cat would eat his fish. The rav of Lemberg
accomplish anything positive, and instead, it said to his servant, "There's a tzaddik nistar,
caused a lot of harm. He punished himself. a concealed tzaddik, in our neighborhood. I
want you to go to him and invite him to our
The following story demonstrates that home for the Shabbos seudah."
one loses his mitzvos when he becomes
angry. It was told by the rav of Yerushalayim, The messenger arrived at the tzaddik
Reb Moshe Aryeh Fruend zt'l. He heard it nistar's home and invited him to come to the
from his father-in-law: Lemberger Rav's house.

Reb Moshe Aryeh's father-in-law was The tzaddik replied, "The Lemberger Rav
visiting a cemetery in Lemberg with a friend, should have come to me himself. But now
and they came across a matzeivah that read, that the rav sent you to me, I will have to
"Here lies ploni ben ploni, tzaddik nistar (hidden leave the world because a concealed tzaddik
tzaddik)." They went to the chevrah Kadisha has to remain concealed."
and asked them to explain the meaning of
this inscription. Why is the person buried The messenger returned to the Lemberger
there called "tzaddik nistar"? Rav and repeated what the tzaddik nistar
said. The Lemberger Rav immediately left
For a price, the chevrah Kadisha agreed to his home and went to the tzaddik nistar. But
look it up in their ledgers. They found the by the time he got there, the tzaddik nistar
following story: was niftar.
 Torah Wellsprings - Vayikra 11

Because of this episode, he was buried in goy to the table, and he offered him a hard
a prestigious place in the cemetery, and on drink. The rav listened to the goy attentively
his matzeivah was inscribed that he was a as the goy expressed his desire to back out
tzaddik nistar. of the deal.
This story reminds us that one doesn't The Salisher Rav replied, "Your family is
gain anything from getting angry. He just right. You should back down from this deal.
loses. And sometimes, he loses his mitzvos, However, now it's late at night, and it will
too. As in this story, had the Lemberger Rav be impossible to tell all the merchants of
gotten angry, he would have lost the reward Salish that the deal was canceled. And then
for his fasts.7 come the seven days of the holiday. It will
A person, by getting angry, also loses his be hard to gather the merchants to tell them
clear mind, which one needs to find solutions the change of plans. Come back in eight
to troubles that come up. days, and we will annul the contract. In the
meanwhile, go home and calm your family.
Reb Shmuel Shmelke zt'l, was the rav of Tell them that we accept your request, and
Salish, Hungary. One year, at his Seder, we will annul the contract in a week's time."
when they opened the door for ‫שפוך חמותך‬, a
goy was standing in the doorway, ready to The goy left, satisfied with this
knock on their door. The family recognized compromise.
him. He was the goy to whom Reb Shmuel
Shmelke sold the chametz. The goy said, "I The lesson is that when one becomes
have to back out of the deal. My family angry, he loses his yishuv hadaas, and can't
convinced me that this business deal, of find solutions. But with equanimity, one will
buying the chametz of the entire Jewish know what to do in every situation.8
community of Salish, is too much for me to
take on. The Yidden will certainly gain a lot Counsels to Overcome Anger
of money, and I will fall into debt. I must
speak to the rav immediately to cancel this Chazal (Avos 2:10) say, ‫אל תהי נוח לכעוס‬. This
agreement." means, "Don't be quick to get angry."
The family was very worried about this
development. Because if the goy backed out This is one of the primary counsels for
of the deal, does that mean everyone in overcoming anger. If it is essential to become
Salish will have chametz in their possession? angry, you can generally push it off for a
They rushed to Reb Shmuel Shmelke to tell later time, and nothing will happen.
him the problem that just befell them. Therefore, don't act on impulse. Sleep it over
for a night. By that time, you will generally
The rav of Salish didn't panic. He didn't recognize that it was good you didn't become
lose his serenity. Cordially, he invited the angry right away.

7. Segulas Yisrael writes in the name of Reb Chaim Vital: "When there's a plague, keep away from all types
of anger, worries, and distress. On the contrary, always be happy, in all kinds of ways."

8. One year, at the Seder of Rebbe Yochanan of Tolna (Yerushalayim) zt'l, a young grandson found beer in
the closet that was sold for the goy, and he brought the beer into the dining room. Everyone was shocked:
chametz in their home on Pesach?! Only Rebbe Yochanan didn’t lose his tranquility. He expressed to the
grandson his happiness that he can keep the Chazal that says that when you find chametz in your home
on yom tov, you should cover it over with a utensil, and that's what they did.

Because when one remains calm, he can find solutions to the problems that arise.
12 Torah Wellsprings - Vayikra

The Yismach Moshe (:‫על הש״ס ברכות כ״ט‬, and if one is wise, he can live in this world like
Naso ‫ )ד״ה קח‬explains that sometimes anger is it is Gan Eden.
a mitzvah (such as to rebuke resha'im). Generally,
It has a lot to do with perspective.
anger is an aveirah. Either way, the Mishnah
urges us, ‫אל תהי נוח לכעוס‬, don't be quick to To explain, we tell a mashal:
become angry.
A couple was interested in buying a
If the anger is an aveirah, you certainly particular home, but the wife was very
should push it off for later. And if the anger concerned that perhaps the neighbors aren't
is a mitzvah, then you should also push it friendly. She asked the seller many times
off for later, because a mitzvah needs ‫הכנה‬, about the neighbors, and the seller reassured
preparation. Therefore, whether the anger is her that they were excellent neighbors,
a mitzvah or an aveirah, you should push it helpful, and friendly.
off for later.9
But on the day they moved in, the wife
Another counsel to overcome anger is to saw one of the neighbors staring at her,
be mevater and to find ways to steer away frowning. She immediately called up the
from machlokes and disputes. This is also seller: "You tricked me. You told me the
implied in the Mishnah (ibid.) ‫אל תהי נוח לכעוס‬, neighbors are friendly, but a neighbor is
"It shouldn't be easy for you to become standing near the house, and she is frowning
angry." Most things that happen to you at me. It is obvious that she is upset that we
shouldn't rouse your anger. are moving in."

I heard the following from Reb Shlomo The seller told her, "Smile to them, and
Zalman Aurbach's grandson: I'm sure they will smile back."

A rosh yeshiva said to Reb Shlomo Zalman, She passed by again, and this time she
"I'm envious of you because you live your kept a smile on her face. The image smiled
life like you are living in Gan Eden. But look back. She realized that it was a full-length
at my life; it is like Gehinom." mirror. When she smiled, it smiled back.
When she frowned, it frowned at her.
This rosh yeshiva had several enemies and
felt like he was living in Gehinom. The nimshal is that life is seen and
experienced as one interprets it. Two people
When the rosh yeshiva left Reb Shlomo can see the same situation, one considers it
Zalman's home, Reb Shlomo Zalman said to a reason to be angry, and the other finds the
his family, "He thinks he lives in Gehinom, good in the situation.
and that I live in Gan Eden. But the truth is,
he creates the Gehinom for himself. When I It states, (Shemos 15:23), ‫ולא יכלו לשתות מים ממרה‬
was young, I trained myself that if someone ‫כי מרים הם‬, "They weren't able to drink water
wants to push me, I push myself back even from Marah, ‫כי מרים הם‬, because the waters
further, until he isn't able to push me." were bitter." The Nesivos Sholom explains
that the pasuk ‫ כי מרים הם‬is referring to the
The point is that people suffer when they people. The people were bitter, and therefore
don't know how to be mevater, how to let everything they drank and everything they
things pass, and how to avoid dispute. But experienced had a bitter taste.

9. Many sefarim write that it is always an aveirah to become angry. Even when you are angry for good
reasons, such as: you are rebuking resha'im, or to educate your children and students; in all these situations,
you might be permitted to show anger, to pretend that you are angry, but you may never actually feel anger
in your heart.
 Torah Wellsprings - Vayikra 13

See the world in a positive light, and you He writes, "Chazal teach that chametz on
won't be angry all the time.10 Pesach represents the yetzer hara. One must
banish the yetzer hara from himself; search
Chametz Represents the Yetzer Hara for it in all corners of his thoughts. Even the
smallest drop must be eradicated."
The halachos of chametz are very
Since chametz represents the yetzer hara,
stringent. For example, on Pesach, if a small
we can learn how to cleanse ourselves from
drop of chametz falls into a large hot pot,
the yetzer hara from the halachos of cleaning
everything becomes forbidden. It doesn't
the home from chametz.
help that the drop of chametz is batel in 1/60.
We will offer a few examples, and we
Another stringency is that one may not
begin with the custom to put out ten pieces
even own chametz. This is a stringency that
of chametz before bedikas chametz (see Shulchan
we don't have by most other halachos.
Aruch 432:2). If he is the only person in the
Why is chametz so severe? house and doesn't have anyone to put out
the bread pieces, he should nevertheless put
The Radvaz (chelek 3 siman 977, teshuvah out the ten pieces for himself and then search
shniyah) answers that chametz represents the for them. It isn't a real search because he
yetzer hara.11 We, therefore, want to get rid of knows where the chametz is. But this is what
it entirely. he should do, under the circumstances.12

10. A great tzaddik, generations ago, was once walking down the street, singing joyously. People asked
him why he was so happy. He replied, "It states (Esther 1:22), ‫להיות כל איש שורר בביתו‬, 'every man shall rule in his
home.' Purim, some people read this pasuk a second time, and the second time they read ‫ שורר‬with a shin
(which means to sing). In my house, my wife rules. She's in charge. In fact, she just kicked me out of the house.
So, I can’t read it, ‫ להיות כל איש שורר בביתו‬with a sin, because I'm not the ruler. At least I follow the other
interpretation, ‫שורר‬, to sing."

The idea is to acquire a happy attitude. No matter what a person is going through r'l, accept it with joy
and song, because it is, after all, for the best.

Reb Yisrael Salanter zt'l said that when a person shows a sad face in public, he is like a ‫בור ברשות הרבים‬, a pit
in public, because it damages people, causing them to feel sad and down.

Once upon a time, there was a person who came into the beis medresh, very sad. People asked him why
he is so sad.

He replied, "I have to move one of the walls in my house. And do you know how hard it is to move a
wall?! My mother always told us to drink a lot of milk because milk makes bones strong. So, this morning,
I drank five cups of milk. I felt very strong, and I tried to push the wall, but it didn’t budge…"

The next day he came to the beis medresh, very happy. People asked him, "What happened today? Did
you manage to move the wall?"

"No. Today I drank vodka, and I don’t even see the wall anymore."

The lesson is that it is all related to how you look at things. You can see a problem like a wall that doesn’t
budge, and you can take matters lightly. It is largely a matter of perspective.
11. As the Gemara (Brachos 17) says, “Master of the world; You know we want to do Your will. Who prevents
us? ,‫“ שאור שבעיסה ושעבוד מלכיות‬the chametz in the dough and government taxes.” Rashi explains that‫שאור שבעיסה‬
means the yetzer hara.

12. In Warsaw, there was a watchmaker who was a tzaddik nistar, one of the concealed tzaddikim of the
generation. The Cheibiner Rav zt'l broke his watch on purpose, just to have an excuse to go to the tzaddik's
14 Torah Wellsprings - Vayikra

Now, let us discuss how it is regarding The Beis Aharon writes, "‫ מצה‬and ‫ חמץ‬are
the yetzer hara (which is the chametz that is almost identical. The difference is only a
within us). The night of bedikas chametz is an small line.13 This small line signifies the bad
ideal time to examine one's deeds and see that's in him [his yetzer hara]. One must get
where the yetzer hara lurks within us. Even rid of the bad that's in his heart, throw it
if we know where the yetzer hara lies, deep into the sea, and come close to the
nevertheless, we should rethink what the good that's inside him…"
yetzer hara does to us, so we can work on
ridding ourselves from the yetzer hara. Before bedikas chametz we say the brachah,‫על‬
‫ביעור חמץ‬, but we don't say a brachah when we
In most people's homes, the wife or the burn the chametz. Why?
children put out the chametz, and the father/
husband searches for them. The Pnei It could be because we can try to clean
Menachem zt'l said that this hints at another our homes from chametz, but success isn't
lesson in cleansing ourselves from the yetzer entirely up to us. For success, one needs
hara: Hashem's help.

Sometimes a person says, "What can I Therefore, we make a brachah for searching
do? Hashem put this yetzer hara in me! It for the chametz because that is the part that
isn't my fault." everyone can do. However, we don't make
a brachah for destroying the chametz because
But we reply, "Pieces of bread were that isn't in our hands.
placed in your home so you can find them.
Similarly, it's true, the yetzer hara was given Regarding the yetzer hara, this hints that
to you, but it's your job to find the yetzer our obligation is to search for the yetzer hara
hara and to take it out." and to try to get rid of it. However, the ‫ביעור‬,
complete destruction of the yetzer hara, isn't
Our fight with the yetzer hara is alluded in our hands. For that, we need Hashem to
to in the word ‫מצה‬, which means to fight, as destroy the yetzer hara.
it states (Yeshayah 41:12), ‫אנשי מצותך‬, "those who
battle with you," because we must put up a Another hint is the Chazal (Pesachim 8.), ‫בודק‬
battle against the yetzer hara. ,‫"עד מקום שידו מגעת‬Search for the chametz as far

store and receive a brachah from him. The hidden tzaddik grasped the Chebiner Rav's intention and said,
"What do you want from me? I'm a simple person."

The Chebiner Rav said, "At least tell me a dvar Torah," and this is what the tzaddik nistar, the watchmaker,
said:

The tzaddik nistar asked about the custom to look for the ten pieces of chametz, even when we know where
they are. He asked, "If he put out the bread pieces himself, he knows where the chametz lies. Is this called
searching for chametz? How can this be called bedikas chametz?"

But there is a proof that even when one knows where the chametz lies, looking for it is still considered
searching. The proof is when Yosef's soldiers were searching for Yosef's gaviyah (goblet). The soldiers knew
where the gaviyah was, as Rashi (Bereishis 44:12) writes, "They began the search from the oldest son [as it states
‫ ]ויחפש בגדול‬so it wouldn’t be noticeable that they knew where the gaviyah is." They checked all the bags, from
the eldest son to the youngest, and they found it in the bag of the youngest brother, Binyamin, although
they knew all along that Yosef's gaviyah was there. Nevertheless, the Torah calls this ‫ויחפש‬, which proves
that you can search for something even when you know where it is.

13. If you connect the leg of the ‫ ה׳‬of ‫ מצה‬to its roof, it becomes the letters of ‫חמץ‬.
 Torah Wellsprings - Vayikra 15

as your arm can reach." Do the best you can, Reb Haltavsky replied, "Obviously, this
and Hashem will complete the rest.14 story teaches us the greatness of tefillah. The
tzaddik preferred the matzos of the simple
Yid because they were made with many
Teϔillah
tefillos. The tzaddik's mehudar matzos couldn't
compare to matzos that were created with
We clean our homes from chametz, we tefillos."
buy food with good hechsherim, and some
people don't buy any processed foods. In The Brisker Rav replied, "I learn something
addition to all this, we should daven to else from this story. This simple Yid davened
Hashem that we merit celebrating the seven/ for kosher mehudar matzos, and therefore
eight days of Pesach without having any Hashem answered his tefillos and gave him
chametz in our homes and our food, chalilah the matzos of the tzaddik, which were made
because we will not succeed to be chametz- with great caution. Because the more mehudar
free without tefillah. matzos were the tzaddik's matzos."

The Brisker Rav zt'l baked his matzos According to either interpretation, this
with many hiddurim and with extreme story teaches us that together with our
caution from chametz. Every year, after caution from chametz, we should daven for
baking the matzos, he would go to the siyata dishmaya.
Karliner beis medresh. One year, he met Reb
Yehoshua Heshel Haltovsky z'l, an old and The Klausenberger Rebbe zt’l told a story
respected Karliner chassid. Reb Yehoshua of a tzaddik who found a wheat kernel in
Heshel told the Brisker Rav a story: his soup on Pesach. He was told in a dream
that he had cleaned his home properly, but
There was a tzaddik who made matzos forgot to daven that he shouldn't have any
every year with many hiddurim. One year, chametz on Pesach. Therefore, he was
this tzaddik was walking home, lovingly punished. A bird flew into his house and
holding the mehudar matzos he just baked, dropped a piece of wheat into the soup.
when he met up with a simple Yid who had
also just finished baking matzos. This simple The Baal Shem Tov zt’l sent his student,
Yid told him that he had recited the entire Reb Dovid of Mikolov zt’l, to Serbia, to
Tehillim early in that morning, davening that produce kosher l'Pesach wine. The student
his matzos should be kosher. When the traveled to Tilensht, Serbia, and he was
tzaddik heard that this person prayed for meticulous that the wine should come out
kosher matzos, he wanted to have those perfectly kosher l'Pesach for the Baal Shem
matzos, and they exchanged matzos with Tov. Generally, Reb Dovid wanted to be
each other. The simple man received the with the Baal Shem Tov for Elul and Tishrei,
tzaddik's carefully made matzos, while the but this year, he spent these months in Serbia
tzaddik preferred the matzos made with because that's when the grapes are pressed
many tefillos. and fermented into wine. He stood guard,
with mesirus nefesh, throughout the entire
The Brisker Rav asked, "What does this process until he was confident that everything
story tell you?" was made perfectly kosher l'Pesach.

14. It states (Shemos 13:7), ,‫" ולא יראה לך חמץ ולא יראה לך שאור‬Don’t see chametz, and don’t see sourdough…" We can
say that this is warning people not to go around with a sour face. Their face should beam with happiness.

Chazal (on this pasuk) say, .‫ שלך אי אתה רואה אבל של אחרים אתה רואה‬This can be translated, you shouldn’t see your own
sourness, but you should see the sourness of others, and see what you can do to help them.
16 Torah Wellsprings - Vayikra

On the trip back, Rebbe Dovid continued there was whiskey inside. The police tasted
to be cautious with the special Pesach wine it and recognized that it was wine. There
for his Rebbe, the Baal Shem Tov. Rebbe was no tax, but at that point, the wine
Dovid considered this toil a privilege because became ,‫יין נסך‬forbidden wine.
he was preparing wine for the holy Baal
Shem Tov. Reb Dovid came outside just as the non-
Jewish policeman was tasting the wine, and
He arrived back in Mezhibuz and parked his face fell. All his efforts were for nothing.
his horses and wagon in front of the Baal And it all happened at the last moment.
Shem Tov's home. He went inside to tell the
Baa Shem Tov that he succeeded in his Rebbe Dovid returned to the Baal Shem
mission. Just then, a policeman passed by Tov and told him what happened.
and suspected that there was whisky in the The Baal Shem Tov told him that this
barrel. At that time, there was a tax on happened because he didn't daven for
whisky and not on wine. As Reb Dovid success in his mission.
spoke with the Baal Shem Tov, the policeman
opened the barrel's lid to check whether May we all merit a Chag Kosher v'Sameach.