(א) ועתה מלכים השכילו. נביאי ישראל אנשי רחמים ומוכיחים אומות העולם לסור מרעתם שהקב"ה פושט יד לרשעים ולצדיקים:
(א) ועתה מלכים - הם מלכי ארץ. (ב) והשכילו - הפך על יקוק (ג) והוסרו - הפך מוסרותימו. (ד) ושפטי ארץ - הם רוזנים.
(א) ועתה, רצה לומר אחר שיקוק הרשה אותי על זה וכל ממלכות הארץ נתן בידי, ורק אם אשאל אכריתם ויאבדו, אם כן למה תמרדו ותמתינו עד עת שתאבדו, טוב שתשכילו עתה
An NYPD Traffic Agent working in Far Rockaway was so impressed with the way a young Yeshiva boy behaved, that he not only complimented a Jewish neighbor, but allowed himself to be video-taped.
If that wasn’t enough, the NYPD Agent then visited Yeshiva Darchei Torah where the child is a student to see firsthand how Jewish children are raised.
The following is a letter written by a parent of Yeshiva Darchei Torah on Tuesday morning. It was sent to the Rosh Yeshiva, Harav Yaakov Bender, and provided to YWN:
Dear Rabbi Bender,
I wanted to share with you the attached video with the following story, fresh from a few minutes ago.
I was standing in my driveway when a policeman standing on the street asked me “is that your kid walking down there?”
I ran out thinking the obvious “oh my gosh, did my baby run out to the street” but the policeman pointed at the 7 year old walking down the street to Darchei saying “I just want to tell you that I’m used to kids passing by me cursing me and getting away with it because they are kids, and I’ve seen good kids who would never do that. But this one! I’ve yet to see! A young child passing by saying “good morning officer how are you doing?” so I asked him if I can video him saying it and share with the father of the boy which he was happy to, and I’ve attached the video to this email.
I invited him thereafter to visit the school down the block and see the 2300 (bli ayin hora) kids just like this one. So, if a policeman walking in to the school now looking around please don’t get scared
And this is at times when some people out there are trying to “help us” educate our kid…
Wishing you an easy fast and hatzlocho in the upcoming dinner!
Thanks,
-Yaakov
(כב) כִּי֩ אִם־שָׁמֹ֨ר תִּשְׁמְר֜וּן אֶת־כָּל־הַמִּצְוָ֣ה הַזֹּ֗את אֲשֶׁ֧ר אָנֹכִ֛י מְצַוֶּ֥ה אֶתְכֶ֖ם לַעֲשֹׂתָ֑הּ לְאַהֲבָ֞ה אֶת־יקוק אֱלֹקֵיכֶ֛ם לָלֶ֥כֶת בְּכָל־דְּרָכָ֖יו וּלְדָבְקָה־בֽוֹ׃
(ב) ללכת בכל דרכיו. הוּא רַחוּם וְאַתָּה תְּהֵא רַחוּם, הוּא גּוֹמֵל חֲסָדִים וְאַתָּה גּוֹמֵל חֲסָדִים (שם):
מה הוא חנון ורחום אף אתה היה חנון ורחום
Just as He is compassionate and merciful, so too should you be compassionate and merciful.
ואמר רבי חמא ברבי חנינא מאי דכתיב (דברים יג, ה) אחרי יקוק אלקיכם תלכו וכי אפשר לו לאדם להלך אחר שכינה והלא כבר נאמר (דברים ד, כד) כי יקוק אלקיך אש אוכלה הוא אלא להלך אחר מדותיו של הקב"ה מה הוא מלביש ערומים... הקב"ה ביקר חולים... הקב"ה ניחם אבלים... הקב"ה קבר מתים... אף אתה קבור מתים כתנות עור רב ושמואל חד אמר דבר הבא מן העור וחד אמר דבר שהעור נהנה ממנו דרש ר' שמלאי תורה תחלתה גמילות חסדים וסופה גמילות חסדים תחילתה גמילות חסדים דכתיב ויעש יקוק אלקים לאדם ולאשתו כתנות עור וילבישם וסופה גמילות חסדים דכתיב ויקבר אותו בגיא
And Rabbi Ḥama, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, says: What is the meaning of that which is written: “After the Lord your God shall you walk, and Him shall you fear, and His commandments shall you keep, and unto His voice shall you hearken, and Him shall you serve, and unto Him shall you cleave” (Deuteronomy 13:5)? But is it actually possible for a person to follow the Divine Presence? But hasn’t it already been stated: “For the Lord your God is a devouring fire, a jealous God” (Deuteronomy 4:24), and one cannot approach fire. He explains: Rather, the meaning is that one should follow the attributes of the Holy One, Blessed be He. He provides several examples. Just as He clothes the naked, as it is written: “And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skin, and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21), so too, should you clothe the naked. Just as the Holy One, Blessed be He, visits the sick, as it is written with regard to God’s appearing to Abraham following his circumcision: “And the Lord appeared unto him by the terebinths of Mamre” (Genesis 18:1), so too, should you visit the sick. Just as the Holy One, Blessed be He, consoles mourners, as it is written: “And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that God blessed Isaac his son” (Genesis 25:11), so too, should you console mourners. Just as the Holy One, Blessed be He, buried the dead, as it is written: “And he was buried in the valley in the land of Moab” (Deuteronomy 34:6), so too, should you bury the dead. The Gemara discusses the verse: “And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skin, and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21). Rav and Shmuel disagree as to the meaning of the term “garments of skin.” One says that these garments were made of something that comes from the skin, and one says that these garments were something from which the skin benefits. Rabbi Samlai taught: With regard to the Torah, its beginning is an act of kindness and its end is an act of kindness. Its beginning is an act of kindness, as it is written: “And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skin, and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21). And its end is an act of kindness, as it is written: “And he was buried in the valley in the land of Moab” (Deuteronomy 34:6).
(א) ללכת בכל דרכיו - אלו דרכי הקב"ה, שנ' (שמות לד) יקוק יקוק אל רחום וחנון, ארץ אפים ורב חסד ואמת, נוצר חסד לאלפים, נושא עון ופשע וחטאה ונקה... וכי היאך אפשר לו לאדם להיקרא בשמו של הקב"ה? אלא מה המקום נקרא רחום וחנון - אף אתה הוי רחום וחנון ועשה מתנת חנם לכל. מה הקב"ה נקרא צדיק... אף אתה הוי צדיק. הקב"ה נקרא חסיד... אף אתה הוי חסיד; לכך נאמר כל אשר יקרא בשם יקוק ימלט,
(1) (Devarim 11:22) "to walk in His ways": Which are the ways of the Holy One Blessed be He? (Shemoth 34:6-7) "The L-rd, the L-rd, G-d of mercy and grace, slow to wrath and abundant in mercy and truth, keeping lovingkindness for thousands, forgiving transgression, offense, and sin, and cleansing …" And it is written (Yoel 3:5) "All who will be called by the name of the L-rd will escape": Now how is it possible for a man to be called by the name of the Holy One Blessed be He? But, (the intent is) just as the L-rd is called "merciful and gracious," you, too, be merciful and gracious, and give gratuitously to all. Just as the Holy One Blessed be He is called "righteous," viz. (Psalms 145:17) "Righteous is the L-rd in all His ways and saintly in all His acts" — you, too, be righteous. Just as the Holy One Blessed be He is called "saintly," — you, too, be saintly. This is the intent of "All who will be called by the name of the L-rd will escape." And it is written (Isaiah 43:7) "… everyone that is called by My name. For My honor I have created him, and formed him, and fashioned him." And it is written (Proverbs 16:4) "The L-rd has created all for His sake." (Devarim, Ibid.)
(ו) מַה הוּא נִקְרָא חַנּוּן אַף אַתָּה הֱיֵה חַנּוּן. מַה הוּא נִקְרָא רַחוּם אַף אַתָּה הֱיֵה רַחוּם.
(6) Even as He is called gracious, be thou gracious; even as He is called merciful, be thou merciful;
(ב) שׁ֚וּבָה יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל עַ֖ד יקוק אֱלֹקֶ֑יךָ כִּ֥י כָשַׁ֖לְתָּ בַּעֲוֺנֶֽךָ׃ (ג) קְח֤וּ עִמָּכֶם֙ דְּבָרִ֔ים וְשׁ֖וּבוּ אֶל־יקוק אִמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֗יו כָּל־תִּשָּׂ֤א עָוֺן֙ וְקַח־ט֔וֹב וּֽנְשַׁלְּמָ֥ה פָרִ֖ים שְׂפָתֵֽינוּ׃
(יח) לְכוּ־נָ֛א וְנִוָּֽכְחָ֖ה יֹאמַ֣ר יקוק אִם־יִֽהְי֨וּ חֲטָאֵיכֶ֤ם כַּשָּׁנִים֙ כַּשֶּׁ֣לֶג יַלְבִּ֔ינוּ אִם־יַאְדִּ֥ימוּ כַתּוֹלָ֖ע כַּצֶּ֥מֶר יִהְיֽוּ׃
(ב) אם יהיו חטאיכם כשנים. כתומים לפני כאודם שנים אלבינם כשלג יאמר יקוק. תמיד הוא אומר לכם כן כמו על פי יקוק יחנו (מדבר ט כ), ד"א לכו נא ונוכחה מה כתוב למעלה ממנו חדלו הרע למדו היטב ואחר שתשובו אלי לכו ונוכחה יחד להודיעני עשינו מה שעלינו עשה מה שעליך ואני אומר אם יהיו חטאיכם כשנים כשלג וגו':