The “Choshen Mishpat” Study Group ○ Summary from the Lesson

In our Beis Midrash in the Old City, there is a “Choshen Mishpat” study group that toils over the sugyos of Choshen Mishpat with great depth. In order to review and sharpen what they learn, they are tested on the material every week. In addition, every Monday Rabbi Nachman Berland shlit"a—the son of The Rav shlit"a—comes to deliver a lesson.

This past Wednesday night, the eve of the 4th of Kislev, that holy group entered further inward, into the holy chamber itself. Below is a summary of the words from the lesson:

The Rav shlit"a opened the lesson with the matter of Avishai, who ran atop the heads of the stalks, and who saved King David with the Explicit Name, as brought in the Nevi’im. Afterwards, he told the story of Rabbi Amram ben Diwan zy"a—how he was saved from the lynching that had been planned against him at the Cave of Machpelah. After that, The Rav mentioned several stories of miracles that occurred on Shabbos Simchas Torah. He also mentioned the moshav Yakhini: because they agreed to close the gates of the kibbutz on Shabbos, all the residents of the kibbutz were saved—even though not everyone there keeps Shabbos.

Later in the lesson, The Rav shlit"a strengthened everyone regarding kedushah and tznius. He told of Rabbi Yitzchak D’luya, who brought a young woman from beyond the Sambatyon, and through her the residents of Marrakesh were saved. Following this, The Rav shlit"a spoke about the greatness of dancing, saying that even on the way to the protected room one must dance. He mentioned King David, who would dance with all his might. He also brought the story that the Arizal invited all Seven Shepherds to be called up to the Torah, and warned that whoever would laugh would not complete his year. And when King David came in to be called up to the Torah, he arrived with jumping and leaping—and that student could not hold back his laughter, and did not complete his year. Toward the end of the lesson, The Rav shlit"a spoke about how a time will come of “They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift sword against nation, and they shall learn war no more.” He concluded the lesson with several stories of miracles from the Yom Kippur War fifty years ago.