Chavruta of the Week: Yoni Mydlarski and Rav Asael Levin

Every morning after Shacharit we learn two Halachot from Kitzur Shulchan Aruch. Topics vary from Hilchot Tfillin to Halachot regarding all types of Chagim. It is a pleasure for both of us to learn together since we’re both interested in Halacha L’maase. We both rub each other in the way that can both teach each other the language that we’re most comfortable with – Yoni speaking English, and Asael speaking Hebrew.

In relation to the end of Yaakov’s life that we see in this Parasha, the first part of the Haphtara speaks about the end of King David’s life. David calls his son Shlomo and teaches him how he should work to continue the empire that he worked so hard to build. King David begins his testament to his son who is continuing his way with spiritual guidance, warning him not to turn away from the ways of Hashem. He tells him that only by doing this, will he have the chance to continue the kingship through his descendants. In the second part, David warns Shlomo of the different traps and enemies that can be problematic, and tells him how to deal with these dangers. King David teaches his son, and us, as his descendants, that although there are problems and we need to deal with them, what matters the most is going in the proper ways of Hashem. We need to deal with these matters first and only when we are in a good spiritual condition can we deal with security and political issues. Learning every morning as a Chavruta, helps us stay on the path that David Hamelech taught us to live by each and every day. We should be Zocheh to see the kingdom of Beit David rebuilt again in Yerushalayim.

במהרה בימינו. אמן