On Shiv’ah Asar B’Tamuz (Sunday, June 27), Rabbi Paysach Krohn, well-known mohel, author, and speaker, shared a life-changing shiur on behalf of Chazaq.
He noted how difficult this past year has been for so many people throughout the world, with deaths and illnesses, and it’s been especially difficult for Yidden. In addition to physical challenges, we have experienced emotional, social, and financial challenges. On the 17th of Tamuz, there were five tragedies: Moshe Rabbeinu broke the Luchos when he saw the sin of the Golden Calf, the Tamid offering was not permitted anymore, the walls of Yerushalayim were breached, a Roman general burned a sefer Torah in the Temple, and Menashe (an evil king) brought an idol into the Kodesh HaKodashim.
Rabbi Krohn shared that he would focus on the tragedy of not being able to bring the Tamid offering. There is something that Hashem states only about the Tamid offering. “This is my korban. These are my fires, my fresh aromas.” Why did Hashem love the Korban Tamid so much? What is so special about it? Rabbi Krohn taught that it is special because of consistency. When a person performs mitzvos in a consistent manner, he makes a connection to Hashem.
Rabbi Krohn then quoted from a life coach who taught: “Don’t aim to be consistently great. Aim to be great at being consistent.”
Rabbi Krohn pointed out that many people live lives of death. They are not enthusiastic. The Kotzker Rebbe taught that every one of us is meant to accomplish something in this world. “The day you were born was the day Hashem decided the world could not exist without you.” This means that “Hashem brought you to this world to accomplish something.” Rabbi Krohn explained that consistency is about doing something on a daily basis.
He shared that when famous Amoraim were asked why they merited long life, they shared the following responses. One said that in all his days he never made a short-cut through shul. Another shared that in all his days no one ever came to shul before him. Someone else stated that in all his days he never called a friend a negative nickname. Someone else noted that in all his days he never got angry at home. Rabbi Krohn pointed out the common denominator in all of these. They all said, in all my days. There was a consistency with all of them.
The N’tziv taught that every one of us serves Hashem in a different way. Some serve Him through learning Torah, and there are different parts they prefer to learn. Some serve Him with t’filah, and some with chesed. Anyone who is consistent and never misses a day will be rewarded with long days.
Rabbi Krohn urged everyone to think tonight about something one can do that can be done consistently. He shared some inspiring examples. We can say that from now on we will only bentch or say Al HaMichyah from a siddur or bentcher. We can make up our mind to always stand in one place when reciting Asher Yatzar. We can say every brachah out loud so people can respond Amein. Amein has the g’matria of mal’ach, angel, and Rav Moshe Feinstein taught that when you recite Amein, you create a protective angel.
Rabbi Krohn emphasized, “Get your family to do something special every day. That’s the korban tamid!”
He then suggested that everyone sign up for TorahAnytime Daily Dose, which offers a daily dose of inspiration. The phone number for this is 929-355-4268. He also recommended signing up for DailyGiving.org, which enables people to give tz’dakah every day to all different important tz’dakos. It’s just a one dollar a day donation, and it makes a tremendous impact when we all do this together.
Rabbi Krohn then taught a teaching of the Chazon Ish who said that many g’dolim of previous generations were not geniuses. He listed three surprising examples. However, each of them possessed the four “D’s”: desire, dedication, drive, and determination. These are keys to being successful in reaching our goals. We need to have a goal in order to be successful, and then we need a plan to achieve that goal.
The Chofetz Chaim taught a life lesson from the p’sukim in the Torah that state that Avraham went to the land of Canaan and he came there with his family. Why did the Torah have to repeat that he came there? In a previous parshah, the Torah states that Terach took Avraham, Lot, and Sarah and he went out of Ur Kasdim to go to Canaan. However, he never reached Canaan. It says that he stayed in Charan. The Chofetz Chaim explains that this teaches us that we have to be like Avraham, filled with determination to reach our goal. Rabbi Krohn taught, “A goal is a dream with a deadline.” Write down your goals and list dates and times when things are due. You need a plan. “Write out your goals. If you have a plan, you can accomplish anything.”
He shared a personal example of a goal he had of completing his new sefer before the Yamim Nora’im and how he accomplished it this way. (We look forward to learning from it!)
He quoted a saying: “Don’t watch the clock. Just do what it does. Keep going!”
He then spoke about the importance of performing a chesed every day. He shared possible examples, like calling someone if you can’t pay a shiv’ah call, calling or visiting an elderly person who is alone, and encouraging someone.
He then shared a powerful drash from the Kotzker Rebbe on the p’sukim in the Chumash where it says to be careful about going up the mountain and don’t touch it or you will die. So, the p’shat is not to touch the mountain. The Kotzker Rebbe was doreish that we learn from this that we must be careful when starting a project like climbing a mountain, that we don’t just touch it but that we finish it. Many times, we begin something and don’t complete it. We don’t have consistency. Be careful when you start a project to really do it, because just touching it is not what life is about. In other words, go to the top of the mountain, be consistent.
During The Three Weeks, we have to undo a lack of consistency. We have to set goals and follow through with a plan.
He concluded that we should merit to see the Korban Tamid again in the Beis HaMikdash. This beautiful shiur can be viewed on www.TorahAnytime.com.