Bamidbar 5764
Parashat Bamidbar always comes out the Shabbat before Shavuot. There is a fascinating message Rav Chayim Palachi gives in his book Tochachat Chayim. His theme in the Parasha is of course the importance of studying Torah and preparing for the Holiday of Shavuot. So he lists about 20-21 different pieces of advice that one should tell his children to follow. Each one is very applicable, very practical. But I think the first one that he says can actually put a lot of us into a depression.
The Rabbi says you have to tell your children the importance of learning and you have to set for them a certain order that they should learn and accomplish in the course of a year. [Listen to the audio clip for the exact quotes.] He says that every year one must complete as follows:
+ Go through the 24 books of Tanach.
+ Go through the Tikunim, which is a piece of the Zohar, in the month of Elul and Tishre.
+ Everyday, study in Chok LiYisrael.
+ Complete study of the Parasha each week with Rashi.
+ Within a 2 year cycle, finish Hilchot Deot and Hilchot Talmud Torah from Rambam.
+ After Havdalah on Motzae Shabbat, study Musar from the book Reshit Chachma.
+ After finishing that, go onto Menorat HaMaor, and then Shevet Musar, and then Kav Hayashar, and then Lev David, then Chovot HaLivavot, then Luchot Haberit, Daat ViChachma, Eben Hashoham, Arcot Tzadikim, and more.
+ When sitting down at a meal, you should read before you eat, at least three Seefim in the Shulchan Aruch.
+ On Shabbat, study Hilchot Shabbat.
And more….
Now all the above is if you are a student of learning. However, for the fellow who chooses to go out to business, Rav Chayim Palachi gives a different order. He says that one should not go out to work until he finishes:
+ All the En Yaakov of the day, which are the stories of the Gemara from the Bavli and Yerushalmi. There is a certain book that has it spilt up into the days.
+ Finish the Ma’am Loez every week.
+ Read the book of Ma’alot HaMidot
+ Do not go a year without learning the entire Zohar.
+ Each day review the book More BiEztba, and Darche Tzedek.
+ Finish the Midrash Raba, and the Midrash Tanchuma.
+ Finish the small Masechtot in Shas. Finish one perek every Shabbat.
+ And of course to check your Tefilin and your Mezuzot. And make sure to check the Talit Gadol and Talit Katan before putting it on.
That was the last will and testament that Rav Chayim Palachi held that you have to give your children before passing on. The reason why it can bring us to depression is because the level of the Rabbi of 350 years ago was so high that this was all expected to be done in one year’s time. If a person can accomplish this in a lifetime today, he would be considered a great Sage. So you see over here how much is expected from a person, and how much a person can potentially accomplish. He is telling this advice to children!
Therefore, before the holiday of Shavuot, we learn a great lesson from this. Just when you think you are learning enough, and you have reached your maximum, you see that obviously there is an endless amount of potential, and time that seems is out there in order to do much more. So that is the big Musar before Shavuot.
