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Parshas Ki Seitze - Waiting for a Salvation

By R' Shaya Gross, z'l

Posted on 09/14/16

Parshas HaShavua Divrei Torah sponsored by
Dr. Shapsy Tajerstein, DPM - Podiatry Care.
(410) 788-6633

[Ed. Note] Out of the respect and recognition of the impact made by longtime BJL friend and contributor, Reb Shaya Gross, z’l, we will maintain a living memoriam to Shaya through the sweet words and thoughtful insights of  his Divrei Torah. BJL readers will remember his weekly column on the Parsha and on various Torah ideas and concepts. These meaningful words will help us remember this special young man who will be sorely missed and for those who did not merit to know him, this will be the most appropriate way for them to become familiar with who he was.


The Haftora of this week's Parsha, Parshas Ki Seitzei, [my Bar Mitzva Parsha!] starts with the words 'rani akara lo yalada', 'Sing out O barren one who didn't give birth’. The Gemara in Brachos on Daf Yud says that a heretic asked Brurya [Rav Meir's wife] if the Barren Woman didn't give birth, why should she sing? 
 The heretic’s question is strange, as why did he only ask on the fact that she didn't give birth and not on the fact that she was barren, the earlier description in the Pasuk?


 I saw a very nice answer from the Mahari Hakohen.


 We know that Sarah, Rivka, and Rochel were barren because Hashem desired their tefilos. However the only time we see that it was for that purpose is if in the end they do have children. That reveals that the years that they didn’t have children were because Hashem wanted their tefilos. Hence, there was no question why a barren woman should sing praise to Hashem, as maybe Hashem wants her tefilos. It's only if in the end 'lo yalada' and she never ended up having kids is there a question. That is why he only asked on the fact that she didn’t have children and not on the fact that she was barren!


To all those waiting for a Shidduch, a Refuah Shilema, for children, for Parnassa, or any other of the myriad human needs and desires, let us take this lesson to heart. Perhaps the reason it is being withheld is because Hashem loves us and wants to hear our Tefillos. Let us all strengthen ourselves in tefila [and in any other area where we need fixing] and then Iy"h soon our tefilos will be answered, we will be granted our wishes, and we will be able to sing joyously our thanks and praises to Hashem.