B"H
By the Grace of G-d

Yitzhak Zev Kolakowksi
Devar Torah
Parshas Ki Sisa 5760

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Zechus Avos - In Merit of our Ancestors
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    In Chapter 31, we meet two of the heroes of this week's Parshah, Bezalel and Oholiav.  
The Humash (Pentateuch) tells us:
	"And the L-ORD spoke unto Moses, saying: ' See, I have called Bezalel ben Uri
	 ben Hur of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with Ruach Elokim (G-dly
	 Spirit) with wisdom, understanding, and knowledge, and in all types of work... 
	 And, behold, I have appointed with him Oholiab ben Ahisamach of the tribe of
	 Dan.'"
    These individuals were given the special merit of building the Ohel Moed (Tent of 
Meeting) in the zechus (merit) of their illustrious ancestors who took up arms so that 
the Word of HaShem (the L-ORD) should be fulfilled.  As the verse says, Bezalel's
grandfather was Hur.  In Parshas Beshalach we meet Hur, who was the son of Miriam 
and Caleb (making him Moses' nephew).  Through the efforts of Hur (and the Work 
of HaShem, of course), Scripture tells us that the first war against Amalek was won
by Israel.  Haza"l (our Sages of blessed memory) tell us, however, that Hur was later
murdered by the Erev Rav (the mixed multitude of gentiles who left Egypt with the 
Hebrews) when he protested against the Het HaEgel (the sin of the Golden Calf). 
Hur sacrificed everything, including his very life, for the sake of Kiddush HaShem
(sanctifying the Name of the L-ORD) and the destruction of the enemies of Klal 
Yisroel (the Jewish people) and of HaShem (Any enemy of Klal Yisroel is 
automatically an enemy of G-d).  As a reward for this Mesirus Nephesh 
(self-sacrifice), Hur merited to have a grandson who would build the Ohel Moed.

    Oholiav was a descendant of Hushim ben Dan.  The Gemara (Talmud), in 
Tractate Sotah, folio 13b, we learn that while his uncles (the twelve sons of 
Jacob) were 'negotiating' with their wicked uncle Esau concerning his false 
claim to the ownership of the city of Hebron when they went up to bury 
Jacob, Hushim ben Dan (who was deaf, but certainly not dumb) slew Esau 
for the sake of his departed Zeide's (Grandfather, i.e. Jacob) honor.  On
 account of this incredible act of Kiddush HaShem and Mesirus Nephesh, 
Hushim merited a descendant who would construct the Ohel Moed.  
Although these individuals did not manage to see the Mishkan (Tabernacle), 
if it were not for their holy works, its construction would have not been 
possible (can you imagine if we were still arguing with Esau about Hebron, 
as though arguing with Ishmael was not enough!).  Thus, those who did see 
the Mishkan only did because of their ancestors, to whom they were greatly indebted.

    Just the same, King David did not merit to see the Beth HaMikdash (the 
Holy Temple).  This is because he had blood on his hands from fighting the
milchemes mitzvah (Holy Wars).  But if it were not for those holy victories 
that David wrought for the L-ORD's Name's Sake, it would have been
impossible for King Solomon (David's son) to build it.  (Solomon, whose 
real name 'Shlomoh' means 'Peace' never had to fight a war.  This was only 
in the merit of those Holy Wars which David fought.)  Thus, once more, it 
was only in the zechus of David's battles, (his Mesirus Nephesh and Kiddush
HaShem) that his son merited to build the Temple.

    The very same is true of many of our parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents, 
as well as our Rabbis and other great Jewish leaders.  When they came to America, 
they had to make many sacrifices and go through a lot of Mesirus Nephesh in 
order to make sure that there would be strength in OUR generation for authentic 
Yiddishkeit.  All of our beautiful Torah institutions, such as our Yeshivos, Shuls,
Kashrus, and Mikvaos, are among us today in the merit of the Mesirus Nephesh 
our ancestors made for us, even if they were not zoicher to see it themselves. 
No one should ever say that they did certain things against Yiddishkeit 
because they wanted the same for us!  They did it so we could make up
for that which they did when they did not have the full bechirah (free will) 
so we (who have a lot more bechirah than they did) can be a lot more frum 
(religious and observant) than has been possible for the past 2000 years.  
HaShem has given us this freedom to serve Him in the merit of our ancestors 
who sacrificed themselves for our sake, and for His.

    And just as the generation who built the Mishkan and the Beis HaMikdash 
drew their merit from the Mesirus Nephesh and Kiddush HaShem of the previous 
generations, thus will our generation, who G-d willing will build the Third 
(permanent and eternal) Beis HaMikdash, draw from the zechus of our 
ancestors.  Our ancestors who zealously braved so much Mesirus Nephesh 
for the sake of Kiddush HaShem, so that we should be able to serve HaShem 
in the way He commanded us in His True Word, the Torah.  Remember, 
almost 70 percent of the mitzvos in the Torah need the Beis HaMikdash.  
We need the bechirah to serve HaShem.  We need Moshiach (Messiah) now!

Gut Shabbos!