יהושע אלט Yehoshua Alt

Alternate Altar

In 1925 there was an interesting exchange of letters between R’ Yosef Chaim Zonnenfeld (1848-1932), Chief Rabbi of Yerushalayim, and R’ Shimon Sofer[1] (1850–1944), the rav of Erlau, Hungary, about the possibility of reinstating the mizbayach (“altar”) on the Har Habayis (“Temple Mount”) in order to allow karbonos to be offered even in the absence of the Beis Hamikdash. R’ Shimon Sofer wrote: “Since Hashem has given us favor in the eyes of the rulers of Eretz Yisrael who allow us to conduct our matters entirely in accordance with the Torah, perhaps it is now the time to consider erecting the mizbayach on the Har Habayis and offer karbonos on it as was done at the beginning of the second Beis Hamikdash when karbonos were brought before the Beis Hamikdash had been rebuilt.[2] It is also stated in Yerushalmi that the Beis Hamikdash will initially be built with only the minimum of a mizbayach on which to offer karbonos…[3] If Yerushalayim rabbanim will jointly request permission from the British authorities in this matter, it will undoubtedly be granted. Money is not an issue because all Jews will gladly contribute… The actual halachos about the sacrifice procedures and kohanim can be discussed by the sages of Eretz Yisrael and decided by the majority…”

R’ Yosef Chaim responded in a letter: “I am afraid that you have been misinformed regarding the goodwill of the government towards allowing us to conduct our affairs in complete accordance with the Torah. I will relate a small incident that illustrates the true state of affairs. When the Jewish High Commissioner, Sir Herbert Samuel, came here several years ago, I sent him a letter requesting that we be allowed to post a sign on the road leading to the Har Habayis to warn Jews of the Torah’s prohibition against entering the Har Habayis in our present state of tumah (“ritual contamination”). Many are unaware of this law and as a result transgress an isur kares (violation punishable by spiritual excision). I explained the severity of the prohibition to the commissioner but he declined this request because such a sign would offend irreligious Jews. Besides, the Temple area has been in the possession of the Arabs for quite some time, and even false rumors alleging that Jews were attempting to seize control of the area from them have in the past provoked Arab hatred against us. If Jews would openly acknowledge such intentions, terrible consequences, G-d forbid, would result. Consequently, we must await Hashem’s salvation and daven that He send us Moshiach and we will rejoice in His salvation speedily and in our days…”[4]

Passionate Profession

How should one know which profession to enter? Just as we need shoes that fit us, the same is true with our job.[1] The Chovos Halevavos writes that every person has a preference for a particular occupation or business over any other, as Hashem planted within his nature a love and affection for it.[2] Among humans, there are different personalities and physiques that are predisposed towards certain trades and occupations. Whoever discovers within his personality and nature an attraction to a particular trade, and his body is fit for it and can endure its difficulty should pursue it and make it his means of livelihood, accepting its sweetness as well as its bitterness.[3]

So, one should choose a profession that he enjoys,[4] that excites him, that he has passion and enthusiasm for.[5] Then he eagerly gives 100% of himself when he is working, thereby putting forth his best[6] effort.[7] As the saying goes, “If you love what you do, you’ll never have to work a day in your life.”

When one travels and knows his destination, he drives in the express lane. However, if he is looking for an exit and is unsure where to get off, he will be in the slow lane. The same is true with respect to one’s job. If someone is looking for an exit out of his situation because he doesn’t like his job, he will not accomplish very much or be too productive.

The following is an analogy for this. An employer sent a worker for a package that needed to be picked up. When the worker returned with a heavy package, the employer told him that it wasn’t the right one, because the correct package was filled with diamonds and should be very light. That is the kind of job one should choose.

Many people look outside to see what jobs are available when they should really look inside themselves to see what it is that they truly love. Someone once said that a big mistake people make is that they try to force an interest on themselves. “You don’t choose your passions; your passions choose you.”

How do you know what your passion is? Passion can be described as who you are and what you love to do. It is not something you have to do but something you want to do. It may even be something you would do in your free time even if you didn’t get paid for it! What interests you? What do you talk about most of the time? Some people have a passion for health. These people may be doctors, nutritionists, and the like. Others may desire travel. They may be pilots, traveling businessmen, etc. Others may pursue spirituality. They may be rebbis, mashgiachs, and so on. Yet others may enjoy math. They may become statisticians, actuaries, accountants, etc. Based on advice from the Stoliner Rebbe to do what one enjoys, a Stoliner chassid, who enjoyed traveling and directing boys in life, chose to be a recruiter for a post-high-school boys’ yeshiva in Israel, for which he travels around the world. Is it any surprise that he is successful at what he does?