Rabbi's Weekly Message
Perashat Beha'alotekha 5776
Friday, June 24, 2016The Torah uses three different expressions concerning the mahn - the miracle food that sustained B’nei Yisrael for forty years in the desert. In this week’s perasha it states, “u’beredet ha-tal al ha-mahane Layla, yered ha-mahn alav " - “And when the dew fell upon the encampment in the night, the mahn fell upon it." [Bamidbar 11:9] The implication in this pasuk is that there was no effort involved in gathering this staple food. In Perashat Beshalah it states, “v’yayss’eu ha-‘am v’laketu debar yom be-yomo” - "And the people went out and gathered a portion every day." [Shemot 16:4] The gathering of the mahnwas not as easy as in the other instance, but it was still done within the camp, i.e., within the reach of the people. The third verse says, “shatu ha-‘am v’laketu” - "The people scattered, and gathered it." [Bamidbar 11:8] This pasuk indicates effort. The people had to travel a distance; they had to go beyond the environs of the encampment, in order to gather the mahn that they desired. ...
Read more...Perashat Naso 5776
Friday, June 17, 2016One of the main topics of Perashat Naso is the sacrifices brought by the heads of each tribe in honor of the inauguration of the Mishkan. The Torah tells us that every day, for a twelve-day period at the beginning of the month of Nisan, the prince, or nasi, of each tribe brought an identical korban, sacrifice, as an offering to Hashem. ...
Read more...Perashat Bamidbar 5776
Friday, June 10, 2016Almost invariably, Perashat Bemidbar is read the Shabbat before the Holiday of Shabuot. In fact, our Sages established it that way for a reason. The Midrash comments that the Torah was given amidst three things: באש - fire, במים - water and במדבר - desert. Therefore, they set the reading of Perashat Bemidbar the Shabbat before Shabuot, the holiday that celebrates the giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai, so we could remember the connection between the Torah and the desert. Even though the English name of the fourth Book of the Torah is, Numbers - in Hebrew it is Bemidbar - in the Desert. ...
Read more...Perashat Behukotay 5776
Friday, June 03, 2016The main topic of this week's perasha, Behukotay, is the "Tokheha" - The Rebuke or The Chastisement; the basic structure of "Reward and Punishment" as outlined by the Torah. The Torah states, "If you will walk in my statutes and keep my commandments, and do them..." - then I will give you A,B,C as a reward, and conversely, "... if you will not hearken to me, and will not do all these commands... but you will break my covenant..." - you will be given X,Y,Z as a punishment. [Vayikra 26: 3 and 14] This "Tokheha" appears twice in the Torah; once in this week's perasha, in the book of Vayikra, and another time in perashat Ki Tabo in the book of Debarim. The main difference between the two versions, is that this one was communicated directly to us by Hashem, whereas, the version in Debarim was part of the farewell speech of Moshe Rabbenu to the nation prior to his death. Both, are the word of the Divine. The commentators further offer, that our version came to fruition during the First Temple Period, whereas the one found in Ki Tabo is being fulfilled even to this day. ...
Read more...Perashat Behar 5776
Friday, May 27, 2016One of the main topics of this week’s perasha, Behar, is the missva of Shemitta, the Sabbatical year, when we are commanded to let the land in Israel remain fallow and unworked once every seven years. Bitahon, complete trust in Hashem is required from us in order for us to be sustained during the Shemitta year in a blessed manner. Concerning this missva, the Torah states, “And the land shall yield her fruit, and you shall eat your fill and dwell therein in safety. And if you will say, What shall we eat in the seventh year? Behold, we shall not sow, nor gather in our increase.....
Read more...Perashat Emor 5776
Friday, May 20, 2016During this year of Presidential elections, we are all the more sensitized about the leaders we choose. We scrutinize them thoroughly, or at least we think we do, and any imperfection we find, we make into a scandal and interpret it to suit our political inclination. If it concerns a candidate that we are disposed to vote for, then his or her blemish becomes insignificant. However, if it concerns the candidate that we do not support, this blemish instantly becomes the litmus test of the ethical and moral behavior of such a candidate. ...
Read more...Perashat Kedoshim 5776
Friday, May 13, 2016Ever since the dawn of civilization, man has been in search of how to live “the good life.” Great philosophers have tried to teach us the effective formula for a successful and happy life. The ancient Greeks maintained that one can attain “the good life” through the use of the human intellect; by examining life through reason, which they say is nature’s (not G-d’s!) greatest gift to humanity. Reason, they argue, lets human beings participate in life; to think, appraise and explore the world, discovering new sources of material and spiritual pleasure. The Stoics stressed will power as the chief virtue. They posited that one should only worry about the things that are under their control; those things that can be influenced by their actions - and not the things that are beyond one’s control to direct or alter. For example, one who can utilize their will power to control their appetite, is worthy of emulation and praise. The Epicureans were of the opinion that one should experience true pleasures that contribute to calmness and peace of mind. One should avoid transient pleasures, while understanding that true pleasure is disciplined and restrained. They maintained that one should avoid anxiety and pain if one wanted to enjoy the bounties of life. ...
Read more...Perashat Ahare Mot 5776
Friday, May 06, 2016Throughout our lives we always encounter situations and circumstances in which we find ourselves paralyzed to respond and react. At times, we are not prepared to react and respond, because we do not know or we may not be equipped to respond. At times, the best reaction is silence and acceptance. ...
Read more...Perashat Messora 5776
Friday, April 15, 2016The Shabbat before Pesah is known as Shabbat HaGadol, or “The Great Sabbath.” A number of reasons are given by our sages. One reason is that it commemorates a ‘great’ miracle that took place on the Sabbath prior to the Exodus from Egypt. There are two possibilities of what constituted this great miracle. One opinion says that a civil war broke out among the Egyptians when their firstborn argued with their fellow countrymen to let the Hebrews go, lest they perish in the final plague. During this conflict, Hebrew lives which could have been in jeopardy – were spared. ...
Read more...Perashat Tazria 5776
Friday, April 08, 2016A very special Shabbat is upon us. The occurrence is rare – to take out three Sifrei Torah used to read three different portions, namely Tazria, Rosh Hodesh and HaHodesh. The connection is very clear; all deal with birth. Tazria is of a baby; Rosh Hodesh is of a month; and HaHodesh is of a Nation. Perashat HaHodesh describes the first commandment given to the Children of Israel as a nation; the establishment of a calendar, thereby giving them mastery over their time. Once a nation is able to establish its own calendar and determine its own time, then that nation has achieved true independence and mastery over its own destiny. HaHodesh comes from the word “Hadash” – new, and “Hodesh” – month; alluding to the renewal and re-birth of the moon every month. As the moon waxes and wanes over a period of 29 days and as it renews itself, so too the People of Israel as a nation, wax and wane throughout history. This last reading is a call to the entire Jewish people to prepare themselves for the celebration of the Festival of Passover. It is obvious that this month of Nisan is special because the Israelites achieved their freedom from slavery. During their period of servitude, “time” did not belong to them. Rather, slaves spent their time fulfilling the will of others. A slave had no time which he could consider his own. He lacked freedom of choice due to his subservience to his master, who determined his complete schedule. In contrast, freedom grants the individual mastery over his own time, enabling him to decide the most effective way for its use. ...
Read more...Dec 21 2024
Kislev 20 5785