Rabbi's Weekly Message
Perashat Shemini 5776
Friday, April 01, 2016As we approach the Holiday of Pesah, our first thought is about the cleaning process: when and where we are going to start, and the long hours we need to put into it. We get exhausted just from thinking about it. We pay much attention to the external cleaning and ridding the house of Hamess, that we forget about the internal-personal “spiritual cleansing” that we need to do. Although Passover is not known to be a holiday of “spiritual cleansing” like Kippur or Rosh HaShana, or even Shabuot, yet, it can serve as a reminder that “spiritual cleansing” is something that we always ought to do on a daily basis. If not actually cleansing, at least preventing spiritual contamination is certainly in order, as a day-to-day activity. ...
Read more...Perashat Sav 5776
Friday, March 25, 2016There are some people, that for them to believe in G-d, they require to see an open miracle that will be so obvious in order for them to believe that G-d exists. Even better, if G-d Himself will come and talk to them openly, then they will believe that He exists. Yet others, no matter how many miracles they will personally witness and experience, they will still try to explain them in a natural and scientific way. This has been attempted many times by scientists and historians in order to explain many of the miracles and wonders that occurred in Egypt and at the heel of the liberation of our forefathers from slavery. Some of those “scientific” explanations are so far fetched, stretching the bounds of science the way we know it, that you have scientists and historians saying that certain phenomena in nature occur only every five or ten thousand years, and coincidentally, it happened to occur at the exact time that the Israelites were crossing the sea and lived in Egypt. No one can prove these “scientists” and historians right or wrong, since no one will be alive to witness whether the phenomena in question will, or will not, repeat itself and, thereby prove them wrong or right. ...
Read more...Perashat Vayikra 5776
Friday, March 18, 2016We begin this week the third Humash of the Torah, known in Rabbinic literature as “Torat Kohanim” - the Bible of the Kohanim. This name is given due to the majority of the subjects discussed in the Humash that deal with Priestly matter; namely the sacrifices, offerings, laws of tithes, and marital priestly laws. The Humash begins with Perashat Vayikra which describes the sacrifices and offerings that one would bring to the altar for all the reasons mentioned; as a voluntary contribution, as a penance, as a guilt offering, etc. ...
Read more...Perashat Pekudei 5776
Friday, March 11, 2016In this week’s perasha, Pekudei, we read about the inventory of the Mishkan, the Tabernacle, taken by the first Jewish accountant, Moshe Rabbenu. Moshe was responsible for demonstrating that every single precious item that was donated by the people, was utilized in the construction of the Mishkan. In contemporary times, the late President Ronald Reagan employed a Russian slogan which translated to, “Trust but verify,” as a guide in formulating his foreign policy with the former Soviet Union. Rabbi Steven Pruzansky notes, that we can understand the nature of such a policy with regard to the Cold War between East and West, but why does the Torah invoke this policy with regard to Moshe Rabbenu, the greatest man who ever lived? ...
Read more...Perashat Vayakhel 5776
Friday, March 04, 2016As candidates run for office in a democratic society, we always hear calls for cutting taxes or increasing taxes. Their ultimate goal is the same; that is to increase the funds of the U.S. Treasury. One side thinks that by increasing taxes they can increase the funds of the Treasury directly; the other side thinks that by cutting taxes, they can increase the funds of the Treasury indirectly. No side will tell you that their goal is to stop the flow of funds because the U.S. Treasury has enough money and does not need anymore. ...
Read more...Perashat Ki Tissa 5776
Friday, February 26, 2016Every generation is known for something that typifies it. It is usually something important that defines a generation. In past history, the generations were known for a natural phenomenon, like the generation of the flood. Or, a historical event is credited, like the Exodus from Egypt. Even a period of time, like the generation of the Desert is common. It could also be a kingdom, like the Kingdom of David generation or the Kingdom of Solomon generation. Other generations include The Mediaeval ages, the Age of discovery and conquests, the Renaissance generation, the Emancipation generation, the Holocaust generation, the landing on the Moon generation, etc. ...
Read more...Perashat Tessaveh 5776
Friday, February 19, 2016We generally look with reverence at how a person dresses and what he or she is wearing. Usually what they are wearing, tells us plenty about who they are. Businesses and companies require their employees to wear a uniform that represents the company. Schools have compulsory uniforms for their students. A student may even be punished if he or she is not wearing the uniform. Different educational philosophies have arisen as to the positive or negative values of uniforms; how they affect the student, their individuality, uniformity or self-worth. No matter what side of this argument one finds themselves on, uniforms are either loved or hated. In sports, uniforms are a form of identification and loyalty. Fans wear the uniform of their favorite team. Great financial income accrues to the team via the selling of their uniforms and their paraphernalia. ...
Read more...Perashat Terumah 5776
Friday, February 12, 2016Over the next five perashiot, the Torah embarks on an extensive account of the effort that went into the planning and construction of the Mishkan, the movable Sanctuary in the desert. From the materials collected, to the minutiae of every component, including the appointment of those responsible for its design and execution, as well as its final completion, the Torah spares no detail in its description. Later on in the Torah in the book of Bemidbar, we read how all the tribes of Israel encamped in the desert with the Mishkan as their focal point. The narrative there also relates how each tribe had different flags, representing the different personalities and philosophies of each tribe. The function of the Mishkan, among other things, was to serve as the unifying force for all the various elements among the Jewish people. Rabbi Y. Frand relates that, “Despite the fact that there are different ways of looking at life, ultimately, we [i.e., the Jewish people] are all in it for the same reason – to serve the Almighty. The Mishkan is the central focus for all of us, regardless of where we are coming from.” Rabbi Frand adds that this is why the flags could not be implemented until the Mishkan was established during the second year of their travels, as Boreh Olam did not want to have flags, which represented divisiveness in Israel, to be present before the antidote to this divisiveness, i.e., the centralized Mishkan, was fully functional. ...
Read more...Perashat Mishpatim 5776
Friday, February 05, 2016For Americans, any conversation about slavery, recalls a time in our history going back over 150 years ago, when the Emancipation Proclamation, an executive order, was issued and signed by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863. For the rest of the Western civilization, that event took place on the heels of the French Revolution. In the world in which we live in, any conversation about slavery then, becomes a study in history with no present reality; or is it? ...
Read more...Perashat Yitro 5776
Friday, January 29, 2016Perashat Yitro is named after Moshe’s father-in-law, for his contribution of a prescription for effective leadership. There were two different guests that came to visit the Israelites in the desert. One was Yitro, whose counsel was a major benefit to Israel. Yitro, upon observing his son-in-law’s workload, recommended appointing competent men to assist Moshe in the leadership of Bene Yisrael. Following his advice. Moshe appoints qualified judges to oversee the day to day operations of government. ...
Read more...Dec 21 2024
Kislev 20 5785