Rabbi's Weekly Message
Perashat Beshalah 5776
Friday, January 22, 2016King Solomon in Kohelet – Ecclesiastes, declared that there is time for everything; a time to be born and a time to die, a time to build and a time to destroy, a time to plant and a time to sow. This does not mean that a person will have the time to do everything, but that there will always be an appropriate time to do, and actualize our wishes. When taken very literally however, a person runs the risk of believing that everything is dependent on themselves; as long as a person has the time to achieve it! The lesson in life here, then is, that after a long life, what we have achieved is, in the words of our Sages, “only half of what we set to achieve.” ...
Read more...Perashat Bo 5776
Friday, January 15, 2016“Time is the measurer of all things, but is itself immeasurable, and the grand discloser of all things, but is itself undisclosed.” - Charles Caleb Colton The above quote illustrates just how important is the concept of time. In this week’s perasha, Bo, the very first commandment given to the Jewish people was the missva to sanctify and control time. The Torah tells us that, “This month shall be for you the beginning of the months, the first of the months of the year for you.” (Shemot 12:1) The Almighty commanded us to declare and sanctify the New Moon, and thereby determine the beginning of the months, years and the holidays. Moshe Rabbenu was taught the science of determining the “new moon,” and this method was passed on to the sages, who utilized it until the fixed calendar was adopted in the fourth century C.E. ...
Read more...Perashat Va'era 5776
Friday, January 08, 2016In Perashat Shemot which we read last week, there is an ending with a short note; giving a prelude to this week’s Perashat Vaera. Moshe and Aharon are indicted by their people for their “Failed Leadership” in reducing and mitigating the burden of slavery placed upon the Israelites. They, in fact, were accused of worsening the situation by making the Israelites “abhorrent in the eyes of Pharaoh and his servants…” In turn Moshe indicts G-d for His “Failed Leadership” when he accuses G-d of, “Causing evil to the people and not rescuing them.” Of course, G-d tells Moshe that, “Now you will see what I shall do to Pharaoh, for through a strong hand he will send them out and through a strong hand he will chase them out of his land.” ...
Read more...Perashat Shemot 5776
Friday, January 01, 2016We all know the method that is used to ask for something big; we ask for something small first, and then ask for more and more and more. As children, we would ask for a candy, then when we are given from a handful to choose from, we ask, may I also have this one? And this one? And of course, the adult giving us the candy feels bad and gives us a few more candies than our original request. ...
Read more...Perashat Vayehi 5776
Friday, December 25, 2015We place great importance in educating our children. From the moment they are born, we start inculcating in them certain values of right and wrong, correct and incorrect. As soon as they reach the age of 12 to 18 months, we start searching for a good school that will be the “best“ for our child. For the next 12 to 16 years we are involved in the education of our children, choosing the best elementary and high school. We make sure to choose the best college and university, having in mind that our child will become the next Surgeon General or Attorney General or the next Bill Gates, Steven Jobs, Warren Buffet or Mark Zuckerberg. ...
Read more...Perashat Vayigash 5776
Friday, December 18, 2015Much of the Jewish historical experience has been in the Diaspora. The Israelites, as sovereign people, lived and inhabited the Land of Israel for a total of almost 1,350 years, not counting the years that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob inhabited the land. They were in the Land for 450 years prior to the First Temple, then the First Temple lasted 410 years and the Second Temple lasted 420 years, and from 1948 until now; 68 years as a sovereign State of Israel. The Diaspora has spanned 210 years in Egypt, 70 years in Babylon, between the First and Second Temples, and 1,947 years - since the year 68 of the Common Era, when the destruction of the Second Temple occurred. All for a total of 2,227 years. Perashat Vayigash marks the beginning of the first Exile from the Land of Israel, that our forefathers experienced. It began with much fanfare, honors and a dignified welcome as members and friends of the Royal family. That did not last long, though. Within 80 years, slavery began and the last 80 years was harsh slavery. ...
Read more...Perashat Mikess 5776
Friday, December 11, 2015In our long history in Exile, we have gotten used to escape or be exiled, find refuge and be welcomed to a new country; prosper, rise to the height of power then become reviled, enslaved and expelled or persecuted and killed. This cycle unfortunately has repeated itself many times in our long history. Perashat Mikess begins this cycle for the first time and sets the paradigm for the future of the Jewish people. Yoseph, exiled by his brothers, finds refuge in Egypt. Eventually he prospers, and rises to the pinnacle of power as second in command to the most powerful king of that time, in the most important nation on Earth. ...
Read more...Perashat Vayesheb 5776
Friday, December 04, 2015Perashat Vayesheb opens with the story of Yosef and his brothers; an episode which extends over the next few perashiot and culminates with the journey of Ya’akob and his family to, and their settlement in, Egypt. Towards the end of the perasha, we read about Yosef’s incarceration in the royal Egyptian prison, during which time he rose to prominence as the warden’s assistant. Eventually, he came into contact with two of Pharaoh’s top ministers who were imprisoned for various offenses, and whose disturbing dreams were brought to the attention of Yosef. Yosef offered them plausible interpretations, which were meant to provide them some measure of comfort and relief. As we are familiar from the narrative, Yosef’s interpretations were dead-on; the chief cupbearer was restored to his post and the chief baker was executed. Immediately before their sentences were handed down, Yosef enlisted the chief cupbearer to appeal to Pharaoh on his behalf and help secure his freedom. ...
Read more...Perashat Vayishlah 5776
Friday, November 27, 2015As anti-Semitic acts are on the rise all over the world, people ask what is the origin of anti-Semitism? How old is anti-Semitism? What fuels it and who is responsible? Many of the so-called experts weigh in and of course each one has his or her opinion as to what is the root cause of anti-Semitism. They range from one extreme of blaming the victims – Jews - for being responsible through their behavior in creating and fueling anti-Semitism, to full responsibility of the enemies of the Jews for inciting and increasing anti-Semitism. ...
Read more...Perashat Vayesse 5776
Friday, November 20, 2015It is always important for us to remember that the narrative of Sefer Beresheet is not just a collection of stories, but rather, it comes to teach us concrete lessons based on the behavior of our Patriarchs and Matriarchs. The commentators on Beresheet point to a number of episodes that come to educate us in the area of Ben Adam LeHavero - of how to interact with our fellow man, and this week’s perasha, Vayesse, offers several examples. ...
Read more...Apr 20 2024
Nisan 12 5784