B"H
Friday, Nissan 25, 5784 / May 3, 2024 (10th day of the Omer)
This week’s Parsha is Acharei Mot– the fifth Parsha in the Book of Leviticus. The Parsha begins with the service of the High Priest in the Holy Temple on the holiest day of the year, on Yom Kippur.
This Shabbat, which is the first Shabbat after Pesach, we begin studying Pirkei Avot- Chapters of our Fathers, where many wonderful sayings and lessons of the Talmudic sages are recorded. Pirkei Avot begins; "Moshe received the Torah from Mount Sinai and transmitted it to Joshua; Joshua [transmitted it] to the Elders; the Elders to the Prophets; and the Prophets transmitted it to the Men of the Great Assembly..."
Rabbi Yehudah Hanasi, compiler of Pirkei Avot, begins the Pirkei Avot by telling us the importance of the Torah teachings, for they were transmitted to us from generation to generation all the way back to Moshe at Mount Sinai. This link of transmission has never been broken for over 3000 years!
The following episode is told about an elderly Rabbi who was traveling with his grandson. The reverence and respect the grandson exhibited for his elder grandfather was very evident in the lad's conduct. He listened attentively to every word his grandfather said and without hesitation obeyed whatever his grandfather asked him to do. The other passengers were amazed at the young boy's behavior.
At last, one passenger said to the Rabbi, "I couldn't help but observe the great respect and reverence your grandchild has for you. I also have children and grandchildren, but they think that they are much smarter than I and have little to learn from me. How were you able to accomplish what I couldn’t."
"Do you believe the story of creation as recorded in the Torah?" asked the Rabbi. The man hesitated, and finally answered that he did not. The Rabbi replied, "There you have the answer to your question. Your children and grandchildren were taught that they evolved from monkeys and apes. My grandson was taught and believes in the Torah story of creation that we come from Adam & Eve.”
“Your grandchildren, who think that you and they have evolved from an ape, are two generations further from the ape than you are, thus they consider themselves smarter and more intelligent than you… But, my grandson believes that I am two generations closer to Adam & Eve, who were created by G-d Al-mighty Himself. Therefore, he considers memore intelligent and has much to learn from me!"
Pirkei Avot begins with the origin of the Torah and how it was transmitted through the generations. Knowing that the teachings of the Pirkei Avot come from our Talmudic sages who were closer to the Giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai and knowing that the chain of transmission of the Torah was never broken, gives these teachings great validity and holiness.
This Shabbat we bless the new month, Iyar. Rosh Chodesh begins Tuesday night and continues through Wednesday & Thursday.
SHABBAT SHALOM
Montreal candle lighting time: 7:46 / Shabbat ends: 8:57
UNITED WE STAND WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY. MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW.
Thursday, Nissan 24, 5784 / May 2, 2024 (9th day of the Omer)
Shalom. I hope you had a wonderful Pesach holiday together with your loved ones, family, and friends. Thank G-d we were together with our children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Also, my mother, who is thank G-d, 100, attended the two Sedarim with us. Thus, enjoying five generations at the Seder Table, B”H.
Passover teaches us not to take miracles for granted. We must recognize them for what they are and express our thanks to G-d for ALL He does for us. May we merit to see open miracles very soon when the hostages will be freed and join their families, AMEN.,
At the conclusion of the Seder many recite, “The Passover Seder is now concluded.” It is followed by a prayer that we merit to perform the Seder next year in Jerusalem in the Holy Temple.
However, some have the custom not to say the passage, “The Passover Seder is now concluded.” Their reasoning being that even if the physical aspect of the Seder is over, the spirit, the feeling of freedom and holiness of the Seder, is to continue throughout the entire year.
May it be the will of G-d that we should all be blessed to have continued Nachas and family unity throughout the year as we experienced on the Seder nights. Amen.
We are now in the Sefirah mode. The Torah says, "And you shall count unto you... seven weeks complete they shall be.” From the second night of the holiday of Pesach, until the holiday of Shavuot, (seven weeks), we perform the mitzvah of Sefirat HaOmer – counting the Omer, each night, for a total of 49 days.Each night, at the conclusion of the evening service, we recite a special blessing and count the Omer – stating the number of the Omer for that night.
Q. What is the significance of the “Sefirah” – the counting of the Omer?
A. When G-d sent Moshe to liberate the Jewish people from Egypt, He told them that the purpose of their freedom was to receive the Torah at Mount Sinai. They counted the days in anticipation of the receiving the Torah. We count the Omer daily, from Pesach to Shavuot, when we received the Torah, to remind us that the purpose and realization of true freedom, which we attained on Pesach, is through the study of Torah and adherence to G-d's commandments, which elevates us to being a holy nation and a truly free people.
The word "Sefirah" which means "to count" can also be understood as "to illuminate". Counting the Omer (Sefirat HaOmer) each day, teaches us to illuminate each day of our lives, with Torah and mitzvot. It also teaches us that one should not be content with yesterday's achievements. Rather, each day we should bring additional spiritual light into our lives. It teaches us tomake each day count.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY, SUCCESSFUL & WONDERFUL DAY
UNITED WE STAND IN PRAYER FOR OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN ISRAEL
& FOR THE WELFARE OF THE CAPTIVES. MAY THEY BE RELEASED NOW.
Friday, Nissan 11, 5784 / April 19, 2024
This Shabbat, The Shabbat before Pesach, is called Shabbat Hagadol – The Great Shabbat.
One of the reasons is that on the Shabbat before the Exodus, a great miracle took place. The first-born Egyptians, knowing that G-d was going to bring the Plague of the First-Born on them, insisted that Pharaoh let the Jewish people go. However, Pharaoh didn’t listen to them, they put up a fight and many Egyptians were killed. It was a war between Egyptians and Egyptians.
We saw the same miracle last Shabbat when Arab armies shot down missiles coming from Iran against Israel. It was truly a Shabbat Hagadol – A GREAT Shabbat of our time. May G-d protect and keep Jews in Israel and all over the world safe.
Q. At the Seder we speak about “Four Sons.” The wise son (Chacham); The wicked son (Rasha); The simple son (Tam); The one who doesn’t know what to ask (Sh’aino yodaya lishol). This order is a bit strange. The wicked son should be last. Why is he next to the wise one?
A. The simple answer is that they are placed in the order of their intelligence. The wicked son can also be very intelligent; thus, he comes after the wise son.
Today (Friday), the 11th day of the month Nissan, is the 122nd birthday of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, of blessed memory. His great influence on world Jewry continues to this day through his teachings and through his thousands of emissaries who are spreading Torah and Judaism throughout the world.
The Lubavitcher Rebbe, in his unique way, which is also a lesson to us, explains the reason as follows: We bring together the above-mentioned children to the Seder to include them in the beauty of our traditions. Even the one who is wicked and will barrage us with disturbing questions, he too, must be included in the Seder ceremony. We cannot give up on any Jew. We include everyone and try to answer their question, so they too, will share in the beauty of our sacred traditions.
For this reason, we place the wicked son next to the wise one, so that the wise one will answer his questions and influence the wicked one. None of the other children at the Seder, the simpleton and the one who doesn’t know what to ask, can answer his questions.
“There is an important lesson here, especially in our generation,” says the Rebbe. “It is the responsibility of each and every one to influence others, to care about their spiritual welfare, because we are responsible for the welfare of every Jew.”
SHABBAT SHALOM & HAPPY HOLIDAY – CHAG SAMEACH
Montreal candle lighting time: 7:28 / Shabbat ends: 8:35
UNITED WE STAND IN PRAYER FOR OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN ISRAEL
& FOR THE WELFARE OF THE CAPTIVES. MAY THEY BE RELEASED NOW. AMEN
This will be the last Torah Fax until after the Pesach Holiday
This will be the last Torah Fax until after the Pesach Holiday
B"H
Tuesday, Nissan 8, 5784 / April 16, 2024
The holiday of Pesach (Passover) begins next Monday night, April 22. The family gets together at the Seder, reciting from the Haggadah the story of the miracle of our Exodus. Our sages say that the more time one spends discussing the miracles of Pesach the more praiseworthy one is.
Q. Moshe (Moses) led the Jewish people out of Egypt. Why is it that in the Haggadah, which we recite at the Seder, in which the story of the Exodus is told, Moshe’s name is hardly mentioned?
A. The Torah tells us that Moshe was the most humble person upon the face of the earth. Moshe’s humility was so great that he didn’t take any credit for his role in the Exodus. This great virtue of Moshe is expressed in the fact that his name is not mentioned in the Haggadah. Moshe’s humility is his greatness.
Not mentioning Moshe’s name also emphasizes the point which we read in the Hagadah, “G-d brought us out from Egypt, not through an angel, not through a messenger, only the Holy One Blessed is He, Himself.” Thus, Moshe’s name is not stressed in the Haggadah to show that the liberation came from the highest level, from G-d Himself.
Q. The story of the Exodus took place 3336 years ago. Yet, today we are again in Exile. What’s the point of celebrating our Freedom from Egypt when we are still in Exile?
A. The following parable explains it. A poor man, who never had an education, won a great deal of money in the lottery. The first thing he did was to hire teachers to give him the education he missed out on in his youth. Over the years he became a very learned man. Each year he celebrated the anniversary of the day when he won the lottery.
Unfortunately, as time went by, he lost all his money and was again the poor man he was before his winnings. However, he still continued his custom of celebrating the day when he became rich.
He was asked why he continued to celebrate the day when he won the lottery, now that there was nothing left of his wealth?
He replied, “The money is gone, but the education and knowledge I acquired as a result of that winning is still with me. That’s why I celebrate!”
The same is with our celebrating the Exodus from Egypt. True, we are again in Exile, however, as a result of the Exodus, G-d brought us to Mount Sinai where He gave us the Torah. In fact, the purpose of the Exodus was so that we will receive the Torah, and the Torah we have to this very day. No one can take from us the Torah.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY & SUCCESSFUL DAY
UNITED WE STAND IN PRAYER FOR OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN ISRAEL
& FOR THE WELFARE OF THE CAPTIVES. MAY THEY BE RELEASED NOW.
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