Wednesday, Sivan 1, 5785 (45th day of the Omer) / May 28, 2025

B"H

Wednesday, Sivan 1, 5785 (45th day of the Omer) / May 28, 2025

Today (Wednesday)is Rosh Chodesh Sivan.  The month of Sivan has only one day Rosh Chodesh. The holiday of Shavuoth, in which we received the Torah, will begin Sunday night, June 1st.

Rosh Chodesh Sivan is a significant day in Jewish history. The Torah tells us that on Rosh Chodesh Sivan, six weeks after the Exodus, the Jewish people came to Mount Sinai in anticipation to receiving the Torah, which was given to them six days later.

Something very significant happened that day.As they came to Mount Sinai and settled in front of the mountain they all experienced a special sense of unity among each other. The Torah expresses this with the words, “And he rested in front of the mountain.”  Using the singular expression, “HE rested.”  Our sages explain, “The entire Jewish nation was like ONE person with ONE heart.”

It was this feeling of oneness, unity and peace amongst all Jews that made them worthy of receiving the Torah. Our sages point out, “The Torah was given in order to bring PEACE in the world.”

One of the many customs of Shavuot is to stay up the first night of Shavuot, engaged in the study of Torah and reciting Torah passages.

Q.   What is the reason for this custom?

A.  At the time of the Giving of the Torah, G-d descended on Mount Sinai early in the morning, but the people were still asleep. They had the most peaceful night and didn’t wake up until later in the day. G-d waited for them until they woke up. This was considered disrespectful on the part of the people. To correct this error, we stay up the first night of Shavuot studying Torah.

Q.  At Mount Sinai G-d spoke the Ten Commandments. How many letters in the Ten Commandments?

A.  Six hundred and twenty letters. The significance of this is that they correspond to the number of Biblical mitzvot (613) and the Rabbinic mitzvot (7), which together total 620.  

Q.   How old were Moshe and his brother Aaron at the time of the Giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai?

A.   Moshe was eighty years and Aaron eighty-three.

Q.  The Torah tells us that the Ten Commandments were engraved in the Two Tablets. What is the significance and lesson from this for us?

A.  Letters which are engraved become one with the stone on which they are engraved. This teaches us that the connection between a Jew and the Torah should be so strong that they become one.  The Torah must be engraved within us and part of us. A Jew and Torah are one. Torah is OUR life.

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY & WONDERFUL CHODESH

OUR HEARTS ARE WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY - MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW

Tuesday, Iyar 29, 5785 (44th day of the Omer) / May 27, 2025

B"H

Tuesday, Iyar 29, 5785 (44th day of the Omer) / May 27, 2025

With this week’s Parsha, Bamidbar, we begin the fourth Book of the Torah. This Parsha is read always on the Shabbat before the holiday of Shavuot, when we celebrate receiving the Torah at Mount Sinai.

Shavuot is in one week, beginning next Sunday night, June 1, through Monday, June 2. In the Diaspora we celebrate the holiday for two days, thus Tuesday, June 3^rd, is also celebrated.

The Parsha begins with the count of the Jewish people in the Sinai desert. All men between the ages of 20 to 60 were counted and they totaled 603,550. We read this Parsha on the Shabbat before the holiday of Shavuot, to emphasize that every Jew is counted equal. The simple Jew was equal to the greatest scholar. Each one was counted as one. This teaches us that when it comes to Torah, we are all equal andevery Jew has their share in the Torah.

Shavuot means weeks.  Shavuot is different than all other holidays.  Every holiday is identified in the Torah by a specific date in the Hebrew calendar. However, Shavuot has no date mentioned.  It is identified in the Torah as on the 50th day after counting seven weeks from the second day Pesach. In preparation for Shavuot, we perform the mitzvah of counting the Omer for seven complete weeks.

Q.  Why doesn’t the Torah give a specific date for the holiday of Shavuot?

A.  Although the Giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai was a one-time event which took place on a specific date, yet the Torah tells us that we have to remember the Giving of the Torah EACH DAY. The Torah should not be viewed as something which we received on a specific day thousands of years ago. We must cherish it as it is NEW every day.

The study of Torah comes with effort. The Talmudic sage Rabbi Yitzchak says, "If a person tells you, I have made an effort in the study of Torah, but I have not succeeded, do not believe him.  If a person tells you, I didn't make any effort and I have succeeded, do not believe him.  When a person tells you, I made an effort and I have succeeded, believe him!"

Children played a very important role in the Giving of the Torah. Our Sages say that before G-d gave the Torah to the Jewish people, He asked for guarantors that the Torah will be studied and cherished.

Jews made a number of suggestions which were rejected by G-d. Only when they declared, "Our children will be our guarantors," did G-d immediately accept and agreed to give them the Torah.  Giving our children a Jewish education from a very early age is essential to our survival.

Someone once asked the Rebbe of Kotzk for a blessing that his children should have a desire and love for the study of Torah. The Rebbe replied: “Children emulate their parents. If your children will see your love for studying Torah and will observe you learning Torah regularly, they too will study Torah regularly. However, if all you want is for them to study, then they too, will want someone else to study Torah…” 

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY

OUR HEARTS ARE WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY - MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW

Wednesday, Iyar 23, 5785 (38th day of the Omer) / May 21, 2025

B"H

Wednesday, Iyar 23, 5785 (38th day of the Omer) / May 21, 2025

The Torah reading for this Shabbat are the two final Parshiot in the third book of the Torah, B’har & Bechukotei. With this Shabbat reading, the third Book of the Torah, Leviticus (Vayikra), is concluded.

At the end of Parshat Bechukotei, the Torah commands that ten percentof one’s herd of cattle and sheep should be holy unto G-d. It was given every year to the kohen-priest.

The Torah says that the procedure for giving tithes from one’s herd of cattle was as follows. The cattle had to go through in a single line and every tenth animal was marked with a colored die. Then all the ones marked with the die were rounded up and given to the Kohen.

Q.Why does the Torah require that it be done exactly this way. One could simply count all the animals and then give away one tenth?

A.A Chassidic Rebbe once visited one of his disciples, a very wealthy man, but a miser who never gave any charity. The Chassid was very happy to welcome his Rebbe into his mansion. He gave the Rebbe a tour of his home, which was decorated with the most expensive furniture and paintings etc.

At every beautiful piece of furniture and painting the Rebbe stopped and asked the Chassid, “Is this really yours?” “Yes it is,” answered the Chassid. This went on for a long time.

Finally, the Chassid asked, “Why do you keep on asking me, “Is all this really yours?”

The Rebbe was waiting for the question. The Rebbe replied, “The Torah says that the way to give tithes from the animals is to have them go through a single line and count them; one, two three.. etc and every tenth was marked to be given away to charity. Why didn’t the Torah simply say, Give ten percent?

The answer is simple. Imagine if one has 1000 sheep and he has to give away 100 of them, it may be difficult for him. But this way, the owner counts: Onebelongs to me; twobelong to me; threebelong to me; fourbelong to me; fivebelong to me; sixbelong to me; sevenbelong to me; eightbelong to me; ninebelong to me. Now, psychologically it’s not so difficult to give the tenth one away.

“The same is with you,” explained the Rebbe. “I kept on asking you if all of this belongs to you.. I wanted you to realize how much G-d blessed you with.. How much YOUhave.. So, it’s only right that you should also help your brethren in need..” The Rebbe’s sincere words had their desired effect, and the Chassid became a very generous man.

Now we understand why the Torah wanted the owner to give his animal tithes in this manner. This way he will appreciate hisgreat blessings and will give his tithes happily to the Kohen-priest.

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY

OUR HEARTS ARE WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY - MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW