Tuesday, Tammuz 15, 5780 / July 7, 2020

B"H

Tuesday, Tammuz 15, 5780 / July 7, 2020

 

This week’s Parsha is Pinchas.  Now we do the same Torah readings in Israel and in the Diaspora. The Parsha is named after Pinchas, who was the grandson of Aaron, the High Priest (Kohen Gadol). 

 

Parshat Pinchas comes after Parshat Balak.  Both carry the name of a person.  But, while Parshat Balak carries the name of a wicked king who wanted to destroy the Jewish people, Parshat Pinchas is named after the righteous Pinchas, who stopped a plague which caused the death of 24,000 Jews.

 

The Parsha begins, "And G-d spoke to Moshe, saying: Pinchas, the son of Elazar the son of Aaron the priest, has turned away My wrath from the children of Israel and I did not destroy the children of Israel in My anger.  Therefore I say: Behold, I give unto him My covenant of peace (Shalom).”

 

Pinchas stopped the plague when he killed a leader of a tribe of Israel who sinned with a Midyonite woman in the presence of Moshe and the people of Israel. The Torah tells us that Moshe and the people were crying, as they didn’t know what to do.  It was only due to the zealous act of Pinchas, who, reminded Moshe what the law was, and with Moshe’s permission, killed them both, which removed G-d’s wrath from the people.

 

Although Pinchas’ act may not have been viewed as an act of peace, yet, in this case it served to save the Jewish people and brought about peace between G-d and the Jewish people.

 

Our sages say that Pinchas and the Prophet Elijah are one and the same. One of the many functions of Elijah the Prophet is that he attends every Brit (circumcision). 

 

The Mohel (the one who performs the circumcision), announces before the Brit that there is a special chair set aside for Elijah the Prophet and invites Elijah to the Brit, to stand by his side and help him with the circumcision.  One of the reasons it is such a great mitzvah and merit to attend a Brit is that we come face to face with Elijah in the same room!  We may not see him, but he sees us and blesses not only the baby, but also the family and friends who are in attendance. Elijah-Pinchas brings blessings here, just like he did for the Jewish people in the desert.

 

One of the reasons we stand up when the baby is brought into the room for the Brit is in honor of Elijah, the Propjet, who enters with the baby.

 

Q.   Why wasn't Pinchas a Kohen before this act, when his father and grandfather were Kohanim?

 

A.   Although the priesthood is passed on automatically from father to son, this special status was to be transmitted only to future generations after G-d appointed Aaron and his sons to become Kohanim.  It did not apply to any of Aaron's grandchildren who were living at that time.  As a result, Pinchas, who was already born, was not a Kohen until G-d rewarded him the priesthood for his heroic act.

 

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY

Friday, Tammuz 11, 5780 / July 3, 2020

B"H

Friday, Tammuz 11, 5780 / July 3, 2020

 

In Parshat Balak, we read that Balak, King of Moab, called on Bila’am, a gentile prophet to come curse the Jewish people, who were close to his land, so that he could wage war against them and win. 

 

G-d came to Bila’am in a dream and told him not to go.  But later, seeing that Bila’am wanted so much to go, G-d told him if he stands to benefit personally from this he may go, but he is not allowed to curse the Jews. 

 

The Torah tells us that when Bila’am heard that G-d gave him permission to go, although he had many servants, his hate for the Jewish people was so great that he himself saddled his donkey to go to Balak. On the way, an angel blocks his way.  The donkey who saw the angel turned away from the road and walking in a narrow path, squeezed against a stone wall, crushing Bila’am’s foot. Bila’am, who didn’t see the angel, hits the donkey three times. The donkey opened its mouth and reprimands Bila’am for hitting it.  In this parsha is the famous Biblical story of the talking donkey.

 

Q.   Whom did the nation of Moab, who wanted to destroy the people of Israel, descend from?

 

A.    They were descendents of Lot, who was Abraham’s nephew.

 

Q.     Which great Jewish personalities descended from Balak, king of Moab?

 

A.     King David and his son, King Solomon came from Ruth, who was the granddaughter of Balak.

                                             

Q.   Why would G-d give the power of prophecy to someone like Bila’am?

 

A.   Our sages explain, that the nations complained to G-d, “If You only gave us a prophet like Moses, we would be a better people.  G-d then chose Bila’am as their prophet.  However, instead of guiding them to better their ways, Bila’am ended up misusing his G-dly powers in the wrong ways.

 

Q.   Why would the Torah name a Parsha after Balak, who wanted to kill the Jewish people?

 

A.   The Talmudic sages explain that because of the forty two sacrifices which Balak brought, as we read in this Parsha he merited that Ruth descended from him and from Ruth came King David and King Solomon, who built the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Although Balak’s intentions for bringing the sacrifices were not good ones, it was only in order to bribe G-d so that He will allow Bila’am to curse the Jewish people, yet, the fact that he brought all these sacrifices stood in his merit.

 

It is because of Ruth, King David and King Solomon, who were descendants of Balak, that the Parsha is called by his name, Balak..

 

SHABBAT  SHALOM

 

Montrealcandle lighting time: 8:28 / Shabbat ends: 9:43

Thursday, Tammuz 10, 5780 / July 2, 2020

B"H

Thursday, Tammuz 10, 5780 / July 2, 2020

 

This week’s Parsha in Israel is Balak. In the Diaspora we read Chukat & Balak.  From the last Parsha, Korach, which told of the story of Korach’s rebellion, until the stories of Parshat Chukat & Balak, is a gap of 38 years. The Torah didn’t record what took place during these 38 years in the desert.

 

In Parshat Balak the Torah tells us that Balak, king of Moab, was afraid that the Jewish people would pass through his land on the way to Israel, so Balak sent for Bila’am to come and curse the people of Israel.  

 

In the beginning G-d didn’t allow him to go. However, seeing how much he wanted to go, G-d told him he can go, but warned him not to curse the Jewish people.  Yet, Bila’am tries different tactics in order to curse them, but G-d continuously puts words of blessing into his mouth and instead of cursing them, he blesses them.

 

The Torah tells us that at one point, "Bila’am lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling tribe by tribe; and the spirit of G-d came upon him." He then called out: "Mah Tovu Ohalecha Yaakov Mishknotecha Yisrael" - "How good are your tents, O Jacob, your dwellings, O Israel". Two expressions are used here to describe the Jewish homes: "Tents" and "Dwellings."

 

Q.   What is the significance of these two expressions: tents and dwellings in Bila’am’s description?

 

A.   A "tent" is a temporary home, while a “dwelling” represents a permanent home.   Throughout Jewish history, we have rotated between tents and dwellings.  Even in places where we thought we were secure, Jews found their homes transformed into “tents.”  Yet, no matter the physical conditions (tent or dwelling), throughout exiles and persecutions, we made sure that the spirit inside of the home was befitting to a Jewish home.  

 

Another explanation is that “tents,“ and “dwellings,” refer to the Holy Temples.  Bila’am envisioned the holiness of the Temples, through which G-d rests amongst His people.  This caused him to bless them. 

 

For this reason we begin our daily morning prayers in synagogue, which is considered a “miniature Temple,” with the passage of, “Ma Tovu” - "How good are your tents, O Jacob, your dwellings, O Israel". 

 

Q.  The Torah says, “And Bila’am lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling tribe by tribe; and the spirit of

G-d came upon him."  What did Bila’am see in the Jewish camp which made him exclaim, “How good are your tents, O Jacob, your dwellings, O Israel"?

 

A.   Our sages explain that he saw how their tents were pitched around the Mishkan (Tabernacle), where G-d’s holy presence rested.  He also saw that the openings of their tents were not lined up one facing the other. They erected their tents in this fashion for reasons of modesty and morality, so that one would not look into their neighbors tent.  Seeing such moral standards caused him to bless the Jewish people.

 

There is an important lesson in this.  A Jewish home should be a place where also G-d dwells.  A Jewish home must be a place where Jewish morals and values are practiced.  The Mezuzah, on each doorpost, reminds us that our home is also a sanctuary for G-d.  As important as schools and synagogues are, it has been the Jewish home which kept Judaism alive from generation to generation.

 

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY