Wednesday, Menachem Av 26, 5781 / August 4, 2021
Wednesday, Menachem Av 26, 5781 / August 4, 2021
This week's Parsha, Re'ay, begins with Moshe, before his passing, telling the Jewish people, "See, I set before you this day a blessing and the opposite of blessing. The blessing, if you will listen to the commandments of G-d, your G-d, which I command you this day; and the opposite of blessing, if you shall not hearken to the commandments.”
Moshe reminds the Jewish people that G-d gave us freedom of choice. He gave us the ability to choose the path which leads to blessings or, G-d forbid, the opposite.
“See, I set before you this day a blessing.” To determine whether our days are blessed or, G-d forbid, not, is set before you. Each day G-d gives us the choice if we are going to view the day as a blessing or the opposite. It is up to us to set our priorities in life right and then we will realize that most of our days, if not all, are indeed blessed.
Q. In Pirkei Avot we learn that one should not serve G-d for the sake of reward. Why would G-d tell us in the Torah about the blessings and the good which will come as a result of adhering to G-d's commandments?
A. The Magid of Dubna explains this with the following parable: A merchant hired a coachman to drive him and his merchandise to the fair, which was held in a distant city, to sell his wares and to buy new merchandise. He told the driver that he would pay for the trip only upon their return from the fair.
After a few days of traveling, the coachman asked the merchant for his pay.
"My condition was that I will pay you upon our return. It is not the first time I'm traveling with you. You know that you can trust me. When we return home I will pay you in full!"
"In that case, can you at least give me a partial payment so that I can buy hay to feed the horses?"
"Sure," replied the merchant. "This I will gladly give you. If you cannot feed the horses, then how will we get to our destination and back?"
The same, says the Magid, is with the reward mentioned in the Torah. “What we get in this world is not the reward for the mitzvot. The true reward for mitzvot is in the World-to-Come.”
“Just like the merchant will help the coachman feed the horses to get to their destination, for without it they cannot proceed, so too, G-d promises that if we adhere to his commandments, He will give us His blessings. He will supply us with what we need to perform His commandments and continue in the destination He set out for us in this world. But the true reward is in the World-to-Come.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
Tuesday, Menachem Av 25, 5781 / August 3, 2021
Tuesday, Menachem Av 25, 5781 / August 3, 2021
This Shabbat we read from the Torah Parshat, Re’ay -the fourth Parsha in the Book of Deuteronomy.
After the Torah reading, we will bless the new month, Elul, the last month of this year 5781. Elul is the month in which we prepare for the New Year, 5782. Rosh Hashana is in five weeks from today.
There are 55 mitzvot (commandments) mentioned in Parshat Re’ay. The Parsha emphasizes the mitzvah of giving charity and helping each another. Charity (Tzedakah)and the month of Elul go together. According to Jewish law, giving charity during the month of Elul is a preparation for the New Year. Helping others invokes G-d’s mercy upon us to be blessed with a healthy, prosperous and great New Year.
In the Parsha (Deuteronomy 15:7), we find the following passage concerning charity: “If there will be a poor person from amongst your brothers, you must not harden your heart or shut your hand from your destitute brother. Rather, you must open and open your hand to him and give him sufficient to fulfill his requirements that he is lacking.”
The Torah continues, “You shall give him and give him and your heart should not feel bad when you give to him. For G-d, your G-d, will bless all your work and everything you do as a result.”
We see here the great importance the Torah places on giving charity. The Torah uses a double expression, “open and open your hand.” Also, “You shall give him and give him.” This is an especially important reminder as we enter the month of Elul in which we should increase in being generous, so that, in turn, G-d will grant us whatever we need for the New Year.
Our sages say, “Convincing others to give, is an even greater mitzvah.” From this we see how important it is to be involved in charitable causes.
The Talmud says, “When one gives charity they are blessed with six blessings. But one who gives in a pleasant way, which makes the receiver feel good, is blessed with an additional eleven blessings! One who gives in a way which makes the poor person feel good is blessed with seventeen blessings!
Tzedakah-charity is one mitzvah that one is allowed to test G-d with. One is allowed to say, “I am giving this donation so that my family should be healthy, etc.” G-d will surely repay this mitzvah with many blessings.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
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In loving memory of Miriam Altman - Miriam bat Leib - Yartzeit is today, Av 25.
May her memory be a blessing. May her soul rest in peace in Gan Eden.
Dedicated by her children, grandchildren & great-grandchildren
Wednesday, Menachem Av 19, 5781 / July 28, 2021
B"H
Wednesday, Menachem Av 19, 5781 / July 28, 2021
Amongst the mitzvot found in last week’s Parsha, Va’etchana, and again in this week’s Parsha, Aikev, are the mitzvot of Tefillin and Mezuzah.
The Torah says, "And you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand and they shall be for Totafot (Tefillin) between your eyes. And you shall write them upon the posts of your house and your gates."
The mitzvah of Tefillin consists of two parts. One is put on the arm and the other on the head. This mitzvah is performed only on weekdays, not on Shabbat and Biblical holidays, like Pesach, Shavuot, Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur & Sukkot.
Inside each box of Tefillin are four passages of the Torah. In the hand Tefillin all four passages are written on one parchment and placed into one box. In the head Tefillin, which consists of four compartments, the four portions are written on four pieces of parchment and each is placed in a different compartment.
The Mezuzah is placed on each doorpost of the Jewish home, except for the bathroom. It is not dignified for the mezuzah which has G-d’s name on it to be in the proximity of these premises.
The Mezuzah consists of only two passages of the Torah written on one piece of parchment.
The parchment, upon which the Tefillin and Mezuzah are written, must be made by a Jew and must conform to the very specific stipulations of the Code of Jewish Law. The same applies to the writing of the Tefillin and Mezuzot. Every letter must be hand written, just like a Torah scroll.
Torah scrolls, Tefillin and mezuzot cannot be mass produced. Each pair of Tefillin and Mezuzot is a meticulous writing process. They cannot be made in China, which is why they cannot be bought in the dollar store.. Although, Tefillin and mezuzot are not cheap, yet the mitzvah is so big and the protection they offer is so great, that they are worth their price.
Q. Why is the letter "Shin" written on the outside of the Mezuzah?
A. The "Shin" is the first letter of one of G-d's names, Shadeye, which is spelled; Shin, daled, yud. These three letters serve as an acronym for the words, "Shomer Daltei Yisrael" - "G-d watches over the doors of Israel."
The Talmud tells the following wonderful story: A special friendship existed between King Antoninus and the leader of the Jewish people, Rabbi Yehudah Hanasi. Once, King Antoninus sent Rabbi Yehudah Hanasi a precious stone as a gift. In return, Rabbi Yehudah sent him back a Mezuzah. Antoninus was puzzled: "I sent you such an expensive gift and you sent me a piece of parchment?"
Rabbi Yehudah Hanasi replied, "Your gift I will have to guard to make sure that no one steals it. However, my gift to you, the Mezuzah, will guard you and protect you at all times!"
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY & SUCCESSFUL DAY
Monday, Menachem Av 17, 5781 / July 26, 2021
Monday, Menachem Av 17, 5781 / July 26, 2021
Parshat Va’etchanan, which we read last Shabbat, began how Moshe prayed that G-d allow him to enter into The Promised Land together with all the Jewish people. However, G-d refused, telling Moshe, enough to pray to Me for this, as I will not rescind My decree.
Q. How many prayers did Moshe pray that G-d revoke the decree?
A.The Torah uses the word “Va’etchanan” to describe Moshe’s prayers. Our sages say, that the word Va’etchanan has a numerical value of 515, which is the amount of prayers which Moshe prayed. However, G-d did not rescind the decree. Moshe died and was buried in the desert.
Q.Why did Moshe desire so much to enter into The Promised Land?
A.Our sages explain that Moshe didn’t beg to go into Israel for the sake of eating its fruits or benefitting from the land. Moshe knew that there are certain mitzvot which one can perform only in the Holy Land. Therefore, he wanted so much to fulfil these mitzvot that he begged G-d to allow him to go into the land.
Q.Aaron was punished not to go into Israel at the same time that Moshe was. Why didn’t Aaron, whose love for the land of Israel, was also great, pray like Moshe to go into the land? We don’t find in the Torah that Aaron prayed to enter into The Promised Land?
A.Most of the mitzvot which apply in Israel are associated with the produce of the land or parts from sacrifices which have to be given to the kohen (priest). There are 24 gifts which had to be given to the kohen. Aaron, who was a kohen, did not pray to go into the land because it would seem that he is doing it for personal gain, to benefit from the gifts which will be given to the kohen.
Q. Why didn’t Moshe pray on behalf of his brother Aaron to enter?
A. Most of Moshe’sprayers were after he conquered the lands of Sichon and Og on the east side of the Jordan River. These lands were then issued by Moshe to two and a half tribes and became part of Israel.
At that point Moshe thought that G-d’s decree was rescinded because he was now in part of Israel. He thought that he would now be able to go into the rest of Israel, crossing to the west of the Jordan River. But when G-d told him that the decree was not off, he prayed all his prayers to be able to cross the Jordan River into Israel proper.
At that time Aaron had already passed away, Thus, he didn’t pray for Aaron.
Q.How old was Moshe and Aaron when they passed away?
A.Aaron was 123 and Moshe was 120.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY & SUCCESSFUL DAY
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