B"H
Tuesday, Shevat 30, 5783 (Hakhel Year) / February 21, 2023
Today (Tuesday) and tomorrow (Wednesday) are Rosh Chodesh (of the new Hebrew month) Adar. When there are two days Rosh Chodesh, the first day is actually considered the last day of the previous month. The second day Rosh Chodesh is the first day of the new month. When there is only one day Rosh Chodesh that day is the first day of the new month.
Adar is a very special and joyous month.Our sages tell us that when the month of Adar enters, we must increase in simcha-happiness, because the great miracle of Purim happened in the month of Adar. Although the miracle happened on the 14th and 15th of the month, it affects the entire month and every day of the month is a joyous one.
This Shabbat we read Parshat Terumah, which speaks about the contributions which the Jewish people were told to give for the construction of the Mishkan (Tabernacle).
The Parsha begins, "And G-d spoke to Moshe saying: 'Speak to the Children of Israel, that they take for Me an offering; of every man whose heart makes him willing to give you shall take my offering.
The Torah enumerates the various articles which the Jewish people were to donate toward the construction of the Mishkan. G-d tells Moshe the purpose for constructing the Mishkan: “And they shall make Me a sanctuary so that I shall dwell among them."
The sages note that it does not say, "I shall dwell in it," i.e. in the Mishkan. Rather, "I shall dwell among them," for through the Mishkan and Holy Temple, G-d rests, and dwells within every Jew.
A heathen once asked the Talmudic sage Rabbi Gamliel, "Where does your G-d dwell?" Rabbi Gamliel replied, "I do not know."
The man asked, "You pray to your G-d every day and you do not know where He dwells?"
Rabbi Gamliel answered, "You asked me about something which is thirty-five hundred years away from me (referring to the number of years since creation). I will ask you about your soul, which abides within you day and night. Tell me where exactly it dwells within you?" "I have to admit that I do not know!" answered the man.
"You do not know where your soul is, how do you expect me to tell you where G-d resides?" Rabbi Gamliel concluded.
The man continued, "We, idol worshipers, are better off, for we worship to the works of our own hands (idols) thus, we can always see them. But you cannot see your G-d!"
Rabbi Gamliel said, "Just the opposite is true. You see the idols, but they cannot see you. Our G-d, blessed be He, although we cannot see Him, He sees us and sees everything we do.”
HAVE A GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY, AND SUCCESSFUL DAY & WONDERFUL CHODESH-MONTH