B"H
Tuesday, Menachem Av 16, 5784 / August 20, 2024
This Shabbat we will read the third Parsha of the Book of Devarim (Deuteronomy), ParshatEikev.
There are seven weeks from Tisha B'Av until Rosh Hashana. These seven weeks are called, "Shiva D'nechemta" - "Seven weeks of comfort." because the Haftoras we read on each Shabbat of these seven weeks are prophesies of comfort and hope for the Jewish people.
Amongst the many mitzvot found in this week’s Parsha, Eikev, are the mitzvot of teaching our children Torah; the mitzvah of Tefillin; and the mitzvah of Mezuzah.
“And you shall set these words of Mine upon your heart and upon your soul and bind them for a sign upon your hand and they shall be for ornaments between your eyes.”
“And you shall teach them to your sons to speak with them when you sit in your house and when you walk on the way and when you lie down and when you rise. And you shall inscribe them upon the doorposts of your house and upon your gates.”
Inside the Tefillin are four passages of the Torah. In the Tefillin we place on our hand, all four passages are written on one piece of parchment. The head Tefillin consists of four compartments. Each of the four passages is written on a separate parchment and each one is placed into one of the four compartments.
The Mezuzah on the doorpost consists of two passages of the Torah written on one piece of parchment.
The writing of the Tefillin and Mezuzah must be done by a specially trained scribe and must comply with the strict standards of The Code of Jewish Law. The writing is the same as the writing in a Torah scroll.
Q. Why is the Hebrew letter, ש(Shin) written on the outside of a Mezuzah cover?
A. The "Shin" stands for G-d's name "Shadeye". The word "Shadeye" 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 Mezuzah is G-d’s protection over the Jewish home. It protects the people when they are inside the home and even when they are out of the home.
The Talmud tells the following wonderful story: A special friendship existed between King Antoninus and Rabbi Yehudah Hanasi, leader of the Jewish people at that time. Once, King Antoninus sent Rabbi Yehudah Hanasi a precious stone as a gift. In return Rabbi Yehudah Hanasi sent him a Mezuzah.
Antoninus was puzzled: "I sent you such an expensive gift and you send me a piece of parchment?"
To which Rabbi Yehudah Hanasi replied, "Your gift I will have to guard to make sure that no one steals it. But my gift to you, the Mezuzah, will guard you and protect you at all times!"
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY HEALTHY & SUCCESSFUL DAY
UNITED WE STAND WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY. MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW.
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