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B"H

Friday, Sivan 24, 5781 / June 4, 2021

 

This week's Parsha Shlachbegins with the story of Moshe sending twelve spies to scout the land of Canaan (Israel).  They returned after forty daysand, with the exception of two (Joshua and Calev), ten of them reported that it would be impossible to conquer the land due to the strength of the people and the giants living there. 

 

Their lack of faith and trust in G-d, Who promised to give them the Land, influenced the people and they too refused to enter into the Promised Land. As a result, G-d decreed that everyone over the age of twenty at that time will not go into the Promised Land.  Instead, they will stay in the desert for another 40 years, where everyone over twenty at this time will die in the desert. Only those younger than 20 years now, will enter into Israel.

 

The lesson of this story is the importance of having complete and unwavering trust in G-d. True faith in G-d is the key which open the heavenly gates through which G-d's blessings flow to us in abundance.

 

Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov, founder of the Chassidic movement, wanted to teach his students what truefaith in G-d is.  They traveled to a certain village and stopped at an inn, run by a simple G-d fearing and pious Jew.

 

The innkeeper welcomed them very warmly and invited them to a meal.  During the meal a soldier came in and knocked on the table three times and left.  Later the soldier came back and repeated the banging on the table. 

 

The Baal Shem Tov asked the innkeeper, “What is the meaning of this?” The innkeeper explained, "This year was a difficult one financially.  As a result, I am in arrears of my rent to the Baron, who owns this village. Today I must pay the rent.  The Baron sent the soldier to remind me to make the payment today.  When the soldier comes the third time I must go to the Baron and pay what I owe. Otherwise, he will throw me in jail."

 

"From the way you conduct yourself, I assume that you have the money to pay the Baron!" said the Baal Shem Tov.   "The opposite is true," replied the innkeeper.  "I have no money at all.  However, I have complete faith that G-d will help me."  Shortly afterwards, the soldier came a third time. "Now I must go to the Baron and pay my debt.  I will be back, G-d willing, shortly."  The innkeeper excused himself and went calmly with the soldier.

 

The Baal Shem Tov and the disciples watched through the window to see what would happen.  In the distance, they noticed a coach drive up to the innkeeper.  A stranger had a conversation with him.  Then the wagon drove away.  A little while later, the wagon turned around and again approached the innkeeper. This time, they noticed that the man from the wagon handed a parcel to the innkeeper who continued on his way.

 

When the innkeeper returned, they asked him what happened. He told them that on the way to the Baron, someone approached him wanting to buy a large quantity of vodka.  "I quoted him a price and asked for a deposit, the amount I owed the Baron.  But the man thought the price was too much, so we parted.  After a while, he returned and told me that he changed his mind and agreed on the price.  He then gave me the down payment which was exactly what I needed to give the Baron!"

 

The Baal Shem Tov said to his students, "This is the power of true faith in G-d.  As we say every day in prayer, ‘Blessed is the man who trusts in G-d and G-d will be his security.’"

 

SHABBAT SHALOM

 

Montreal candle lighting time: 8:20 / Shabbat ends: 9:36

B"H

Monday, Sivan 27, 5781 / June 7, 2021

 

This Shabbat we read Parshat Korach. The Parsha begins with the story of the rebellion of Korach against Moshe and Aaron.  Korach was a member of the tribe of Levi, and a cousin of Moshe and Aaron.   Jealous of Moshe's and Aaron's positions of leadership, he gathered 250 people, most of them his neighbors of the tribe of Reuben, and together they rebelled against Moshe and Aaron.

 

Korach claimed, "The entire congregation is holy and among them is the L-rd; Why then do you exalt yourselves above the congregation?" Moshe warned Korach that his uprising was not against him and Aaron but against G-d, Who appointed them to their positions. Moshe gave Korach and his group a chance to repent.

 

When Korach didn't repent, Moshe told everyone to distance themselves from Korach and his people.  The Torah tells us, "And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up and their households." Korach and the leaders of the revolt disappeared into the ground. The others who were with Korach were burnt in a fire sent from G-d.

 

Our sages say that Korach was one of the wealthiest people who ever lived.  So why did he rebel against Moshe and Aaron?  Because of jealousy!  He was jealous of their leadership positions to which G-d appointed them.  Korach used his wealth to gain power and argue against Moshe and Aaron.

 

In the fourth chapter of Pirkei Avot, which we will recite this Shabbat, Rabbi Elazar HaKapor says: “Envy, lust and seeking honor drive a person from the world!”  Korach’s envy and desire for self honor, drove him, literally, out of this world, into the ground.

 

King Solomon in Proverbs says, “Envy brings a rotting of the bones.” A person who is envious and jealous of others will always be frustrated and irritated. Happiness is a result of being satisfied and thankful for whatever we have.  One needs to acknowledge and recognize the positive and good we have rather than being envious of the things we don’t have.

 

In the very beginning of the Torah, in Genesis we read about the disastrous effect of jealousy.  Cain killed his brother, Abel, only as a result of jealousy, when Abel’s sacrifice was accepted and not his.

 

The sages give the following parable to what envy can lead:  Satan once told an envious person, “Ask me anything and you will be granted, but know that whatever you get, I will give your neighbor double!”  

 

Begrudging his neighbor the double portion, he couldn’t bring himself to ask for anything.  When pressed on by Satan to make a request, he finally said, “Make me blind on one eye, so that my neighbor will lose both…”  

 

Is jealousy always negative?  Our sages say that jealousy which results in positiveachievements is good. For example, jealousy of scholars, which results in greater scholastic achievement, is useful.

 

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY

B"H

Tuesday, Sivan 28, 5781 / June 7, 2021

 

This week’s Parsha is Korach. After Korach and his people were punished due to their revolt against Aaron’s being the High Priest, G-d awarded Aaron and the priestly family (Kohanim) with twenty four gifts which the Jewish people have to give the kohanim for their service in the Mishkan and Holy Temple.

 

Many of these gifts applied only during the days of the Temple when sacrifices were brought and the kohen got a portion of the sacrifice. Some apply to this day, such as the redemption of the first-born son, called Pidyon Haben. He has to be redeemed from the kohen, after thirty days, for the amount of five shekalim.

 

We find a very interesting expression in the Torah when describing these gifts to be given to the kohen. The Torah says, “All the gifts… I have given to you (the kohen), to your sons and daughters along with you as an eternal portion. It is everlasting, as a covenant of salt before G-d, for you and your descendants along with you.”

 

Q.   Why does the Torah describe these priestly gifts as, “a covenant of salt”?

 

A.   In order for meat to be kosher to eat, it must be salted first to draw out the blood. Thus, salt causes meat to shrink.  On the other hand it preserves it and gives it a much longer shelf life.

 

The same is with Tzedakah-charity, which requires giving away some of our possessions.  Although it may seem that by giving away some of our hard-earned money to charity we now have less, yet, the truth is that giving charity preserves our money, just as salt preserves the food.  In the long run we end up having much more.

 

The Talmud relates that once while travelling near Jerusalem, Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakai saw a young woman picking through the garbage for food.  When she saw him she said, “Rabbi, please support me.”

 

Rabbi Yochanan could see that she was not an ordinary beggar. “Whose daughter are you?” he asked.

 

“I am the daughter of Nakdimon ben Gurion,” she replied.  Rabbi Yochanan was astonished, because Nakdimon was at one time one of the wealthiest Jews in Jerusalem. “What happened to all of your father’s wealth?” he asked her.

 

She responded, “Rabbi, you know the famous saying, ‘melach mammon chaser’ – ‘if one wants to salt his money (i.e. wants to preserve it) he should reduce it (i.e. give away some to charity).  But my father did not give charity properly according to his means and therefore his fortunes were not preserved…”

 

The Torah connects giving charity to salt to tell us when we give charity we are really not giving away, rather we are preserving our wealth!

 

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY

B"H

Thursday, Sivan 30, 5781 / June 9, 2021

 

Happy Rosh Chodesh. Today is the first day Rosh Chodesh Tammuz.

 

Hallel and Musaf are recited in the morning prayers. We read from the Torah the special Rosh Chodesh reading. Here are a few historical events which took place in the month of Tammuz:

 

Yaakov's son, Joseph, was born on the first or second of Tammuz.

 

Tammuz 3: On this day, during the battle of Givon, Yehoshua (Joshua) commanded the sun (and moon) to stop and not set until the battle was won (see Joshua 10).

 

Tammuz 3:  On this day the Lubavitcher Rebbe, of blessed memory, leader of Chabad and world Jewry, passed away in the year 1994.

 

Tammuz 4: On this day Rabeinu (Yaakov) Tam - the famous grandson of Rashi passed away in the year 4931 (1171). Rabeinu Tam was one of the leading scholars and authorities on Jewish law. He differs with his grandfather, Rashi, as to the order in which the four Torah portions are placed in the Tefillin. As a result, after praying the morning service in the Tefillin according to Rashi, many put on a second pair of Tefillin which are made to the specifications of Rabeinu Tam (called Rabeinu Tam's Tefillin). Many Sephardic Jews use very small Tefillin and put on the Rashi and Rebeinu Tam Tefillin together, thus, wearing two Tefillin on the arm and two on their head at the same time.

 

Tammuz 9: The walls of Jerusalem were breached and the destruction of the First Temple followed. 

 

Tammuz 16: Moshe's nephew, Chur, was killed when he tried to stop the Jewish people from worshipping the Golden Calf in the desert.

 

Tammuz 17: On this day, Noah sent out the dove the first time to see if the waters of the Great Flood had receded.  The Torah tells us, "But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot and she returned to the ark..." (Gen. 8). On this day (about 800 years later) Moshe came down Mount Sinai with the first set of Tablets. He broke them when he realized that the people sinned with the Golden Calf.

 

The 17th of Tammuz is remembered for five tragic episodes: 1) Moshe broke the Tablets when the people of Israel worshipped the Golden Calf.  2) The daily sacrifice in the Holy Temple stopped; 3) The city of Jerusalem was conquered;  4) Apustomos the wicked burned a Torah; 5) An idol was placed in the Holy Temple.

 

Our sages found a hint to the tragedies of the 17th of Tammuz in the story of Noah and the dove. The dove's not finding a resting place alludes to the trials and tribulations and lack of rest which the Jewish people, who are likened to a dove, experienced on this day many generations later.

 

May this month of Tammuz be a blessed month of peace for us all.

 

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