B"H

Wednesday, Elul 3, 5781 / August 11, 2021

We are now in the month of Elul, the last month of the year, 5781.

There are less than four weeks left to the two day holiday of Rosh Hashana, which will begin Monday night, September 6, through Tuesday, Sept. 7, and Wednesday, Sept. 8.

The Hebrew calendar months rotate between 29 and 30 days. The month of Elul consists of 29 days.

Elul is a special month in Jewish history.

The world was created on the 25th day in Elul. Rosh Hashana is celebrated six days later, on the day when Adam and Eve were created.

After the Giving of the Torah, when the Jewish people committed the sin of the Golden Calf, G-d wanted to destroy them. This resulted in Moshe’s breaking the Two Tablets.

The next forty days Moshe prayed for them. Then G-d told him to come up with a second set of Tablets upon which He will engrave the Ten Commandments a second time.

Moshe went up Mount Sinai on Rosh Chodesh Eluland was up there the entire month of Elul until Yom Kippur. On Yom Kippur G-d gave him the Second Tablets and told him that He forgave their sin.

Since then the month of Elul is a very special month in the Hebrew calendar. A month conducive to prayer and forgiveness. During the month of Elul we also give more charity and excell in acts of kindness, as an investment for the blessings we are seeking from G-d for the New Year.

Our sages compare the month of Elul to a king who is in the field. When the king is in his palace surrounded with guards etc. there is little chance that the average person will have access to him. But, when the king leaves the palace and travels in the cities and fields to visit his subjects to see how they fair in their day-to-day life, he is very accessible.

The same is with the month of Elul. All year long, G-d is like the king in his palace. Although He hears our prayers all the time, there is a difference between the month of Elul, when G-d is like the king in the field, and all year long, when He is like the king in his palace. To enter the king’s palace one has to be very presentable, but when the king is in the field, even the peasants dressed in their work clothes have access to him just the same.

The month of Elul is a time when G-d is very close to us all, no matter the condition we are in. We, in turn should feel close to G-d. We should also  be considerete toward others who are in need. May G-d hear our prayers and grant us and our families our requests for a wonderful, healthy and sweet New Year. AMEN

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY & SHANA TOVA

B"H

Thursday, Elul 4, 5781 / August 12, 2021

This week's Parsha, Shoftim, begins with the mitzvah of appointing judges and officers to ensure a just and rightful judicial system.  The Torah commands, "Tzedek, Tzedek Tirdof” - “Justice justice you shall pursue so that you may live and inherit the land."

Our sages say that "Justice justice (“Tzedek”) you shall pursue" also refers to the concept of charity, which is called “Tzedakah” and comes from the word "Tzedek."  In this context, the Torah commands every Jew to pursue the mitzvah of giving charity, "so that you may live and inherit the land."

There are many stories which illustrate that giving Tzedakah (charity) benefits the person who gives the charity, even more than the one who receives it. Here is a story from Midrash Yalkut Shimoni.

There was a poor Jew who labored in the field. One day, the prophet Elijah appeared to him and said, "You are destined to be blessed with six years of extraordinary wealth.  You have the choice whether to have them now or the last six years of your life."

Confused, the man said, "Let me go home and consult my wife."  Elijah agreed.  When he told his wife about the strange offer, she said, "Ask for the six years to begin now."  The next day he again met Elijah in the field and told him of his wife's decision to begin the years of wealth immediately.  Elijah agreed and said, "Go home.  Before you arrive home your wealth will already have arrived!"

His children, who were playing in the yard, found a great treasure. When the man returned home, he was greeted by his wife and children who excitedly told him of the great fortune that they found.

They all gave thanks to G-d for the wonderful gift.  The wife then said, "Since G-d has been so good to us and blessed us with six years of wealth, we must be extremely kind and generous. We must use our wealth properly and give lots of charity and help others."  They excelled in giving charity and kept a detailed ledger of the charity they distributed.

Six years later, the prophet Elijah appeared to the man and told him that it was time to return the fortune. The man responded, "Six years ago, I didn't make the decision before asking my wife. Now too, I want to consult my wife first."  Elijah agreed. He went home and told his wife that Elijah came back to claim their fortune. His wife replied, "Go and tell Elijah that if he found someone more trustworthy than us, we will gladly give it back.

After examining their charitable records for the past six years, it was decreed in heaven that the fortune stay with them for the rest of their lives. Thus, the Torah commands us to pursue the mitzvah of giving charity (“Tzedek Tzedek Tirdof”) for in the end it is beneficial to the one who gives.

Parshat Shoftim is always read in the month of Elul, the month in which, according to our sages, it is important to give more Tzedakah-charity than usual. 

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY & A SHANA TOVA

B"H

Friday, Elul 5, 5781 / August 13, 2021

At the end of this week’s Parsha, Shoftim, the Torah teaches us about the responsibility we have for each other.

The Torah says, "If there will be found a person, in the land which the L-rd your G-d gives you, slain in the field and it is not known who had killed him; then your elders and judges shall come forth and they shall measure the cities which are around where the body was found." 

The elders of the city closest to where the body was found had to declare, "Our hands have not shed this blood neither have our eyes seen it."  They would then ask for G-d's forgiveness for the people of Israel. 

Our sages ask, "Would anyone think that the elders of the closest city have committed this crime?  Why do they have to say, 'Our hands have not shed this blood? Why do they have to ask for forgiveness?'"

Our sages explain that this is a lesson for each and every Jew. It teaches us that we are responsible for the acts of every other Jew.  This responsibility lies foremost upon the elders of the community.  Thus, even the most righteous people are in some way responsible for the act of the murderer.

This Parsha is always read in the month of Elul because this lesson is especially important during this month.  During this month we should reflect about our responsibilities toward each other.

This is the reason why, on Yom Kippur, even righteous people, who haven’t committed any sins, recite the entire confession found in the Yom Kippur prayers. In fact, it seems that they are untruthful in their prayers when they confess for sins which they never committed.

The answer is that we are ALL responsible for one other. Even the righteous carry some responsibility for the sins of another Jew and thus, they too, must confess and ask forgiveness.

During this time of the year, it is important to remember the following teaching. The Baal Shem Tov explains the reason why the people of Israel are at times likened to the earth.  For the earth contains wonderful treasures, including gold and diamonds. Yet, they are covered with layers of sand and dirt. In order to find the treasures, one must make the effort of digging through the layers of dirt until the treasures are found and exposed. It may require great patience, depending how deep they are buried.

"Everyone," says the Baal Shem Tov, "can find enough treasures and hidden good in someone else.  It is only a matter of how much effort, patience and dedication we will assign to this task".   

During this time of the year, as we pray that G-d grant us a good happy and sweet year, it is especially important that we, too, feel responsible, charitable, and close toward each other.

SHABBAT SHALOM

Montreal candle lighting time: 7:46 / Shabbat ends: 8:51