B"H

Friday Tammuz 9, 5782 / July 8, 2022

One of the episodes in this week's Parsha, Chukat, is about the story of the "Nechash Hanechoshet" - "The Copper Serpent."

This episode took place at the end of the 40 years which the Jewish people spent in the Sinai desert. By this time, they were very close to The Promised Land and hoped to cross through the land of Edom into Israel.  But the nation of Edom refused to let them go through their land. As a result, the Jewish people had to make another turn and take a longer route through the desert.

The people congregated against Moshe, "Why have you taken us out of Egypt to die in the wilderness?"

G-d punished the people for their rebellion.  The Torah tells us that, "G-d sent fiery serpents among the people and they bit the people, and many of the people of Israel died."

Realizing their mistake they approached Moshe and said, "We have sinned for we have spoken against G-d and against you.  Pray to the L-rd that he take away the serpents from us."

Moshe prayed and G-d said to Moshe, "Make a fiery serpent and set it upon a pole so that when one is bitten by the serpent they will look up at the serpent on the pole and be healed.  Moshe made a serpent of copper.. and whoever was bitten by the venomous snakes they would look up to the snake on the pole and would be healed."

Our sages ask, "Is it possible that a serpent brings life? And why was the serpent placed on a pole?" 

They reply, "By placing it on a pole the people had to look up! As long as the Israelites looked upward and subjected their hearts to their Father in Heaven, they were healed."   

In other words; the serpent was only a messenger from G-d.  It was not the serpent which brought death or healing.  Rather, it was important that the Jews "look upward" to G-d.  Thus, the same type of messenger which caused death brought healing when the Jewish people repented and turned to G-d for help.

A Chasid, who found himself in a very difficult situation, came to Rabbi Shalom Dov Ber of Lubavitch and asked for his advice and blessings.  The Rebbe said to him, "I cannot help you."  After leaving the Rebbe's room, the Chasid went into the shul and burst out crying.  The Rebbe's brother took pity on him and said to the Rebbe, "Even if you cannot help him, at least give him your blessings."

The Rebbe thought for a while and asked that the Chasid come back.  Once inside, the Rebbe blessed him and told him not to worry for everything will be O.K.

The Rebbe's brother was puzzled, "Why didn't you give him your blessings the first time?"

The Rebbe answered, "When he first came to me I saw that there was no hope for his situation and I didn't see any way that he could be helped.  However, when he realized that I couldn't help him he prayed to G-d from the depth of his soul.  As a result of his prayers and crying, the decree has been nullified and he will be blessed."

SHABBAT SHALOM

Montreal candle lighting time: 8:26 / Shabbat ends: 9:40

B"H

Wednesday, Tammuz 14, 5782 / July 13, 2022

In this week’s Parsha, Balak, we find the famous Biblical story of the donkey chatting with Bila’am.  Balak, King of Moab, called on Bila’am to curse the Jewish people so that he could wage war against them and, “drive them away from the land.” 

First G-d came to Bila’am in a dream and told him not to go. Later, seeing that Bila’am wanted so much to go, G-d allowed him to go, but warned him not to curse the Jewish people.

The Torah tells us that when Bila’am heard that G-d gave him permission to go, although he had many servants, he saddled his donkey himelf to go to Balak.  On the way, an angel blocked his way.  The donkey, who saw the angel, turned away from the road, walked through a narrow path, crushing Bila’am’s foot against a stone wall. Bila’am, who didn’t see the angel, ended up hitting his donkey three times.  At that point the donkey opened its mouth and reprimanded Bila’am for hitting it.

Q.  From whom did the nation of Moab, who wanted to destroy the nation of Israel, descend?

A. They were descendants of Lot, who was Abraham’s nephew and brother-in-law. Lot’s life was saved twice because of Abraham. The first time was when he was captured by the Four Kings and Abraham waged war against them, liberating Lot. The second time was when G-d destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gemorrah. Lot, who lived in Sodom, was saved by the angels in Abraham’s merit. Yet, his descendants wanted to destroy the Jewish people.

Q.  Which great Jewish personality descended from Balak, King of Moab?

A.  King David was a descendant of Ruth, who descended from Balak, King of Moab.

Q.  What happened to Bila’am in the end?

A. Bila’am was killed in the war against the people of Midyan.

Q.  In what way is there a connection between the story of Bila’am going to curse the Jews and the story of Abraham who took his son, Isaac, to the altar?

A.  The Torah in this Parsha tells us that when Bila’am got up in the morning to saddle his donkey with the intention to go and curse the Jewish people, G-d said, “Their forefather, Abraham, has preceded you. When I tested Abraham by commanding him to bring his son, Isaac as a sacrifice, he didn’t hesitate. He got up early in the morning and saddled his donkey himself to fulfill My commandment, even though it meant going to sacrifice his beloved son, Isaac. That merit will stand for his children, and I will not allow you to curse them.”

In the end, no matter how much he tried, G-d put words of blessings and Bila’am blessed the Jewish people again and again. From this story we learn that our efforts and good deeds benefit our descendants. No good deed goes to waste or unnoticed.

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY & SUCCESSFUL DAY 

B"H

Thursday, Tammuz 15, 5782 / July 14, 2022

This week’s Parsha Balak, begins with the story of Balak, King of Moab, who was afraid that the Jewish people would pass through his land on their way to The Promised Land. Knowing that he was no match against them, he sent for Bila’am to come and curse the people of Israel.  

Bila’am tries different tactics in order to curse them, but G-d continuously puts words of blessings into his mouth and instead of cursing them, he blesses them.

The Torah tells us that at one point, "Bila’am lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling tribe by tribe; and the spirit of G-d came upon him. He then called out: "Mah Tovu Ohalecha Yaakov Mishknotecha Yisrael" - "How good are your tents, O Jacob, your dwellings, O Israel". We recite this passage in our morning prayers, daily.

Q.Why are Two expressions are used to describe the homes of Israel; "Tents" and "Dwellings."?  

A.  A "tent" is a temporary home, while a “dwelling” represents a permanent home. Throughout Jewish history, we have rotated between tents and dwellings.  Even in places where we thought we were secure; Jews found their seemingly permanent homes transformed into “tents.” But no matter the physical condition which a Jew endured (tent or dwelling), even throughout exiles and persecutions, we made sure that the spirit inside of the home was befitting to a Jewish home.  

It also refers to the Mishkan (Tabernacle) which was a temporary dwelling place for G-d and the Beth HaMikdash (Holy Temple) in Jerusalem. For this reason we begin our daily morning prayers in synagogue with the passage of, “Ma Tovu” - "How good are your tents, O Jacob, your dwellings, O Israel". 

Q.  “And Bilaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling tribe by tribe; and the spirit of G-d came upon him."  What did Bilaam see in the Jewish camp which made him exclaim, “How good are your tents, O Jacob, your dwellings, O Israel"?

A.   Our sages explain that he saw how their tents were pitched around the Mishkan, where G-d’s holy presence rested.  He also saw that the openings of their tents were not one across the other.  They erected their tents in this fashion for reasons of modesty and morality, so that one would not look into the tent of their neighbor.  Seeing such moral standards caused him to bless the Jewish people.

There is an important lesson in this.  A Jewish home should also be a place where G-d dwells.  A Jewish home must be a place where Jewish morals and values are practiced. The Mezuzah, on each doorpost, reminds us that our home is also a sanctuary for G-d. As important as schools and synagogues are, it has been the Jewish home which kept Judaism alive throughout the generations.

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY