B"H

Thursday, Tammuz 26, 5784 / August 1, 2024

We are now in the midst of the “Three Weeks,” which commemorates one of the saddest events in Jewish history.  During these Three Weeks (which began Tuesday, July 23and ends, Tuesday night, August 13), we remember/mourn the destruction of the two Holy Temples.

Remembering the destruction of the Temple plays an important role in a Jew's everyday life.  In each of the daily prayers, we ask G-d for the rebuilding of the Holy Temple.  On the happiest occasion, like the time of marriage, the groom breaks a glass under the Chupah to recall the destruction of the Temple. 

Every event teaches us a lesson, as the name Torah - teaching implies.  Remembering a particular date of the past, according to Torah, teaches us how we should act in the present.

Our sages explain that during these “Three Weeks” a person should reflect on what caused the destruction of the Temples. Understanding the reasons for their destructions thousands of years ago, will help us correct the situation so that we may merit the rebuilding of the Temple in our time.

The First Temple was destroyed as a result of idol worship, as the Jewish people turned away from G-d. The Second Temple was destroyed when people turned against each other, breaking the commandment of, "Love your fellow as yourself."

During the days of the Temple, G-dliness was presented in an open and revealed form. With the destruction of the Holy Temples, G-dliness is in a state of "hiding" and miracles do not occur in a revealed manner as then. We have to seek Hashem and with effort we can find Him.

Rabbi Baruch of Mezibush once found his young son crying. "Why are you crying?" He asked the boy.

"My friends and I were playing hide and seek.  When it was my turn to hide, I hid but after a long time in hiding I realized that they stopped looking for me! They forgot about me!" the child replied sobbingly.

Rabbi Baruch calmed the child. He said, "This is exactly what G-d is crying about.  He also is hiding from us, as a result of our sins, but the purpose of His hiding is so that we shall search and seek Him. G-d promised that if we search, we will find Him.  But, like the child, G-d cries why we forgot the reason for His hiding and stopped looking for Him?”

The “Three Weeks” is a time to increase our performance of mitzvot, especially in the mitzvot of “Love your fellow as yourself,” giving charity and performing acts of goodness.  Through these mitzvot we make amends for the sins which caused the destruction of the Temple. Through these mitzvot we shall find G-d in a revealed way, thus hastening the ultimate redemption and the rebuilding of the Holy Temple, with the coming of Moshiach speedily in our days.  Amen.

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY

UNITED WE STAND WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY. MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW

B"H

Tuesday, Tammuz 24, 5784 / July 30, 2024

During the summer months it is customary to recite a chapter of Pirkei Avot (Chapters of our Fathers) each Shabbat. This Shabbat we will recite the second chapterof Pirkei Avot.

Although written two thousand years ago, these teachings are valid today as they were then.  Here is a lesson from this week’s chapter:

Rabbi Yehuda, compiler of the Mishna says, “Be as careful in the performance of a[seemingly] minor mitzvah as that of a major one, for you do not know the exact reward given for specific mitzvot.”

Q.  Why didn’t G-d tell us the reward for each of the mitzvot (except for very few)?

A.   Our sages explain that if we knew the exact reward of mitzvot then people would perform only those whose reward is great and neglect doing the other mitzvot. Thus, G-d didn’t tell us the reward for the different mitzvot.

Q.  Why can’t we judge which mitzvot are minor and which are important ones as they appear to us?

A.  What we see from our human limited perspective may not be exactly the way the mitzvot are in reality from their spiritual viewpoint and effect. A mitzvah which may seem minor to us or a transgression which may seem insignificant to us, may in fact be very major in the higher realms.

A poor man once came to the home of a wealthy person and asked for some old clothing.  The people in the house had pity on the man and told him to go to the attic and choose some clothing.

The poor man went up to the attic where he found some old clothing, which he decided to take. Looking around for rope to tie his bundle, he saw some rope wrapped around a nail on the wall.  Without thinking much of it, he took out his pocketknife and cut a piece of rope.

Instantly he heard a tremendous crash down below. Before long, everyone came racing to the attic, “OY… Our chandelier…You broke our beautiful chandelier!” they screamed.

“But I only took a small piece of rope!” the poor man tried to defend himself. “How could I have broken your chandelier?”

They answered bitterly: “This smallropewas holding the chandelier to the ceiling. By cutting this smallpiece of the rope, the chandelier fell to the ground and broke, causing a hugedisaster!”

It is the same with mitzvot.  Some mitzvot may seem insignificant, but in truth, just as the small piece of rope holding up the chandelier, they are very significant. This is why our sages tell us not to judge the value of mitzvot. What may seem small and insignificant to us, may indeed be very great and valuable with much depending on it. Thus, we must try to perform everymitzvah we can.

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY

UNITED WE STAND WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY. MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW

B"H

Monday, Tammuz 23, 5784 / July 29, 2024

This Shabbat we read two portions in the Torah; Parshat Matotand Masei - the two final portions of the Book of Numbers(Bamidbar).

Parshat Matot begins with the laws of vows (Nedarim); "Moshe spoke to the heads of the tribes of the Children of Israel, saying, ‘This is what G-d has commanded; When a man makes a vow to G-d or swears an oath to bind his soul with a bind, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all which came out of his mouth.’" These laws apply to men and women. 

Q.   What happens when one made a vow to transgress a Torah law, should he keep his vow?

A.   If one vowed to transgress a commandment of the Torah he or she is prohibited to fulfill the vow.  A personal vow cannot override G-d's commandments.  We have already vowed at Mount Sinai, when we received the Torah, to keep and observe all the Commandments.

This Parsha also teaches us the significance and implications of words we speak. Indeed, the third commandment of the Ten Commandments, "Do not utter the name of the L-rd your G-d in vain," is a prohibition which is associated totally to what we say.

Words and speech are very powerful tools.  In fact, the creation of the universe, as told in the beginning of the Torah, came about through G-d's words! The fact that the Torah relates that the world was created by G-d's "sayings" tells us how important words are; they have the power to build or to destroy.

This is why it is important to say, "Bli Neder"; which means, "Without a vow" when making a commitment.  For one never knows if they will be able to honor their commitment.

We must especially be very careful to avoid using the expression "I swear."  Swearing, even when one thinks they are 100% sure about the accuracy of the matter, is not appropriate. 

Q.  Why, when Moshe commands the laws of not breaking one’s promise and keeping one’s word, which applies to all Jewish people, he “Spoke to the heads of the tribes”?

A.    The Chatam Sofer says that it is usually the “heads of the tribes”; the leaders, the politicians, who seek public office and compete for people’s votes. They will promise the people anything just to get elected, but as soon as they are in a position of leadership, they completely forget their vows and promises. (Very appropriate at this time… as we are in the midst of an election in the U.S.)

Thus, although this applies to everyone, the Torah singles out the leaders of the Tribes.   

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY

UNITED WE STAND WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY. MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW