B"H

Tuesday, Tevet 21, 5784 / January 2, 2024

The Torah reading this Shabbat is Parshat Shmot, which begins the Book of Exodus.

In this Parsha we will read about the enslavement of the Jewish people, (Children of Israel, as they are called in the Torah) in Egypt. We read about Moshe’s (Moses) birth and how G-d chose him to lead the Jewish people out of Egypt.

The name of the Parsha, “Shmot” means “names”. Parshat Shmot begins, “Ve’aileh Shmot Bnei Yisrael Habaim Mitzreimah” – “These are the names of the children of Israel who came to Egypt.”  The Torah then mentions the names of Yaakov’s sons, who came with him to Egypt.

Q.  Our sages ask, we already know, from a previous Parsha, the names of Yaakov’s children who came with him to Egypt.  Why does the Torah repeat it in the beginning of this Parsha?

A.   They reply:  The Torah wants to emphasize that even in Egypt, they didn’t change their names.  Just like they entered into Egypt with their Hebrew names, so too, throughout their two hundred and ten year stay in Egypt, they kept their identity and didn’t change their names. Thus, the Book of Shmot, which tells about the enslavement and Exodus from Egypt, begins with their Hebrew names, to tell us that due to their Jewish identity, they merited the Exodus.

Jewish identity is crucial to Jewish survival. It is not enough to be Jewish at heart, we also have to act and identify as Jews.

Q.    Yehudahwas Yaakov’s fourth son.  The tribe of Yehudah was one of twelve tribes. Most of the Jewish people do not come from the tribe of Yehudah, yet, we see that all Jews are called, “Yehudi.”  This is so in many other languages; Yid, Yahud, Juden, etc.  Why are all Jews called, “Yehudah”?

A.   In last week’s Parsha, Yaakov blessed his children.  He says to Yehudah, “Yehudah, your brothers acknowledge your greatness.”  Says the Midrash, “Yaakov said to Yehudah, “Everyone will admit to your greatness and because of this the Jewish nation will be called by your name, “Yehudi/Yehudim.”

Also, the name Yehudah, has in it the four letters which spell G-d’s name. Every Jew is called, Yehudi, to emphasize that within every Jew rests G-d’s presence.

Another point: Yehudah means “praise” and “thanks.” The reason his mother, Leah, named him Yehudah is because she said, “I give praise to G-d for giving me a fourth son.”  Leah felt that, with the birth of Yehudah, G-d gave her more than her share.  She greatly appreciated G-d’s gift, praising and thanking G-d. 

Rabbi Mendel of Kotzk explains, “Every Jew is called Yehudi, to teach us that a Jew has to understand and feel, that whatever G-d grants us is more than what we deserve.  Such an outlook on life brings a person true and lasting happiness.

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY & YEAR 2024

WITH SPECIAL PRAYERS FOR OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN ISRAEL

B"H

Wednesday, Tevet 22, 5784 / January 3, 2024

In this week's Parsha, Shmot, we read how G-d revealed Himself to Moshe.  The Torah says, "And Moshe was feeding the flock of his father-in-law Yitro, the priest of Midyan; and he led the flock to the farthest end of the wilderness, and he came to the mountain of G-d, to Horeb.  And G-d’s angel appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush; and Moshe looked and saw the bush was on fire, but the bush was not consumed.” 

“And Moshe said: I will go closer now and I will see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.  G-d saw that Moshe turned to see, and G-d called to him out of the midst of the bush, and He said, 'Moshe, Moshe, and he [Moshe] said, 'Here I am.'  And G-d said, 'Remove your shoes from your feet for the place upon which you are standing is holy ground.'" 

G-d then tells Moshe, that He has heard the cry of the Jewish people due to the Egyptians' oppression.  "Therefore, now I will send you to Pharaoh so that you may bring forth My people, the Children of Israel, out of Egypt."

Q.   Why was G-d’s first revelation to Moshe from a bush?

A.   The Midrash tells that a gentile once asked Rabbi Yehoshua ben Karcha, "Why did your G-d speak to Moshe from the midst of a bush and not from a different tree?"

Rabbi Yehoshua answered, "Had He revealed himself from a carob tree, you would have asked the same question: Why that tree and not another one.  However, now that you asked, I will answer you: 

G-d wanted to show Moshe that there was no place where He cannot be found and that He rests not only in the tall trees but also in a low bush”.

Q.   Why did G-d reveal himself from a “thorn” bush?

A.  Rashi explains that by revealing Himself through a thorn bush, G-d was saying to Moshe that, just as the Jewish people were suffering,He too, is in pain, which is symbolized by the prickly thorn bush.

Q.   Why from a “burning” bush?

A.   G-d’s revelation to Moshe was through a burning bush to show Moshe that just as the fire didn't destroy the bush, so too, the Egyptianswillnot be able to destroy the Jewish nation.

For thousands of years the Pharaohs of every generation (their names may have changed, but their goals were the same), tried to destroy us.  In G-d’s first revelation to Moshe, G-d made it clear that, just as the bush was not consumed by the fire, because G-d was there, so too, the Jewish people will not be consumed, for G-d is always with us.

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY

WITH SPECIAL PRAYERS FOR OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN ISRAEL

B"H

Thursday, Tevet 23, 5784 / January 4, 2024

Q.    Parshat Shmot begins with, “These are the names of the children of Israel who came to Egypt.”  Although in the context of the verse the translation is, “Who came to Egypt,” yet, the Torah uses the word “Habaim,” which literally means, “Who are coming,” implying that they are coming now. Why does the Torah say, “Habaim” who are coming, rather than, “Sheba’u” – “Who came”?

A.    Our sages explain that the Torah implies that the children of Israel, although, in the beginning they enjoyed of the best of the land, while Joseph was ruler of Egypt, yet, they never felt that Egypt was home.  They didn’t become comfortable there.  Even after many years, they felt as if they were NOW coming, they were constant immigrants.  Egypt was not home.  They yearned to be back in their homeland – in Israel.

Q.   How many years after Joseph’s death did the enslavement of the Jewish people begin?

A.   About twenty-two years after Joseph’s passing. 

Q.   In telling us how the enslavement of the Jewish people came about, the Torah says, “There arose a new king over Egypt, who didn’t know Joseph. He said to his people, ‘The Children of Israel are more and stronger than we are…’”  How is it possible that only twenty-two years after Joseph’s death, “He didn’t know Joseph”?  How could the Egyptians forget that Joseph saved them from the great famine?

A.   Our sages explain the verse to mean that he didn’t want to know Joseph!  Pharaoh and his people began acting as if they didn’t know Joseph.  They chose to forget what Joseph did for them and instead of appreciation, turned against his family and his people. It demonstrates the short memory so many people and nations choose to have when it comes to the people of Israel.

As we watch the demonstrations all over the world these days against Israel and Jews, we see how conveniently the world chose to forget the Jewish contributions to global welfare.  

Jews currently make up approximately 0.25% of the world's population and 2% of the US population.  Yet, Jews and persons of Jewish ancestry account for 23% of all individual recipients of the Nobel Prize. 

Jews in the U.S., while only 2% of the U.S. population, account for 37% of all U.S. recipients of Nobel Prizes!  In the scientific research fields of Chemistry, Economics, Medicine, and Physics, the corresponding world and U.S. percentages are 27% and 40%, respectively!  The entire world, including Arabs, have greatly benefited from these scientific and medical contributions. Yet, we didn’t see any demonstrations when Jews, infants, women, and the elderly are slaughtered by Hamas Nazis. No demonstrations when Hamas rockets fall on Israeli cities. Is history repeating itself?  How did the world today, like the ancient Egyptians 3000 years ago, choose to forget how much they benefit from us? The real question isWHY?

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY

WITH SPECIAL PRAYERS FOR OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN ISRAEL