B"H
Monday, Iyar 14, 5785 (29th day of the Omer) / May 12, 2025
Today is the 14th day in the month of Iyar. This day is known as Pesach Sheini - The Second Pesach. In the days of the Holy Temple, Pesach Sheini had practical significance.
Q.When the Jewish people came out of Egypt, G-d commanded them to celebrate Pesach, but there was no mention of a second Pesach. So how did Pesach Sheini begin?
A. The Torah, in Numbers chapter 9, tells us that one year after the Exodus, while still in the desert, G-d commanded the Jewish people to celebrate the holiday of Pesach - the holiday of their freedom, by offering the Korban Pesach (Pascal sacrifice). However, there were people who were spiritually impure due to coming in contact with a dead body and had to wait seven days until they became clean. Thus, they couldn’t bring the sacrifice in its proper time.
The men then came to Moshe and said, "Why should we be lacking the mitzvah of the Passover sacrifice?" Moshe brought their case before G-d.
G-d told Moshe, "Speak to the Children of Israel saying, 'If a man of you or of your future generations shall be unclean as a result of [contact with] a dead body or will be on a distant journey and they couldn’t bring the Pesach sacrifice, they shall make the Pesach offering on the fourteenth day of the second month [14th of Iyar], toward evening; they shall eat it with matzah and maror (bitter herbs)."
Thus, in the days of the Temple, the 14th of Iyar became the Second Pesach for those who couldn’t bring it a month earlier, as a result of impurity or not being in the vicinity of the Temple. They were given a second chance to perform the mitzvah, one month later on the 14th of Iyar.
Today, when we have no Temple, there are no practical applications for Pesach Sheini, except that we do not say the prayer of supplication and make it a point to eat some matzah on this day, to remember the days of the Temple. However, the spiritual lesson of Pesach Sheini applies today as then.
Pesach Sheini teaches us that in spiritual matters and mitzvot we should never say, “We missed our chance and it’s too late.” Pesach Sheini is about having another chance! G-d always gives us another chance and another chance. But it’s up to us to recognize it and take advantage of it.
Another lesson: G-d waited for the people to come forward and request this second chance. At times, it’s up to us to make that move to show G-d that we truly want that second chance, which He grants us.
The story of Rabbi Akiva is the best example of this. The Talmud tells us that until the age of 40 Rabbi Akiva was an ignorant shepherd. Only at the age of 40, with the encouragement of his wife, Rachel, did he get his second chance to study Torah. He studied diligently and forty years later, Rabbi Akiva became the greatest Talmudic sage of his time, leading a Yeshiva with thousands of students! Pesach Sheini teaches us this very encouraging and wonderful lesson – “IT’S NEVER TOO LATE!”
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
OUR HEARTS ARE WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY - MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW
Friday, Iyar 11, 5785 (26th day of the Omer) / May 9, 2025
In Parshat Kedoshim, which is the second Parsha we will be reading this Shabbat, we find, amongst many more mitzvot, the mitzvah of respecting parents. “Every person should fear his mother and his father, and My Shabbat you shall observe.”
By comparison: The Fifth Commandment of the Ten Commandments is: “Honor your father and your mother, that your days will be long upon the land which the L-rd your G-d gives you.”
Q.Why, in the Ten Commandments, when speaking of honor, the Torah mentions father first, yet, in this Parsha, when speaking about fearing parents, the Torah mentions mother first?
A. The sages explain: A father is usually stricter with a child, while the mother is gentler. As a result, a child would naturally fear the father more than fearing their mother. On the other hand, one will honor and respect their mother more, as a result of her being gentler, caring and kind.
The Torah tells us that a child should have equal feelings of respect, fear and honor to both parents.
In the case of honor, which is by nature more to the mother, the Torah says honor your father and mother, mentioning father first, to teach you that they should be honored equally. When speaking of fearingparents, which one has naturally more for the father, the Torah equalizes it by mentioning mother first. In other words, the Torah wants to impress upon us that fearing and honoring parents must be the sameto each of them.
Q. What is the concept of fearingparents? Why would one “fear” them?
A. “Fear” in this context is not an emotional fear. It means fear which comes as a result of respect.
According to Halacha (Torah law) honoringparents means: to provide them with their needs such as food and clothing. Also, to help them when they need to go out etc.
Fearingparents means: One may not sit in a parent’s designated seat and place; one must let the parent speak first and one may not contradict a parent! In a case where one has to contradict a parent, they must do it in a most respectful way.
One must respect parents to the greatest level. The Torah commandment is even in the case where one may conclude logically that his or her parents do not deserve respect. Even in that case the Torah commands that one must honor, fear and respect our parents.
Wishing all mothers a Happy Mother’s Day. Good health & much nachas.
SHABBAT SHALOM
Montreal candle lighting time: 7:53 / Shabbat ends: 9:04
OUR HEARTS ARE WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY - MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW
Thursday, Iyar 10, 5785 (25th day of the Omer) / May 7, 2025
This Shabbat we read the two Parshiot, Parshat Acharei Mot& Kedoshimtogether.
Many of the 613 mitzvot of the Torah are recorded in these two Parshiot. In these two Parshiot, the Torah uses the expression, “I am G-d,” many times. Our sages explain it to mean that G-d reminds us that Hewill rewardfor the performance of the Mitzvot and, G-d forbid, punishfor transgressing them.
Although our sages instruct us that we should observe G-d’s commandments not for the sake of reward, rather out of love for G-d, still, G-d promises reward for observing the mitzvot. Reward should not be the primary factor for doing a mitzvah, but G-d does reward every good deed we perform. The less one thinks about the reward when performing a mitzvah, the more the reward will be.
In the beginning of the third chapter of Pirkei Avot, the sage Akaviya ben Mahalalel gives us the following advice to help us refrain from committing sin and assist us to observe the mitzvot: “Know from where you come; to where you are going and before whom you are destined to give an accounting…before the Holy One, blessed be He.”
Knowing that everyone is destined to give an accounting for everyaction we perform during our lifetime, will cause us to refrain from sin and to accomplish, in this world, as many mitzvot as possible.
Q. Why are only people, not angels, rewarded for performing G-d’s commandments?
A.The Midrash gives the following parable: A king had a wine cellar full of barrels of rare and expensive wines. The king was afraid that robbers might attempt to steal his precious wines, he therefore hired guards to safeguard the wine. Amongst the guards were also notorious alcoholics.
At the end of the month, the king ordered an inspection of the cellar and found that the barrels were intact and full of wine. He commanded that the guards be paid. However, he gave special instructions that the guards who were alcoholics should get double pay.
“It’s not fair,” protested the other guards. “Why did they get paid more than us, we all worked the same?”
The king replied, “No. You didn’t work the same. Can you imagine the self-restraint these guards had to exercise not to touch the wine. I paid them more for theirextra effort.”
The same is with the reward for mitzvot. Angels have no temptations and performing their mission comes naturally to them. But we, humans, were created with temptations which we have to overcome. For this effort G-d gives us reward and the greater the effort, the greater the reward.
Our sages say that when we perform a mitzvah and good deed, we stand spiritually much higher than an angel.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
OUR HEARTS ARE WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY - MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW
Monday, Iyar 7, 5785 (22nd day of the Omer) / May 5, 2025
Shalom from Israel, where miracles happen every day and every minute. I was praying this morning in Shul, only a few kilometers from Ben Gurion Airport, when the missile from Yemen landed at the Airport. The BOOM was deafening… What a miracle.. G-d forbid if it would have landed anywhere closer… MIRACLES upon MIRACLES. Indeed, as the Torah says, “G-d’s eyes are upon Israel from the beginning of the year until the end of the year!” May G-d protect His Land and His people always.
From after Pesach, during the summer months, we recite a chapter of Pirkei Avot (Chapters of our Fathers) each Shabbat. This coming Shabbat we will recite the third chapter. Here are a few excerpts from this chapter of Pirkei Avot:
Rabbi Akiva said: "Everything is given on collateral, and a net is spread over all the living; the shop is open, the shopkeeper [G-d] extends credit, the ledger is open, the hand writes, and whoever wishes to borrow, let him come and borrow; the collectors make their rounds regularly, each day, and exact payment from man with or without his knowledge… And everything is prepared for the feast".
These words were said over 2,000 years ago and are as true today. We live in a world in which we rely so much on credit. It may seem free and easy in the beginning, but there is payment to be made one day. According to Rabbi Akiva, "The store is open." This world is like a store. We have free choice in whatever we do. However, "The ledger is open and the hand writes." An accurate record is kept up in heaven, for which accountability will have to be given.
Rabbi Akiva concludes with, "Everything is prepared for the feast." This implies that there is great reward for those who have conducted themselves accordingly and who have accomplished their mission in this world. They lived their life knowing that there is accountability and a price to be paid for everything and will be rewarded for their good deeds in the end.
Rabbi Eliezer of Bartota said: "Give to Him of that which is His, for you and whatever is yours are His".
Rabbi Eliezer of Bartota teaches us that we must realize that whatever we give to charity, we are in reality giving G-d that which is His to begin with. It was given to us on the condition, so we can do good deeds with it. Giving charity and helping others in need is our mission in this world. We are in reality the conduit through which Hashem helps others. Instead of giving the needy directly, He gives it to them through us, so that we will have the mitzvah and reward for this act which He could have done Himself. Thus, a person should view that whatever one gives to charity was meant to be given to charity in the first place.
Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa said: “Anyone with whom his fellowmen are pleased, G-d is pleased with him; but anyone with whom his fellowmen are not pleased; G-d is not pleased with him."
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
OUR HEARTS ARE WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY - MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW
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