B"H
Wednesday, Iyar 10, 5776 / May 18, 2016 – HAKHEL YEAR
Shalom. It is my pleasure to share with you the reason I missed sending out the Torah Fax for the past week. I was away from Montreal to celebrate our grandson’s engagement in N.Y. – thank G-d. I bless you all that you too should enjoy lots of happiness and Nachas from your children and grandchildren.
In the Diaspora we will read Parshat Emor, this Shabbat. In this Parsha the Torah tells us about the observance of the holidays, "G-d spoke to Moshe, saying: speak to the children of Israel and say to them: The festivals of G-d you shall proclaim to be holy convocations. The following are My festivals…”
Then the Torah goes on to describe the holiday of Passover; the Omer sacrifice; the mitzvah of counting the Omer for a period of seven weeks; the holiday of Shavuot and the sacrifice of the Two Breads on Shavuot; Rosh Hashanah; the sounding of the Shofar; fasting on Yom Kippur - the day of atonement; Sukkot and its mitzvot and the mitzvah of Lulav and Etrog.
In the middle of describing the holidays and the sacrifices which shall be brought in the Holy Temple during the holidays, the Torah commands about the mitzvah of helping the poor. "And when you reap the harvest of your land you shall not completely reap the corner of your field and the gleaning of your harvest you shall not gather; for the poor and for the stranger you shall leave them: I am the L-rd your G-d".
Q. Why did the Torah tell us about the mitzvah of charity ("for the poor and for the stranger you shall leave them") while speaking about the holidays and their particular sacrifices?
A. According to our sages it is to teach us the importance of charity. “G-d credits whoever gives charity as if they built the Beth HaMikdash (Holy Temple) and presented offerings therein." In other words, the Torah tells us that a gift to the poor is really a gift to G-d! Today, when we don’t have the Temple, giving charity is our only way of offering gifts to G-d.
Rabbi Akiva was once traveling on a ship when he noticed in the distance another ship which was sinking. Rabbi Akiva knew that there was a scholar on the sinking ship who would no doubt drown. But when Rabbi Akiva came to shore and visited the synagogue, he saw the man engaged in study!
"How were you saved from the sinking ship?" Rabbi Akiva asked him.
"Your prayers must have helped me for I was thrown from wave to wave until I found myself on shore."
"What good deed did you do to merit being saved?" asked Rabbi Akiva.
"As I boarded the ship, a poor man came and asked for food. I gave him a bread. The poor man said to me, 'Just like you have saved my life, may G-d save your life.'"
Upon hearing this Rabbi Akiva reminded everyone the words of King Solomon, "Cast your bread upon the water and in time you will find it!" Charity our gift to G-d and brings G-d’s gifts to us.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
B"H
Wednesday, Iyar 3, 5776 / May 11, 2016 – HAKHEL YEAR
One of the most famous mitzvot, which is preached universally, is in this week’s Parsha, Kedoshim. The mitzvah of, “Love your fellow as [you love] yourself. I am your G-d.”
Q.Why does the Torah add, “Like yourself” and “I am your G-d”?
A.It is common practice that one doesn’t like someone who is in the same trade and is competitive with them. One may feel that the other person will take away some of their business etc. Thus, it is natural that there will not be much love between them. The Torah commands us here that even someone who is “like yourself,” in the same line of work or business as you, you must love. The reason: Because, “I am your G-d.” Everything comes from G-d. What is destined for a person, no one can take away. G-d has enough for everyone and provides for everyone.
The following explains the words, I am your G-d, in a different way.
There were once two very close and dedicated friends. They would give away everything for each other. Once, one of them was accused falsely of committing a crime. False witnesses were brought and he was sentenced to be hanged. The friend did everything possible to save his friend, but to no avail.
The day finally came and he was led to the gallows to be hung. The friend ran there and came as they were ready to execute the sentence. “HALT! STOP!” He screamed. “You are hanging an innocent man. It was I who committed this crime,” he exclaimed. “You should be hanging me instead!”
The friend, who was going to be hanged, said, “Don’t believe him. He is saying it only to save my life, but it’s not true... I am the one who committed the crime…”
The judges, were now confused. They didn’t want to kill an innocent man, but they also didn’t know who was telling the truth. So they decided to bring the case before the king.
The king requested that the two friends be brought before him. He asked them to tell him the truth. He promised to let them both free, if they told the truth.
The two friends told the king that neither of them committed the crime. But being such close friends in heart and soul, each of them admitted to a crime which they didn’t do, in order to save the other.
The king was so impressed with their friendship and dedication to each other. He exclaimed, “With such dedicated friends, I too want to be part of your friendship.” This is why G-d said, “Love your fellow as yourself,” and then, “I am your G-d.” – “I, too, will share in your friendship and love.”
Today is YOM HAZIKARON – Remembrance Day. Today, we remember and bond with the memories of the fallen soldiers of the IDF, while protecting G-d’s Holy nation and Holy Land. We also salute the State of Israel – Eretz Israel - The holiest place on earth. May we merit the coming of Moshiach. Amen.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
B"H
Tuesday, Iyar 2, 5776 / May 10, 2016 – HAKHEL YEAR
The Torah reading this Shabbat, in the Diaspora, will be Parshat Kedoshim. Many mitzvot of the Torah are recorded in this Parsha.
Parshat Kedoshim begins, “G-d spoke to Moshe saying, Speak to the entire congregation of the Children of Israel, and say to them, You should be holy, because I, G-d your G-d, am holy. A person should fear his mother and father and observe My Shabbat for I am G-d, your G-d.”
Parshat Kedoshim is unique that G-d told Moshe to gather the entire congregation and relate the mitzvot of this Parsha to everyone at the same time. Usually, Moshe would teach his brother Aaron first, then Aaron’s children, then the elders and after to everyone else. But the mitzvot in this Parsha, G-d told him to, “Speak to the entire congregation” -to teach everyone together.
Q. Why does the Torah connect fearing/honoring parents and the mitzvah of observing Shabbat?
A. The sages explain that this teaches us that although a person must respect parents, yet, G-d’s commandments take precedent. Thus, if parents command a child to violate a mitzvah, such as desecrating Shabbat, one must listen to G-d’s commandment and not violate the Shabbat. The reasoning behind it is because parents also have to observe G-d’s commandments.
Another reason: The Talmud tells us that there are three partners in the creation of a child; father, mother and G-d. The reason we observe Shabbat is stated in the Ten Commandments, “Six days you shall work and perform all your labor, but the seventh day is a Shabbat to G-d your G-d… because in six days G-d made the heaven and earth.. and He rested on the seventh day.”
Shabbat is our confirmation that G-d is the creator of the universe. Honoring parents and observing Shabbat is our expression of gratitude to the three partners responsible for bringing us into this world; G-d and our parents. This is why the Torah combines respecting parents and observing Shabbat.
Q.Why does the Torah add the word, “A person” should fear his father and mother. The Torah should just have said, “You should fear your father and mother”?
A. The word “Ish” – “a person”is used for someone who is anadult. By adding the worda person the Torah wants to emphasize that even when one is an adult and is not dependant on his/her parents anymore, they still have the mitzvah to honor their parents. Parents are parents no mater how old they or their children are. One must honor and respect parents not for any ulterior motive, only because they are our parents.
The mitzvah of honoring parents applies even after their passing. This is why we are obligated to observe their yartzeit and say the Kaddish after them. Giving charity in their honor is a great merit for their Neshama-soul. The connection between us and our parents is everlasting.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
B"H
Monday, Iyar 1, 5776 / May 9, 2016 – HAKHEL YEAR
Today is Rosh Chodesh Iyar – the first day of the new Hebrew month, Iyar.
Iyar is the month between the holiday of Pesach and the upcoming holiday of Shavuot.
Amongst the many commandments in Parshat Kedoshim, which will be read in the Diaspora this Shabbat, the Torah commands us to, "Love your fellow as yourself."
Similarly, in the second chapter of Pirkei Avot, we find instructions as how to deal with others. The sage Hillel said, "Do not judge another person until you have reached his place." One cannot truly judge others unless one is in his/her precise situation, and no two people find themselves in the same condition physically and emotionally. Everyone’s challenges, strenghts and weaknesses are different.
Rabbi Eliezer said, "Let your fellow's honor be as dear to you as your own and do not anger easily."
Rabbi Yosi said, "Let your fellow's money be as dear to you as your own."
The Talmud tells the following story. A gentile once came to the Talmudic sage Shamai with the following request, "Convert me to Judaism on the condition that you teach me the entire Torah while standing on one foot!"
In Shamai's view, the gentile belittled the value of the Torah, for how can one teach the vast knowledge of Torah in so short a time? Shamai refused his request. The Talmud states, "He pushed him away with the yard-stick which was in his hand." In other words, he measured him up and realized that he wasn't sincere.
The man then went to Hillel and repeated his request exactly as he did with Shamai. Hillel agreed and said to him, "Whatever is hateful to you, don't do unto others! This is the essence of the the entire Torah. The rest of the Torah is commentary. Now, go study the rest of the Torah so you can understand this principle."
Thus, the mitzvah of "Love your fellow as yourself" is not only one of the 613 mitzvot, but it is a foundation for the entire Torah.
"Love your fellow as yourself" - Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov explains this to mean, "just like each person loves themselves in spite of all the faults and shortcomings which they may have, so too, the Torah tells us, to love the other person as yourself - regardless of their faults and shortcomings.”
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
************
In loving memory of Jimmy Goldgeier - Yaakov Yosef ben Chaim
whose 14th Yartzeit is today, 1 Iyar.
May his memory be a blessing and may his Neshama rest in peace in Gan Eden.
From his parents, brother and daughter-in-law, Charles, Sally, Dan and Valerie Goldgeier.
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