B"H
Wednesday, 1 Adar 1, 5776 / February 10, 2016 – HAKHEL YEAR
Today is the second day Rosh Chodesh Adar 1. The reason for the additional month is that the Hebrew calendar year, which is based on a lunar cycle, consists of 354 days in contrast to the solar year which has 365 days.
Due to this difference, Passover will fall back 10 days each year and will eventually occur not in the spring, but during the other seasons of the year. But the Torah tells us that Passover must be celebrated in the spring. To adjust this, we make an an extra month every few years.
Our sages say, "Mishenichnas Adar, Marbim B'Simcha - "When Adar begins, we increase in joy." Although we must serve G-d with happiness throughout the year, yet, we increase happiness in the month(s) of Adar, the month in which the miracle of Purim took place. Purim is celebrated in Adar 2.
Simcha-Happiness is an important part of our service of G-d. King David in Psalm 100 says, "Serve
G-d with happiness, come before Him with joyous song." Every mitzvah performed with happiness, shows our appreciation to G-d for the opportunity to observe it. Our sages tell us that happiness comes from holiness, whereas sadness and dejection comes from the "other side."
According to the teachings of the Tanya, sadness and dejection are of the most powerful tactics of the Yetzer Hara (evil inclination). Through them, the Yetzer Hara traps a person into losing the will and strength to overcome any obstacles which may appear to be placed on the road of Torah and mitzvot. As a result, the person will fall deeper into the clutches of the Yetzer Hara.
The Tanya explains this concept with a parable of two people engaged in battle. If one of the fighters is dejected and the other is happy and in good spirits, the happy person will be faster and have more energy to win the battle--even if his opponent is stronger. Thus, feelings of dejection and sadness take away one's will power and strength and will cause him to fail.
Throughout life, every person finds himself in the middle of a constant battle between good and evil. Therefore, we must think positive and be happy.
"Think good and it will be good!" a great Rebbe told his Chassid, who had a child who was so ill that the doctors had all given up hope. The Chassid listened to the Rebbe's directive and only thought positive. Eventually, his son became well. "Throughout my life," the Chassid told his friends, "whenever there was a problem whether in health or business, I always remembered the Rebbe's command, "Think good and it will be good". I didn't let the negative thoughts overcome me. I would think positive, and just like the Rebbe predicted, things would turn out positive."
As we enter the month of Adar we should increase in happiness, think positive and the results will be positive!
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HEALTHY, SUCCESSFUL, HAPPY CHODESH/MONTH
B"H
Monday, Shevat 29, 5776 / February 8, 2016 – HAKHEL YEAR
This week's Parsha, Terumah, begins, "And G-d spoke to Moshe saying: 'Speak to the Children of Israel, that they take for Me a contribution. Of every man whose heart inspires him to be generous, you shall take my contribution.” The contributions were for the sake of building the Tabernacle (Mishkan) – a sanctuary for G-d. The Torah enumerates 15 articles which were needed for the Mishkan.
G-d told Moshe, "And they shall make Me a sanctuary so that I shall dwell among them."
The Mishkan traveled with the people wherever they went throughout their 40 years in the desert. Before proceeding on a journey, they would dismantle the Mishkan and erect it again where they rested. They brought it with them when they entered Israel, where they built a permanent sanctuary. King Solomon built the first Beth HaMikdash (Holy Temple) on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, which stood for 410 years. The second Beth HaMikdash, built by Ezra the Scribe, stood for 420 years. The Third Beth HaMikdash, which will be built with the coming of Moshiach, may it be speedily in our days, will be located on the exact same site as the first two.
Q.Why does the commandment to build a sanctuary come right after the Parsha of Yitro and Mishpatim, which speak about G-d's giving the Torah to the people of Israel?
A.The Midrash explains this with a parable: A king had an only daughter whom he loved dearly. She married a prince who lived in a far away land. When the king realized that his only child was about to move away, he said to his son-in-law, "You know how much I love my daughter. All this time, I enjoyed her company greatly and now I will miss her. Thus, I ask of you only one favor: Wherever you and my daughter will live, please build a home for me next to yours, so that I can come and stay near you."
The same, says the Midrash, is with the Torah and the people of Israel. For thousands of years, the Torah had been with G-d. Now that G-d gave it to the Jewish people, He requested that they build him a dwelling place so that He could be among them.
When G-d told Moshe, "And they shall make Me a sanctuary so that I shall dwell among them," Moshe was puzzled. "You fill the entire heaven and earth! There is no place void of you. How can we, mortal beings, build a dwelling place for you?"
G-d replied, "I do not ask that you build a sanctuary according to My capacity but rather according to yours. All I ask is that you do the best you can. That will suffice and I will rest my glory among you."
Our sages teach us that G-d doesn't expect of us to accomplish the impossible. However, G-d does expect of us to utilize the gifts He gave each of us to achieve our full potential.
Tonight(Monday night), through Tuesday and Wednesday, is Rosh Chodesh Adar 1.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
B"H
Thursday, Shevat 25, 5776 / February 3, 2016 – HAKHEL YEAR
In last week’s Parsha we read about the Giving of the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai. At the end of this week’s Parsha Mishpatim, the Torah relates additional details which occurred at the Giving of the Ten Commandments.
The Fifth Commandment of the Ten Commandments is, “Honor your father and mother in order that your days will be lengthened on the land that G-d your G-d is giving you.” Later in Parshat Kedoshim (Leviticus 19:3) the Torah commands, “Your mother and father you shall fear.”
Q. Why, when the Torah commands to honor parents, it mentions first father and then mother, but when commanding to fear parents the order is reversed, first mother then father?
A.Our sages explain that by nature a child fears the father more than the mother, but respects the mother more. The Torah tells us that respect and fear for parents should be equal. Thus, when speaking of honor it mentions father first to make him equal to the mother and by fear it mentions mother first to say that she should be equal to the father.
The Talmudic sage, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai said, “G-d made honoring parents even greater than honoring G-d. For concerning honoring G-d it says, ‘Honor G-d with your substance.’ Thus, if you have means you have to give to charity and if you don’t have the means you don’t have to give. But when it comes to honoring parents, even if you have very little and even if you have to go begging, you still have to honor them and help them.”
Rabbi Eliezer was asked by his disciples, “What is the extent of honoring father and mother?”
He replied, “Go and see what Dama ben Nesina of Ashkelon did. When his mother, who was feebleminded, hit him with her sandal in the presence of the entire council over which he presided, he only said to her, ‘Enough, mother.’ Moreover, when her sandal, with which she was hitting him, fell from her hand, he picked it up and handed it back to her, so that she would not get upset.”
The Talmud tells the following story. Rabbi Tarfon’s mother went for a walk on Shabbat and her sandal tore. Being Shabbat it couldn’t be fixed. What did Rabbi Tarfon do? He placed his hands under his mother’s feet, so she wouldn’t step on the stones and pebbles and walked with her this way until she came to her home.
The Talmudic sage Rav Yosef, upon hearing his mother’s footsteps, would say, “I must rise for the presence of the Shechina (G-d’s glory) which is approaching.” Parents and G-d are partners in the creation of the child. Honoring parents is honoring G-d!
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
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Mazel Tov wishes to Ed and Maydie Wolofsky on the marriage of their son
Robert Wolofsky to Sarah Klein last week on January 26, 2016.
From his friends at Cellutrak!
Wednesday, Shevat 24, 5776 / February 3, 2016 – HAKHEL YEAR
Shalom. I hope this Torah Fax finds you in good health. The reason I took a break from Torah Fax is because we attended our grandson’s wedding last Wednesday in New York.
It is indeed a special blessing for which we are grateful to G-d for His great kindness and blessings to be able to partake in a grandchild’s wedding. I am also grateful that my parents were able to attend and enjoy the wedding. My father, who will be one hundred, G-d willing, in 7 weeks, attended the entire wedding and enjoyed every minute of it.
Unfortunately, this Sunday he wasn’t feeling well and was taken to the hospital. I ask you to pray for his health that he have a speedy recovery. His name is: Menachem Mendel ben Chaya Bracha. I thank you for your prayers and looking forward to celebrating his 100th birthday.
May G-d bless you and your loved ones with good health, long life and lots of simchas – happy celebrations.
This week’s Parsha, Mishpatim,is the first Parsha after the story of the Giving of the Torah. In this Parsha we find 53 of the 613 mitzvot.
Mishpatimare mitzvot (commandments) which affect the relationship between one person to another. They fall within the realm of logic and reason. In fact, many secular societies may contain similar laws. The name of the Parsha, Mishpatim, tells us that most of the mitzvot in this Parsha are such which teach us of our responsibility towards our fellow human being.
Q. Why is Parshat Mishpatim, which deals with the mitzvot between one person and another, immediately after Parshat Yitro where we read about the Giving of the Torah?
A. We find the same thing in the Ten Commandments, where there is great emphasis on the mitzvot between man and man. Our performance of these mitzvot is a good barometer of our relationship toward G-d. Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa says in the Mishna, "If your fellow is not pleased with you, then the spirit of G-d is not pleased with you."
For this reason, Parshat Mishpatim comes right after the Giving of the Torah, to teach us the importance of the mitzvot which emphasize proper conduct and love amongst ourselves.
Rabbi Yechezkel of Kuzmir would say, "The Jewish people are compared to a box full of glass dishes. If the dishes are packed tightly, the box can be moved about and transported and none of the dishes will break. But if the dishes are packed loosely, they bang into each other and will easily break. We, as a people, have to be close and tight with each other. This is the secret of our survival…”
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
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