B"H
Tuesday, Nissan 29, 5777 / April 25, 2017 (14th day of the Omer)
Each Shabbat, from Pesach through the summer, we study the Pirkei Avot (Chapters of our Fathers). This Shabbat being the second Shabbat after Pesach, we study the secondchapter of Pirkei Avot.
In the beginning of this chapter, Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi gives us the following advice: "Be as careful in the performance of a [seemingly] minor mitzvah as of a major one, for you do not know the reward given for the various mitzvot... Reflect upon three things and you will not come to sin: Know what is above you: An Eye that sees; an Ear that hears; and all your deeds are recorded in a Book."
"Know what is above you" - Our sages remark that the Hebrew words for this sentence are, "Da mah l'maalah mimach," can also be translated as "Know that what happens above, is from you."
Our deeds and actions affect the heavenly decisions that relate to our own success and well being in this world. It also refers to the reward one will receive in the World-to-Come.
There is a saying, "However a person prepares their bed during the day that's the level of comfort they will experience when they sleep at night." Our good deeds and accomplishments in this world determine one’s reward in the World-to-Come - "Know that what happens above, is from you!"
There is a story told of a man who was very fond of the mitzvah of Hachnasat Orchim (hospitality to guests). Although he was wealthy and had many servants, he would personally serve his guests. Once, as he was preparing a bed for a guest, the guest said to him, "Why do you insist on personally making my bed. Let me make it."
To this he answered, "You think that I'm preparing your bed? No. It is my own bed that I'm preparing! As the Mishna says, 'Know that what happens above comes from you.’ I am in reality preparing that my bed in the World-to-Come should be comfortable!"
A man once came to a town and offered to walk across the river on a tightrope, for a hundred guilden. Amongst the many people who came to watch him was also Rabbi Chaim of Krasna, a disciple of the Baal Shem Tov. Rabbi Chaim watched the man very intently as he was walking across the tightrope.
When asked why he was so interested in the man walking on the rope, Rabbi Chaim told his followers that watching this scene taught him a great lesson in the service of G-d.
"Here I saw a man putting his life at risk in order to earn 100 guilden. Yet, I realized that his entire concentration was on the task before him. Had he thought of the reward, he would have lost concentration and fallen into the river. From this I learned,” said Rabbi Chaim, “that although G-d promised us reward for the mitzvot we perform, yet, when we perform the mitzvah, our entire concentration should be to accomplish the mitzvah to the best of our ability, not about the reward."
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
Friday, Iyar 2, 5777 / April 28, 2017 (17th day of the Omer)
This Shabbat we read the two Parshiot, Tazria& Metzoratogether.
The reason some Parshiot are combined is because the entire Torah is read every year. There are certain Parshiot which have to be read on the Shabbat before certain holidays. Thus, it is necessary to make these adjustments. Also, there are regular years and there are leap years, which consists of 13 months. Thus, adjustments have to be made accordingly.
Tazria and Metzora deal with laws of "Tzaraat." Tzaraat is an ailment with physical symptoms similar to leprosy. During the time of the Beth HaMikdash the Kohen (priest) would have to investigate the condition of the one afflicted with Tzaraat and declare the person spiritually "clean" or "unclean." The laws of "Tzaraat" applied only in the days of the Holy Temple.
Our sages explain that "Tzaraat" was inflicted on a person as a punishment for speaking "Lashon Hara" - slandering others. From here we learn how grave a sin it is to speaking ill about others.
According to our sages, slander hurts threepeople; the one who speaks, the person who listens and the person spoken about! Since we do not have the Beth HaMikdash (Holy Temple) the laws of Tzaraat do not apply today, yet the prohibition to speak evil about people is nevertheless the same.
Our sages have often emphasized the need for a person to be very careful when speaking about others. We are advised in many cases to refrain from speaking about others in general, for in the course of the conversation one may come to say something negative.
The importance of refraining from speaking about others can also be seen from the commandment of the Torah, "Remember what the L-rd your G-d did unto Miriam on the way, as you came out of Egypt" (Deut. 24:9). Miriam spoke negatively about her brother Moshe. As a result, she became leprous (Tzaraat). The Torah commands us to continuously rememberthis episode.
Our sages compare the damage inflicted through Lashon Hara to a person shooting an arrow at somebody else. As soon as the arrow leaves, the person who shot it loses control over it. Similarly, as soon as a person utters negative words about others, they lose control over them and there is no telling how far these words may travel and how much damage they may inflict.
It is a very important lesson, especially in our time, when social media is so addictive. If the Torah commanded us, over three thousand years ago, to be very careful with our words, how much more so today, when words have no borders and can travel at the speed of light to every corner of the world. Words may not inflict bodily harm, but they can cause and inflict great and severe emotional pain.
SHABBAT SHALOM
Montrealcandle lighting time: 7:39 / Shabbat ends: 8:49
Tuesday, Iyar 6, 5777 / May 2, 2017 (21st day of the Omer)
Yesterday was Yom HaZikaron– Day of Remembrance, as we remembered the fallen heroes of the IDF, who gave their lives for the defense of our Holy Land and to safeguard its people.
In addition, we remember the over three thousand innocent men, women and children murdered by Arab murderers just for their “crime” of wanting to live in peace, in their own homeland, in Israel.
In time of war and even during time of, so called.. peace, the men and women of the IDF put their lives on the line for the defence our Holy Land – the only land we have. The Land which G-d gave us as an eternalinheritance.
Today, Israel celebrates Yom Ha’Atzmaut - Day of Independence.
We do have to clarify the true meaning of the term Independence. We, the Jewish people are never independent. We are always dependent on G-d. Our existence as a people and our having the Land of Israel is because G-d chose us and gave us the Holy Land as an eternal gift. Inour dependenceis the secret of our independence. Our independence goes back over three thousand year, with the Exodus from Egypt and accepting the Torah.
The Torah uses the term “Chorus” to describe the Ten Commandments being engraves on the Two Tablets. “Chorus” means engraved. But the Torah could have used a different expression. Our sages explain that “chorus” also means “Freedom” and “independence.”
The sages explain that the two ideas are interconnected. G-d chose the word, “Chorus” when describing the Ten Commandments to teach us that true freedomand independencecan be achieved onlywhen we adhere to G-d’s commandments and stay connected and dependent on Him.
Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki, or better known as, Rashi, one of the greatest Torah commentators, explains why the Torah begins with the story of the creation of the universe. After all, the Torah is a Book of laws and directives, so why did G-d begin the Torah with the storyof creation?
Rashi replies that before the Torah tells us about G-d’s eternal gift of the Holy land to the Jewish people, the Torah wants to tell us the story of creation, how G-d created the entire universe. This way, if the nations of the world will come and say to the Jewish people, “The land of Israel is not your land. It belongs to us.. You stole OUR land..” We will say to them: “Everything was created by G-d and everything belongs to Him. He has the right to give it to whomever He wants.” Thus, when He decided to give it to the Jewish people after the Exodus, for a everlasting inheritance, it rightfully belongs to usand no one can take it from us. Am Yisrael Chai – Long Live Israel!!!
May Israel continue to be independently dependent on G-d and may G-d protect and grant her peace.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
Wednesday, Iyar 7, 5777 / May 3, 2017 (22nd day of the Omer)
This Shabbat we will read two Parshiot, Acharei Mot& Kedoshim, from the Book of Leviticus.
In one of the passages in Parshat Acharei Mot, the Torah says, “You should observe My statutes and My laws, which man shall do, and live by them.”
Q.What does the Torah mean with the words, “And live by them”?
A.The Talmud explains that the Torah tells us here that although each of G-d’s commandments are very important to fulfill, yet, they were given to “live” by them and not to die by them. This teaches us that when there is a situation of life and deathand in order to live one must transgress one of the Mitzvot, life takes precedence.
For example: We are prohibited to eat non kosher foods. However, when it is a situation of life and death and the doctor orders that they must eat a non kosher food item, otherwise they will die, the Torah commands us that life takes precedence. In that case it is a Mitzvahto obey the doctor.
The same applies with Shabbat. When someone’s life is in danger, one is obligated to violate the Shabbat in order to save the person’s life. It is not a violation for it is a mitzvah when saving a life.
This is why we see very religious Jews involved in the Hatzalah organization, a volunteer organization dedicated to saving lives. One can see very religious people driving the Hatzalah cars and ambulances even on Shabbat. Because when it comes to saving a life, one is not transgressing G-d’s commandment, but rather performing a great mitzvah. In truth it is nota violation of Shabbat under these circumstance.
Only for three mitzvot is a person required to give their life: 1) Idol worship; 2) Murder 3) Adultery.
“And live by them” - In a deeper sense, the Torah tells us that we should not perform G-d’s commandments as something forcedupon us and which we would rather not have to do. The Torah tells us, live by them. We should perform them withlife and enthusiasm.
Another explanation: One should not say, “While I am still young I will concentrate on business and making a living. Only later in life, will I devote time for Torah and mitzvot.”
The Torah tells us, “You should observe My statutes and My laws.. and live by them.” You should study Torah and perform G-d’s mitzvot while you are young; energetic and full of life.
Our sages in the Pirkei Avot (Chapters of our Fathers) teach: “One should not say, When I will have time, then I will study Torah, because you may never have time.” The time is NOW.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
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