B"H

Thursday, Shevat 23, 5778 / February 8, 2018

This week’s Parsha, Mishpatim, is the eighteenth Parsha in the Torah. Until this Parsha the Torah was mostly about the history of the Jewish people. The stories of our forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and Sarah, Rivkah, Rachel and Leah. How the Jewish people ended up in Egypt and how they were liberated from slavery. In last week’s Parsha, Yitro, we read how the Jewish people came to Mount Sinai and received the Ten Commandments.

From this week’s Parsha, Mishpatim, the Torah begins to records the 613 mitzvot. In Parshat Mishpatim alone we find 53 of the 613 mitzvot.

In memory of my father, of blessed memory, and in connection with this Parsha, I would like to relate the following story, which he used to tell many times, to impress upon his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren the value and importance of abiding by the Torah and its mitzvot. Not to try to copy what others do, only to follow the laws of Torah, which is our first class ticket to travel through life.  

Many years ago, there lived a wealthy farmer in one of the remote cities in Russia. From time to time he had to travel to Moscow and the trip by horse and carriage would take him a few weeks.

Then the train was introduced. Now instead of a few weeks, he can get to Moscow in a few days. The next time he had to be in Moscow he decided to travel by train. T the ticket counter, he was told that he had a choice of a third, second, or first class ticket. Being a wealthy man he bought a first class ticket.

As he was waiting for the train, he saw people congregating on the platform. It was his first time travelling on a train, so he decided he would watch what others do and do the same. When the train pulled into the station and the doors opened, he saw that some of the people rushed into the last car of the train. He followed them in and saw that they went under the train seats, so he did the same. After a long while the train puled out of the station.

Suddenly, he is pulled out. “You thief!,” the conductor screams at him. What are you doing there? Ah! You have no ticket.. You thief.. I will teach you a lesson and with that he gives him a few smacks.

“But, I do have a ticket,” he protests and shows him his first class ticket! “If you have a first class ticket why would you be riding under a seat in third class?”

He replied, “It’s the first time I’m travelling on a train. I had no idea how to go about it, so I did exactly what others did.” The conductor laughed, “You have a first class ticket and you’re copying those who have no tickets?”

My father, may his soul rest in peace, would conclude, “Remember, we Jews have a first class ticket to get us through this world to our final destination. It is the Torah which has proven itself for over 3,000 years. We should follow it and not be so foolish, as that silly farmer, to copy what others do.

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY

B"H

Friday, Shevat 24, 5778 / February 9, 2018

This Shabbat besides reading Parshat Mishpatim, we will also read Parshat Shekalim from a second Torah. Because of this special reading, this Shabbat is called Shabbat Shekalim.

Shabbat Shekalim is the first of four special Torah readings that occur between now and Rosh Chodesh Nissan.

Parshat Shekalim begins, "And the L-rd spoke to Moshe saying, 'When you want to count the sum of the Children of Israel according to their numbers, every man shall give a ransom for his soul to the L-rd… This they shall give a half shekel... The rich shall not give more and the poor shall not give less than the half shekel." (Exodus 30:11-16).

According to Halacha (Jewish law), Jews are forbidden to be counted directly. Therefore, G-d commanded that every Jewish man, between the ages of twenty and sixty, give a half shekel. By counting the number of half Shekalim, Moshe knew the amount of the people. 

The portion of the Half Shekel is read each year on the Shabbat before Rosh Chodesh Adar. For during the time of the Holy Temple, beginning Rosh Chodesh Adar Jews were reminded to contribute to the fund which sponsored the public sacrifices. Although we don't have the Holy Temple (Beth Hamikdash) now, we still read this portion to remind us of the days of the Temple.  This also affirms our belief in the coming of Moshiach and the rebuilding of the Beth Hamikdash.

According to our sages, G-d showed Moshe a "coin of fire" and told him, "This they shall give."

Q.  Why did G-d show Moshe a coin of fire? Why did G-d command to give only a half shekel?

A.  This teaches us that in addition to performing the act of giving charity, one must know "How" to give charity. Thus, G-d illustrated to Moshe the half shekel in the form of fire, for one must give charity with "fire" -- wholeheartedly with energy and enthusiasm.

The reason G-d commanded each one to give a "half" Shekel is to teach us that a Jew by himself is only "half."  Only when we connect with another person, who gives the other half shekel, are we complete. Thus, Parshat Shekalim and the idea of the "half" shekel teaches us the concept of unity and Ahavat Yisroel – Love your fellow as yourself.

This Shabbat we recite the special blessings for the New Month of Adar. Rosh Chodesh will be Thursday and Friday (February 15 & 16).

SHABBAT SHALOM

Montrealcandle lighting time: 4:55 / Shabbat ends: 6:00

B"H

Monday, Shevat 27, 5778 / February 12, 2018

This week’s Parsha, Terumah, is about G-d’s commandment to build a Mishkan (Tabernacle), a sanctuary for G-d, through which He will dwell amongst the Jewish people, and the contributions the people gave towards the building of the Mishkan (Tabernacle).

The name of the Parsha, “Terumah,” means to lift up andelevate. When we donate from our money or our possessions towards the building of a sanctuary for G-d, these items become elevated from their mundane state to become a holy object.

The Parsha begins, “G-d spoke to Moshe, saying, ‘Speak to the children of Israel and have them take for Me an offering (contribution).’”  The Hebrew verse can be translated in a slightly different way. Instead of, “Have them take for me an offering,” it can be understood as, “They shall take Me through their offering.”

By contributing towards the building of the Mishkan, we take G-d. We bring G-dliness into our midst. When we give charity, we actually take more than we give. This is why, when the Torah uses the term take instead of give.

Q.What is the connection between giving charity and connecting withG-d?

A.The holy sage Shaloh writes that when we give charity it represents G-d name, which is comprised of the four letters Yud, Hay, Vav, Hay ((י-ה-ו-ה.

The coin represents the letter Yud. The five fingers which give the coin to the poor person is represented by the letter Hay, which has a numerical value of 5. The poor person’s outstretched hand and his five fingers with which he accepts the coin is represented by the letters Vav (which resembles the outstretched hand) and the five fingers by the letter Hay, as mentioned above.

Thus, when we give charity before the poor person stretches out his hand to ask for it, we have G-d’s name in order. But if we wait for them to stretch out their hand and beg, then G-d’s name is in the opposite order. According to the Shaloh, the Torah hints here that we should be aware of another person’s needs, even before they have to ask for help – that’s the proper way to give.

Q. The Mishkan was built in the desert. One of the items they had to donate for the building of the Mishkan was acacia wood. How did the Jewish people get this wood in the desert?

A. The sages in the Talmud explain that Jacob foresaw that G-d will command his descendents to build a Mishkan in the desert. When he moved to Egypt, 210 years earlier, he planted these trees in Egypt and told his children to make sure to cut them down and bring them out of Egypt with them.

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY