B"H
Friday, Tammuz 9, 5778 / June 22, 2018
In Parshat Chukat we read how G-d told Moshe and Aaron to speak to the rock to give water, but instead of speaking, Moshe hit the rock twice. Although the mission was accomplished and the rock gave water, yet it was considered a sin for Moshe for deviating from G-d’s command. As a result, Moshe and Aaron were punished that they wouldn’t enter into the Promised Land.
Q. How did Moshe make the mistake of hitting the rock when G-d told him to speak to it?
A. Forty years earlier, right after the Jewish people left Egypt, they were in a similar situation where they didn’t have any water. G-d then told Moshe to take his staff and hit the rock.
This time Moshe was commanded to take his staff and speak to the rock. Our sages explain that Moshe was angry at the people and addressed them saying, "Hear now you rebels.” Because of his anger, he made the mistake of hitting the rock.
Lesson: “This teaches us,” say our sages, “the destructive power of anger.” Because of this Moshe didn’t merit to go into the land of Israel. Our sages even compare anger to idol worship!
Q. Why is anger compared to idol worship? What’s the connection?
A. Idol worship means that one doesn’t accept Hashem. One of the principles of our faith is that everything which happens in the world is by Divine Providence. A person who becomes angry at someone or something, shows that they do not accept what G-d handed them. It shows that they disagree with G-d’s plan, which at some level is equal to not accepting G-d’s rule.
In this Parsha we read about Aaron’s passing. The Torah tells us that when the people realized that Aaron passed away, “The entire congregation of Israel cried for Aaron.” This includes men and women. However, when Moshe passed away eight months later, only the men cried for him.
The reason: Moshe is referred to as Man of G-d. But Aaron was a people’s person. Aaron was a man of peace who would get involved to bring peace between one person and another and between husband and wife. He was loved by everyone and when he died, even the women cried for him.
On the lighter side:A collector for a worthy cause approached a wealthy man, who never gave charity, for a donation. After a long discussion, he finally convinced him to give a nice donation.
The collector later boasted that he is even greater than Moshe. “Moshe was able to get only water from a stone.. but I was able to get money from a (heart of) stone.
SHABBAT SHALOM
Candle lighting time: 8:28 / Shabbat ends: 9:46
B"H
Monday, Tammuz 12, 5778 / June 25, 2018
This week’s Parsha, Balak, begins with the story of Balak, King of Moab, who was afraid that the Jewish people may conquer his land as they have just conquered the lands of Emori and Bashan. He sent for Bila’am to come and curse the Jewish people.
Bila’am, who hated the Jewish people, even more than Balak, and was also tempted by Balak's promises of wealth and honor, wanted to curse the Jewish people. But, he was warned many times by G-d not to curse them.
In the end, instead of cursing them, G-d placed words of blessing in Bila’am's mouth and each time he wanted to curse them, he ended up praising and blessing them.
Although Balak took Bila’am to different places from where he could see the Jewish tents and dwelling places, so that he could find fault with Israel, which would give him an opening to curse them, G-d made sure that he saw only good, which resulted in blessings.
The following passage of Bila’am's praise for the Jewish people, as he viewed them from a mountain overlooking their encampment, is recited each day in our morning prayers, “How good are your tents Jacob; Your dwelling places Isreal."
Many of our sages have always tried to find the good in another person. They were able to look beyond the person's external negative acts and see into the essence of the Jew's Neshama-soul. As a result, rather than judging their brethren for their shortcomings as acts of sin, they were able to find the good and positive hidden within that act or the conditions in which they were performed.
The story is told of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Barditchev, who saw a Jewish coachman, wrapped in Talit and Tefillin, in the middle of prayer, greasing the wheels of his carriage in preparation for a trip.
Someone else would have scolded the man for his lack of respect for his prayers. But Rabbi Levi Yitzchak lifted his eyes upward and exclaimed, "O G-d, Look how devoted this poor coachman is to You, even when greasing the wheels of his coach, he cannot refrain from praying!"
On this day, the 12th of Tammuz, 91 years ago, the previous Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson, of blessed memory, was miraculously released from Russian prison, where he was arrested for teaching and spreading Torah. As a child he once asked his father, “Why did G-d create us with two eyes? I can see even with one eye?"
His father replied, “A person needs two eyes so that with the left eye, he should look at himself in order to find his own faults and correct them. But at another person, one should always look with the right eye, with compassion and kindness."
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
B"H
Tuesday, Tammuz 13, 5778 / June 26, 2018
The Torah reading for this Shabbat is Parshat Balak. Balak was the king of Moab. When he saw that Moshe killed the two mighty kings, Sichon and Og, when they didn’t allow the Jewish people to pass through their lands, he was afraid for his and his nation’s safety. He hired Bila’am to come and curse the Jewish people. But instead, G-d put words of blessing in Bila’am’s mouth and he blessed them.
Parshat Balak is one of the few Parshiot of the Torah which carry the name of a person, Balak.
We recite the following words of Bila’am, every day in our morning prayers; "Mah Tovu Ohalecha Yaakov Mishknotecha Israel - How good are your tents, Jacob, your dwellings, Israel!"
Two expressions are used here to describe the homes of Israel; Tents and Dwellings. A tent is a temporary home, while a dwelling represents a permanent home.
Throughout history, we rotated between tents and dwellings. Even in places where we thought we were secure, Jews found their homes transformed into tents. Yet, no matter the physical conditions which a Jew endured (tent or dwelling), even throughout exiles and persecutions, we made sure that the spirit inside of the home was befitting to a Jewish home.
Q. How is it that in our prayers we recite words from Bila’am, whose goal was to curse our people?
A. Some Rabbis indeed felt that for this reason they don’t belong in the prayers. But most Rabbis felt otherwise. They say being that G-d put these words into Bila’am's mouth, against his will, they are really G-d's words and G-d’s praise for the Jewish people.
A heathen once said to Rabbi Eliezer, "Your G-d honored Bila’am more than your leader, Moshe! For when G-d wanted to speak to Moshe, the Torah says that He called Moshe to come to Him. But by Bila’am it says, "And G-d came to Bila’am!" Wouldn't this imply that Bila’am is greater than Moshe?"
"Let me answer you with a parable," replied Rabbi Eliezer. "A leper once came to the king's palace. He informed the guards that he must see the king for he has something important to tell the king.”
“Don't let him in, he will make my palace impure,” the king commanded. “I will go out and speak to him outside.”
Later, the guards told the king that a close friend of the king wanted to speak to him. “Invite him in!” the king ordered.
The same," said Rabbi Eliezer, "is with Moshe and Bila’am. G-d loved Moshe, therefore, whenever He wanted to talk to him, He called him into His chamber. But Bila’am, He went out to meet."
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
B"H
Friday, Tammuz 16, 5778 / June 29, 2018
In this week’s Parsha, Balak, we find the famous Biblical story of the donkey chatting with Bila’am. We read that Balak, King of Moab, called on Bila’am to curse the Jewish people, so that he could wage war against them and, “drive them away from the land.”
First, G-d came to Bila’am in a dream and told him not to go. But later, seeing that Bila’am wanted so much to go, G-d let him go, but warned him not to curse the Jewish people.
The Torah tells us that when Bila’am heard that G-d gave him permission to go, although he had many servants, he himself saddled his donkey to go to Balak. On the way, an angel blocks his way. The donkey, who saw the angel, turned away from the road and walking in a narrow path, squeezed against a stone wall, crushing Bila’am’s foot. Bila’am, who didn’t see the angel, ends up hitting the donkey three times. At that point the donkey opened its mouth and reprimands Bila’am for hitting it.
Q. From whom did the nation of Moab, who wanted to destroy the nation of Israel, descend from?
A. They were descendants of Lot, who was Abraham’s nephew.
Q. Which great Jewish personality descended from Balak, king of Moab?
A. King David was a descendant of Ruth, who descended from Balak, King of Moab.
Q. What happened to Bila’am in the end?
A. Later in the Torah we read that Bila’am was killed by Pinchas, the grandson of Aaron, when they waged war against the people of Midyan.
Q. In what way is there a connection between the story of Bila’am going to curse the Jews and the story of Abraham who took his son, Isaac, to the altar?
A. When Bila’am went to saddle his donkey with the intention to go and curse the Jewish people, G-d said, “Their forefather, Abraham, has preceded you! When I tested Abraham by commanding him to bring his son, Isaac, as a sacrifice, he got up early and saddled his donkey himself to fulfill My commandment. That merit will stand for his children and I will not allow you to curse them.”
Sunday is a fast day, known as the fast of "Shiv’a Asar B'Tammuz." It is one of the five Rabbinical decreed public fast days observed during the year. The reason for the fast is that five tragic events happened on that day in the course of Jewish history. With the fast of the 17th of Tammuz begins the "Three Week" period in which weddings are not performed during this time. It is customary to give additional Tzedakah-charity during this three week period.
SHABBAT SHALOM
Montreal candle lighting time: 8:29 / Shabbat ends 9:45
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