B"H
Wednesday, Kislev 13, 5779 / November 21, 2018
The Torah reading for this Shabbat is Parshat Vayishlach.
After spending 20 years with his father-in-law, Lavan, Yaakov and his family leave to go back to his parents, Yitzchak and Rivkah. On the way, he is told that his brother Esau, who still hates him for taking his father's blessings, is coming with four hundred men to kill him.
Yaakovprayed to G-d for help, "Save me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau for I fear him that he may come and smite me, the mothers and the children". At the same time, Yaakov sends his brothers gifts to convince him to make peace. He also, as a last resort, prepares for war with his brother.
The three daily prayers were established by our patriarchs: Abraham, the morning prayer; Yitzchak, the afternoon prayer; and Yaakov, the evening prayer.
Q. Why is Yaakov associated with the evening prayer?
A. Evening is a time of darkness, so too, Yaakov’s life was full of trials and tribulations. First, he has to flee his brother who wants to kill him. Then, for twenty years, he suffers from his father-in-law. When he finally returns home, he again encounters Esau who wants to kill him and his family. Then, his daughter Dina is forcibly taken away by Shchem. Later, the Torah tells us how the brothers sell Joseph into slavery. Yaakov’s life story was full of misery and darkness. The evening service, through which we connect to G-d and pray at the time of darkness symbolizes the prayer of Yaakov.
Our sages explain the value of the daily prayers: A king had an only child whom he loved dearly. Each day, he would come to his father for his daily allowance. Even when the prince grew older and lived on his own he visited his father every day to receive his daily allowance.
One day, the son said to his father, "Why should I have to bother you each day? Wouldn't it be easier if you gave me a month's allowance at one time?"
The father agreed and as a result, the son began coming once a month. Eventually, the son asked his father to give him the full allowance for the entire year. When the year was up, his father said, "From now on, I will go back to giving you your needs daily."
When the son protested, the father explained. "You should know that there is no greater pleasure for me than to see you and talk to you. When you needed me every day, you came to me each day; but as soon as I gave you your needs once a month or once a year, you completely forgot about me until the next time you required something. It is better for both of us if you come every day!
The same is with our prayers. Praying three times daily places us in G-d’s presence daily.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
B"H
Monday, Kislev 18, 5779 / November 26, 2018
There are two Rabbinical holidays in the Jewish calendar; Chanukah and Purim.
Purim we celebrate the miracle when G-d saved us from Haman, who wanted to annihilate the entire Jewish nation.
On Chanukah we celebrate the miracle of the victory of the small army of the Macabees, over the much greater armies of their enemies. We also celebrate the miracle of the small quantity of undefiled pure olive oil, enough for only one day, which miraculously burnt for eight days.
Q. Which miracle took place first, the miracle of Purim or Chanukah?
A.The miracle of Purim happened about two hundred years before the miracle of Chanukah. The miracle of Purim took place between the First and Second Temples, when Jews were in Persia. The miracle of Chanukah took place in Israel, during the time of the Second Temple.
The eight day hoiday of Chanukah begins next Sunday night, December 2, when we light the first Chanukah candle. Each night of Chanukah we add an additional candle, until the last night of Chanukah when we light a total of eight candles.
In addition to the Chanukah candles, we also light one more candle each night, called “The Shamesh.” We light the Shamesh first and with it we kindle the Chanukah lights. The Shamesh is left lit on the menorah in a bit higher position than the Chanukah candles.
Q. Why is that candle called “Shamesh”? Why do we need the Shamesh?
A. “Shamesh” is one who “serves.” Because this candle serves to kindle the Chanukah lights it is called Shamesh. The reason we leave the Shamesh lit after we kindle the Chanukah lights is because we are prohibited from having any benefit from the Chanukah lights. Thus, we leave this candle lit, so if we forget and have any use from the light, it would be considered as if we had it from the Shamesh.
Q. Why is the holiday called Chanukah?
A. "Chanukah" means "dedication". On the 25th of Kislev, the Chashmonaim re-dedicated the Holy Temple after it was desecrated by the Greek pagan worshippers.
Another reason: "Chanukah" can also be split into two words; "Chanu" which means "they rested"; "Kah" numerically represents the number "twenty-five".
In this context, the name "Chanukah" describes the miracle on the battlefield in which the small Jewish army of the Maccabees were victorious and they rested on the 25th day of the month Kislev - the day when the Chanukah holiday begins.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
B"H
Wednesday, Kislev 20, 5779 / November 28, 2018
Sunday night, December 2, begins the holiday of Chanukah.
Our sages say, “A little light pushes away much darkness.” The Chanukah lights have to be placed near the window or door and burn after dark. The lesson from the Chanukah lights is that it is within the power of everyone to illuminate the darkness of the outside world. It is not enough for one to make sure that there is spiritual light in their own home. One has a responsibility to be an influence on the surroundings around them and spiritually illuminate them as well.
Q. Why is it that on Purim we celebrate with having a feast, yet on Chanukah there is no mitzvah to eat a meal, only the lighting of the menorah?
A.The miracle of Purim and the miracle of Chanukah were fundamentally different. In the miracle of Purim, Jews were saved from physical annihilation. To celebrate this miracle, the sages established a celebration of feasting, which we enjoy physically. But at the time of Chanukah, our religion, the Torah and mitzvot and the Neshama (soul) of the Jew was in danger. At the time of Chanukah they prohibited the study of Torah and the observance of the mitzvot. For this we celebrate Chanukah in a spiritual way, with the kindling of lights, which represent the Torah and mitzvot and the Jewish soul, as they are all compared to light.
Q. Except for lighting the candles each night of Chanukah, is there anything else we do specially for Chanukah?
A. We recite the Hallel each day during the Morning Prayer. We recite the “Al Hanisim” - a prayer of thanks for the miracle of Chanukah. We also read from the Torah about the dedication of the Tabernacle, each day of Chanukah.
Q. What is the origin of the Dreidel?
A.As mentioned, the Greek-Syrians and their Hellenistic sympathizers prohibited Jews from performing many mitzvot, including teaching Torah to Jewish children. Any child caught studying Torah was severely punished. However, the teachers and students devised a way around this ban. They would gather to study and when the student on the lookout would spot a Greek soldier he would warn them. The children would hide their books and begin playing with the Dreidel.
Q. What is the significance of the four Hebrew letters on the Dreidel; Nun, Gimel, Hay, Shin?
A. The four letters on the Dreidel stand for: "Nes, Gadol, Haya, Sham" - "A great miracle happened there". In Israel, the letter "Shin" is substituted with the letter "Pay". It stands for the Hebrew word "Poh", "Here" ("A great miracle happened here"), for the miracle took place in Israel.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
B"H
Thursday, Kislev 21, 5779 / November 29, 2018
This week's Parsha, Vayeishev, describes the special relationship that Yaakov had with his son Joseph. The Torah says, "Israel [Yaakov] loved Joseph more than all his children because he was the son born to him in his old age; and he made him a coat of many colors." Yaakov's special relationship with Joseph caused jealousy and rift between the brothers and Joseph.
We read about Joseph's dreams which he told his brothers, for which they hated him even more.
In his first dream, he and his brothers were out in the field binding sheaves when his brothers’ sheaves bowed down to his. In the second dream, the sun, moon and eleven stars bowed to him. The eleven stars refer to his eleven brothers, further increasing their jealousy and hatred for him.
Later, when Yaakov sends Joseph out to the field to check on his brothers, they remove the coat of many colors and put him in a pit. They then sell him to a caravan of merchants and Joseph ends up in Egypt where he is sold as a slave to Potifar. The brothers show Yaakov the Joseph’s coat, which they dipped in blood. This gives Yaakov the impression that Joseph was devoured by an animal.
In Egypt, Joseph refuses the advances of Potifar's wife and he runs out of the house. She later complains to her husband that it was Joseph who wanted to force himself upon her, which results in Joseph being imprisoned.
At the end of the Parsha, Joseph properly interprets the dreams of the king's butler and baker who were also in prison. In next week's Parsha, Mikeitz, Joseph is summoned to interpret King Pharaoh's dreams, as a result of which Pharaoh appoints him ruler over Egypt.
All these years, Yaakov thought that Joseph was devoured by a wild animal and he mourned after all these years. Only later did Yaakov come to Egypt where he was re-united with Joseph.
Q. How many years were Yaakov and Joseph separated?
A. For 22 years. He was sold at the age of 17 and reunited with his father, in Egypt, at 39.
Q. What did Yaakov deserve such harsh punishment for 22 years?
A. It was measure for measure for the 22 years which Yaakov was away from his parents. He spent 20 years with his father-in-law and two more years on the road returning home.
There is a silver lining in this story. Although it was a punishment, Joseph's ending up in Egypt was ordained by Divine Providence to also benefit Yaakov’s family. G-d told Abraham, many years earlier, that his descendants would be enslaved in a foreign land. By Joseph being sold to the Egyptian, which resulted in his becoming ruler of Egypt it made Yaakov’s transition to Egypt much easier.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
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