B"H
Monday, Shevat 29, 5779 / February 4, 2019
This week’s Parsha, Terumah, to the end of the book of Exodus, describes the Mishkan (Tabernacle), which the Jewish people built in the desert. It records the specific requirements of the Tabernacle, its contents and their specific measurements. It specifies the garments which the High priest and the regular priest were to wear during their service in the Tabernacle and later in the Temple.
The Parsha begins, "And G-d spoke to Moshe saying: 'Speak to the Children of Israel, that they take for Me an offering; of every man whose heart makes him willing you shall take my offering...”
Q. Why, when speaking about the Jewish people giving contributions, does the Torah say, "Take for Me an offering”? G-d should have told Moshe to tell the people, “to give for Me an offering?"
A. This Parsha teaches us the proper attitude and approach to giving charity. Our sages explain that when we give charity we should realize that in reality we are taking. It is the donor who is the taker, because G-d pays back far more in return than what one gives.
The Talmud says, "The poor man who receives charity, does far more for the rich man, than what the rich man does for him." The blessings which he gets as a result of giving charity, is worth much more than what was given. One cannot buy these blessings only through the giving of charity.
Rabbi Eliezer says, "Why is charity likened to a coat of armor? Just as in a coat of armor, each and every scale joins the other to form one large piece of protective armor, so too, every coin given to charity combines with the rest and is like a coat of arms which offers great protection to the giver.” This is why giving charity is in reality taking.
There was a wealthy man who wasn’t very generous in giving charity. When his time came to depart from this world, he gave instructions that all of his monies be buried together with him. He figured that he would need his money to enjoy the after life…
When he came to the world on high, he decided to go on a shopping spree. He had lots of money and was going to get the best of everything. But wherever he went, no one recognized his currency. Whenever he took out his stack of dollar bills, everyone mocked him, “This has no value here,” he was told.
In desperation, he dug deeper and deeper into his pockets.. and pulled out a few receipts for the little charity he did give. Upon seeing the receipts, the angel’s face lit up… “THIS is genuine currency here,” exclaimed the angel! With this currency you can buy whatever you want up here..” In the real-world, the charity we gave is our true possessions. The more we give the more we get!
Rosh Chodesh Adar 1, begins Monday night through Tuesday & Wednesday.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
B"H
Tuesday, Shevat 30, 5779 / February 5, 2019
Today is Rosh Chodesh Adar 1. Because this year is a Hebrew leap year, which consists of 13 months, we have two months of Adar (Adar 1 & Adar 2).
Q. Why is the additional month added in Adar and not any of the other months of the year?
A. Because Adar is considered the 12th month of the year. Although the New Year begins on Rosh Hashana, yet, the months begin from Nissan. Thus, Adar is the last month of the year. For this reason we add the new month in Adar.
The month of Adar is associated with Simcha - happiness. Our sages tell us, “Mishenichnas Adar Marbin Besimcha" - "When the month of Adar enters we increase in happiness.” This year with two months of Adar, we should add more happiness and simcha.
On Rosh Chodesh, during the morning service, we recite Psalm 104. In this Psalm King David speaks of G-d’s praises for providing the entire universe with all their needs. “…How abundant are your works, with wisdom You made them all... Everything looks to You with hope, to provide their food in its proper time...”
This chapter reminds us that it is G-d Who provides for all our needs, thus strengthening our conviction that G-d will continue to provide us with all our needs in the new month as well.
The Baal Shem Tov was once traveling with some of his followers, when one of them became very thirsty. There was no water anywhere to be found. The Baal Shem Tov turned to his disciple and said, "Do you believe that G-d is aware of the needs of every being and provides for them?”
"Yes, I firmly believe this," replied the student.
"If you have absolute faith in G-d, then He will provide your needs," assured the Baal Shem Tov.
A little while later, they noticed a water-carrier in the distance. They motioned for him to come over and paid him for some water and the student quenched his thirst.
"Why are you carrying water in the middle of nowhere?" asked the Baal Shem Tov.
"I can't explain it," answered the water-carrier. "My master has gone mad and instead of having his water fetched from the well close to his home, he sent me to bring water from a well in this area."
Upon hearing this the Baal Shem Tov said to his students, "It says in Psalm 104 that G-d provides the beasts of the field with water. If only man would turn to G-d with complete faith and trust, He would also give them all their needs and they would lack nothing!"
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HEALTHY, SUCCESSFUL AND HAPPY DAY & CHODESH/MONTH
B"H
Thursday, Adar1 2, 5779 / February 7, 2019
The five Parshiot, beginning with this week's Parsha, Terumah, until the end of the book of Exodus (Shemot), describe mostly the contributions and the construction of the Tabernacle (Mishkan) and its contents.
In Parshat Ki Tisa, which will be read in two weeks, the Torah also tells the story of the Golden Calf.
This week’s Parsha, Terumah, begins, "And G-d spoke to Moshe saying, Speak to the children of Israel and they shall take for me an offering; of every man that gives it willingly with his heart you shall take My offering. Let them make me a sanctuary and I will dwell amongst them."
As mentioned in a previous Torah Fax, why does the Torah use the expression, Take for Me an offering, instead of Give for Me an offering? It teaches us an important lesson in charity. Although, when we give Tzedakah (charity) it seems that we are the ones who are giving, however, in reality we are taking; we get back much more than we give. The reward we receive in return for this mitzvah is much greater than what we gave. Thus, the Torah tells us that giving is really “taking.”
The Talmud explains this concept as follows, "No matter how much the wealthy person, who gives the charity, does for the poor person, it is the poor person who does even more for the wealthy one."
The following are passages from our Talmudic sages concerning the mitzvah of Tzedakah (charity):
Rabbi Asi says, "Charity equals in importance to all other mitzvot combined."
Rabbi Yehuda says, "Great is the mitzvah of charity for it brings closer Israel's redemption."
Rabbi Yitzchak says, "He who gives a coin to a poor man receives six blessings, and he who also speaks to him words of encouragement receives eleven blessings."
Rabbi Yehuda says, "Ten hard things have been created in the world. The rock is hard, but iron shatters it. Iron is hard, but fire softens it. Fire is powerful, but water extinguishes it. Water is heavy, but clouds carry it. Clouds are thick, but wind scatters them. Wind is strong, but a body resists it. The body is strong, but fear crushes it. Fear is powerful, but wine banishes it. Wine is strong, but sleep works it off. Death is stronger than all, yet, charity delivers from death, as is written, "Charity delivers from death" (Prov. 10:2).
Rabbi Moshe of Koznitz said: Why is it that when a person is poor they don’t blame themselves for being poor, instead they blame G-d for it and complain. Yet, when a person is wealthy they tend to take credit for their success, forgetting that G-d gave it to them and thus have responsibilities to use the money as G-d intended.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
B"H
Friday, Adar1 3, 5779 / February 8, 2019
In this week's Parsha, Terumah, G-d commands to erect the Mishkan (Tabernacle). G-d said to Moshe, "And they shall make for Me a sanctuary so that I shall dwell among them."
The Mishkan was portable. It was dismantled and re-assembled throughout the forty years that the Jewish people traveled in the desert.
King Solomon later built the Beth Hamikdash (Holy Temple) in Jerusalem. The Beth Hamikdash stood for 410 years and was destroyed by the Babylonian king, Nebuchadnetzar. When Jews returned to Israel after 70 years in Exile, they rebuilt the Beth Hamikdash. The Second Temple stood for 420 years and was destroyed by the Romans. The years which the two Temples stood are alluded in our Parsha.
The Midrash tells us that when G-d told Moshe, "And they shall make unto Me a sanctuary so that I shall dwell among them," Moshe was puzzled. He said to G-d, "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."
It is the same with the mitzvot that G-d commanded us. The fact that G-d commands us to do the mitzvah, gives us the strength and ability to overcome all obstacles and make G-d dwell amongst us.
One of the vessels in the Mishkan and in the Beth Hamikdash was the Aron (Ark) in which the Tablets were stored. On top of the Aron was the Kaporet. The Torah commands, "And you shall make an ark-cover (Kaporet) of pure gold… And you shall make two Keruvim of gold at the two ends of the ark-cover… The Keruvim shall be spreading out their wings on high covering with their wings over the ark-cover and their faces should be one toward the other..."
The Keruvim were two golden statues, one had the face of a boy and the other of a girl. Both had wings extending over their heads pointing toward each other. Although it is forbidden to make any images, the Keruvim were an exception, for G-d commanded to make them on the Ark.
In the Ark were the Two Tablets, upon which were inscribed the Ten Commandments. On one Tablet were the commandments between us and G-d and on the other Tablet were the commandments between one person and another.
"Raising their wings on high" represents the mitzvot between us and G-d, while "their faces one toward the other" represents the mitzvot which are between one person and the other. The message of the Keruvim is that our obligations (mitzvot) toward G-d and the mitzvot toward others are equally important. One must be as careful in one category of mitzvot as in the other.
SHABBAT SHALOM
Montreal candle lighting time: 4:52 / Shabbat ends: 5:58
|
Torah Fax is published daily (except Shabbat & Sunday) so you can learn something new every day |