B"H
Wednesday, Sivan 23, 5779 / June 26, 2019
This week's Parsha, Shelach, begins with the story of Moshe sending twelve spies to scout the land of Canaan (Israel). They returned after forty daysand, with the exception of two (Joshua and Calev), ten of them reported that it would be impossible to conquer the land due to the strength of the people and the giants living there.
Their lack of faith and trust in G-d, Who promised to give them the Land, influenced the people and they too refused to enter into the Promised Land. As a result, G-d decreed that every male over the age of twenty at that time will not go into the Promised Land. Instead, they will stay in the desert for 40 years! During this time everyone over twenty will die. Those younger will eventually enter into Israel.
The lesson of this story is the importance of "Bitachon" - of having complete and unwavering trust in G-d. True faith in G-d is the key which opens the gates through which G-d's blessings flow to us in abundance.
Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov, founder of the Chassidic movement, once wanted to teach his students what truefaith in G-d is. They traveled to a certain village and stopped at an inn.
The innkeeper welcomed them very warmly and invited them to a meal. During the meal a soldier came in and knocked on the table three times and left. Later the soldier came back and repeated the banging on the table.
The Baal Shem Tov asked the innkeeper, “What is the meaning of this?” The innkeeper explained, "This year was a difficult one financially. As a result, I am in arrears of my rent to the Baron, who owns this village. Today I must pay the rent. The Baron sent the soldier to remind me to make the payment today. When the soldier comes the third time I must go to the Baron and pay what I owe. Otherwise, he will throw me into jail."
"From the way you conduct yourself, I assume that you have the money to pay the Baron!" said the Baal Shem Tov. "The opposite is true," replied the innkeeper. "I have no money at all. However, I have complete faith that G-d will help me." Shortly afterwards, the soldier came a third time and knocked on the table as before. "Now I must go to the Baron and pay my debt. I will be back, G-d willing, shortly." The innkeeper excused himself and went calmly with the soldier.
The Baal Shem Tov and the disciples watched through the window to see what would happen. In the distance, they noticed a coach drive up to the innkeeper. A stranger had a conversation with him. Then the wagon drove away. A little while later, the wagon turned around and again approached the innkeeper. This time, they noticed that the man from the wagon handed a parcel to the innkeeper who continued on his way.
When the innkeeper returned, they asked him what happened. He told them that on the way to the Baron, someone approached him wanting to buy a large quantity of vodka. "I quoted him a price and asked for a deposit, the amount I owed the Baron. The man thought the price was too high, so we parted. After a while, he returned and told me that he changed his mind and agreed on the price. He then gave me the down payment which was exactly what I needed to pay the Baron!"
The Baal Shem Tov said to his students, "This is the power of true faith in G-d. As we say every day in prayer, ‘Blessed is the man who trusts in G-d and G-d will be his security.’"
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
B"H
Thursday, Sivan 24, 5779 / June 27, 2019
At the end of Parshat Shelach, the Torah tells us about the mitzvah of Tzitzit (fringes).
The Torah says, "And the L-rd spoke to Moshe saying: Speak to the children of Israel and say unto them that they make fringes in the corners of their garments... that you may look upon it and remember all the commandments of the L-rd, and observe them..."
We perform this mitzvah by wearing the Tallit (prayer shawl), a four cornered garment, during prayer.
We also wear a Tallit Katan (small Tallit) all day so that we perform the mitzvah all the time. Many Jews wear their Tzitzit on the outside, so that they will always be visible.
Q. What is the reason to keep the Tzitzit visible at all times?
A. The Torah states the reason for the mitzvah of Tzitzit, "So that you may look upon it and remember all the commandments of the L-rd". By exposing the Tzitzit, one can "look upon it" and thus “remember” all the mitzvot.
Q. How does one remember all the Mitzvot (commandments) when looking at the Tzitzit?
A.There are 613 mitzvot in the Torah. The numerical value of the Hebrew word Tzitzit (90+10+90+10+400) is 600. Each of the Tzitzit has 8 strings and 5 knots. Together (5+8) they add up to 613 which is the total amount of mitzvot.
Thus, by looking at the Tzitzit, we remember all the mitzvot.
Q. What is the significance of placing the Tzitzit on the four corners of the Tallit?
A. This reminds us that wherever a Jew finds himself, in the four corners of the world, they must focus on the mitzvot.
Q. Every weekday (except for Shabbat and holidays) men over Bar Mitzvah wear the Tallit and Tefillin during the morning prayers. We first wrap ourselves with the Tallit and then put on the Tefillin. Why in this order?
A. The general rule is that when we have to perform two mitzvot, the mitzvah which we perform more regularly comes first.
Being that the Tallit is worn each day of the year, including Shabbat and holidays, and the Tefillin are worn only on the weekdays (not on Shabbat and holidays), thus, we perform the mitzvah of Tallit first.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
B"H
Wednesday, Sivan 30, 5779 / July 3, 2019
Today (Wednesday) and tomorrow (Thursday) are two days of Rosh Chodesh Tammuz.
In the Torah, where the months begin with the month of Nissan, the month of Tammuz is the fourth month of the year. If we count the months from Rosh Hashana, Tammuz would be the tenth month of the year.
The story of the spies, which Moshe sent to scout the land of Israel, which we read about last week, took place mostly during the month of Tammuz. They began their journey on the last day of the month of Sivan and throughout the entire month of Tammuz and returned on the ninth of Av.
Also the sin of the Golden Calf and the breaking of the Tablets on which the Ten Commandments were engraved happened on the seventeenth day of Tammuz.
The names for the months as we know them (Nissan, Iyar, Sivan, Tammuz, Av, Elul, Tishrei, Cheshvan, Kislev, Tevet, Shvat, Adar) are not mentioned in the Torah (five books of Moses). They were adopted much later. In the Torah, the months are identified by numbers; one to twelve. For example, Pesach (Passover) is celebrated on the 15th day of the first month. The Giving of the Torah took place in the third month. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur occur in the seventh month.
Q. Why does the Torah mention the months by numbers and not by names?
A. The Torah commands us to remember the Exodus from Egypt every day of our lives. Referring to the months by numbers, we will always count from the first month which is the month of Nissan, when the Exodus took place. This way, we always remember the Exodus.
Q. Each month, we "Sanctify the New Moon" - "Kiddush Levana" with a special prayer. In it, we say, "May it be Your will… to fill the defect of the moon, so that there be no reduction in it, and may the light of the moon be as the light of the sun, as the light of the seven days of creation, as it was before it was diminished..." What is the meaning of the light of the moon being "diminished"?
A. Our sages tell us that, when G-d created the world, He made the sun and moon equal in size. The moon, hoping that the sun will be smaller than her, complained, "Shouldn't there be a distinction between us?" G-d replied, "You are right. You both shouldn't be the same size! You become smaller!" However, when Moshiach will come, G-d will restore the moon. Thus, this prayer is a petition for the coming of Moshiach and the restoration of the moon. (May it be speedily in our days!)
From every mitzvah we learn a lesson for our daily lives. Rosh Chodesh reminds us not to be jealous of what others have and appreciate what G-d gave us. It is the same lesson as from this week’s Parsha, Korach. In the end, the one who is jealous always loses.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY & CHODESH-MONTH
B"H
Thursday, Tammuz 1 5779 / July 3, 2019
Today is the second day Rosh Chodesh Tammuz. Some months have only one day Rosh Chodesh and some have two days. The month of Tammus always consists of two days Rosh Chodesh.
Shabbat, which is the 3rd of Tammuz, will be the 25th Yartzeit since the illustrious leader of our generation, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, zt"l, passed away.
In Israel they will read Parshat Chukat this Shabbat. In Parshat Chukat, the Torah tells about the passing of Miriam and Aaron. Moshe’s sister, Miriam passed away on the 10th of Nissan and her brother, Aaron, on Rosh Chodesh Av. Aaron and Miriam were leaders of the Jewish people who cared for the spiritual and physical wellbeing of the Jewish people.
The well from which water flowed during their forty years in the desert was in the merit of Miriam. The clouds which surrounded the Jewish camp and protected them from all dangers, throughout their forty year stay in the desert were in the merit of Aaron.
Throughout his more than forty years of leadership the Lubavitcher Rebbe was concerned and cared for every Jew from all walks of life, in every corner of the world. He cared about their spiritual, as well as their physical welfare.
A great leader is one whose ideas and goals, which he stood for during his lifetime, continue with the same enthusiasm and vigor even after the leader’s passing. The Lubavitcher Rebbe’s legendary work to bring all Jews closer to Judaism and make Judaism accessible to all Jews, through the many mitzvah campaigns which he pioneered, continue and have grown and flourished immensely over the past twenty five years. The Chabad-Lubavitch network of shuls, schools, camps and social institutions span the globe and continue to flourish all over the world, wherever Jews are found.
The Rebbe was once asked by an elderly lady, who stood in line to receive his blessing, “Rebbe, I just stood in line for a while and I’m so tired. How is it that you, at your age, can stand on your feet for so many hours, yet, you don’t get tired?
Replied the Rebbe: “When one counts diamonds, one doesn’t get tired!” To the Rebbe, every Jew was a diamond! Every Jew was a precious spark of G-dliness.
It is an auspicious time to reflect and strengthen our own commitment to Judaism. To bring more spiritual holiness into our home. It is a time for resolutions to strengthen our support to Jewish education and to our community. May we merit the ultimate redemption with Moshiach. May it be speedily in our days. Amen.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY & CHODESH-MONTH
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