B"H
Friday, Menachem Av 15, 5779 / August 16, 2019
Today, the 15th day in the month of Menachem Av, is a special day in the Hebrew calendar. In contrast to the first nine days of this month, today is a very joyous day.
During the time of the Holy Temple it was one of the happiest days of the year. The 15th of Av was “matchmaking” day in Israel. The Talmudic sage, Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel, said: “There were no greater festive days for Israel than the 15th of Av.” On this day the daughters of Jerusalem would go out and dance in the vineyards and they would say, "Young man, raise your eyes and see what you select for yourself.” It was a day of matchmaking which led to weddings.
The Talmud lists several joyous historical events which occurred on the 15th day of Av: 1) The dying of the generation of the Exodus ceased. Because they refused to go into the Promised Land, G-d decreed that all men between ages 20 and 60, who came out of Egypt, would die in the desert during the next forty years. On the 15th of Av, in the 40th year in the desert, the dying ended.
2) In order to ensure the orderly division of the Holy Land between the twelve tribes of Israel, restrictions had been placed on marriages between members of two different tribes. This restriction was binding only on the generation that conquered and settled the Holy Land. The restriction was lifted on the 15th of Av. As a result, the 15th of Av became a day of celebration and festivity.
3) On the 15th of Av the tribe of Benjamin, which had been excommunicated for a particular indecent behavior (as related in Judges 19-21), was readmitted into the community of Israel.
4) Upon the division of the Holy Land into two kingdoms, following the death of King Solomon, Jerobam ben Nebat, ruler of the breakaway Northern Kingdom of Israel, set up roadblocks to prevent his citizens from making the three yearly pilgrimages to the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. They were removed more than 200 years later, on the 15th of Av, by Hosea ben Elah, the last king of the Northern Kingdom.
5) The fortress of Betar was the last holdout of the Bar Kochba rebellion. When Betar fell, tens of thousands of Jews were killed. The Romans massacred the survivors of the battle with great cruelty and would not allow their burials. They were finally brought to burial on the 15th of Av.
Shabbat we read Parshat Va’etchanan. This Shabbat is called “Shabbat Nachmu” – “Shabbat of Comfort.” From this Shabbat to Rosh Hashana there are seven weeks in which we read seven prophecies of comfort about the coming of Moshiach. May it be speedily in our days. Amen.
SHABBAT SHALOM
Montreal candle lighting time: 7:42 / Shabbat ends: 8:47
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B"H
Tuesday, Menachem Av 19, 5779 / August 20, 2019
This week’s Parsha, Aikev, records Moshe's words of guidance before his death.
Moshe reminds the Jewish people that when they will keep G-d’s commandments, G-d will fulfill His promises to them. He also tells them that all their trials and tribulations, during their forty years in the desert, were likened to a father punishing his son when he goes astray. It was out of G-d’s love that He did whatever necessary to make sure that they would observe His commandments.
Moshe says, “Now Israel, what does G-d your G-d demand of you? Only to fear G-d, your G-d; to follow His ways; to love Him; to serve G-d your G-d with all your heart and with all your soul.”
The mitzvah of reciting the Grace-after-Meals is also found in this Parsha, “And you shall eat and be satisfied and bless the L-rd your G-d for the good land which He had given you."
Q. Moshe tells the Jewish people that loving G-d and serving Him with all your heart and soul and performing all the commandments is easy. How so?
A.It all depends how we perceive G-d’s commandments. Our sages tell us that Torah and mitzvot are like gold and diamonds. Every mitzvah we do is like acquiring a diamond. If we have that attitude, then the more mitzvot we observe, the more we benefit and the wealthier we become spiritually.
Our sages teach us in Pirkei Avot: “The Holy One blessed be He, wished to make the people of Israel meritorious; therefore He gave them Torah and mitzvot in abundance.”
It’s like the two people walking on the road on a very hot day and each of them carrying a heavy load. One was carrying rocks and the other diamonds. They were both sweating and bent over with their heavy load. As they were walking, the one carrying the rocks saw more rocks, but he was too tired and didn’t even bother to pick them up. But when the one carrying the diamonds saw more diamonds, although his load wasn’t any lighter, he was so happy to add more and more diamonds to his load!
It is the same with Torah and mitzvot. It all depends how we view them. If we see them as rocks, then they do become heavy and burdensome after a while. But if we value them as diamonds, then the more the better. Their value makes all the effort worthwhile.
Q. The Grace-after-Meals consists of four blessings. Who instituted these four blessings?
A. Moshe instituted the first blessing. This was instituted when the Jewish people received the manna in the desert. Joshua established the second blessing, upon entering the Land of Israel. King David and King Solomon established the third blessing. The fourth blessing was instituted after the destruction of the Second Temple.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
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B"H
Wednesday, Menachem Av 20, 5779 / August 21, 2019
This week's Parsha, Aikev, records Moshe's final words to the Jewish people before his death.
Knowing that he will not enter the Promised Land, Moshe spends his final days preparing the Jewish nation for the future. He cautions them to adhere to all the mitzvot (commandments) of G-d when they enter Israel, for their physical and spiritual welfare depends on their actions.
He reminds them of the importance of keeping the mitzvot for which, in return, G-d too, will fulfill His promises to them; "And He will love you and bless you and multiply you; He will bless the fruit of your body [children] and the fruit of your land..." Moshe reminds them of the sin of the Golden Calf and warns the Jewish people not to repeat their past mistakes.
Moshe was forbidden to go into Israel because he hit the rock so that it would produce water, instead of addressing it, as G-d told him. Moshe hit the rock in frustration with the people of Israel, as a result of their rebellion against G-d. Since he did not follow G-d's command precisely, he was forbidden to enter the land of Israel.
Moshe’s love for the Holy Land was enormous. He invoked 515 prayers, asking G-d to rescind the decree. But, nothing helped. G-d told Moshe, "Speak no more to Me concerning this matter!"
Realizing that he would not enter into Israel, Moshe asked G-d to allow him at least to be buried in Israel, but even this request was refused.
Q. Why didn't G-d answer Moshe's prayers and requests to at least be buried in Israel?
A.The Midrash offers the following parable: A man walking on a dark street lost a bag of small change. He knew that if he asked people to provide light and help him search for his small change, they would decline. They would consider it a waste of their time.
What did he do? He took a golden coin and placed it on the ground. He then begged the people around him for light and to help him find his lost golden coin. When they heard that he lost a golden coin they lit their lanterns and stopped to search. Now, while the street was lit, in addition to the golden coin, he also collected the smaller coins.
The same was with Moshe and the people of Israel. The generation whom he took out of Egypt had committed many sins (Golden Calf, rebelling against G-d, sending the spies etc.). As a result, they may not have merited to be resurrected at the time of the coming of Moshiach.
For this reason, G-d wanted Moshe to be buried in the desert along with the rest of his generation.In Moshe’s merit, everyone else buried there will be resurrected together with him. May we merit the coming of Moshiach speedily in our days! Amen.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
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B"H
Monday, Menachem Av 25, 5779 / August 26, 2019
One of the many mitzvot in this week's Parsha, Re'ay, is the mitzvah of Tzedakah - charity. The Torah says that we must be charitable to the stranger, the orphan, the widow and the poor.
"If there be among you a needy person... you shall not harden your heart, nor shut your hand from your needy brother... because for this the L-rd your G-d will bless you in all your work and in all that you put your hands to."
In essence, all 613 mitzvot are rooted and based on the concept of charity because performing any mitzvah brings goodness and spirituality into this world for everyone’s benefit.
In addition to the physical act of giving charity, we must also perform it with heart and soul. The Torah states, "You shall give him and your heart shall not grieve when you give to him because for this the L-rd your G-d will bless you in all your work."
The Talmud teaches us, "Whoever gives charity to the poor is blessed with six blessings; and whoever speaks to him soothing words is blessed with eleven blessings. Thus, one who gives charity in a manner that comforts the poor person receives seventeen (6+11) blessings! This has the same numerical value as the Hebrew word, "Tov," which means "good."
In Proverbs it says, "The mitzvot are compared to a candle.” Our
sages explain the comparison as follows: "Just as from one candle a person can light many candles without diminishing any light from the original candle, so too, through the performance of the mitzvah of giving charity, one's wealth is not diminished."
In fact, our sages tell us that the mitzvah of giving the tithes to the poor and needy is expressed in this Parsha with the words, "Aser TeAser" which can also be read as "Aser TeAsher" which means "give tithes and you shall be wealthy." The Torah tells us that through giving tithes (charity) one will gain wealth.
The Talmud makes the following analogy about charity. Two sheep were crossing the river. One was sheared and the other not. The one full of wool mocked the sheared one for letting herself be sheared. But as they went deeper into the water, its wool absorbed the water and it sank. The one who was sheared made it across safely.
So too, says the Talmud, "Whoever 'shears' his possessions and gives charity will make it across safely and be saved in this world and in the World-to-Come. "
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
In loving memory of Miriam Altman - Miriam bat Leib- Yartzeit is today, Av 25.
May her memory be a blessing. May her soul rest in peace in Gan Eden
From her children, grandchildren & great grandchildren.
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