B"H
Friday, Shevat 12, 5780 / February 7, 2020
This Shabbat is known as “Shabbat Shira” – “Shabbat of Song”. In this Parsha, Parshat B’Shalach, after seeing that they finally got rid of the Egyptians who were chasing after them, the Torah records the song which Moshe and the Jewish people sang praising G-d for the great miracle of the splitting of The Sea.
The Torah describes this miraculous episode as follows: "The Children of Israel walked on dry land in the midst of The Sea; and the waters were a wall on their right and their left. And Israel saw the great hand which the L-rd brought upon the Egyptians, and the people feared the L-rd; and they believed in the L-rd and in Moshe His servant. Then Moshe and the children of Israel sang this song to the L-rd..."
Each morning, we recite the "Shira" to remind us thatevery day is a miracle worthy of being happy and singing G-d's praise. The Torah makes special mention of the women singing, dancing and playing their tambourines in praise of G-d.
Q. Where did the women get the tambourines after crossing The Sea?
A. According to our sages, the women were more confident than the men, that G-d would perform miracles for the Jewish people. Thus, while still in Egypt, they prepared tambourines to help them celebrate the Exodus. They used these tambourines to accompany them as they sang their praises to G-d.
Q. In the Parsha we read that G-d provided them with "Manna" - "daily bread from heaven." The Manna began one month after the Exodus. What did they eat during that month, from the time of the Exodus until they received the Manna?
A. For the first month after leaving Egypt they ate the leftover matzah from the first Seder they made the night before the Exodus and the matzah which the sun baked at the time of the Exodus.
The Manna came down each morning covered with a layer of dew. Each day, they went out and gathered their daily portion of Manna. No matter how much Manna a person collected, when he came home he had exactly one "Omer" per person. On Friday, they received a double portion, for Friday and Shabbat.
The lesson of the daily Manna is that G-d looks after all our needs on a daily basis. Even when it seems that our daily sustenance is coming from earthly matters, in truth it all comes from heaven.
SHABBAT SHALOM
Montreal candle lighting time: 4:51 / Shabbat ends: 5:57
B"H
Monday, Shevat 15, 5780 / February 10, 2020
Today is the 15th day of Shevat, also known as Tu B’Shevat - Rosh Hashana L’ilanot – New Year for Trees. The 15th of Shevat is when the earliest-blooming trees, in the Land of Israel, emerge from their winter sleep and begin their new fruit- bearing cycle.
Q. Why is it important to have a Rosh Hashana L’ilanot – a New Year for Trees?
A. There are various tithes that have to be given from the produce which grow in Israel. The tithes differ from year to year in each seven-year shmitah cycle. One cannot give tithes from the new produce for past year’s crop. From the 15th of Shevat, the new budding fruits are considered to belong to the new year.
Q. How do we mark the day of Tu B'Shevat?
A. One of the ways is by eating fruits, especially the kinds which the Torah singles out in praise of the Holy Land. They are: grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives and dates.
Q. What is the lesson mankind can learn from Rosh Hashana L’ilanot – New Year for Trees?
A. The Torah declares, "Ki Ha'adam Eitz Ha'sadeh" - "Man is compared to a tree." Based on this, our sages have found similarities between trees and people and the lessons we can learn from a tree.
To ensure that a tree grows to be healthy, tall, strong and giving good fruits, one cannot wait to attend to the tree when the tree is fully grown. One must begin caring for the tree while it is still in its infancy and even earlier, from the time of planting. For if the tree is not given the proper care from the very beginning, then even a small blemish and defect on the young tree may turn into a large scar and affect its fruits, when the tree is fully developed.
The same principle applies to people. To assure that our children grow up to be spiritually and morally strong, we must teach them right from wrong while they are still young. A negative impression, left unchecked on a young child, can in time become magnified and have a lasting effect.
In Pirkei Avot our sages teach us the following lesson based on the tree: Anyone whose wisdom exceeds his good deeds is likened to a tree whose branches are many, but whose roots are few. The wind can uproot such a tree and turn it upside down. But one whose good deeds exceed his wisdom is likened to a tree whose branches are few and whose roots are many. Such a tree, even when all the winds of the world blow at it, will always stand firm.
On Tu B’Shevat - New Year for Trees - we are reminded of the importance of being connected to our Jewish roots. This way, no negative forces will be able to pull us and them away from our/their heritage.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY, SUCCESSFUL DAY & FRUITFULYEAR
B"H
Thursday, Shevat 18, 5780 / February 13, 2020
This Shabbat we read Parshat Yitro, the Parsha details the story of the Giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai.
Our sages note that this great event should not be viewed as something which happened in the past. Instead, we should constantly feel that we are receiving it today and study it as something new. Through the study of Torah a Jew connects to G-d anew each time.
We recite special blessings each morning, thanking G-d for giving us the Torah. Blessings are also recited when one is called up ("Aliyah") to the Torah in synagogue.
Q. When one is called to the Torah we refer to it as an "Aliyah." Why is it called Aliyah?
A. "Aliyah" means "elevation." In a physical sense, since the Torah is read on a Bimah, which is an elevated platform, one would go up when being called to the Torah, thus it is called Aliyah. In a deeper sense, being called to the Torah is a spiritual elevation.
Although in the Parsha we read about the Ten Commandments, yet, according to our sages, all 613 mitzvot of the Torah are contained and hinted in these Ten Commandments.
The following parable illustrates this point: A young man in the shtetel (village) wanted to go into the textile business to provide for his family. Not being familiar with business dealings, he decided to attend the fair in the big city to see how the ways of commerce are conducted.
He went to one of the wholesalers and watched as store retailers entered one after the other to buy material and cloth. He saw the sellers showing the buyers strips of different kinds of materials, in all kinds of quality and colors. After inspecting the material, the buyers and sellers would agree on a price. Then the buyers would hand over quite a large sum to the seller to close the deal.
The young man was amazed. Business looked so easy! He decided to do exactly as he had seen the store keepers do. He went out and bought various materials and cut them into many strips. Then he took a table at the fair and spread out his material. He was convinced that it wouldn't take him long to become rich.
Merchants approached him, inspected his material and asked for prices. He quoted them prices like the other wholesalers. When the potential buyers asked when they can pick up the merchandise, he looked at them wonderingly, "What merchandise? These strips are the only merchandise I have." They laughed at him.
"But the other wholesalers also showed you only strips of material?" he asked.
They replied, "The strips are only samples of what each wholesaler sells. He has hundreds and hundreds of yards of each material in his warehouse. Only a fool would think that all he has are the strips he showed us."
The same is with the Ten Commandments and the Torah. After the Ten Commandments were given, Moshe stayed on The Mountain 40 days, receiving the rest of the Torah, which he would then teach the people.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY, SUCCESSFUL & FRUITFUL DAY
B"H
Friday, Shevat 19, 5780 / February 14, 2020
In this week's Parsha, Yitro, we read about the giving of the Ten Commandments to the people of Israel.
The Midrash tells us that the number three was significant in the Giving of the Torah. The Torah was given in the 3rd month (Sivan); after three days of preparation. It was given through Moshe who is the 3rd sibling of his family; Miriam, Aaron, Moshe. The Torah was given to the people of Israel who arecomprised of three; Kohen, Levi, Israel; They are descendants of three patriarchs; Abraham, Isaac, Jacob.
The number three represents unity. In order to merit receiving the Torah, all Jews had to be united as one.
The Ten Commandments are:
1. "I am the L-rd your G-d..."
2. "You shall not have any other Gods... for I the L-rd your G-d am a strict G-d..."
3. "You shall not mention the name of the L-rd your G-d in vain..."
4. "Remember the day of Shabbat to keep it holy.. The seventh day is a Shabbat [rest] unto the L-rd your G-d."
5. "Honor your father and mother in order that your days may be long upon the land which G-d gives you."
6. "You shall not murder."
7. "You shall not commit adultery."
8. "You shall not steal (kidnap)."
9. "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor."
10. "You shall not covet your neighbor's house, you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his servants, nor anything that is your neighbors".
Q. G-d’s name is mentioned in the first five commandments, but omitted in the last five.
A. The Roman Caesar, Hadrian, once asked Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananya, "Why isn't G-d’s name mentioned in the last five commandment?"
Rabbi Yehoshua replied, "Before I answer you, let's walk through the streets of Rome." Hadrian agreed. Together, they passed through the city's neighborhoods. In front of many homes and public buildings, they saw statues of the Caesar. Hadrian pointed to the stone sculptures and said to Rabbi Yehoshua, "See how much the people honor me! They have statues of me in front of every home."
Rabbi Yehoshua then said to Hadrian, "Now let's go see the back of the homes." After walking in back for a while, Rabbi Yehoshua turned to Hadrian and said, "If people love you so much, why don't they put your statue in the back of their homes? It seems that they consider you the emperor only in front and not in the back!"
What honor would it be for a king to be in a place where people put out their garbage and dirt?"
"You have just answered your own question!" Rabbi Yehoshua responded to Hadrian. "G-d, King of the universe, didn't want His name mentioned in the last five commandments, when speaking of murderers, adulterers and thieves!"
SHABBAT SHALOM
Montreal candle lighting time: 5:01 / Shabbat ends: 6:06
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