B"H
Monday, Iyar 10, 5780 / May 4, 2020 (25th day of the Omer)
One of the many mitzvot in Parshat Kedoshim which we read last Shabbat, is: “You shall keep My judgments and My statutes to walk in them.” (Leviticus 18:4).
Another verse in the Parsha says, “You shall observe My statutes and My laws, which man should do and live in them. I am G-d.” (Leviticus 18:5).
Q. What is the meaning, “To walk in them?”
A.The Torah emphasizes that we must not be static, but go forward– to continuously advance in the observance of Torah and mitzvot. One should not be satisfied with yesterday’s and today’s accomplishments, but always strive to be a better person and go forward.
Another explanation is that when a person is away from their home and Jewish environment, on business or leisure, one must not become lax in the observance of mitzvot. One must keep the mitzvot, “to walk in them” – even when one is on the go, they must follow the Torah and Mtzvot.
In the Shema prayer which we recite each day, morning and night, the Torah commands us, “You shall love G-d your G-d with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to you children, and you shall speak of them when you are sitting at home and when you go on the road, and when you lie down and when you rise up..”
Q. What does the Torah mean when it says that one must “live in them”?
A. Mitzvot can be performed by habit, without any feeling whatsoever. One can pray every day, give charity etc., but without any feeling. There is no life in the mitzvah.
When that is the case, the mitzvah may at times feel a burden. The Torah teaches us that the proper way to perform mitzvot is to “live in them.” Life is associated with feeling and excitement. Mitzvot should be done with feeling and excitement.
Before his passing, Moshe tells the Jewish people, “You, who cling to G-d, are all alive today.” Through the mitzvot we connect to G-d, the source of life, and we live through them.
This verse is very practical to this time. From this verse our sages also derived that when there is a question of life and death one must violate the mitzvah in order to live. A life and death situation overrides almost all mitzvot like fasting on Yom Kippur, observance of Shabbat or the laws of Kashrut, etc. G-d gave us the mitzvot so that we shall live in them spiritually and also physically. May G-d grant us and our families good health and good life.
HAVE A VERY GOOD HAPPY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
B"H
Tuesday, Iyar 11, 5780 / May 5, 2020 (26th day of the Omer)
In this week’s Parsha, Emor, the Torah speaks about all the holidays which we celebrate during the year. “And G-d spoke to Moshe, saying: Speak to the children of Israel and say to them: The appointed holidays of G-d, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are My appointed holidays. Six days shall work be done; but on the seventh day is a Shabbat of rest, a holy convocation. You shall not do any manner of work. It is a Shabbat unto G-d in all your dwellings.”
After mentioning the observance of Shabbat, the Parsha goes on to mention all the holidays; Pesach, Shavuot, Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Shmini Atzeret and the mitzvot (commandments) associated with each holiday.
Q.Why does the Torah begin with the Pesach holiday and not with Rosh Hashana (New Year)?
A. In tribute to the Exodus, which took place in the month of Nissan, it was given the honor to be called, “The first month.” Thus, Pesach which is in the month of Nissan, is the first holiday.
Also, remembering the Exodus is a daily mitzvah. The Torah sets Pesach as the first holiday and all other holidays are dependent on Pesach.
Shavuot is fifty days after Pesach; Rosh Hashana is the first day of the seventh month(from Nissan-Pesach); Yom Kippur, the tenth day of the seventh monthand Sukkot, the fifteenth day of the seventh month. We count all the holidays from Pesach, thus, always remembering the Exodus.
If one wants to know on which day of the week the holidays will come out, one just has to know the days of the week in which Pesach fell out. It works as follows:
Tisha B’Av(the day of the destruction of the Temples) is the same day as the firstday of Pesach.
Shavuot(when we received the Torah) will be on the same day as the secondday of Pesach.
Rosh Hashana, First day of Sukkot & the day of Shmini Atzeret, are the same day of the week as the thirdday of Pesach.
Simchat Torahwill be on the same day as the fourthday of Pesach.
Yom Kippurwill be on the same day as the fifthday of Pesach.
Lag B’Omeris always on the same day as the sixthday of Pesach.
This year because the first day of Pesach was Thursday (commencing Wednesday night), as a result, Tisha B’Av will be Thursday; Shavuot on Friday; Rosh Hashana & Sukkot on Shabbat; Simchat Torah on Sunday; Yom Kippur on Monday and Lag B’Omer on Tuesday.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY & SUCCESSFUL DAY
B"H
Tuesday, Iyar 11, 5780 / May 5, 2020 (26th day of the Omer)
In this week’s Parsha, Emor, the Torah speaks about all the holidays which we celebrate during the year. “And G-d spoke to Moshe, saying: Speak to the children of Israel and say to them: The appointed holidays of G-d, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are My appointed holidays. Six days shall work be done; but on the seventh day is a Shabbat of rest, a holy convocation. You shall not do any manner of work. It is a Shabbat unto G-d in all your dwellings.”
After mentioning the observance of Shabbat, the Parsha goes on to mention all the holidays; Pesach, Shavuot, Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Shmini Atzeret and the mitzvot (commandments) associated with each holiday.
Q.Why does the Torah begin with the Pesach holiday and not with Rosh Hashana (New Year)?
A. In tribute to the Exodus, which took place in the month of Nissan, it was given the honor to be called, “The first month.” Thus, Pesach which is in the month of Nissan, is the first holiday.
Also, remembering the Exodus is a daily mitzvah. The Torah sets Pesach as the first holiday and all other holidays are dependent on Pesach.
Shavuot is fifty days after Pesach; Rosh Hashana is the first day of the seventh month(from Nissan-Pesach); Yom Kippur, the tenth day of the seventh monthand Sukkot, the fifteenth day of the seventh month. We count all the holidays from Pesach, thus, always remembering the Exodus.
If one wants to know on which day of the week the holidays will come out, one just has to know the days of the week in which Pesach fell out. It works as follows:
Tisha B’Av(the day of the destruction of the Temples) is the same day as the firstday of Pesach.
Shavuot(when we received the Torah) will be on the same day as the secondday of Pesach.
Rosh Hashana, First day of Sukkot & the day of Shmini Atzeret, are the same day of the week as the thirdday of Pesach.
Simchat Torahwill be on the same day as the fourthday of Pesach.
Yom Kippurwill be on the same day as the fifthday of Pesach.
Lag B’Omeris always on the same day as the sixthday of Pesach.
This year because the first day of Pesach was Thursday (commencing Wednesday night), as a result, Tisha B’Av will be Thursday; Shavuot on Friday; Rosh Hashana & Sukkot on Shabbat; Simchat Torah on Sunday; Yom Kippur on Monday and Lag B’Omer on Tuesday.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY & SUCCESSFUL DAY
B"H
Friday, Iyar 14, 5780 / May 8, 2020 (29th day of the Omer)
Today, the 14th day of the month of Iyar, is called "Pesach Sheini" - "The Second Pesach (Passover)."
Q. What is the origin and significance of Pesach Sheini?
A. The Torah (Numbers chapter 9) tells us how this day came about. One year after the Exodus, G-d commanded Moshe to tell the people to celebrate the holiday of Pesach - the holiday of their freedom, by offering the Korban Pesach (Pascal sacrifice), as they did the previous year in Egypt. However, there were people who were spiritually impure as a result of coming in contact with the body of Joseph. One who comes in contact with a dead body cannot partake in the sacrifice.
The men complained to Moshe, "Why should we be lacking the mitzvah of sacrificing the Passover sacrifice?"
Moshe brought their case before G-d. G-d told Moshe, "Speak to the children of Israel saying, 'If a man of you or of your future generations shall be unclean as a result of [contact with] a dead body or will be on a distant journey, they shall still make the Pesach offering to the L-rd. They shall make it on the fourteenth day of the second month, toward evening; they shall eat it with matzah and maror (bitter herbs)."
Iyar is the second month. Thus, in the days of the Temple, anyone who was impure or far from the Temple at the time of Passover, and couldn’t partake in the Pesach sacrifice, they were given a second chance to perform the mitzvah one month later on the 14th of Iyar.
Q. Why were they carrying Joseph’s body with them in the desert?
A. Joseph, before his death, made his family promise that, at the time of the Exodus, they will take his body out of Egypt and bury him in Israel. Joseph’s body travelled with them throughout the 40 years in the desert and was later buried in Israel in the city of Shchem.
Q. What is the lesson and significance of this day for us when we don’t have the Temple and there are no sacrifices?
A. Although we currently don’t have the Holy Temple, yet, the concept and lesson of "Pesach Sheini," is still valid and an important lesson in our everyday life. "Pesach Sheini" is a reminder that we are always given “another chance." It tells us that we should never give up. It teaches us that, as long as we live, G-d gives us the opportunity and ability to accomplish that which we may have missed earlier in life, especially in the study of Torah, doing mitzvot and good deeds. It’s never too late!
The story of Rabbi Akiva is a good example of this. The Talmud tells us that until the age of 40 Rabbi Akiva was an ignorant sheppard. Only at the age of 40, with the encouragement of his wife, did he make an effort to study Torah. He studied diligently and forty years later, Rabbi Akiva became the greatest Talmudic sage of his time, leading a Yeshiva with thousands of students! Indeed this special day teaches us a very encouraging and wonderful lesson!
SHABBAT SHALOM
Montrealcandle lighting time: 7:52 / Shabbat ends: 9:04
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