B"H

Friday, Shevat 30, 5781 / February 12, 2021

Today is the first day of Rosh Chodesh Adar. Tomorrow, Shabbat is the second day Rosh Chodesh.  Purim is in two weeks and Pesach is in six weeks!

This Shabbat we read from THREETorahs. In the first we read the weekly Parsha, Mishpatim. In the second Torah we read about Rosh Chodesh. In the third we read about the mitzvah of the Half Shekel (Machtzit HaShekel) which the Jewish people were commanded to give toward the construction of the Mishkan (Tabernacle). 

The month of Adar is associated with Simcha- happiness.  Our sages tell us, “Mishenichnas Adar Marbim Besimcha" - "When the month of Adar enters we increase in happiness.”

On Rosh Chodesh, during the morning service, we recite Psalm 104; “He sends the springs into the streams, they flow between the mountains.  They water every beast of the field, they quench the wild creatures' thirst.  Near them dwell the heaven's birds, from among the branches they give forth song.  He waters the mountains from His upper chambers, from the fruit of Your works the earth is sated.  He causes vegetation to sprout for the cattle and plants through man's labor, to bring forth bread from the earth... 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... You open your hand, they are sated with good..."

We recite this Psalm every Rosh Chodesh as a reminder that G-d looks after all our needs. This strengthens our conviction that G-d will continue to provide for us 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!"

SHABBAT SHALOM & A HAPPY, HEALTHY CHODESH-MONTH

Montrealcandle lighting time: 4:59 / Shabbat ends: 6:04

B"H

Monday, Adar 3, 5781 / February 15, 2021

The Torah readings for the next few weeks will describe the construction of the Mishkan (Tabernacle).  The Torah states the purpose of the Mishkan, "And they shall make Me a sanctuary so that I shall dwell among them."  

The sages note that the Torah does not say "I shall dwell in it," i.e. in the Mishkan.  Rather, "I shall dwell among them," through the Mishkan and Beth HaMikdash (Holy Temple), G-d rests and dwells within every Jew. 

*  A heathen once asked the Talmudic sage Rabbi Gamliel, "Where does your G-d dwell?"  Rabbi Gamliel replied, "I do not know."  The man asked, "You pray to your G-d every day and you do not know where He dwells?" 

Rabbi Gamliel answered, "You asked me about something which is thirty five hundred years away from me (referring to the amount of years since creation).  I will ask you about your soul, which abides within you day and night. Tell me where exactly does it dwell in your body?"

"I have to admit that I do not know!" answered the man.

"You do not know where your soul is and you expect me to tell you where G-d resides!" Rabbi Gamliel concluded. 

The man continued, "We, idol worshipers, are better off for we worship to the works of our own hands (idols), thus, we can always see them.  But you cannot see your G-d!"

Rabbi Gamliel replied, "Just the opposite is true.  You see the works of your hands (idols), but they cannot see you.  But our G-d, the Holy one, blessed be He, although we cannot see Him, yet, He sees the works of His hands.

*  A heretic said to the Talmudic sage Rabbi Meir, "How is it possible that your G-d, Who fills heaven and earth, spoke to Moshe from between the two Cherubim which were on top of the Ark?"

Rabbi Meir replied, "Bring me a magnifying mirror." The heretic looked into the mirror and saw how big his reflection appeared. Then Rabbi Meir said to him, "Now bring me a reducing mirror." This time the heretic saw that his reflection was very small.

Rabbi Meir said to him, "If you who are flesh and blood can change your size merely depending in which mirror you look, how much more so can Hashem Who created the world!  When He wishes, He fills the heaven and earth; and when He wants, He speaks to Moshe from between the two Cherubim upon the ark."

*  The Midrash tells the following story:  A ship full of heathens was sailing on the Great Sea, when a storm broke out.  The heathens prayed to their idols for mercy, but to no avail.   They turned to a poor Jewish lad who was on board, "Pray to your G-d that we may be saved."   The lad cried out to G-d and the sea became calm.

When the heathens came to dry land, they went down to purchase supplies.  They asked the Jewish lad, "Don't you wish to buy anything?"  The poor boy, who didn't have any money, replied, "What a question to ask an unfortunate poor stranger like me!"

"You call yourself an unfortunate stranger?"  We are the unfortunate ones!  Some of us are here, while our G-ds are in Babylon or in Rome; and even those who have their idols with them realize that they are of no help.  But you, wherever you go, your G-d is with you!"

A GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY, SUCCESSFUL & WONDERFUL DAY

B"H

Tuesday, Adar 4, 5781 / February 16, 2021

The festive holiday of Purim begins next week Thursday night, February 25, and Friday, February 26.  The following are Questions & Answers about Purim:

Q.   Why do we make noise when Haman's name is mentioned during the megilah reading?

A.   Haman descended from Amalek.  The Torah commands us, "You must erase the remembrance of Amalek."  Thus, when Haman is mentioned in the megilah, we "erase" and blot out his name by making noise.

Q.   Why do we read from a megilah which is folded in layers, rather than a megilah rolled like a Torah?"

A.   Esther and Mordechai refer to the megilah as "Igeret" - "letter".  We fold the megilah to look like a "letter".

Q.  Mordechai played a role in the story of Purim together with Esther.  Why is the megilah called "Megilat Esther" - "Scroll of Esther"?

A.  The Megilah tells us that Esther's Jewish identity was originally not known, so her life was not affected by Haman's decree.  Yet, Esther risked death, to plead for her people revealing her Jewish identity.  Since Esther put her life in danger more than Mordechai, the megilah was named after her.

Also, Esther was the one who insisted that the story of Purim be recorded and be added to our Holy Scriptures, thus, it was named "Megilat Esther."

Another reason:  Megilat Esther is the only book in Scriptures in which G-d’s name is not mentioned.  "Esther" comes from the root "Astir," which means to "hide."  The name “Megilat Esther" alludes to the fact that G-d's presence in the megilah is "hidden."

Q.  Why doesn't G-d's name appear in the megilah?

A.  G-d performs miracles in two ways.  One way is by changing the laws of nature temporarily.  For example, the Exodus, the splitting of the Sea, the Giving of the Torah, the miracle of Chanukah, when a small amount of oil, enough to burn only one day, lasted eight days etc.  These miracles were in a revealed way.

Another way is that G-d "hides" the miracle within nature.  In this case, we do not see an obvious miracle.  Purim was a "hidden"miracle, for it came through Queen Esther's intervention in which case one may attribute the final outcome not to a Divine miracle but to the King’s desire to please his queen.  This is emphasized by the fact that

G-d's name does not appear in the Megilah.  Miracles like these require effort to recognize their G-dly connection. 

The lesson for us: We too, throughout our lives, experience two kinds of miracles: "Open miracles," when we see no way out of a difficult situation and then salvation occurs. Then there are "hidden miracles" which include the every day events, (walking, talking, breathing, movement... etc.) which we take for granted.  Miracles like these are part of our daily tests.  Purim teaches us that the daily “hidden miracles,” in which G-d’s presence is not revealed, actually represent the greatest miracle of all!

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY & SUCCESSFUL DAY