B"H
Friday, Adar 28, 5781 / March 12, 2021
This Shabbat we read from two Torah scrolls. In the first Torah we conclude the last two Parshiot of the Book of Exodus (Shmot), Vayakhel-Pekudei. In the second Torah we read about the mitzvah of Rosh Chodesh, as this Shabbat is the Shabbat before Rosh Chodesh Nissan. Rosh Chodesh is one day, beginning Saturday night and Sunday. Pesach will be in exactly two weeks from Saturday night.
The Pesach holiday, beginning with the Seder, is celebrated to remember and experience the Exodus from Egypt. At the Seder, we recite the following passage from the Hagadah, "In every generation a person must see himself as if he has gone out from Egypt."
Q. How can we, who were not enslaved in Egypt, thousands of years after the Exodus, understand this?
A. Our rabbis explain this with the following parable: A man who lived on a farm and was never sick, became ill. His family called a doctor. After checking the patient, the doctor wrote out a prescription and gave the following instructions, "Have the patient take this prescription three times daily with a glass of water for the next ten days and the patient will recover.”
The family did as told, but each day the man became worse and worse. They rushed to the doctor and said, "You cheated us! You took our money and you didn't cure the patient! The doctor returned to the patient and asked to see the medication, “Perhaps I made a mistake and prescribed the wrong medication." But they told him that they didn't have any medication!
"But I gave you a prescription and told you to have the sick man take it three times daily with a glass of water. No wonder the patient didn't become better! You didn't follow my instructions!
"But we did exactly as you told us," they protested. "You told us to give him the prescription three times daily. We tore up the prescription into small piecesand gave the patient a small piece of prescription-paper three times each day with a glass of water!"
"I didn't mean for you to give him the prescription paper,” retorted the doctor. “What I meant was the medicine written on the paper! Using this paper, you could get the proper medication in the pharmacy. Had the patient taken the medicine, he would have been cured long ago!”
The same is with the passage in the Hagadah, "In every generation a person must see himself, as if he, has gone out from Egypt." It is the concept, the idea and spirit of the Exodus we must feel every day.
"Egypt," in Hebrew is called "Mitzrayim" which comes from the word, "Meitzar" which means constrictionand limitation. The Exodus was not only a physical freedom, but also a spiritual freedom from spiritual constrictions to attain great spiritual heights, which they achieved at Mount Sinai.
The Exodus is not only a historical fact, but something which every Jew in every generation must see as a personal experience. We must realize that G-d gives each of us the strength to free ourselves of any spiritual limitations which stand in the way of our connection to G-d and the performance of His mitzvot.
SHABBAT SHALOM
Montrealcandle lighting time: 5:39 / Shabbat ends: 6:42
B"H
Monday, Nissan 2, 5781 / March 15, 2021
Yesterday was Rosh Chodesh Nissan - the first day of the month, Nissan.
In the Torah, the months are referred to by numbers, not by name. The month of Nissan is called the "first month". The Torah tells us that Pesach (Passover) is on the fifteenth day of the first month. Rosh Hashana is on the first day of the seventh month and Yom Kippur on the tenth day of the seventh month.
Q. Why are the months called by numbers in the Torah?
A. The reason for this is connected with the holiday of Pesach and the Exodus.
The Torah commands us, “Remember the Exodus all the days of your life.” In the Hagadah, which we will recite at the Seder, we say, "In every generation one is obligated to view himself as if he has gone out from Egypt."
One way to remember and integrate the Exodus into our daily activities is by referring to the months by numbers. This way, each month is in relation to the first month, Nissan. For example, Tishrei is the seventh month from Nissan. Thus, we always remember the month of Nissan and, by implication, the miracle of the Exodus.
The name of this month, "Nissan," comes from the Hebrew word "Nes" which means "miracle".
Nissan is a special month in which the greatest miracles took place for the Jewish people – the miracle of the Exodus and the miracle of the splitting of the sea.
G-d designated Nissan as the first month for the Jewish people, to teach us that the existence and continuity of the Jewish people is not a natural phenomenon, but is essentially a miracle.
Now over 3000 years after the Exodus, we see, more than ever before, that our existence is only due to G-d’s miracles. We pray that this month of Nissan will bring the miracle of our own personal exodus from this global pandemic. Also, that it should bring the miracle of miracles - the true redemption with the coming of Moshiach. Amen.
On Rosh Chodesh Nissan in the year 2449, in the Hebrew calendar, one year after the Exodus, exactly 3332 years ago, Moshe erected the Mishkan (Tabernacle) and dedicated it. The month of Nissan is a special month. We do not recite the prayers of supplication (Tachnun) during the entire month.
The Talmud tells us that if someone sees the word "Nissan" spelled out in a dream, then miracles will happen to him. May this be a month of great miracles for all of us, physically, economically and spiritually.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY & SUCCESSFUL DAY
B"H
Tuesday, Nissan 3, 5781 / March 16, 2021
Rabbi Yechezkel Landau (1713-1794) was the chief Rabbi of Prague. At the time, a Melamed (Hebrew teacher) lived in Prague who had a daughter to marry off. Unfortunately, the Melamed didn't earn enough to afford the wedding expenses and dowry for his daughter. So, with his wife's blessings, he went to seek his fortune in another city. There, a wealthy man hired the Melamed to teach his children. For three years the Melamed saved every penny he earned, until finally he had enough money to make the wedding.
In order to save the travel expenses back to Prague, the Melamed found a wine merchant who was transporting a large shipment of wine to Prague for Passover. In exchange for a ride back to Prague the Melamed offered to act as Mashgiach (Kashrut supervisor) for the wine so that the merchant will obtain, from the Rabbi of Prague, the “Kosher for Passover” certificate. The wine merchant agreed. The merchant along with the Melamed, acting as Mashgiach for the wine, left for Prague.
When Friday came, they stopped off at an inn to spend Shabbat. Now the Melamed had a serious problem, "I don’t know anyone here. Where will I hide my money over Shabbat?" he thought. In the end he decided to hide his wallet with the money between the barrels of wine.
When Shabbat was over he went out to the wagon to retrieve his money. “Oy vay!” the Melamed screamed, when he opened the wallet... for all the money was gone! The Melamed was devastated.
Rethinking his terrible situation, the Melamed realized that the only one who might have seen him hide the money was the wine merchant. He approached the merchant and said, "I left my wallet containing all my savings between the wine barrels before Shabbat. When I went to retrieve it all the money was gone! Did you perhaps take it?"
"How dare you accuse me of stealing. It was silly of you to hide your money there in the first place!" the wine merchant roared. Realizing that arguing with the merchant will accomplish nothing, the Melamed let the matter rest till he arrived in Prague. As soon as he came to Prague, the Melamed ran to Rabbi Yecheskel Landau and cried to him how all his savings of three years were gone, and as a result his daughter's wedding will not occur!”
Shortly afterwards, the wine merchant came to Rabbi Yecheskel Landau. He said, "Rabbi, this year’s wine is especially Kosher. It has been supervised by one of your former students, the Melamed of Prague. As always I would like to get your Kosher for Passover certificate.”
"This year I cannot give you the certificate," replied Rabbi Landau to the wine merchant. "The Melamed was here before and told me that the money which he hid between the wine barrels before Shabbat, was stolen!"
"Rabbi, are you suspecting me of being a thief?" the merchant protested.
(to be continued)
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY & SUCCESSFUL DAY
B"H
Wednesday, Nissan 4, 5781 / March 17, 2021
(Story continued)
"Rabbi, are you suspecting me of being a thief?" the merchant protested.
"Of course not!” answered Rabbi Landau. "But that is the problem! If you didn't take the money, then obviously there must have been someone else snooping around the wine barrels without any supervision. In that case, I cannot be sure that the wine is still Kosher!"
The merchant turned pale. He had invested everything in this wine business and without the Rabbi's certification he would be ruined. "Rabbi," the merchant said embarrassingly, "I confess, I took the money! No one else had access to the wine but me and the Melamed (teacher). I will return the money at once."
"The matter is not so simple," answered Rabbi Landau. "How can I be sure that no one else had access to the wine? Maybe you are saying this so that you shouldn't lose the business!"
The merchant begged the rabbi to believe him. "I will do anything you say to repent!"
"In that case," Rabbi Landau told him, "I will give you the certificate only on the condition that, in addition to paying back the Melamed what you stole from him, you will also make him a partner and share the profits of this year’s wine with him. This way, you will compensate him for all the aggravation you caused him!"
The merchant had no choice and agreed. Rabbi Landau then called the Melamed from the next room and gave him the good news. The Melamed not only received his lost money, but also did very well as a partner with the wine merchant. (end of story).
Q.The traditional festival greeting for all other festivals is, “Chag Sameach” – which translates to, Happy holiday. Why is the traditional Pesach greeting, “Chag Kasher VeSameach” – which means, “A kosherand happy holiday.” A Jewish home should be kosher always. Why this special wish for Pesach?
A.A Jewish home has to be kosher all year round. However, the laws of Pesach are very strictand the prohibitions for Pesach are many. Many foods which are kosher all year round may not be kosher for Passover. Thus, we need to make an extra effort to be sure that our home is kosher for Pesach. Not only are we not allowed to eat foods which are prohibited on Pesach, but we are also not allowed to have them in our possession during the entire holiday.
With all the effort we make to clean our home for Pesach and buy only kosher for Pesach products, we can use a special blessingthat no accidents or oversight will happen and that everything will indeed be kosher for Pesach. This is why we wish each other - A KOSHER and happy Pesach.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY & SUCCESSFUL DAY
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