Thursday, Nissan 26, 5781 (11th day of the Omer) / April 8, 2021
B"H
Thursday, Nissan 26, 5781 (11th day of the Omer)/ April 8, 2021
Today (Thursday) is Yom Hashoa– Holocaust Memorial Day - a day established to reflect and remember the six million Jews, men, women and children, who were murdered by the Germans and their collaborators, just for being Jewish.
In this week’s Parsha, Shemini, the Torah tells how, on the first day of the dedication of the Mishkan (Tabernacle), in the midst of all the festivities and celebrations of the Jewish people, after Aaron finished the service on that special day and the glory of G-d appeared to all the people, a fire came out from before G-d and consumed two of his sons and they died before G-d.”
Moshe consoles Aaron by saying that the fact that his two sons died at this time was a sign of theirgreatness and righteousness,rather than their lacking.
Aaron’s response was silence.He didn’t complain. He didn’t ask, “Why me?” He accepted his fate because this was G-d’s will. The Torah emphasizes that this was one of Aaron’s great virtues, for which he was immediately rewarded, by G-d speaking to him.
Yom Hashoa reminds us of one of the most tragic events in our over 3000 years of Jewish history. It is a period of our history we shall never forget. This is especially true today with the rise of anti-Semitism in our streets, our campuses and around the world.
It is not in the realm of our limited human vision and knowledge to comprehend why such horrendous tragedies befell our people. There is no answer, we are not looking for an answer, and won’t accept an answer.
“Be of the disciples of Aaron,” tell us our sages in Pirkei Avot. Aaron, after his great personal tragedy, continued his priestly duties for the next forty years, serving G-d and the Jewish people. It didn’t set him back. Rather, he went forward. We too, in spite of our many questions, although we have no answers, must continue to go forward and perform our G-dly mission in this world to the best of our ability. It is our mission to spread love and spiritual light to combat the darkness in the world.
King Solomon in Ecclesiastes says, “There is a time to be silent and a time to speak.” We must never forget the horrors of the Holocaust. At the same time we must be determined to continue the legacy of our ancestors, of our brothers and sisters, who perished in the Holocaust and whose lives were so brutally taken from them just for being Jewish.
They continue to live on through us, through our children and grandchildren, and through the mitzvot and good deeds we perform in their memory. Let’s perform a special mitzvah in their memory today. Let’s put on Tefillin and give charity in their memory. The Nazis may have succeeded to take our physical life and steal our physical possessions, but no one ever succeeded in taking our souls. Am Yisrael Chai – Israel lives and will live forever. May we merit the coming of Moshiach speedily in our days. Amen.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
Thursday, Nissan 5, 5781 / March 18, 2021
B"H
Thursday, Nissan 5, 5781 / March 18, 2021
Questions & Answers about the Passover Seder
Q. On Shabbat and holidays, after reciting the Kiddush blessing over a cup of wine, we can drink as many cups of wine we want, without reciting another blessing over each cup. Yet, at the Seder we drink four cups of wine and we recite the blessing over wine (“Borei Pri Hagafen”) before eachcup. Why?
A. The reason we drink four cups at the Seder is to commemorate the fourexpressions of redemption which G-d used for the Exodus. Each cup is a separatemitzvah, thus a separate blessingis required for each cup.
Q. At the Seder, when we eat the matzah and drink the four cups of wine, we are required to be in a reclining position. What is the reason for this?
A. In ancient times, noblemen would eat in a reclining position. The average person, especially a servant, did not recline. At the Seder, when we celebrate our freedom from slavery, the Rabbis instituted that we demonstrate our freedom and recline as noblemen, when performing the special mitzvot at the Seder.
Q. Why do we recline to the left side, not on the right side?
A. Our sages established that we recline on the left side so that the food should not accidentally enter the upper part of the windpipe, which may cause chocking.
Q. Before reciting the Hagadah, we break the middle matzah. We hide the bigger part for the Afikoman, to be eaten at the end of the meal. The smaller piece we put back onto the Seder plate. Why do we break the middle matzah before reciting the Hagadah?
A. Matzah is called in the Torah, “Bread of affliction.” Although, at the Seder, we celebrate our freedom, we also remember and recall our slavery and affliction. One can appreciate the miracle of freedom even more, after remembering the pain and suffering before becoming free. Thus, we recite the Hagadah over the broken matzah – which represents the bread of affliction.
Q. The order of the “Four sons” mentioned in the Hagadah are, 1) Wise son; 2) Wicked son; 3) Simple son; 4) One who does not know to ask. Why is the wicked son placed second rather than last?
A. We place the wicked son next to the wise one, so that the smart son will influence him to better his ways. This teaches us that we shouldn't give up on any child. Instead, the wise son should try and influence the wicked one so that he, too, will become wise and go in the right path.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY & SUCCESSFUL DAY
Wednesday, Nissan 4, 5781 / March 17, 2021
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
Wednesday, Tishrei 5, 5781 / September 23, 2020
B"H
Wednesday, Tishrei 5, 5781 / September 23, 2020
Yom Kippur, also called, Yom Hakadosh– The Holy Day, is next Monday, September 28. As with all Jewish holidays, the day begins from the night before, thus, Yom Kippur commences Sunday night, September 27. Yom Kippur is on the tenth day of Tishrei, the day in which our sins are forgiven.
Q. Why was this day chosen as the day when our sins are forgiven?
A. Yom Kippur was the day in which G-d forgave Israel for the sin of the Golden Calf and also the day when Moshe returned with the Second Tablets. Thus, G-d chose this day as the day of forgiveness for all generations.
Q. Yom Kippur begins with the Kol Nidrei service. What is the significance of this prayer? Why is it recited in Aramaic and not in Hebrew?
A. Kol Nidrei is a prayer in which we declare our vows null and void. It was established in Aramaic, because it was the spoken language of Jews in Babylon at that time and one must understand what they are saying when nulifying a vow. The only vows which we can nullify in Kol Nidrei are those which don't involve other people. Vows and promises made to others are not nullified on Yom Kippur.
Kol Nidrei gained much significance during the Spanish Inquisition. Then, many Jews, known as "Marranos", vowed to renounce their religion under the threat of death, yet in their heart remained loyal to Judaism. They would gather on Yom Kippur in secrecy and use Kol Nidrei to renounce their vows against the religion that was forced upon them. The Kol Nidrei melody chanted today has its roots in the events of that time.
Q. Why is the Kol Nidrei repeated three times?
A. According to the Talmud, important announcements used to be repeated three times. The repetition of the Kol Nidrei emphasizes its importance. On a more practical level, we repeat it so that those who came late to the synagogue should not miss the Kol Nidrei.
Q. Yom Kippur is a holiday and holidays are ususally celebrated with a meal. Why is Yom Kippur different from all holidays of the year that we are commanded to fast?
A.1) Being the day of atonement, when our sins are forgiven, we spend the time with spiritual matters and not physical appetites.
3) Fasting humbles a person. On Yom Kippur, when we must perform Teshuva-repentance with all our heart, we refrain from eating or drinking.
4) On Yom Kippur, when we are forgiven for our sins, we are considered as pure as the angels, who have no sins. We express this by acting like angels who don't eat or drink.
MAY WE ALL BE BLESSED WITH A GMAR CHATIMA TOVA - A HEALTHY NEW YEAR
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