Tuesday, Iyar 9, 5782 (24th day of the Omer) / May 10, 2022
B"H
Tuesday, Iyar 9, 5782 (24th day of the Omer)/ May 10, 2022
Happy Mother’s day!! “But it was two days ago? He must be in a different time zone…” you say.
Well, let me explain. The true indicator of honoring ”Mother’s Day,” is when the day after Mother’s Day, and the day after.. and all days of the year are also Mother’s Day! Unfortunately, for many, Mother's Day is just that, “Mother for one day.” A one day a year event.
Celebrating Mother’s day one Sunday of the year, may leave some with the false notion that mothers are to be remembered and honored only one day a year. There is nothing farther from the truth than this.
The mitzvah to honor parents is one of the Ten Commandments and it applies every day of the year and every minute of the day.
One can only imagine the destructive state the world would be in if some of the other commandments, such as, "Do not steal" and, "do not commit murder," would be observed only one day a year! Can one imagine, "Do not murder day! Or, "Do not steal day?" What about the rest of the year?
According to the Torah, Mother's Day (and for that matter Father's Day) is every day of the year.
Did you know that honoring parents is the only mitzvah of the Ten Commandment for which G-d promises a reward; "Honor your father and your mother, that your days shall be long upon the land which the L-rd your G-d gives to you."
According to our sages this reward is measure for measure, for by taking good care of our parents, we cause that their life is extended, thus we too, are rewarded, measure for measure, with extended life.
The Talmud relates many wonderful stories about our sages whose level of observance of this mitzvah was way above the requirement and yet the sages said that they have not fulfilled half of this mitzvah.
The Talmud tells a story of a gentile who let go a business deal in which he would have made a tremendous profit. But this would have required him to wake his father in order to retrieve the key to the safe where a precious stone was stored. In reward, G-d paid him back with a much more profitable deal.
Today may not be "Mother's Day" on the secular calendar but it sure is on G-d's calendar! A visit or call to mother and father, for those who are blessed to have them, is one of the greatest mitzvot any time!
For those whose parents are not alive, we can always perform a mitzvah in their honor.
Our sages teach that there are three partners in the creation of a child: father, mother and G-d. Each one of the partners deserves our honor, respect and gratitude.
Honoring parents teaches our children beautiful values, so that they too will honor their parents (that’s us!) in the same way.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY, SUCCESSFUL AND WONDERFUL DAY
Friday, Iyar 5, 5782 (20th day of the Omer) / May 6, 2022
B"H
Friday, Iyar 5, 5782 (20th day of the Omer)/ May 6, 2022
This week’s Parsha in Israel is Emor. In the Diaspora we will read Parshat Kedoshim.
The following are quotes from the teachings of our sages about our Holy Land, the Land of Israel – the eternal land of the Jewish people.
Q. Why did G-d choose to give the Land of Israel to the Jewish people?
A. From the Midrash: The Holy One said to Moshe, “The Land is precious to Me, and Israel is precious to Me. I shall bring Israel who is precious to Me into the Land that is precious to Me.”
Q. Why does the Torah begin with the Story of creation?
A. Midrash: Rabbi Isaac said, “G-d wanted to proclaim to His people the power of His works. For, should the people of the world say to the Jewish people, ‘You are robbers, for you conquered the lands of the seven nations.’ Israel will be able to reply, ‘The entire earth and whatever is on it belongs to the Holy One. He created it and He gave it to whomever seemed right to Him. When He wanted, he gave it to you and when He chose us He gave it to us!”
The following is a story of four Talmudic sages: Rabbi Yehuda ben B'teira, Rabbi Masia ben Cheresh, Rabbi Chanina and Rabbi Yochanan were leaving Israel to settle abroad. When they came to Platus and remembered the Land of Israel they lifted their tear filled eyes, and recited the verse, “You shall possess it, and dwell in it, for in it you can observe all the laws” (Deut. 11:31).
Then they turned around and went back, saying, “Living in the Land of Israel is equivalent to performing all the commandments in the Torah!”
Q. Why is the holiest city and capital of Israel, called Yirushalayim (Jerusalem)?
A. Our sages say that the name is a combination of two words; "Yireh" and "Shaleim."
When G-d told Abraham to bring his son Isaac as a sacrifice on Mount Moriah, which is where the Holy Temple was later built in Jerusalem, Abraham named the place "Yireh"; "And Abraham called the name of the place ‘Hashem Yireh’" - “The L-rd will see” (Genesis 22:14).
Earlier in the Torah (Genesis 14:18) the Torah tells us that when Abraham returned from waging war with the four kings he was greeted by Shem the son of Noah. The Torah refers to Shem as, "Malki Tzedek, King of Shaleim." "Shaleim" say our sages was the name of the city (of Jerusalem) at that time. In honor of Shem and Abraham, the city is called Yirushalayim - combining the names. "Yireh" and "Shaleim,"
SHABBAT SHALOM
Montreal candle lighting time: 7:49 / Shabbat ends: 9:00
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
Tuesday, Elul 26, 5780 / September 15, 2020
B"H
Tuesday, Elul 26, 5780 / September 15, 2020
Rosh Hashana, the holiday which ushers in the new year 5781 begins this Friday evening.
Q. Why is the Torah reading on the first day of Rosh Hashana about the miraculous birth of our patriarch Yitzchak (Isaac) and on the second day we read about G-d's testing Abraham, commanding him to bring his beloved son as a sacrifice?
A. It was on Rosh Hashana that our Matriarch Sarah became pregnant with Yitzchak. She was 90 years old when she gave birth to her only child, Yitzchak. In commemoration of this great miracle, from whom the entire Jewish descended, we read about this great miracle on Rosh Hashana.
Also, since Rosh Hashana is the day of judgment, we want to recall on this day as many merits for the people of Israel as possible. Therefore, we read about the miraculous birth of Yitzchak when Abraham was 100 years old. Still, when G-d commanded him to sacrifice his beloved son Yitzchak, Abraham didn't hesitate and was immediately ready to do G-d's will. In recalling this story we pray that in the merit of Abraham and Yitzchak’s great trust and dedication to G-d, we, their descendents, will be judged favorably and granted all that we need in the coming year.
Shofar: On Rosh Hashana after the Torah reading and again during the Musaf service the Shofar is blown. This year, as the first day of Rosh Hashana is Shabbat, we do not blow the Shofar.
We make three different sounds with the Shofar -- Tekiah, a long sound; Shevarim, three broken sounds (like sighs); and Teruah, which are sounds that are even more static than the Shevarim (like a wailing sound). At the end we blow a "Tekiah Gedolah" - a "Long Blow." This sound is extended longer than the other Tekiah.
The Shofar is made of a ram's horn to remind us that Abraham passed his final and most difficult test, of his ten tests, to bring his son Yitzchak on the altar. At the last moment G-d showed him a ram which he sacrificed instead. The Shofar made of a ram’s horn, recalls the great sacrifices that our forefathers Abraham and Yitzchak were willing to make. We pray that in their merit G-d will inscribe us, their descendants, for a good and sweet year.
Q. What is the reason for the Tekiah Gedolah (long blow) at the end of the Shofar blowing?
A. The blowing of the Shofar reminds us of the Giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai which was accompanied by the sound of the Shofar. The Giving of the Torah concluded with a long blast (see Exodus 19). Thus, we conclude the series of blasts of the Shofar with a "long blast."
The Shofar also reminds us of the coming of Moshiach whose arrival will be announced through the Great Shofar. May we indeed merit the coming of Moshiach speedily in our days. Amen.
HAVE A GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY & A SWEET NEW YEAR
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