Thursday, Iyar 19, 5783 (Hakhel Year) 35th Sefirah / May 11, 2023
B"H
Thursday, Iyar 19, 5783 (Hakhel Year) 35th Sefirah / May 11, 2023
This Shabbat we read the last two Parshiot in the Book of Vayikra (Leviticus) – Parshat B’Har& Parshat B’Chukotei.
Parshat B’chukotei begins with G-d telling the Jewish people, "If in My statutes you will walk, and My commandments you will keep, then I will give you rain in the right time, the Land will yield its produce and the trees of the field will produce fruit... you shall eat your bread with satiety and dwell in safety in your land. And I will give peace to the land and you shall not be afraid... You will chase away your enemies and they will fall by their own swords… I will place My dwelling in your midst… I will walk among you. I will be your G-d and you will be My people!”
G-d promises the Jewish people that if they observe the commandments, they will merit His many blessings. Later in the Parsha the Torah details the many sufferings which the Jewish people will experience if, G-d forbid, they do not obey the commandments.
The blessings take up 10 verses and the punishments over 25 verses. In reality, the blessings outnumber the punishments as they are general blessings which include many individual blessings.
The purpose of mentioning the punishments is to impress upon us the importance of obeying the mitzvot, thus avoiding the punishments, as G-d truly wants to bless us always.
G-d says, "And I will walk among you." This is indeed a special blessing to recognize that G-d walks among us at all times – in good times as well as in difficult times.
The following tale explains it beautifully and is worthwhile giving some thought when we go through difficult periods in life, which we all go through one time or another.
A person, who through his lifetime experienced difficult periods, returned his soul to its maker, when the time came. In heaven he was shown a replay of his entire life. He was shown all the steps he took throughout his life; where he went and what he did. To his amazement he saw four footsteps, instead of only two. “But I have only two feet? Why do I always see four footsteps?” he asked the angel.
“Two are yours. The other two are G-d’s. He walked with you wherever you went!” replied the angel.
“But why, as I watch the difficult times in my life and the difficult steps I went through, I see only two footsteps? Where was G-d then?”
The angel looked at him and smiled, “You’re mistaken. The two footsteps you see during your difficult journeys through life are not yours! They are G-d’s footsteps! During those times G-d carried you!”
A powerful message indeed worth remembering!
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
Wednesday, Nissan 11, 5785 / April 9, 2025
B"H
Wednesday, Nissan 11, 5785 / April 9, 2025
The holiday of Pesach will begin this Saturday night, April 12. Saturday night we celebrate the Pesach Seder. In the Diaspora we also celebrate a second Seder on Sunday night, April 13.
This Shabbat, which is the Shabbat before the holiday of Pesach, Is called, SHABBAT HAGADOL – The GREAT SHABBAT.
One of the reasons for this is that on the Shabbat before the Exodus, a great miracle took place. The first-born Egyptians, knowing that G-d was going to bring the Plague of the First-Born on them, insisted that Pharaoh let the Jewish people go. However, Pharaoh refused. As a result, they put up a fight and many Egyptians were killed. It was a war between Egyptians and Egyptians.
Q. At the Seder we speak about “Four Sons.” The wise son (Chacham); The wicked son (Rasha); The simple son (Tam); The one who doesn’t know what to ask (Sh’aino yodaya lishol). This order is a bit strange. The wicked son should be last. Why is he next to the wise one?
A. The simple answer is that they are placed in the order of their intelligence. The wicked son can also be very intelligent; thus, he comes after the wise son.
Today (Wednesday), the 11th day of the month of Nissan, is the 123rd birthday of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, of blessed memory. His great influence on world Jewry continues to this day through his teachings and through his thousands of Chabad emissaries, and the many Chabad Houses globally, spreading Torah and Judaism throughout the world.
The Lubavitcher Rebbe, in his unique way, which is also a lesson to us, explains the reason why the wicked son is next to the wise son as follows: We bring together the above-mentioned children to the Seder to include them in the beauty of our traditions. Even the one who is wicked and will barrage us with disturbing questions, he too, must be included in the Seder ceremony. We cannot give up on any Jew. We include everyone and try to answer their question, so they too should share in the beauty of our sacred traditions.
For this reason, we place the wicked son next to the wise one, so that the wise one will answer his questions and influence the wicked one. None of the other children at the Seder, the simpleton and the one who doesn’t know what to ask, can answer his questions.
“There is an important lesson here, especially in our generation,” says the Rebbe. “It is the responsibility of each and every one to influence others, to care about their spiritual welfare, because we are responsible for the welfare of EVERY Jew.”
May this auspicious day bring blessings to us all. May we derive much Nachas from our children and grandchildren as they participate with us at the Seder table. May we merit to see the hostages released from their personal bondage and celebrate their own personal freedom this Pesach.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
OUR HEARTS ARE WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY - MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW
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