Monday, Iyar 14, 5785 (29th day of the Omer) / May 12, 2025
B"H
Monday, Iyar 14, 5785 (29th day of the Omer) / May 12, 2025
Today is the 14th day in the month of Iyar. This day is known as Pesach Sheini - The Second Pesach. In the days of the Holy Temple, Pesach Sheini had practical significance.
Q.When the Jewish people came out of Egypt, G-d commanded them to celebrate Pesach, but there was no mention of a second Pesach. So how did Pesach Sheini begin?
A. The Torah, in Numbers chapter 9, tells us that one year after the Exodus, while still in the desert, G-d commanded the Jewish people to celebrate the holiday of Pesach - the holiday of their freedom, by offering the Korban Pesach (Pascal sacrifice). However, there were people who were spiritually impure due to coming in contact with a dead body and had to wait seven days until they became clean. Thus, they couldn’t bring the sacrifice in its proper time.
The men then came to Moshe and said, "Why should we be lacking the mitzvah of the Passover sacrifice?" Moshe brought their case before G-d.
G-d told Moshe, "Speak to the Children of Israel saying, 'If a man of you or of your future generations shall be unclean as a result of [contact with] a dead body or will be on a distant journey and they couldn’t bring the Pesach sacrifice, they shall make the Pesach offering on the fourteenth day of the second month [14th of Iyar], toward evening; they shall eat it with matzah and maror (bitter herbs)."
Thus, in the days of the Temple, the 14th of Iyar became the Second Pesach for those who couldn’t bring it a month earlier, as a result of impurity or not being in the vicinity of the Temple. They were given a second chance to perform the mitzvah, one month later on the 14th of Iyar.
Today, when we have no Temple, there are no practical applications for Pesach Sheini, except that we do not say the prayer of supplication and make it a point to eat some matzah on this day, to remember the days of the Temple. However, the spiritual lesson of Pesach Sheini applies today as then.
Pesach Sheini teaches us that in spiritual matters and mitzvot we should never say, “We missed our chance and it’s too late.” Pesach Sheini is about having another chance! G-d always gives us another chance and another chance. But it’s up to us to recognize it and take advantage of it.
Another lesson: G-d waited for the people to come forward and request this second chance. At times, it’s up to us to make that move to show G-d that we truly want that second chance, which He grants us.
The story of Rabbi Akiva is the best example of this. The Talmud tells us that until the age of 40 Rabbi Akiva was an ignorant shepherd. Only at the age of 40, with the encouragement of his wife, Rachel, did he get his second chance to study Torah. He studied diligently and forty years later, Rabbi Akiva became the greatest Talmudic sage of his time, leading a Yeshiva with thousands of students! Pesach Sheini teaches us this very encouraging and wonderful lesson – “IT’S NEVER TOO LATE!”
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
Monday, Nissan 2, 5785 / March 31, 2025
B"H
Monday, Nissan 2, 5785 / March 31, 2025
.Yesterday (Sunday) was Rosh Chodesh Nissan – the first day of the new month, Nissan.
“Nissan” comes from the word, “Nissim” which means miracles. The Talmud tells us that if a person sees the word Nissanin a dream it means that G-d will perform miraclesfor them.
Indeed, the greatest miracle which happened to the Jewish people, the Exodus from Egypt, took place on the 15th day of Nissan.
Until the Exodus of the Jewish people from Egypt, the month of Tishrei was considered the first month, because the creation of the universe and Adam and Eve took place then. However, at the time of the Exodus G-d designated the month of Nissan as the first month for the Jewish people.
This month of Nissan is also known as, “The Month of Redemption.” The miracle of the redemption from Egyptian exile, which took place on Pesach (Passover), was not only for that generation, but, as we recite in the Haggadah at the Seder, that the miracle was also to us, for had G-d not taken our forefathers out of Egypt, we too would still be enslaved.
The Torah tells us that it was on Rosh Chodesh Nissan, two weeks before the Exodus, that G-d commanded the Jewish people about the mitzvah of Rosh Chodesh and to prepare for the Exodus.
Also, the erection and dedication of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) took place on Rosh Chodesh Nissan.
Our sages say, “Just as the first redemption from the exile of Egypt was in the month of Nissan, so too the final redemption will be in the month of Nissan.”
At the Seder after reciting the Kiddush and eating the vegetables dipped in salt water, we breakthe middle matzah of the three matzot. The larger piece we hide for the Afikoman, which will be eaten later. The smaller piece we put back between the two matzot.
Q..Why do we breakthe middlematzah?
A.The Torah refers to matzah as "Lechem oni" - "bread of poverty." A poor man, when he has a loaf of bread will always think about the next meal. He fears that he may not have anything to eat later, so before he eats his meal he usually breaks off a piece and saves it for later. Thus, we leave the smaller piece on the table and recite the story of the Exodus over it – representing the bread of povertywhich the Jewish people ate in Egypt.
May we merit in this month of Nissan to experience our final redemption with the coming of Moshiach. Amen.
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
Friday, Adar 28, 5785 / March 28, 2025
B"H
Friday, Adar 28, 5785 / March 28, 2025
This Shabbat we bless the new month Nissan. Rosh Chodesh is one day, beginning Saturday night and Sunday. This Shabbat we again take out two Torah’s from the ark. In the first Torah we read Parshat Pekudei. With this Parsha we conclude the second Book of the Torah – the book of Exodus.
As always when we conclude one of the Five Books of the Torah, the entire congregation rises for the last verse. When the reader finishes the verse everyone calls out the following three words, “Chazak, Chazak, VeNischazek.” It means, “Strengthen, strengthen and we shall be strengthened.” The great mitzvah of concluding a Book of the Torah gives us great strength to continue studying more Torah.
In the second Torah we read Parshat HaChodesh. Parshat HaChodesh is read each year on the Shabbat before Rosh Chodesh Nissan. Being that Rosh Chodesh Nissan is Sunday, we read the special reading of Parshat HaChodesh this Shabbat. Parshat HaChodesh is the reading about the mitzvah of Rosh Chodesh. From this Shabbat to Pesach is exactly two weeks.
Q. Why do we read about the mitzvah of Rosh Chodesh on the Shabbat before Rosh Chodesh Nissan?
A. The mitzvah of Rosh Chodesh, which is celebrated on the beginning of each month, was given to Moshe to relate to the Jewish people, on Rosh Chodesh Nissan. Rosh Chodesh Nissan was when G-d spoke to Moshe and showed him the reappearance of the new moon. G-d told him that each month when the moon becomes visible again, after being invisible at the end of the month, Jews shall celebrate Rosh Chodesh. In the time of the Holy Temple, special sacrifices were offered on Rosh Chodesh.
G-d told Moshe that the month of Nissan shall be the first of all the months of the year. The reason that G-d made the month of Nissan the first of the months is because in Nissan we were liberated from our Egyptian bondage.
Q. Why do we need to take out two Torahs? We can roll the same Torah from one reading to the other.
A. The law says that when possible we have to minimize wasting the time of the congregation. Thus, we use two Torahs, which have been prepared before to the right place, so as not to have the congregation sit idly at the time of the rolling. If there is no second Torah in the synagogue, then we roll the Torah from one reading to the next.
Q. Is there any significance to the name Nissan?
A. Nissan comes from the word, NES, which means MIRACLE. Indeed, the greatest miracle was when G-d liberated us from Egyptian bondage and the many miracles He performed which led to our Exodus.
“Ness” also means to be lifted on HIGH. In this month, with the Exodus, we were lifted from the lowest of low to the highest of high, when G-d chose us as His people and His nation.
SHABBAT SHALOM
Montreal candle lighting time: 7:00 / Shabbat ends: 8:03
UNITED WE STAND WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY. MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW
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
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