Friday, Sivan 17, 5785 / June 13, 2025
B"H
Friday, Sivan 17, 5785 / June 13, 2025
It is with special gratitude to Hashem that we were blessed to celebrate some family simchas in the past four weeks. We had the first haircuts for two great-grandchildren, which is done when they turn three years old. One was in California and one in Brooklyn, N.Y. Boruch Hashem. I bless you all to enjoy many simchas, much happiness and wonderful Nachas from all your loved ones.
In this week’s Parsha, Beha'alotcha, the Torah relates an episode in which the Jewish people complained about the manna which G-d sent them as their daily food.
They cried, "We want meat! We remember the fish that we ate in Egypt free, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions and the garlic. But now, our life is parched, there is nothing; we have nothing before our eyes but the manna."
The Torah tells us that G-d granted their request, but they were punished in a plague which killed many.
Q. What is the meaning of, “We remember the fish that we ate in Egypt free"? Jews were enslaved by the Egyptians. Why did they claim that the food they ate was free?
A. Our sages answer that "free" here means free from the obligation of performing the mitzvot. Now that G-d gave them the manna, He also commanded them to observe the mitzvot. They were complaining about the mitzvot, restrictions and prohibitions which G-d commanded them.
Q. Why did G-d give us so many mitzvot to perform?
A.The answer is given by the Talmudic sage Rabbi Chananya ben Akashya; "The Holy One blessed be He wished to make the people of Israel meritorious, therefore He gave them Torah and mitzvot in abundance."
Rather than viewing Torah and mitzvot as a burden, Rabbi Chananya ben Akashya tells us that they were given to us for our benefit, to grant us much merit and reward for performing them.
“Mitzvah,” in addition to “commandment” also means, “connection.” Through the performance of mitzvot one becomes connected to G-d. Each mitzvah is a connection between us and G-d. The more mitzvot we perform, the greater and stronger the connection is.
Our sages compare this connection to a rope which is made up of many threads. The more threads in the rope, the stronger the connection between the two things tied together by the rope. Thus, G-d gave us 613 mitzvot which together form the rope which connects us to Him. It is out of His great love for His people, that He gave us all these mitzvot.
SHABBAT SHALOM
Montreal candle lighting time: 8:26 / Shabbat ends: 9:43
OUR HEARTS ARE WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY - MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW
Thursday, Sivan 16, 5785 / June 12, 2025
B"H
Thursday, Sivan 16, 5785 / June 12, 2025
The Book of Ecclesiastes (Kohelet) begins with the following words: "The words of Kohelet, son of David, in Jerusalem: Futility of futilities! Said Kohelet, futility of futilities, all is futile. What profit does man have for all his labor which he toils beneath the sun?"
The Book of Ecclesiastes was said by King Solomon (Kohelet), the wisest of all people, before he passed away. One of King Solomon's names was Kohelet, which means to assemble. Our sages explain that King Solomon was called Kohelet, because he assembled great wisdom.
In the Book of Kohelet, King Solomon reminds us to be careful to put worldly matters and worldly values into proper prospective. In this book, King Solomon makes us aware of the vanity of material things.
The Midrash says, "If someone else would have said that all is futile, we might say perhaps this person was poor and thus didn't know the value of material things. This is why King Solomon interjects his name here ("The words of Kohelet son of David") to tell us that none other than the wise and wealthy King Solomon was the one who said this.
If everyone would realize how true these wise words are, there would be no jealousy, theft, wars or strife; for in the end, everything is vain and not worth fighting over. One does not leave this world with any of the material wealth they amassed during one's life. In many cases, the greater the material wealth left behind, the greater the jealousy, strife and fighting it causes amongst siblings and relatives.
The only possessions that are everlasting and which are truly eternal are the mitzvot and good deeds we achieved in this world.
The Magid of Dubna gives the following parable: A group of blind beggars were standing in the street asking for alms. A man approached one of them and in a loud voice said, "Here is some money to share with the others." But instead of giving, he walked away and gave him nothing.
The others, overhearing his conversation, demanded from the beggar their share of the money which they thought he received. When he claimed that he received nothing they didn't believe him and a melee broke out...
This parable explains the importance of the last of the Ten Commandments, which were read on Shavuot; not to be jealous of what our neighbor has. People think that the other person has more and thus they are jealous of what the other one has. But in reality, one doesn't know what the other person really has or doesn't have; and if he/she does have it, whether, in the short or long run, it brings them happiness or grief!
We should always remember the wise words of our sages in Pirkei Avot, “Who is a rich person? Whoever is happy with his lot!”
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
Tuesday, Sivan 14, 5785 / June 10, 2025
B"H
Tuesday, Sivan 14, 5785 / June 10, 2025
In the second chapter of Pirkei Avot, which will be recited this Shabbat, we find the following teachings of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi: “Be as careful in the performance of a [seemingly] minor mitzvah as of a major one, for you do not know the reward given for the various mitzvot... Reflect upon three things and you will not come to sin: Know what is above you; An Eye that sees, an Ear that hears, and all your deeds are recorded in a Book."
"Know what is above you" - The Hebrew words for "Know what is above you" are "Da mah l'ma’alah mimcha." This can also be translated as, "Know that what happens above IS from YOU."
According to the teaching of our sages, whatever happens in heaven above and the reward in the World-to-Come is directly affected by the good deeds we perform in this world.
“Know what is above you" - The story is told of a group of children who had a contest to see who could climb to the top of a very tall ladder. One after the other, the children climbed about halfway, became frightened, and gave up. Only one boy managed to make it to the top.
His grandfather asked him, "How did you accomplish what the others couldn't?"
The little boy answered, "The other children kept looking down as they climbed the ladder, thus, realizing how high they were, they became frightened. I, on the other hand, continuously keptlooking up and realized how low I was, so I wanted to go higher and higher. This is why I was able to reach the top."
“Know what is above you," says Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi. By “looking up” we will be encouraged and strive to go higher and higher spiritually, thus we will not come to sin.
"An Eye that sees" - A rabbi paid a wagon driver to take him from one town to another. On the road they passed a field full of hay and the driver decided to help himself to some bailed hay.
"Rabbi, if you notice anyone watching let me know immediately!" Assured that nobody was watching and the rabbi was on guard he ran toward the field. No sooner did the wagon driver start gathering the hay, when the rabbi yelled out, "Someone's watching! Someone's watching!" The driver dropped the hay, ran frantically back to the carriage and drove away as quickly as he could.
After a while, he turned to the rabbi and said, "Rabbi, I didn't see anyone! Are you sure someone was watching?"
"Definitely!" replied the Rabbi, pointing upward… "G-d was watching!"
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, Sivan 13, 5785 / June 9, 2025
B"H
Monday, Sivan 13, 5785 / June 9, 2025
This week's Parsha, Beha'alotcha, begins with G-d's instructions to Aaron, (the High Priest), concerning the lighting of the Menorah in the Mishkan (Tabernacle). However, instead of using the word "Lehadlik" to "kindle," the Torah uses the word "Beha'alotcha" which means, "When you elevate the candles."
Torah commentaries suggest many solutions. Some say that Aaron had to climb several steps in order to light the Menorah. Thus, he had to be elevated in order to light the Menorah.
Q.The Menorah was not high, why did he have to go up a few steps?
A.Aaron wore a gold plate on his forehead with G-d's name engraved on it. Therefore, he was not permitted to lift his hands beyond the plate. Thus, he had to go up the steps to kindle the Menorah.
Another explanation is that the lights of the Menorah represent the Jewish soul - the Neshama, which is compared to a candle. Just as the flame of the candle continually flickers upward, so too, the Neshama is drawn "upward" to be connected with G-d, its creator. Aaron's mission as High Priest, was to spiritually uplift and connect the Jewish souls to G-d, just as the flame of the candle continuously strives to go upward.
The Zohar asks, why, when a Jew studies Torah or prays, he sways back and forth?
The Zohar replies, "The Jewish soul is derived from G-d's Holy fire. When it studies Torah or is involved in prayer, the soul is connected to its source and like the flame of a candle, the soul, which is G-d's candle, also moves.
The Midrash tells us that the commandment to light the Menorah in the Holy Temple surprised the Jewish people. They said, "Is there any darkness before G-d that He needs our light?"
G-d replied, "It is not for My benefit that I command you to kindle the light in the Temple. It is for your merit." The Menorah in the Temple brought spiritual light to the Jewish nation and to the entire world.
Before the days of electricity, Russia's main streets were lit by kerosene lamps. Each night, a city employee would make the rounds and light these lamps to illuminate the streets.
"The function of a Jew is to be a lamp-lighter," said Rabbi Shalom Dov Ber of Lubavitch. "It is not enough to feel spiritually enlightened yourself, one must also use their spiritual fire to light up the candle/soul of another Jew by bringing them closer to G-d through Torah and Mitzvot."
In addition to physically lighting the lights in the Menorah, Aaron’s function was to elevate the Jewish souls. This is why the Torah uses the word, “Beha'alotcha” – to ELEVATE.
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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