Tuesday, Sivan 17, 5786 / June 2, 2026
B"H
Tuesday, Sivan 17, 5786 / June 2, 2026
This week’s Parsha, in the Diaspora, is Beha'alotcha – it is the third Parsha in the book of Numbers. The Parsha begins with G-d's instructions to Aaron concerning the lighting of the Menorah in the Tabernacle, which had seven lights; one in the center and three on each side.
G-d commands Aaron, "When you kindle the lights, toward the center of the Menorah shall the seven lights shine." The three wicks on each side of the Menorah are to point toward the center.
Q. Why did the lights on either side of the menorah have to be pointed toward the center?
A. Our sages explain that the three lights on the right represent those who are totally committed to spirituality and Torah study. The lights on the left represent people who spend most of their time in worldly matters. By pointing the lights toward the center, the Torah teaches us, that no matter whether a Jew is on the left or on the right of the Menorah, the most important thing is that their heart be focused toward the light of G-d – which is represented by the center light of the Menorah.
Instead of using the word "Lehadlik" which means to "kindle," the Torah uses the word "Beha'alotcha" which literally means to "elevate."
The sages discuss the reason for this. Some say that Aaron had to go up several steps in order to light the Menorah. Thus, Aaron had to be elevated to light the Menorah.
The Menorah was not high, so Aaron could have cleaned and kindled the Menorah standing on the ground. However, Aaron had a gold plate on his forehead with G-d's name engraved on it. Therefore, he was not permitted to lift his hands over that gold-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, which is compared to a candle. Just as the flame of the candle draws upward, so too, the Neshama is drawn "upward" to be connected with G-d, its creator. Aaron's mission was to "elevate" the Jewish souls so that they will strive to connect to G-d, just as the flame of the candle continuously strives to go upward.
"Be of the disciples of Aaron," says Hillel in Pirkei Avot. "Love peace, pursue peace, be one who loves his fellow men and draws them closer to the Torah."
The Midrash tells us that the lights of the Menorah in the Holy Temple were not for G-d’s benefit, but for the benefit of the people. The Menorah in the Holy Temple brought forth spiritual and holy light to the Jewish nation and to the entire world.
"The function of a Jew is to be a lamp-lighter," said Rabbi Shalom Dov Ber of Lubavitch. Just like G-d commanded Aaron, it is not enough to feel spiritually enlightened by ourselves. One should also light up the candles/souls of others by bringing them closer to Torah and Mitzvot.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
Monday, Sivan 16, 5786 / June 1, 2026
Monday, Sivan 16, 5786 / June 1, 2026
Many congregations have a custom to study a chapter of Pirkei Avot (Chapters of our Fathers) each Shabbat between Pesach and Rosh Hashana. In the second chapter of Pirkei Avot, the Talmudic sage Rabbi Eliezer says: ”Your fellow’s honor should be as dear to you as your own.”
The simple meaning is that another person’s honor should be valued by you just as your own honor. However, there is another explanation, which is illustrated by the following story: Rabbi Shmelke was a great Torah scholar, who was invited to Niklosburg to accept the rabbinical position of that city.
Before addressing the crowd for the first time, Rabbi Shmelke asked for a private room. Everyone thought that he was tired and wanted to rest before addressing the crowd.
After a while, someone went to call on the rabbi and bring him to the packed synagogue for his first address to the congregation. To his surprise, when he came to the room, he heard the rabbi speaking. Knowing that there was no one in the room, he was curious and peeked through the keyhole. He saw the rabbi pacing back and forth in the room and talking to himself. He was saying, “Shalom Rabbi Shmelke.. Thank you, Rabbi Shmelke.. What a great speech you gave, Rabbi Shmelke..” Not wanting to embarrass the rabbi, he left.
Later, Rabbi Shmelke went to the synagogue, where he gave his speech. Everyone was amazed at his brilliance and clarity of thought. He was unanimously accepted as Rabbi of Niklosburg.
The man who overheard the rabbi speaking to himself was bothered by what he saw. He had to ask the rabbi about it. “Rabbi, I happen to have overheard you praising yourself. What was the point?”
Rabbi Shmelke replied: “I was worried that after my lecture, people will come over to thank me and praise me, I may become proud and haughty. I was worried that I may transgress the mitzvah of being humble. So, I went into the room and sang my own praises. The more I did it, the more I couldn’t stand it. I realized how foolish and meaningless it is to be praised by yourself. Now that I felt bothered by being praised, I knew that when people will praise me afterwards, it won’t affect me, just as praising myself didn’t mean anything to me.”
Concluded Rabbi Shmelke: “This is what Rabbi Eliezer teaches us in Pirkei Avot: ‘The honor of your fellow should be as considerate to you as your own.’ In other words, when your fellow gives you honor and praise, consider it as you would praise yourself! It shouldn’taffect you to the point where it takes over your humility. It should be as insignificant to you as self-praise.
Our sages say, “Whoever runs away from honor… honor chases after them. But one who chases after honor… honor runs away from them.”
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
Tuesday, Sivan 3, 5786 (47th day of the Omer) / May 19, 2026
B"H
Tuesday, Sivan 3, 5786 (47th day of the Omer) / May 19, 2026
The holiday of Shavuot, which will begin this Thursday evening, has many names. In the Torah it is called, Chag HaBikurim– The festival of the first fruits.
In the time of the Holy Temple, one who had a field, would bring the first fruits of that year’s harvest to the Temple in Jerusalem and present it to the Kohen-priest. He would thank and praise G-d for gifting him with these new fruits. Thus, the holiday is called, “The festival of the new fruits.”
The name Shavuot, which means weeks, is because it comes seven weeksafter Pesach. The Torah commands us to count seven weeks from the second day of Pesach and then celebrate this holiday. Hence, the name Shavuot-weeks – for the seven weeks of counting the Omer between Pesach and Shavuot.
Shavuotalso means “swearing.” At the Giving of the Torah, we sworethat we will be faithful to G-d and will obey His commandments. G-d also sworeto be OUR G-d and we His nation.
Shavuot is also called, Z'man Matan Torateinu(Season of the Giving of the Torah), because on Shavuot G-d gave us the gift of Torah on Mount Sinai
The greatness of the Torah is so beautifully expressed by the Talmudic sage Rabbi Yehoshua: "If all the oceans were ink; if all the reeds were quills; if the skies were scrolls of parchment; and all living people were scribes, they would not be able to record all the wisdom of the Torah."
Q. The Torah tells us that the Ten Commandments were engraved in the Two Tablets. What is the significance of them being engraved? What is the lesson from this for us?
A. There are two ways of writing: one is ink on parchment, like a Torah scroll. Another way are letters which are engraved. When the letters are written, then the letters and the parchment on which they are written, are two different objects. But, when the letters are engraved, they become one with the stone on which they are engraved.
This fact that the Ten Commandments (which in essence include within them the entire Torah) were ENGRAVED into the stone, teaches us that the connection between a Jew and the Torah should be so strong that they become ONE. The Torah must be engraved within us and part of us. The Jew and Torah should be one. Torah is OUR life, like the unity of body and soul.
Torah is compared to water. The Talmudic sage Rabbi Akiva compares the relationship between Torah and the Jew like the connection between a fish and water. A fish cannot live too long out of the water, so too, Torah is the lifeline of a Jew.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
Monday, Sivan 2, 5786 (46th day of the Omer) / May 18, 2026
B"H
Monday, Sivan 2, 5786 (46th day of the Omer) / May 18, 2026
Yesterday (Sunday)was Rosh Chodesh Sivan. The month of Sivan has only one day Rosh Chodesh. The holiday of Shavuot, in which we received the Torah at Mount Sinai, will begin this Thursday night, May 21.
Rosh Chodesh Sivan is a significant day in Jewish history.The Torah tells us that on Rosh Chodesh Sivan, six weeks after the Exodus, the Jewish people came to Mount Sinai in anticipation to receiving the Torah, which was given to them six days later.
Something very significant happened that day.As the entire Jewish nation came to Mount Sinai and settled in front of the mountain they all experienced a special sense of unity among each other. The Torah expresses this with the words, “And HE rested in front of the mountain.” Instead of using the plural expression “They rested,” the Torah says, HE rested, using the singular expression. Our sages explain, “The entire Jewish nation, who numbered a few million people, was like ONE person with ONE heart.”
It was this feeling of unity and peace amongst all Jews that made them worthy of receiving the Torah. Our sages point out, “The Torah was given in order to bring PEACE in the world.”
One of the many customs of Shavuot is to stay up the first night of Shavuot, engaged in the study of Torah and reciting Torah passages.
Q. What is the reason for this custom?
A. At the time of the Giving of the Torah, G-d descended on Mount Sinai early in the morning, but the people were still asleep. They had the most peaceful night and didn’t wake up until later in the day. G-d waited for them until they woke up. This was considered disrespectful on the part of the people. To correct this error, we stay up the first night of Shavuot studying Torah.
Q. At Mount Sinai G-d spoke the Ten Commandments. How many letters are there in the Ten Commandments?
A. Six hundred and twenty letters. The significance of this is that they correspond to the number of Biblical mitzvot (613) and the Rabbinic mitzvot (7), which together total 620.
Q. How old were Moshe and his brother Aaron at the time of the Giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai?
A. Moshe was eighty years and Aaron eighty-three.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
|
Torah Fax is published daily (except Shabbat & Sunday) so you can learn something new every day |