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קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
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פורסם ברביעי, 25 נובמבר 2020 08:12
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נכתב על ידי Super User
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כניסות: 188
I always laughed on Amsterdam Avenue in Manhattan when I walked past a house of worship where their "sukkah" was visibly in their basement and NOT OUTSIDE like it's supoosed to be.
Where do you shine the most - at home or outside?
What is the most shining your soul can do?
In the Sukkah you can be both inside (something) and mostly outside (in G-d's great outdoors) too!
The mystical Jewish works also talk about an OHR MAKIF and an OHR PNIMI -
outside brighteness and an INNER brightness. wE AN FEEL THEM - AD SHARE THEM.
G-d's protection - from the elements and from the enemies of holiness - are represented by the Sukkah.
While you may THINK it's a flimsy tent ... but the light inside shines to the outside ...
and should ignite you -
when you think of these little huts
which PROTECTED ALL ISRAEL 40 YEARS IN THE DESERT -
and have been a focus of SHARING AND SPREADING THE LIGHT OF HOLINESS for
thousands of years.
You see, ALL OUR SYMBOLS are little lights on the path to a STRONG SPIRIT -
candles on Chanukah
,Matza on Passover
AND THE LITTLE SUKKAH - a place to gather, celebrate, and SHARE.
So SPREAD A LITTLE Sukkos SHINING!
Lots of Love from Israel in a time of the joyous holiday of Sukkot!
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
- פרטים
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קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
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פורסם ברביעי, 25 נובמבר 2020 08:11
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Portion of Nitzavim-Vayelech – Double portion
In this portion the Almighty tells Moses … and Moses tells Joshua … and Moses
commands the Israelite people – TO SING!
This is a double portion – Nitzavim and Vayelech - and we – just like the Israelites of the desert - are standing before the Jewish New Year with a double "portion" before us – a double promise of our land of Milk and Honey – in Israel and in the exile - and a double threat of a violent world and a threat of poverty for so many.
G-d warns us that we will forsake H-m – and yet teaches us – because that is H-s way in the Torah – that to sing the song of the Almighty is to correct the evil of the world and within our rebellious souls which only want a little (or too much?) freedom…
With awe and LOVE – and a SONG in our hearts – let us all join in prayer and in song – thanking the Almighty that the rocket attacks on Israel were MIRACULOUSLY defeated with so few losses, thanking for the opportunity to DO GOOD this coming year, and for the G-dly gift of sharing a New Year with our loved ones.
- Ksiva Vachasima Tova - Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
- פרטים
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קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
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פורסם ברביעי, 25 נובמבר 2020 08:10
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Key Tay Tzay -Do you think G-d cheated you? do you cheat yourself?
Kids like to say "it's not fair"
Politicians use the "fairness doctrine" words - but do they never cheat? OIY!
Do you know anyone who's angry at G-d because they feel "cheated"?
This week's portion says "even shalayma v tzedek ." meaning
"use a perfect and righteous stone (measurement)".
EVEN is defined as STONE - like the ancients used as weights,
But does it mean - weights and measures -
or shall we see in this Mitzva a more broad definition and interpretation, like
"standards" to use in daily life? That is - KEEP HONEST STANDARDS -
SHELAYMA is defined as FULL or PERFECT - or EXACT (as in weights)
Don't over and don't under weigh (judge?) things?
I read a tought from my friend Rabbi Josh Hoffman on the portion-
"The recognition of this capacity to sink so low
should bring us to a great appreciation of God’s great kindness in redeeming us from the depravity of Egypt
and giving us the Torah, which teaches us to set boundaries that separate us from our baser instincts,
and enable us to reach a higher level of purity and spirituality."
Really - 24/7 - spiritual standards? Maybe IT's NOT FAIR to hold us to so many standards?!
From Rebbe Nachman we can learn a rule -
NOT TO BELITTLE EVEN OURSELVES!
Don't put yourself down - just do your best - and know the Almighty gives us WAYS to become holy!
And from Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach -
We ALL have a place in the inside of the inside of us -
a place we RARELY go, and hardly EVER reveal to others-
which is a part of us that is TOTALLY HOLY AND TOTALLY GOOD!
My interpretation of this is:
we think things aren't fair because they're hard - but we don't see our OWN INSIDES!
We just need to breathe a little fire into ourselves,
to LIGHT UP THAT PLACE AND SEE OUR OWN STRENGTHS
"the inside of the inside OF US" which is our own even shelayma ...
Preparing for the High Holy Days
SHABBAT SHALOM
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
- פרטים
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קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
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פורסם ברביעי, 25 נובמבר 2020 08:10
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נכתב על ידי Super User
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Portion of Key Tavo – when the Almighty brings you to – a REALIZATION?
What do we know?
What Mitzva will confront us? What Challenge?
Our portion starts with a scenario – come into MY (G-d's) land – MY world –
Bring gifts to the Temple and remember G-d's gifts and wonders for you …
But then there is the curse-
if we don't MAINTAIN the Almighty's world-And we allow corruption –
and finally Moses tells us – YOU've SEEN the miracles, and ARE ALREADY SITTING in PART of ISRAEL
just KEEP THE COVENANT and the promise of living in G-d's world is yours!
Based on thoughts by Rabbi David Aron - who says
blessings come to a person who takes his natural instincts and becomes in synch with the Almighty's plan -
but otherwise these drives destroy him
. When we do good —we feel good.
G-d makes it SO EASY most of the time to do good
Sometimes it's hard – but not if we KNOW it's for our own deepest good
and for
the divine magnificene of our soul
Key Tavo - May we all use the approaching High Holidays to
- as Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach used to sing-
"Return to the Land of our SOULS"
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
- פרטים
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קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
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פורסם ברביעי, 25 נובמבר 2020 08:09
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נכתב על ידי Super User
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כניסות: 326
Portion of Judgeships to set up...
Portion of Shoftim - Judges
The Portion says: Shoftim and shotrim you shall appoint …
The portion talks about wars and witchcraft, kings and cowardice, and righteousness in Jewish judgment.
Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach liked to tell a funny teaching about Jewish concept of Justice
(my interpretation here – where the emphasis is on HOW NOT OR YES TO JUDGE OTHERS)
Imagine you stop at a long red light and see the driver next to you and you
Talk to the next driver.
And the other driver pulls away quickly without saying hello even!
Later on you get a speeding ticket – and you're sure you're having a bad day when the police officer brings you to the local judge.
Well imagine if that judge is THAT OTHER DRIVER! And winks to you – and dismisses the ticket.
How can weever judge everyone?
The best thing is to look at everything as the Al-mighty giving US a chance to judge everything favorably – and to spread a little good will around.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
