Parashat Hashavua

Portion Vayera - From the Worst to the Best?

The portion CONTRASTS the faithfulness of Abraham with the corruption and evil in Sodom,

where Abraham's nephew went to live.

Rabbi Neriya's (OB"M) book talking on this portion points out about the difference

between "knowing G-d's Will" (to do)

and knowing "G-d Knowledge" (on a spiritual plane).

Here we have Abraham teaching the world not to perform human sacrifice to idols -

And he is commanded to take his son and put him on the alter on the Temple Mount!

Maimonides was a Master of all that, - the difference between

G-d knowledge - and knowing what G-d's REAL WILL is - something Abraham had to learn.

The Torah Story teaches us that: It is something one learns ONLY by Faithfully Testing Oneself with

the Commands of the Almighty (as written in the Torah)!

So .... Not so many people are aware how the "Bal Haturim" (as he was called)

was also a truly great Master of all that.

(He wrote the Arba Turim

which are the standard reference books of all rabbis and scholars to this very day).

Known as Rabbi Jacob ben Asher - he also wrote a commentary on the Torah, which shows his deep knowledge of the secrets of the Torah.

In discussing the evilness of Sodom, he explained the use of the word "Poh" (here) "Where Lote the nephew lived"

he explained the numerical connection between POH - place of Evil, "85 gematria"

and the name BOAZ

Grandfather of King David

"Poh" from the story of anshei sedom

teaching G-d's will - is that OUR JOB -

is to EXTRACT THE SACRED FROM THE PROFANE AND CORRUPTED sedom

And bring forth redemption

With the Boaz people of the world !

Shabat Shalom and Health to all

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

פרטים: נכתב על ידי Super User; קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua; פורסם ב02 דצמבר 2020; כניסות: 2028

portion of Vayerah

Portion LechLecha : What was Abraham thinking?

OUR PORTION ENDS WITH THE COMMANDMENT FOR ISRAELITE MALES TO BE CIRCUMCISED - THE BRIS MEELAH

How did Abraham and Sarah come to that conclusion?

This week Rabbi Jacobsen implied some good questions.

Is it really so difficult to recognize your life’s mission?

WAS ABRAHAM UNCLEAR FOR YEARS ABOUT HIS MISSION IN LIFE?

How About THIS COMMANDMENT?

Our traditions teach us that once Abraham as a kid started to connect with the Almighty

he never lost that focus. He knew his job was to teach the masses and get them away

from corruption and idolatry.

But where did the Bris come in?

It took time to realize this was a culmination of FIRST STAGE JUDAISM!

To paraphrase Rabbi Jacobsen:

keeping goals in sight is hard because we get distracted by

struggleS for survival, which can easily even convince ourselves that we don’t need – or don’t have – a mission.

The physical here and now becomes all that matters.

Even people who are committed to discover their mission find it difficult to do so. Determination is vital; but something somehow seems to stand in the way between you and your mission.

A JEWISH HERO IS ONE WHO CONNECTS THEIR LIE MISSION TO THAT OF THE ALMIGHTY'S IN CREATING THE WORLD

Something it is HARD TO FIGURE OUT how

MAYBE that's why it took a while for Abraham ... This whole Parsha

To connect to the Mitzvah.

Today so many people say "I will circumcize - but have the doctor do it "-

but that is without making the blessing.

Get some blessing so

Give some blessing s

And have a great healthy Shabbat

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

פרטים: נכתב על ידי Super User; קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua; פורסם ב02 דצמבר 2020; כניסות: 1581

Portion of Lech LeCha

What do you do with a Leper? Portion of Metzora

What do you do with a Leper? Portion of Metzora
Of course - you CURE them!
And when it's time for them to return to the community -
the Torah says "you take for them 2 birds ..."

Later in the Portion Metzora - about other sacrifices -
it says "They will take" -

so the secret of the DIFFERENCE we can only learn from Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach (zatza"l)

Who's more a leper to society than the people roaming the streets?

One of the Rabbis of Manhattan once told me
"Rabbi Shlomo took us on a tour of Riverside Park-
at midnight last night-
and he taught us how to do the Mitzva of Charity-
we went around and talked with all the HOMELESS people
sleeping in the park

and gave them some money -
but the most important was to talk with them"

Because the Torah says "take for them 2 birds"
the Kohen helps them in the process of returning to the community ...

Let us all be a part of the redemption as we prepare for Passover

Love and Shabbos from Israel

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

פרטים: נכתב על ידי Super User; קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua; פורסם ב02 דצמבר 2020; כניסות: 1485

Portion Noah in the Times of Corona -Klal and Prot for the Whole World - What's That?

Klal means "in General" and Prot means "for the Individual"

Portion Noah is A Message for Today direct from the Almighty!

I just raised today's question "what's that" with one of my kids - asking

Why is the portion called Noah -

and the First Portion - BeraySheet is NOT called "Portion Adam and Eve"?

And the next one is NOT called Portion Abraham

And the last one is NOT called Portion Moses?

I just got an email from an intermarried couple - Jewish mother with a question

(and the father is a great guy I really like)

but I haven't heard from them in a while.

BuraySheet is to teach the Whole World - the KLAL -

and the Jews must Teach That -

that it must get

Closer to the Almighty to defeat the anti-G-d murderous virus!

By Holding and communicating with each other more closely

And Noah is to teach the world - YES EVERYONE - that

the Jews must Teach - That Each Individual (the Prot)

must get in there -And dance around the Almighty -

And follow - Torah and Mitzvos

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

פרטים: נכתב על ידי Super User; קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua; פורסם ב02 דצמבר 2020; כניסות: 1850

Portion of Noah

Portion BuRaySheet where Adam makes a Left Turn and Gets Everyone Lost!

Greetings again from beautiful Jerusalem-

- could this be the gateway to the

Garden of Eden of this weeks portion?

Ahhhh, we are Starting to read the Torah again from the first portion, and

While some rabbis promise blessings for the whole year from participating jn this

First Portion of the Year

Let's just Take it down a notch

And try to just learn some of life's lessons from the beautiful text

I will limit to one thought - but everyone can get a lot out of each teaching in the portion.

We read about how

"In the Creation" - like many things in Life - the

Good starts from some murky depths

BUT - it can start with one little spark - of LIGHT

We can all touch off the Light in the world

with adding little Spark of Kindness, or a Word of Light!

And the opposite?

I always wondered - Did the primordial snake come from

those very same depths (as the Spark of Light)?

Instead of giving a Word of Light to the new Residents in Eden

He makes as much murky trouble as he can

Between Eve and Adam

Until Adam doesn't even know

what the Right Thing to Do is! And they both get kicked out.

There are so many timely questions...

like - Where do viruses come from?

and how do some "paradise people" - like on Fiji and Samoa get "there"?

How did they know when to turn ledt or right to get to paradise? And Us?

Take some INSPIRATION from the Torah hints-

thoughts for igniting renewal

and protecting each other - and thinking of getting back to the Garden.

Start Anew Each Day with some Light - for yourself and others

Avoid snakes

Thank the Almighty (instead of avoiding G-d)

for all those places or islands of refuge from daily difficulties

(And beware of floods in the future - like in next week's portion).

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

פרטים: נכתב על ידי Super User; קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua; פורסם ב02 דצמבר 2020; כניסות: 1489

Portion BuRaySheet

Portions of Shabbat and Simchat Torah - with Yizkor and Radzik Abdul Hader?

Interesting news today - brush fires because it's very hot here - and

"Remembering Dov Golan" on Israel. - who was a friend of Prime Minister Yitzchak Shamir.

So - what's there to celebrate this Shabbat? Limited dancing with the Torah?

I have ALWAYS celebrated Shabbat and also Simchat Torah - from childhood.

Back in Manhattan 1975-98 or so - at the Carlebach Shul,

Simchat Torah day was prayers and dancing from morning to almost night...

Even though in Israel it is combined with "Yizkor (Remembering) Day - Shemini Atzeret".

It was also Neshana Carlrbach 's birthday - so we did

All day dancing ... and then as the sun was setting - birthday cake!

Is that all?

To keep this short and not hold anyone in suspense -

Dov Golan was none other than - Radzik Abdul Hader!

He was from the royal family of Algeria - who were taken over by the French colonialists.

He hated them, loved his brother Algerian Muslims - and the Jews!

Dov Golan in his later years always had a Mezuza on his door!

Radzik Abdul Hader worked as an Anti-French revolutionary - but in the end,

Dov Golan was a spy for Israel for many years. Bless his soul.

So does the Almightu have his ways ??? To protect the Jewish people?

Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach gave out HOLY books to dance with on Simchat Torah.

First he would bless each person who would come up and promise:

to dance with the book at our celebration, AND

study from that book DURING THE YEAR!

He also blessed all the holy gentiles who helped the Jews -

but I don't know if he ever met Dov Golan!

There is so much to learn each week from the Torah reading,

and this week should not be just a sad "memorial look back".

We read the end portion in the Torah - and then start again from the FIRST PORTION -

BeRaySheet - meaning "in the beginning".

So remember to read a little Torah

dance a little jig every so often on the weekend

thank the Almighty for all those holy messengers he sends us - Jewish and other -

and - as my Doctor friend (thanks WW) I bumped into when I snuck out a little to pray this morning told me,

the famous Chatam Sofer (1769-1832?)

predicted this coming year would be a much better upcoming year than the last.

We never know how it happens - BUT TRUST IN THE ALMIGHTY- he has ways!

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

פרטים: נכתב על ידי Super User; קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua; פורסם ב02 דצמבר 2020; כניסות: 1915

Simchat Torah

Portion Nitzavim Vayelech - With all the Great Gifts we have today?

Gifts? Corona and Elections with self serving politicians? Putin? China?

Lockdowns ... Masks ... People afraid to go out ... OIY VEY!

In this double portion the Almighty says "Today I give you Life and Good - (or the opposite)

Is that OUR Reality? or just some Philosophy?

Really now, what are the Greatest Gifts of Today?

Isn't Corona making this year really more like a holocaust out there?

Moses tells the people "Be strong ... Joshua will lead you into Israel ...

Fear not...

Just as G-d defeated Sihon and Og ... FEAR NOT because the Almighty protects you..."

So many people have no idea what was the big deal about "defeating Sihon and Og".

While there is SO MUCH Torah and Power packed into these 2 little portions,

Let me just explain those 2 names - in a way to understand this election year in the USA

Sihon - relates to the word Sachitah- to EXTORT

"OO L Og" - relates to putting down or mocking you

These are crimes committed by words - and so are the crimes of political leaders -

Putin ... Iran ... even the UN ...etc

What is the Calming and yet Powerful antidote to their threats and verbal wars?

And indeed all the false complaints about Judaism from so many corners of the planet?

We have been shown by our sages that SHABBOS is the greatest Gift to the World.

Chapter 30 of Deuteronomy uses the letters of SHABBOS שבת

in a few ways -

with meanings like

"You will Return" to G-dliness

and the Almighty will "Return you from exile"

Just like Joshua defeated Sihon and Og -

Our Shabbos has kept our people safe for thousands of years-

SO - Teach the World to "Play Shabbos" this week!

And Next Shabbos will begin a wonderful NEW YEAR for the World!

Shabbat Shalom - Blessings from the Torah and the Almighty

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

פרטים: נכתב על ידי Super User; קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua; פורסם ב02 דצמבר 2020; כניסות: 1592

Portion of Nitzavim Vayelech

Portion Key Tay Tzay and the 3 Gates to Hell

Dancing with kids now while the radio is playing -

"Mach a Brocho" - meaning "make this blessing and that one...."

In the portion there are a bunch of mitzvot - commandments

That you Dont Make a Brocho On! Why?

You should really look that one up ...

But one note hear ... Amalek (the anti-G-dliness)....must be destroyed -

so when the 10 henchmen of Hitler were hung - or Eichman - was a blessng required?
No - yet ...

we bless on the reading of the Purim megila - because it is a mitzva WE ALL DO - TELLING of the

ruin of Haman and then the return and rebirth of Israel! Much Cause for a Blessing!

So what about the 3 openings (Petachim) to Hell the Talmud was talking about in this morning's class (Masechet Eiruvin)?

One - it says - is in Jerusalem! Is that possible?From the Holy City to ???

Anyway, the portion starts with women and discusses wonen in the middle ///

Remember the 5th of the 5 Books of is partially a re stating of Mitzvas at the 40 year ending of desert wandering

So it repeats the mitzva to wipe out Amalek

But the "Women related Mitzvas" are different (look 'em up in the Good Book - this portion)

Yefat Toar

Divorce

Yibum Levirate Marriage

And the woman who tries to protect her husband when he is in a fistfight ... right or wrong...

Wait - is that an insight to the openings to Hell ?

Just one quick thought ...

We sing Friday night to the Eishet Chayil - Woman of Valor -

whose husband trusts in her wisdom and her actions -

Maybe the non-blessings on these mitzvas - is because it's often a value decision -

and the Torah is not SOOO clear what the required action is - so we can't make a blessing-

and sometimes our actions lead us to heaven - and sometimes to the opposite place;

Only by study and working on these mitzvas can we be in a heavenly mode

Of course Shabbat helps ... giving us heavenly strength and direction

Have a good healthy sweet and empowering Shabbos

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

פרטים: נכתב על ידי Super User; קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua; פורסם ב02 דצמבר 2020; כניסות: 1588

Portion Key TayTzay

Portion Shofetim - a New Month (Elul) and a New World

Police and judges "within all your gates". Huh?

The Torah Portion here starts out with police and judges - and ends with - murder?
Aren't police and judges supposed to prevent - murder?

On one level we need order and safety "in ALL our communities"

In Israel there are a lot of fire bombs and rockets from Gaza lately as part of a Hamas attemot to destroy Jews instead of improving the lives of their people.

Are there no sane judges in Gaza?

On an individual human level we learn in the writings of -Reb Elimelech of Lizensk

Bechol shearech means "Within all your gates"

Meaning withing your PERSONAL "gates" too - your senses (of all types).

He also writes "Every mitzva too "opens a gate" - a spiritual gate.

Rav Lasry speaks about the month of Elul - the 30 days leading up to Rosh Hashono - being the time most appropriate to "open spiritual gates"

The Lubavitcher Rebbe also taught that, clarifying:

Sometimes your mitzva opens "gates" for another - and you should be glad.

Another Rabbi wrote this week the famous rabbinic question brought to him":

Snake bit a person. The doctor said after treating him for a few days:
You should thank the guy who let the snake loose.

Why, asked the guy who wanted to sue the sanke's owner!

The Dr. said "because you came in here we discovered you had a malignant caner which we started to treat.

So the snake's owner actually saved you from an undetected murderous cancer.

The guy called hi Rabbi who said: "don't sue! Drop it! The snake saved your life!"

So too - with mitzvas - you know something good is going to come out of it! We just don't always know where.

Have a Healthy and Happy new month of Elul

And the whole month before Rosh Hashono

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

פרטים: נכתב על ידי Super User; קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua; פורסם ב02 דצמבר 2020; כניסות: 1530

Portion Shoftim

Portion Ru Aiy - Legitimate or Not?

The portion speaks of the choices the Israelites - and we - are enjoined t make

about our connections

Right now my computer is giving me some hassles with its connections - so I will keep this brief

Some of this is based on the Talmud Class this 5AM of Rabbi B. Miletzky - the rest is from me

King David had to deal with his detractors most of his life

Doeg Haedomi was one (Doeg means "you better worry" in Hebrew)

Who pushed in public to de-legitimize David who had plenty of other worries from King Saul etc

Eventually David's public image was saved by proving in public

That Samuel the Prophet had validated David's lineage and made him fit -the

noting that David's lineage from Ruth was acceptable since the Time and Laws of Moses

TO BE KING OVER ISRAEL

Today international conspiracy to de legitimize Israel is an easy way for

Anti Semites to attack the Jewish people - and allow physical attacks - just

as most Arab nations and people would like Israel to disappear

Their despotic rulers want that so they can control nations and steal the wealth of the people-
rather than letting Israel help their people

And the populations who listen to religious leadership afraid of the Faith of Abraham want that -
probably not knowing the truth that Israel and Jews help millions around the world -

because the Jewish Way does not recognize or allow brutality or abusing the masses for the sake of the few

So don't be afraid to fight the Anti Semitism

Just be clear in public and on social media and in your own mind

That same way as above -
that Judaism since Moses' time and laws - are a major factor for truth and kindness in the world

Shabat Shalom and Health and Blessings

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

פרטים: נכתב על ידי Super User; קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua; פורסם ב02 דצמבר 2020; כניסות: 4538

Portion RuhAy

עמוד 23 מתוך 60