Parashat Hashavua

DoublePortion?VayakhelPekudei? ...Art and Altruism

Nothing new here? Really a TON in this portion - but this shabbat let's talk about CASH

I often try to bring in some great thinkers so people who read this blog have SOME idea of

The Greatness of Torah Giants and their insights into Today - and Yesterday - and Tomorrow!

The Whole people - men and women - contribute (cash and materials) to building this Tabernacle in the Desert

This "Mishkan" in the desert is built by Artists working with Moshe Rabaynu

For a while nobody complained about anything - maybe a first since the Egyptian Exodus friom Slavery?

AND THERE WERE OTHER PERIODS IN OUR HISTORY WHERE EVERYONE KEPT IT TOGETHER, and

This Shabbat we read the Rule that EVERYONE contributes a Half Shekel toward Temple Upkeep each year.

What has that to do with Purim coming up?

Purim - when the exiled Israelites had to deal with Haman - and his paying the silly king 10000 silver pieces for the right to kill all the Israelites!

So I interpret what Rav Kook's student Rav Neria taught with a quote from the Medrash that

BECAUSE ALL THE JEWS CONTRIBUTED THE HALF SHEKEL TEMPLE TAX for so many years

(gladly like they contributed to BUILDING the Tabernacle

and because the Purim story was the BEGINNING OF THE RETURN TO ISRAEL

AND THE RE_BUILDING OF THE TEMPLE

(and because "money talks" as they say ...)

THOSE (past and FUTURE) SHEKELS were able to CONTRADICT (in heaven)

the evil shekels (the bribe ) of Haman (down below)-

And turn the disaster of Haman into the Blessings of Mordechai and Esther!

Let's get ready in every way for ALL the elevating mitzvas of Purim!

Shabat Shalom

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

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Portion of VaYakHel Pekooday

Portion TeTzaVeh

Before we get too far let me remind us all that the Lubavitcher Rebbe said we should all have festive meals on Purim like before Yom Kipur including candles on the table.

But on Chanuka and Shabbat we make blessings on the candles so why not Purim too!

And basically why did last week's portion Teruma describe the making of the Menora yet the Torah separated the commandment to make the oil into TeTzaVeh - this weeks portion?

And what is the difference betwen the Medrashic discussion of the Almighty showing the design of he Menorah in a real pillar of fire ( and making the Temple menora for Moses) versus the view of Kabbalist RAMChaL Rabbi Luzatto that he design was shown in Moshe's Mind but not actually?

And how is it the symbol of Israel and Israel's Knesset Today

A Menora even though so many Israelis are not observant?

So just a few short ideas while I am freezing here outside in New York while trying to prepare for Shabbat and the upcoming Purim

We know the Temple Menora of the second temple is depicted on he destroyer Titus's Arch in Rome

We dont know where the First Temple's menora is

At the beginning of Megila Esther we know that Ahashveyrosh the wicked showed off the utenils stolen from the First Temple ...but it says nothing about the .Menorah or the ARK of he Torah

I believe the Ramcha"l and theKabala wanted us to always have the VISION OF the menora before us

Today in Israel it is EveryWhere!

And just one idea ... that the Almighy in the Torah maybe separated the oil prep from the menora building design

Because

We can ( should ) Always have the menora visual in iur mind...

But how and why visualize OIL? So no...

Some mitzvas are closer to us at some times and not at others

So the Menora is a Specialty of Chanuka

But should always light up our prayers

And Purim Joy should light up every day

...but especially NOW when we read the portions of Temple Design we should rememeber that

Purim Paved the way for Building the Next Temple

And Purim is coming

And may the Third Temple be built soon in our days

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

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Portion TeTzaVeh

Portion Teruma ... Cherubs or Devils

In the portion the Mishkan ... The Temple in the desert

is planned by G-d and Moses

The cover of the Ark of the Tablets is built of beaten gold with TWO cherubs on top

Facing each other ... Not Next to Each Other

Opposite each other ... And the Medrash tells us that when the Israelites messed up in their relationship with the Almighty they turned away from each other

At all times they had

Wings spread and facing UP

We learn from Reb Kook that everything in the world is in pairs .... Even Torah portions

But this was not a pair

Pairs are together

Or Opposing

The Kabbalah teaches that everything in the world has opposite so

I believe one set of wings pointed up to the source of holiness

And I think the other guy pointed up to what Hassidim call the Bal Davar

who tries to lure us to sin...

Not really angels...

Reb Elimelech was sweeping the beit medrash ... Study Hall once

Late at night and In the middle he started beating two students!

Until they yelled ... And he

Swept out that couple of guys!

And he turned to the other students and said "

You gotta know who is an angel and who is not... "

Building a temple in a desert aint easy

( And not anywhere. )...but they did it

Angels are with us every Friday night ...

But when we ... Or they...stop talking to each other all our

Temples get destroyed

Lets Build ours on dialogue and love

And trying to fly higher

Gutt shabbos from Jerusalem

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

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portion of Teruma

Portion.Yitro : Who needs all that Thunder and Lightning?

What was really going on at Mount Sinai?

It's hot in the desert - so why did the Almighty send "Thunder and Lightning" but no RAIN?

That would have been an EASY miracle!

But people don't remember miracles ... most of us are just "into ourselves".

Some of us are altruistic - but people forget MOST of who and what they see or hear!

AND TWO PEOPLE IN THE SAME ROOM WILL REMEMBER DIFFERENT PARTS OF WHAT'S HAPPENING!

So - the L-rd sends

Thunder

Smoke

Noises

Shofar Blowings

Burning Mountain

Fog and Clouds

to announce the entrance of the Torah -

the most read (maybe also the most ignored?) book in history!

But:

How do they go together with Giving the Torah at Mount Sinai

Who was that supposed to impress?

EVERYONE actually - and Yitro - Jethro - heard about it in Midian (Jordan today) -

AND CAME AND CONVERTED TO JUDAISM - ALONG WITH HIS KIDS! (and maybe others too)

Some people are fire people

and some people are smoke.

Some people talk - but very few listen (Simon and Garfunkle got it right in the Sounds of Silence).

Some people walk around in a perpetual fog -

(and ALL of us are a LITTLE foggy on some issues... :)

ALL OF THESE STIMULI AT SINAI WERE FOR ONE REASON -

so WE WOULD NEVER FORGET THE TORAH!

The greatest sociological truth in the world is

IF WE HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN IT (for thousands of years)

IF A MILLION PEOPLE WERE THERE AND HEARD AND SAW IT -

- THEN IT WAS AND IS TRUE!

And it is our heritage,..

and needs to be polished (STUDIED) once in a while like silver or a diamond.

A deep meaning in the happening there is from my teacher

Rabbi Carlebach who said:

we saw the voices on mount Sinai, we saw the fire ,(...)

we saw every fire we (the Jewish people) have gone through

(AND) "Ve'es kol hashofar,"

and we saw the blowing of the trumpet on the great day -

(The day the Moshiach will TEACH PEACE TO THE WORLD)

...

you have to see the whole picture.

The moment you want to be a Jew, you have to connect yourself to the past, present and future picture.

You have to hear G-d's voice(from Simai)...

But ultimately, you also have to hear the blowing of the trumpet,

otherwise you don't quite understand what's going on.

The world is burning - it is foggy is smoky - AND CONFUSED

But Sinai and the commandments and the Torah are the guide to what's really going on in the world.

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

פרטים: נכתב על ידי Super User; קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua; פורסם ב01 דצמבר 2020; כניסות: 1620

portion of Yitro

Portion Beshalach Shabbat of Song

This week the Torah teaches us about:

Manna from Heaven

Escaping the Egyptians because the Red Sea split for us

Lots of complaints of "no water" "no food"

Fears of enemies fears of the unknown desert
and fears of being trapped between armies and the ocean

All of These are seen TODAY or recently

AND THE ALMIGHTY TEACHES US in this portion ABOUT MIRACLES AND NOT TO DESPAIR

But first a few questions - and hopefully some people will read the whole portion to gain personal understanding and satisfaction and to oversome some personal limitations - or just because it's there!

Why didn't the people give themselers strength by singing at the Red Sea BeFore walking into the water - or While they were crossing

How many complaints did the Israelites have in the desert and why?

How many Jews from Eastern Europe survived in Russia as opposed to the six million?

Why do Jews complain about the Israel that protects seven million Jews (and more) today?

When do individuals learn to appreciate the bounty given by G-d?

When does a tribe learn that?

When does a whole people learn to stop kvetching and start saying THANK YOU for the world?

When will the world stop listening to divisive politicians and start being good neighbors?

IN RECENT HISTORY

Manna from Heaven ? Israel has become a successful developed country exporting hi tech

Escaping the Egyptians because the Red Sea split for us? The Israelite nation survived -

    in Ethiopia India Europe - and in Israel which was a DESERT for 2000 years until Israel Independence

    and has survived 70 years of open or covert war against the Jews!

Lots of complaints of "no water" - Israel now exports water technology around the world

Fears of enemies fears of the unknown desert and fears of being trapped between armies and the ocean

TODAY MANY PEOPLE SUFFER TRAUMAS - EVEN IN ISRAEL - BUT WE ARE WORKING ON THAT TOO

SO SING AND DANCE A LITTLE - IN HONOR OF SHABBAT - THANKING THE ALMIGHTY
AND TO BRING A LITTLE BIT OF HOPE AND OF EDEN INTO THE WORLD

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

-



Parsha, Beshalach, is filled with miracles, transitions and complaints. The inaugural complaint by the Jewish people involves their fear of being overrun by the pursuing Egyptian army, to which Moshe responds “stand firm and watch…” how G-d will save us (14:13). The word used to instruct the Jews to stand firm is “hit-yatzvu”, a word seldom used by the Torah. Why would it be important for us to stand firm while G-d fights our battle, and what’s the significance of that special word?

Rabbi Fohrman (www.alephbeta.org) explains that the word hit-yatzvu was used when Miriam stood to see what would happen to Moshe when watching him by the river. Her actions demonstrated her belief that things will work out, despite the perilous risk to Moshe’s life.

There’s a difference between observing something and having conviction of a certain outcome. Moshe’s message was not only to have faith in Hashem but to teach them to have steadfast conviction in the result.

When we encounter struggles in life, through one word G-d reminds us to not only have faith but conviction that G-d will also help us through them. Just watch.
_______________________________________

Quotation of the week:
“When you learn, teach. When you get, give."

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Portion of Beshalach

Portion Bo - How to Paint Yourself Out of a Box

So what is your favorite part of the story we tell about leaving Egypt (as slaves)

and entering Israel (Canaan) as a free and ENLIGHTENED (mostly) people?

This week's portion tells of the last few plagues (of the 10) in Egypt.

It Gives us the Mitzva of BLESSING (sanctifying) the New Moon (why?)

AND suggests PREPARATIONS

(bbq AND FAMILY GET TOGETHER) FOR THE exodus FROM EGYPT

I love the Seders - but lets go back 3000 years - and think what it must have felt like

You're all nervous because you are not sure what the Egyptians are planning

(they were pretty nasty before Moses came back from Midian)

And Moses says

"The Almighty wants you to PAINT the DOORPOSTS with the blood from the BBQ animal"

Huh?

And then after midnight you will hear a lot of screaming - so go to your neighbors and borrow a lot of jewelry

Huh? The neighbors who kept us as slaves? And beat us?

So the Almighty says - get into the mood - paint the town RED (literally)

but as a SYMBOL of GETTING OUT OF THERE

(because after tomorrow YOU WON'T LIVE THERE ANY MORE!)

and LOOK TO THE MOON as it RENEWS ITSELF!

That's who you can BE if you

remember how happy - even if a little worried -

everyone was when we left Egypt (even the Egyptians - who said Good Riddance)

So - that's the renewed Jewish people leaving Egypt?

Leaving our self-imposed restrictions?

That's how we should all feel reading this portion.

And at the seders - in a ferw months.

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

פרטים: נכתב על ידי Super User; קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua; פורסם ב01 דצמבר 2020; כניסות: 1573

Portion BO

Portion Vayey Ra ... Did Pharoah learn history lessons before becoming the Mightiest King onEarth?

What do teenagers secretly want to know? Human behavior.

What didn't Pharoah's father teach him? Warfare.
Why do so many world leaders knock off previous rulers? And...

What do adults secretly avoid? Confrontation is the way of life of TOO MANY PEOPLE

Every Bible Story teaches LIFELONG LESSONS - how to live and love and grow.

Kids need jokes and they need direction .... And skills .... and they need to learn stuff from the Bible!.

Some kids are sent to military school where they learn DISCIPLINE

My guess is that Pharoah had discipline - but NO APPRECIATION for ANYTHING!

Yesterday I saw a guy I know who was not doing well in high school.

Yet he became a great military leader.
Nice guy, married ...

No spiritual directions. ... no interest in having kids ... just he and the wife have careers ...

Pharoah went to military school - learned discipline
(Lesson 1 - don't give in to Moses)

(Lesson 2 - Counterattack to Moses' request to let our people go saying "Who is this G-d ?
I never heard of him!")

Do you think he was taught economics or the History of Joseph saving Egypt?

The whole economy and social structure of Egypt was based on "Joseph economics"!
Maybe he failed if they even had those courses.

So the Almighty writes in the portion about

How many times Moses ( and also Aron ) have to respect Pharoah and talk "freedom of worship"

Patience was not the isuue -
The Torah teaches respect - and how to make holiness out of human behavior

Was pharoah stupid ...Or spoiled? Or Just Stubborn "wih discipline"?

History changes after wars. The Torah knows that -

but Torah teaches Derech Eretz (good qualities for humans) and

G-dliness and holiness.... and that G-d rules the world - and so the 10 plagues begin!

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

פרטים: נכתב על ידי Super User; קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua; פורסם ב01 דצמבר 2020; כניסות: 2367

portion of Vayerah

Portion Vayechi

Death of Jealousy!

So in the TelAviv airport I helped a guy find a way to charge his cell phone before flying to Brussels

Of course Talking Torah was an ice breaker

In short ... we saw the portions of the last few weeks revolving around

The brothers jealous of Joseph

Jacob overprotective of young man Benjamin

Judah overcome with despair

So Jacob blesses the family before leaving the world

Each according to their personal qualities

With the blessing and reliance that in the Future

All shortcomings will be resolved!

In Vayechi we see in this weekly portion brotherly solidarity

Joseph did accomplish that temporarily

But we still need to implement that -

in the airports and in the world

Watching two sisters play this week AND

Meeting people in the airport in Rome AND

Making a Minyan there for Kaddish with Jewish people speaking many languuages

Going different places

I became certain that we can help bring upon the world

The many blesings and prophecies of our

Great Fatbers and Mohers

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

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Portion Vayechi

Portion Va yigash : Brothers or Not (same for sisters?)

The Mesrash on this portion states that Judah threatened to kill Joseph (before he knew it was Joseph) if Benjamin was not returned to the clan.

Joseph was not afraid – and he merely took this as a sign that the brother who sold him into slavery had repented.

What kind of brothers are we talking about?

Sometimes I share in my Shabat Sermons a few words that I get from an American guy who prays with me in Jerusalem's Great Synagogue.

After Great Synagogue services he has a cup of coffee and then goes out on the street with a mike and amp to sing for donations.

He;s there on the street all day and he pays his bills from that – and even makes some donations to the elders with whom I study.

There is some respect in both directions.

However – out on the street – there are some others who prey on him - but he won't fight back.

Why do some people innately have to attack others?

WHY was it so hard for Joseph's brothers to just leave Joseph and his dreams alone?

And WHY?

this week why did a particular street person smash the guys amplifier to smithereens (as the guy told me)?

Joseph caused them – his brothers - no harm – but they couldn't get beyond PETTINESS .

Confronting Violence – in a week of sadness in Israel over tragedy of terror attacks…it's so hard…

So the guy I know had to sing without an amp in the cold Jerusalem winter

He told me this on Wednesday.

I put my hand in my pocket to pull out 100 shekels - but then he got excited saying

Three cops on motorcycles came over to me later and said "You are coming with us""

"And you know I have a thing for cops, so I asked them "Why – what did I do?

Did Benjamin even know that the 10 other brothers conspired against Joseph?

Did he ever find out? There was NO FACEBOOK in those days!

"We'll tell you why, they said. We're going to buy you a new amp."

He told me "I said, I just wanted to fix my old amp".

One of the cops said "We saw it all on FACEBOOK, someone took a video – so come with us now…" and they drove him to a store.

Others also came over after seeing it on FACEBOOK

How can we Fix ourselves and our brothers?

Joseph cried – and revealed himself to his shocked brothers.

But to the day Jacob died they still did not understand fully that Joseph FULLY believed the hand of the Almighty was in it all, just like he said.

Maybe some who saw it all on FACEBOOK believe it …

May we remember EVEN AFTER SHABBAT to try to be there for ALL our brothers and sisters.

Shabbat Shalom

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portion of Vayigash

Portion Vaeshev - What came first - Shabbos or Chanuka?

The Holy Masters teach us that certain things were created before the world as we know it was created by the Almighty (see Pirkei Avot).

In reading this portion on might think that foolish dreams and jealousy and anger - and guilt? Came first...

Or maybe a LITTLE LOVE of some brothers ...? Who tried to save Joseph from the above ...

Anyone who reads the Torah must see that certain energies existed before the Torah was given

See how Cain was able to ask a little forgiveness (but not to completely do TESHUVA - repent ) from his heinous crime – who taught him that? Where did that COME FROM?

And Noah was a Tzadik it says – truly righteous – amidst a degenerate generation – WHERE DID THAT SPIRITUAL STRENGTH COME FROM?

And we see from the recent portions the POWER OF ABRAHAM – to see through the idol worship around him – and strongly believe in G-d until G-D appeared and started to BELIEVE in ABRAHAM and in his childrens' power –to until today preach and teach the way of righteousness and holiness and morality and fealty to the Almighty and the holy teachings …

We are taught that Moses received all the Laws of Shabbos before Mount Sinai and the Torah.Was that

So was that from the time of Abraham? from Noah?

Or from Adam and Eve and Cain Abel and … from before the creation of the world?

Is Shabbos and Peace and Holiness in our DNA – but just ignored by the world?

And where did the Maccabee power to resist the perversion of Greece (and Rome) come from?

Was it not in our DNA and part of the power of Abraham – and Noah – and in the creation of Adam and Eve when the Almighty decided there must be humanity in the universe?

What else is there that is so engrained in the human soul – that fights greed and meanness of spirit and evil – than the Power of Chanukah and the dedication of the Maccabees?

So where in the scriptures do we see that?

And where in this portion do we see the ENERGY of Joseph – despised by his brothers – become King in Egypt because of his humanity (saving the known world- see next 2 portions)

Well – we really have no source to rely on that Chanuka dedication came before Shabbos Peace – but the Rule of the Torah is :

that we LIGHT the (extra long) CHANUKA CANDLES NEXT WEEK before the Shabbat Candles (which we should do always).!!!So for

This coming week we should read the Torah and light the candles and sing (and dance?) the songs (read the Book of Maccabees?) and TRY TO ADD A LITTLE LIGHT IN THE WORLD AROUND US

And thank the Almighty for a few minutes a day for the Power of Shabbos and the Power of Chanuka and the History of Israelite Holy Wisdom and Faithfulness and Sharing and…

Gutt Shabbos and

Freilichen (joyous) Chanukah to the world

Shabba Shalom from Israel

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

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Portion of Vayeshev

עמוד 31 מתוך 60