Parashat Hashavua

Portion VaYishLach - and a little struggle never hurts...

Jacob struggled with the angel in this portion.

My Favorite Elad Rabbi (Rabbi Yaskil) spoke about this yesterday (I got a Wattsapp recording) and said:

the struggle of Jacob is also for EACH of us (not only father Jacob) : to STRUGGLE WITH EVIL-

not always accomplishing the defeat of evil (Jacob got away in the portion but a little wounded)

but the portion teaches that Hashem wants us to Never Give Up the Struggle against evil.

So I was in Miami this week - and found my way to the Chabad of South Beach to pray-

(where I was once caught in a hurricane).

Praying peacefully seems not to be my forte -

and this time I was sitting between three Israeli guys who were having problems -

and I got pulled into their stories -

and naturally I had to help them out with a few things I am pretty good at.

So let's all remember the teaching of the Rebbe of the Warsaw Ghetto

that "the greatest mitzvah is to do a favor for another Yid"

and that Rabbi Yaskil repeats the teaching of Rebbe Nachman -

that it is OKAY to struggle - and realize that we don't have to always win for the Almighty to be proud of us!

The Thanksgiving weekend ALSO teaches us - not to give up the struggle

Like the history of our people shows us that we CAN OVERCOME all the struggles

let's get ready for shabbat

and may we be blessed with peace and joy this shabbat

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

פרטים: נכתב על ידי Super User; קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua; פורסם ב01 דצמבר 2020; כניסות: 1709

portion of Vayishlach

Portion VaYishLach - and a little struggle never hurts...

Jacob struggled with the angel in this portion.

My Favorite Elad Rabbi (Rabbi Yaskil) spoke about this yesterday (I got a Wattsapp recording) and said:

the struggle of Jacob is also for EACH of us (not only father Jacob) : to STRUGGLE WITH EVIL-

not always accomplishing the defeat of evil (Jacob got away in the portion but a little wounded)

but the portion teaches that Hashem wants us to Never Give Up the Struggle against evil.

So I was in Miami this week - and found my way to the Chabad of South Beach to pray-

(where I was once caught in a hurricane).

Praying peacefully seems not to be my forte -

and this time I was sitting between three Israeli guys who were having problems -

and I got pulled into their stories -

and naturally I had to help them out with a few things I am pretty good at.

So let's all remember the teaching of the Rebbe of the Warsaw Ghetto

that "the greatest mitzvah is to do a favor for another Yid"

and that Rabbi Yaskil repeats the teaching of Rebbe Nachman -

that it is OKAY to struggle - and realize that we don't have to always win for the Almighty to be proud of us!

The Thanksgiving weekend ALSO teaches us - not to give up the struggle

Like the history of our people shows us that we CAN OVERCOME all the struggles

let's get ready for shabbat

and may we be blessed with peace and joy this shabbat

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

פרטים: נכתב על ידי Super User; קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua; פורסם ב01 דצמבר 2020; כניסות: 1754

portion of Vayishlach

Portion Vayay Tzay - What a way to GO

Okay - not what I was planning to send out this shabbat - but powerful

One of my Rabbi Friend-Teacher guys wrote this AM

"כִּֽי־אִתְּךָ֥ אֲנִ֛י נְאֻם־ה' לְהֽוֹשִׁיעֶ֑ךָ כִּי֩ אֶעֱשֶׂ֨ה כָלָ֜ה בְּכָֽל־הַגּוֹיִ֣ם ׀ אֲשֶׁ֧ר הֲפִצוֹתִ֣יךָ שָּׁ֗ם אַ֤ךְ אֹֽתְךָ֙ לֹֽא־אֶעֱשֶׂ֣ה כָלָ֔ה".

(ירמיהו פרק ל)

from the prophet Jeremiah Chapter 30

The Almighty promises to save us from the gentiles -

- maybe not in Pittsburg

everyone from france and Israel on the plane yesterday asked me when the Americans will come to Israel because of Pittsburg

and I told them G-d wants American Jews to become STRONG Jews in America - because Israel NEEDS STREONG HOLY JEWS IN AMErica

to HELP ISRAEL

and THEN when it is time they will follow a JEWISH Messiah to our Holy Land -

IN THE PORTION JACOB has to leave ISRAEL because ESAU wants him "taken out" but

he prays to G-d to take care of him - and the Almighty sends ANGELS down the LADDER - who will protect him

So Rabbi Yaskil writes

of 60000 residents in Ashkelon

getting attacked by rockets and firebombs last week

And with Iron Dome protecting the city

there was ONE home of an Arab guy married to a Jewish woman

and a rocket hit their building

hit their apartment

and killed the guy - not the woman - in their bedroom

HARD TO UNDERSTAND

but we should TRY -

accept there IS an Almighty whose WAYS we don't understand -

but who REALLY wants us to be HOLY JEWS

to TRY to get close to the Almighty

to TRY to do what is proper

to make the Jewish People Stronger

the world NEEDs holy Jews - and

assimilation does NOT make us stronger

we MAY pick up some holy souls who will cling to the people of Israel

BUT

Jacob survives his cunning father in law because he KNOWS G-d is watching and helping him

raise a JEWISH FAMILY

and comes HOME to ISRAEL

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

פרטים: נכתב על ידי Super User; קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua; פורסם ב01 דצמבר 2020; כניסות: 1559

Portion of Vayetzay

Portion Chayei Sarah - What Kind of Miracle is THAT?

Thought from Yeshiva Simchat Shlomo in Jerusalem: (slightly modified by AE)

There is something inside us which tries to convince us to do something not good,

but even worse than that, is when after the fact,

it tries to convince us that this good thing we accomplished, was really not so good at all.

The Evil Inclination was PUSHING Abraham and TAUNTING Sarah about

the "offering of Isaac" test on Mount Moriah - (which they PASSED)

to the point where Abraham's story nearly ends this week,

and Sarah's only defense was to "give up the ghost" as it was.

We are all being tested all the time (especially by the crazy drivers on the road!)

But one way to fight those "why me" attacks is to

Believe in yourself and

desire to serve HaShem and cause good in the world

AND DO MITZVAS EVERY DAY! As many as you can.

So what was the big miracle when Abraham sent Eliezer to find a wife for Isaac?

Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach taught:

Rebecca was BUSY but she found TIME to pull up water from the well

- for Eliezer AND for the camels!

And today every Jew is a MIRACLE - every Mitzva is a miracle -

and from the time of Abraham every Jew is a MIRACLE

and every Jew that stands up for the Almighty and for

holiness in the world is a MIRACLE

After what the world did - and DID NOT do (like not saving the millions murdered by Hitler and Stalin)

Every Jew - from

Pittsberg to "Palestine" where nearly HALF A MILLION JEWS LIVE

is a miracle!

Rebecca was found to be a perfect miracle and spouse to Isaac

and we can all help each other and our children find the right partners

So let's help those little miracles keep rolling out ...

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

פרטים: נכתב על ידי Super User; קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua; פורסם ב01 דצמבר 2020; כניסות: 1653

portion of Chayei Sarah

Portion Vayeirah - Readings from Rosh Hashono - Ideas from TODAY

We are still in the story of Abraham and Sarah in this week's Torah Portion

May the Almighty bless us to ALWAYS be "in the story"

Last week Abraham and Sarah (and nephew Lot) leave Iraq (or maybe Syria)

and travel to Canaan (Israel) - and to Egypt - and back to Hebron

(where they eventually were buried - and are still there)

Abraham made three great friends

Aner and Eshkol

and Mamray

He had a DEDICATED worker - Eliezer

Sarah had an Egyptian princess come to work for her - because of her greatness

Yet the Almighty blesses them to be CHOSEN PEOPLE

because (the Almighty said) - " I know your children will faithfully carry on MY work"

Yesterday I danced and sang with 2000 great GREAT grandchildren of Abraham and Sarah -

at the cemetery where Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach's buried - and it was his

Anniversary of Passing.

The world needs to learn from people like that-

who spent their whole lives helping teaching and listening - to others -

from south africa to san francisco - from poland to Argentina -

and despite bring maligned time and again

they just went on doing their best to help the world.

Sarah - Abraham - Almighty - we are trying to carry on the holy heavenly plans

and from the news today -

Several Jordanian schoolchildren are missing. and who cares?

By TPS and World Israel News

IDF and civil rescue teams have been dispatched to Jordan after a bus carrying 37 schoolchildren and seven teachers was swept away by flash floods on the Jordanian side of the Dead Sea. At least 17 are dead; more than 20 were injured. Several are missing.

ONLY WE CARE! AND GO THERE! BLESS YOU Israel rescue teams!

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Andu Eichenholz

פרטים: נכתב על ידי Super User; קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua; פורסם ב01 דצמבר 2020; כניסות: 1512

portion of Vayerah

Portion Lech Lecha - go Ahead, Abraham

Here - at the beginning - are ALL the answers!

Why stuff always happens to the Jews

Why are we always in the news

Why can't we all be together instead of political splits

You remember the Zohar - right? The BASIC cabalistic work (in 20 volumes)...

Zohar implies-

If we weren't in the headlines all the time

The Goyim would keep on killing and demeaning G -dliness and holiness - not just us...

So the Almighty makes plans with Abraham - the

ONLY FOREVER THING IN THE WORLD

is the Israelite Nation (in Israel OR

IF NEED BE

dispersed to TRY to teach the nations not to kill and steal

and to TRY to respect and love and help one another-

BECAUSE WE ALL BE CHILLUN' of the L-rd!

Purpose of Jews -

To spread UNITY - the world is ALL beholden to the Creator

Start with that - and FIX THE WORLD

Love from Israel - praying for rain (and a little sanity among people)

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

פרטים: נכתב על ידי Super User; קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua; פורסם ב01 דצמבר 2020; כניסות: 1605

Portion of Lech LeCha

Portion Noah : Did he have any brothers or sisters

Here are 4 questions to start with at the beginning of this portion:

His father had other kids - but did Noah know?

When the Rabbis ask why he did not pray for others - why don't they ask why he didn't pray for his siblings?

When the Torah describes G-d's decision it says 3 times "the world was full of corruption and greed" - wasn't once enough?

What does all this mean in 2018?

(So who really has answers for these? ....

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

Oh - I guess I should take a stab at some of these.

The Talmud asks if the flood hit Israel and basically they think Israel was spared.

So why did the ARK not land in Israel but instead go to Ararat (Turkey)?

Sorry for asking another question.

But let's go "Top Down" as the systems analysis methodology would suggest.

"The world was filled with ..."

And then "the waters covered the earth" - sounds like Bereishis - Creation again - right?

We ALWAYS need a little do-over! Makes us ALL feel better ...

Again back to tradition:

I would guess Noah told any siblings he was in touch with about the upcoming flood - and asked them to HELP.

Because of Greed and Corruption probably NOBODY HELPED.

Many people don't want to leave what they know - so we have the 10-Days-of-Penitence in Judaism - to try to put a little push towards introspection and reaching upwards.

I may be wrong but I have found the ancient world sorely lacking on introspection - except with the Spiritual Heroes

(not Super Heroes - but Great People like Abraham and Sarah and Moses and Ziporah ... etc

So the Almighty says in our Torah

CORRUPTION

Right at the beginning of the Bible - and hopefully we

can all learn how GREAT RESPONSES can come from ALL OF US - Noahs and Families -

to hit the REBOOT button ....

Just we gotta TAKE SOME INSPIRATION FROM THE ANIMAL WORLD

AND FEED THEM AND TAKE CARE OF THEM

AND BRING A LITTLE CULTURE EVEN TO THE TURKEYs of Ararat (in the world) :)

Lots of Love from Israel

Rabbi A

פרטים: נכתב על ידי Super User; קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua; פורסם ב01 דצמבר 2020; כניסות: 1941

Portion of Noah

Portion Bereishis - the Origins of Man

Who are we anyway? People? Jews? Children of Abraham and Sarah?

Who needs these Bible stories anyway? As tomorrow we begin a NEW ROUND OF READING OUR HOLY WORKS?

Well =- the WORLD for one!

Look at this beautiful world and the advancement of technology - which lead to ...

well ....

sales of Apple (computers) and Facebook (not face to face) communication.

and wars and abuses - with every day a new abuse coming forward -

so that the Nobel Prize today was awarded TO (see Yahoo news):

The Bible story of Cain and Abel has a twist that Rabbi Carlebach taught:

Okay - Caid did the unthinkable - but WHERE WAS THE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN BROTHERS (or sisters?)?

The Origins of Humanity start in the Bible with THINKING EMOTING PEOPLE -

Not with monkeys or ants - who do what they do BUT HAVE NO CONNECTION TO HUMANIZING ACTIONS.

Rabbi Neria explains the Beginnning of Man as per the Bible:

to teach MAN and WOMAN that there is a special GIFT from the Almighty:

We Must -and we CAN - CREATE KEDUSHA-

to bring kedusha - HOLINESS into a world filled with wild (two legged) animals and senseless massacres!

The Bible teaches SHARING of HOLINESS AND COMPASSION AND FORTHOUGHT (not onslaught) actions!

This brings good feelings to us - AND to the Almighty - fulfils the PURPOSE OF MAN AND WOMAN

AND SHOULD GIVE US ENERGY for the coming Torah cycle.

Shabbat Shalom

Blessings from Israel

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

פרטים: נכתב על ידי Super User; קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua; פורסם ב01 דצמבר 2020; כניסות: 1565

Portion Bereishis

Portion Non Portion Sukot ... Israel Sacrifices for the World

70 offerings were brought in the Jerusalem Holy Temple on the Sukkot Festival for the round figure

of "70 Nations" not including Israel

We read about that from the Torah and not just one of the regular portions this shabbat.

So who in the world really gets it?

I mean - lookit (like they say in Boston)

How much universalism is built into Jewish Traditionalism - but

the Jews and the gentiles DON'T WANT TO ADMIT IT - because they have inbred anger at the Almighty

As Rabbi Carlebach said once after a ride wirh an Arab taxi driver

Yidden (Jews) can only influence the world for good

when they know they are jews and NOT when they throw away their Jewish identity and mitzvote!

And a world without goodness and kindness and caring and sharing - used to be a pretty bloody place

(and sometimes still is)

What other people teach

dancing ariu d with a book ...OR a Torah Scroll ...

and who Does That as the Highlight of the High Holiday Season?

WE DO FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS

and hope the world will get it!

Shabbat Shalom and Happy Sukot and Simchat Torah

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

פרטים: נכתב על ידי Super User; קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua; פורסם ב01 דצמבר 2020; כניסות: 1689

Sukot

Portion Vayelech Doesn t Feel Like First Week of the Year

In this week's portion we connect with the Moshe who needs a few final touches on his magnum opus -

Getting Israel to its Land

After his magnum opus -

The Torah and the Almighty

We always read the portion AFTER ROSH HASHONO - but

the High Holidays are in the MIDDLE!

Things feel for us just - up in the air -hanging - Until after Yom Kippur!

And Moshe Rabaynu doesn t sound so peppery in the portion either - with

worries about the people maybe letting go of the Almighty in the future- and he needs to warn them - us -

And then he teaches about the ANTIDOTE to LACKADAISICAL CONNECTION TO G-D -

and the answer for FOREVER -

Moshe Rabaynu - the greatest teacher in history teaches:

The Song of the Torah! A song he teaches (sings? right off the page if you listen closely)

To All The People (and we will read the whole song next Shabbat)

And we ARE beginning a New Year with a SONG - to lift us up ...

and we are still in the High Holidays -

AND DON'T FORGET TO BLESS EACH OTHER WITH A "CHATIMA TOVA" THRU ...

Well - forever we must Bless Each Other! And Sing About It

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

פרטים: נכתב על ידי Super User; קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua; פורסם ב01 דצמבר 2020; כניסות: 1527

Portion Vayelech

עמוד 32 מתוך 60