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קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
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פורסם ברביעי, 25 נובמבר 2020 08:04
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Portion of Matos – Tell the Leaders NOT to SWEAR – A Prophecy for Today
Moses (who usually transmitted the words of the Almighty) starts off by telling the leaders to keep their word, and then teaches about not making oaths, swearing, etc And then Israel has to go to war
And thank G-d none of our soldiers are killed.
Finally in the portion - 2 and a half tribes decide the Golan Heights is for them – and make a deal with Moses to stay in the army (with Joshua) until the rest of the tribes find their place in Canaan – Israel. It's a portion for us to read every day during the Gaza war.
Israeli boys are blowing up tunnels filled with explosives and armaments meant to kill
Our boys are destroying rocket launching pads aimed at families in Israel
Our people are trying to stop the constant rain of rockets sent against Israel by the Hamas terror government, voted into Gaza by a population that prefers suffering and hatred to making peace and growing prosperity.
That was the same as those who attacked the Israelites instead of saying "come on – we have lots of room for the Israelites and the Torah"
There's a lot of wars going on around here – Syria Egypt Libya Ukraine etc etc
Here's a quote from Rabbi Carlebach sent from my friend Rabbi Sholom Brodt of Jerusalem:
Reb Shlomo once said 'what's the difference between our soldiers and those of our enemies? When a Jewish soldier fires a bullet, deep inside he is praying that Moshiach should arrive quickly before the bullet reaches its target.'
Though we have no choice today but to fight for the safety of our people, deep inside we want Moshiach to come already.
May that dream be fulfilled
And may we have teachers and leaders who fulfill the words of the Torah
Love from Israel
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
- פרטים
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קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
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פורסם ברביעי, 25 נובמבר 2020 08:04
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נכתב על ידי Super User
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כניסות: 261
How many clothes can you HIDE in your CLOSET
In the portion of Pinhas five holy (unmarried) sisters confront Moses -
"Why can't we get a portion in the Land of Israel when you divide it? What did (we or our deceased father) do (to deserve being left out)?"
Did they want land - or to attract husbands?
In the end - the Almighty tells Moses that they are right - and girls have a right to inherit land in Israel.
Now (from Rabeinu Nisim Gerondi - lived 14th Century Spain) - in my study group we almost finished Talmud Taanis.
It talks about the 15th day of Av - a day when girls would go out in borrowed clothes - TO FIND MATCHES
it says "all the girls went out to dance in borrowed clothes - and many marriages were arranged.."
The Talmud said all the clothes were REQUIRED to be washed in a mikva first -
and Rashi (12th Century France) and Ron (14th Century Barcelona) differ on why
with Rabbi Nissim (Ron) saying -
it was so ALL the girls - rich or poor - would pull out ALL their clothes from their closets -
TO SHARE WITH EACH OTHER BEFORE GOING OUT TO LOOK FOR A MATCH -
so that all girls had an equal chance to build a new life when they were ready -
the Promise of the Promised Land!
And the daughters of Zelophchad - they all got married - and Rabbi Carlebach said
that Moshe Rabbeinu - 120 years old - danced like fire at all their weddings!
May we be blessed to join each other at many simchas - happy occasions!
Love from Israel
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
- פרטים
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קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
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פורסם ברביעי, 25 נובמבר 2020 08:03
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Balak - The portion of blessings, rebellion, talking donkeys, and holy vengeance
It's a hot week in Israel - in many ways - and we read a Torah Portion I've never understood
Calls over the media for vengeance - coming from talking donkeys (Arab liars who also claimed the killing of a boy a few years ago - who got up and walked in a different video! - and was a libel case against French TV) -
and RAMADAN Riots in the name of Islam (which means "peace" supposedly) - how
fitting for the week of a Torah portion about someone who tries to curse Israel- and is reproached by his donkey
And who is forced by the Almighty to BLESS Israel instead !!
Sometimes what your mind doesn't understand - your heart can understand through music
So today on Israel radio they're playing Rabbi Carlebach's song from the Sabbath Zemirot
"to your Sanctuary return, and the Holy of Holies"
And my friend Rabbi Sholom Brodt of Yeshiva Sinchat Shlomo is explaining the part of the portion that says
"How Goodly are your Tents oh Jacob" (Bilam's blessing in resonse to Balak's request for curses)
teaching that some commentaries say it means the tents of the Israelites
but there is a view that it means the Tent of the Sanctuary in the desert
We sing to the Almighty on Shabbat to return to a state of Sanctuary
and we pray every morning "How goodly are your Tents oh Jacob" as we enter our Temples
And may we learn to forever sing of holiness
to avoid the potential curses and revenge
and to ever enter the tents of holiness - and the holiness of the Sabbath
and may the Balaks and the Bilams disappear - and the world be clear - of any evil
Shabbat Shalom from the land where everyone is TRYING to work out the issues of the world
Rabbi ANdy Eichenholz
- פרטים
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קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
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פורסם ברביעי, 25 נובמבר 2020 08:03
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Chukat - the great Mysteries of the World are never unlocked
That's part of what life is about
We know we're born, we can love, we can share, we can do things we never imagined we could accomplish -
and all these are a Gift from the Almighty
We can never KNOW WHY -
and Rebbe Nachman says - THERE'S NO POINT IN GUESSING - IT WASTES OUR ENERGY
But if we BELIEVE in the Almighty's GIFTS to us -
it becomes a starting point to life life on a more expansive level -
than to just be doubting everything.
In the portion of Chukat:
tHE WELL STOPS RUNNING;
the well stops running
Moses hits the rock instead of talking to it
and Israel is attacked for asking to be able to travel in peace ...
sounds familiar? the past is repeated and
Water in the desert - ISRAEL has created a modern miracle
Moses at age 120 got a little hot under the collar -
and (Based on Rabbi Moshe Neria) - is told he will some day bring all the souls of those who passed away in the desert into Israel- and look - NOW there are 6 million Jews is Israel
And if we believe the Messiah will come to fix and redeem the world-
it gives us more power to aim our efforts
first by following the laws and the mysteries of the Torah,
and then our every day lives.
Shabbat Shalom
Happy New Month of Tamiz
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
- פרטים
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קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
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פורסם ברביעי, 25 נובמבר 2020 08:02
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Portion of Korach - What's Smoking There? and Why do Holy People Fail Sometimes?
Portion of Korach - Based on the Kuzari by Rav Yehuda Halevy and Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach's Wisdom
The stories from the age of the Talmud tell of a great rabbi travelling in the Sinai with a guide when he saw a column of smoke - and heard voices - rising from the desert floor.
"What's that?" he asked - and was answered "That's Korach - burning way below - and repeating over and over "Moses was Right"!"
The Kuzari King asks the Rabbi - how could the generation of leaving Egypt fail in so many tests -
including the fight between Korah and his followers who fought with Moshe Rabaynu (Moses)?
So the Rabbi answered "They failed 10 times in 40 years in the desert - but MOST of US fail more than 10 times a DAY!"
But that doesn't really answer the question WHY is it that holy people sometimes fail?
WHY doesn't being holy protect you?
Rabbi Carlebach explained that there is a difference between doing everything right-
and DOING IT FROM THE INSIDE OF YOUR INSIDES - deep in your heart.
We can be holy, do the right thing - but what happens?
According to our sages "holy" people are tested over and over again - and sometimes fail ( we can call it the Murphy-o-witz rule?)
Korach did everything right - all the laws of the Almighty -
but deep inside there was maybe something that kept him from loving how he was following Hashem
from doing it from a deep love.
We need to LOVE the Almighty -
remember ALL the GOOD -
live with the difficult things as PART of a GREATER PLAN we don't understand -
and hopefully we will know ON THIS WORLD that "Moses was Right" -
and love our part in G-d's Greater Plan.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz