Parashat Hashavua
Portion of Tetzaveh - the Eternal Light - Ner Tamid - Award - or Reward?
In the USA', Scouting has an award for young Jewish members that achieve a basic understanding of Jewish values - called the Ner Tamid Award.
Howeve, in the works of Rabbi Moshe Tzvi Neriah (a great educator of youth -
who built up religious schools for the religious supporters of the EARLY years of the new State of Israel:-
he wrote a discussion of the Eternal Light in the Temple -
which was one of there candles of the Menora of the Temple
And he said
"Moses requested of the Almighty that there should be a PROOF of the eternal Holy Spirit
in the Tabernacle of the desert-
as a reward for building the Mishkan in the desert ..." - and for
INSPRATION andAN EXAMPLE to the Israelites - (and to the WORLD)
THAT G-d's HOLY SPIRIT WOULD ALWAYS BE AMONGST THE JEWISH PEOPLE -
there in the Temple - the Sanctuary in the desert - and later the one to be built in Israel -
and thus for inspiration in our Synagogues which we buit later in the exile.
That was that light of the western candle that stayed lit -
even when the others burned out and were re-kindled each day.
We need to ALL make a place for an Eternal ight -
that eternal connection to holiness and the Almighty-
And shabbat each week is a good time to remind us of this Eternal Light in our souls
Shabbat shalom
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
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Portion of Teruma: Where does G-d live anyway?
In last week's portion we read "the sky was open and the people of Israel saw the AlMighty
and below his feet was a street of Saphire...
Thank you Eitan for lending me one of your favorite seforim (Holy Books) -where I read the Medrash
That when the sky opened and the people saw the Almighty
"The people saw the Angels encamped around the L-rd- in a holy way
and they wanted to do the same"
It is written in our POrtion that the Almighty said
"And you shall build me a sanctuary and I shall dwell amongt you"
and according to the medrash it means "the same as I dwell among my Angels on High
I can dwell among you "
The Kabbalist Masters answer "Where does G-d dwell? Wherever you let G-d in"
And so Israel built a sanctuary in the desert - and kept it also in Israel a few hundred years-
Until Solomon built the Great Temple in Jerusalem
and we maintain our synagogues wherever we go - so that
a little G-dliness can dwell within us and amongst us!
Especially on Shabbat
Love from Israel
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
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Yitro and Mishpatim: Speilberg would need 8 screens to describe these two!
What do we see from Yisro – Jethro? How you can believe in G-d in today's world?
There were no miracles like "frogs, lice, darkness and killing of Egypt's first born"
But Jethro heard Israel had escaped from Egypt – and he believed in G-d and came to Moses
"And there was thunder and lightning … and the mountain burned …" (portion of Yitro)
Jethro's heart lit up – right away – and he came to join the Israelites
So why tell the story of Mount Sinai a little differently in Mishpatim?
"And the people sacrificed and ate – and saw the L-rd the All-Mighty … and like a street of sapphire below his feet"
Jethro is the story of acceding to the quick acceptance of FAITH
And Mishpatim ("Laws") – where the Israelites sacrificed and accepted the Covenant with the Almighty -
to DO the COMMANDMENTS
That is the story of BUILDing on FAITH – and how to believe in G-d today and for always
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
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The Almighty protects Israelites from the heat with clouds over the desert
The Almighty protects Israelites from the cold with a pillar of fire in the desert
The Almighty protects Israelites from the anger of Pharoah at the Red Sea
For 40 years the Almighty fed the Israelites with Manna in the desert
The Almighty sustains us and protects all Israelites all the time -
SO WE SHOULD REMEMBER THIS SHABBAT SHIRA - THE SHABBAT OF SONG-
TO THANK THE ALMIGHTY FOR EVERY LITTLE THING
(And the big ones - that he took us out of Iraq too, that we have survived thousands of years -
and still sing about it)
Love and Shabbat from Israel
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
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.The portion says "This (Passover Season) is the HEAD of the Months"
and right away says "This is the FIRST of the months."
In Hebrew head is "Rosh" and first is "Rishon" - both words from the same root!
So what does the Torah teach us that the "Head Month" is the "First Month"?
In the Kabalah it explains that there is "chesed" - kindness from Hashem
and there is "Rav Chesed" - the GREATEST or the ESSENCE of kindness.
It explains that Moshe was the first to prove the KINDNESS of the Almighty
but (in the Purim story) Mordechai proved the ESSENCE of G-d's kindness
So I think that the HEAD month - Nisan - from the Exodus from Egypt
taught us the Almighty's kindness-
but RISHON - calling it the FIRST MONTH
the START of it ALL -
we would only learn as the People of Israel grow and develop - and LOOK BACK
and we learn TO THIS VERY DAY- every day more and more - that
the kindness of leaving Egypt and all our troubles -
follows us - the People of Israel -
into every land and into every time.
With Blessings of Shabbat and Health and seeing we are leaving all troubles behind -
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
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Vayerah – Moses and the Matrix
What did Moses have that the Matrix (and The One) did NOT have?
Okay – a LOT of things. For one though –
Moses was MORE than The One – Moses was "Moses and Aron"!
Moses is told to "appear before Pharoah" (Aron too)-
So How is it the Toughest Ruler in the World (Pharoah) didn't – or couldn't – just kill them?
And this is a metaphor for the People of Israel:
MOSES AND ARON ARE SAVING THE ISRAELITES FOR THE SAKE OF A BETTER WORLD
The Almighty says "appear here" and "appear there"
and warn Pharaoh,
and bring up frogs and lice and bring down hail and brimstone –
And the People of Israel to this day appear here and appear there and
Create medicines and help rescue victims of catastrophe
And are saved by the Almighty !!!
Whether in Egypt (or the Diaspora anywhere) or in Israel
May G-d protect the Jewish People – and send us all a Great Shabbos
Love and Shabbos from Israel
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
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Vayigash – Judah Maccabee or Judah son of Jacob?
Every word in the Torah teaches things!
To remain as Jews sometimes we need to be Judah Maccabee and fight
And sometimes we need to be like this week's portion – Judah son of Jacob
He went with a sweet voice to tell the viceroy of Egypt "please don't take my brother Benjamin – take me as a slave instead."
It was not only what he said – but HOW he said it –
So honestly – isn't it worth the extra few seconds like Rabbi Carlebach taught –
Before you speak spend a second or two and PRAY that you might say the right words in the right WAY
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
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Portion of Vayechi - How can you know your kids?
Jacob blesses the 12 sons as he is ready to leave this world.
The blessings read like telling their fortunes - and telling their strengths.
How could he know the depths of all their souls?
Especially after Abraham and Isaac had trouble with some of their children!
The Torah told us - Jacob came to Shechem (after leaving Lavan
and after separating peacefully from his tough twin Esav)
- that he came SHA-LAME - perfected - at peace - and complete (my readings)
He came with his WHOLE FAMILY IN SYNCH WITH EACH OTHER
So maybe if we just keep our children communicating with us AND EACH OTHER
we can have time for even 12 (totally different) family members as JACOB DID
They had some (REALLY) rough spots - but in the end -
HE COULD BLESS THEM all ACCORDING TO THEIR individual SOULS
May we all bless each other and our offspring in a spirit of togetherness-
and Shabbat is the perfect time to do that every week
Love and Shabbos from the Old City of Jerusalem
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
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I'm really not sure why the portion of Joseph's stories come out just before Chanuka but maybe here's a point:
Matisyahu had 5 sons and a daughter (maybe more?)
Jacob had 12 sons and a daughter - AND THERE WERE A LOT OF MISTAKES -
they start in THIS portion
I feel when Jacon gave Joseph the "technicolor dram coat" that the mistake was NOT that he gave him the coat
BUT THAT HE MADE THE COAT -
surely the boys got coats - but Jacob himself did NOT make theirs!
EQUAL TIME FOR A FEELING OF EQUALITY for ALL our children!
IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE - but we all have to try
Matisyahu the High Priest must have tried -
BECAUSE THE HISTORY OF THE CHANUKA WARS WITH THE SYRIANS
IS ALL THE BROTHERS WORKING TOGETHER - WITH LOVE OF ISRAEL AS WELL!
Lots of Love and Shabbos and Healing - and prayers for peace
among our children
at home and in Israel
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
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Where did Jacob go when he "shook off" his brother Esau and the 400 troops?
And why do football squads have 11 members and a coach? (Joke - because Jacob had 12 sons and ONE of them HAD to be a COACH!)
It says in the PORTION of Vayishlach that he
went to HEVRON (Hebron) "where his fathers Abraham and Isaac had lived"
Not CNN and not the BBC make a place SOMEONE's - but the History is CLEAR
What makes a place HOLY? What makes it yours?
When you KNOW it is yours and your father's and your grandfathers (and grandmothers)!
BE HAPPY WHAT THEY LEFT US!!!
Whose land is Hevron anyway? Jordan's? ISIS?
OR ISRAEL's for thousands of years!
Is it HOLY because of those Jews buried there for thousands of years (Like RUTH the great grandmother of King David)?
Or is it OURS because NO ONE ELSE OCCUPIED THAT CITY
- until the Arab conquest about the year 700
- when there were still Jews living there and in the close by towns
- until 1929 when the BRITISH removed Jews from the city!
HAVE A SHABBOS OF BEING THANKFUL OUR FOREBEARS LEFT
US
HEVRON AND JERUSALEM AND ALL ISRAEL
Love and Shabbos
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
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