Parashat Hashavua
Rabbi Shlmo Carlebach used to say:
when you bless someone you can actually give them life - or
save theit lives!
>
He also quoted the Hassidic masters who said
"when you look at the "curses" (alluded to in this Torah portion) you can se that any curse can
also be a BLESSING if you know how that works
>
I never knew how it worked - so I looked deeply into the portion again this morning.
>
> The Almighty says "See - I give you Blessings . and Curses
the blessings on Har (MOUNT) Greezim and the Curses on Har Eval
Rashi and the kabbalists explain half the tribes stood on
one mount and the other half on the second mount.
THE LEVITES were IN THE VALLEY BELOW and
said the blessings and the curses -
first turning to one mountain - then to the other
>
So I believe that one way to look at this is that
when we look at each other with blessings in our hearts -
it is a blessing
and when we turn away from each other it is a curse
(like in the old Dylan song
"how many times can a man turn his head and pretend that he
just doesn't see"
There are a lot more ways to look at the Portion - all worth thinking about
Love and Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
on the way to Jerusalem to start the new month of Elul with some holy people
- פרטים
- נכתב על ידי Super User
- קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
- כניסות: 1268
Portion of Devarim and ADHD Nation - Tisha B'av and Mourning
If Jerusalem withstood the invading Sennacherib - why did it fall to the
Babylonians?
The prophets
said the nation acted rotten to its basic core - but what caused those sins?
And if they were so bad - how did we recover - and with the Help of
the Almighty - REBUILD the Temple and our Nation?
I believe the sins
that caused Jerusalem and the Temple to fall were NOT
inherent in our nation's soul -
but
were like a national "ADHD hormonal" affliction -
which caused havoc to our people - until some cures were discovered -
Mordechai (and Esther) medicine (as in Purim medicine);
Yearning to re-build therapy (as in Ezra and Nehemiah doctoring);
Research into Torah curative powers (as in the Mishna - Ethics of the Fathers,
etc).
Saturday we read
the Portion Devarim which starts with Moses reminding the
Israelites of their "imbalances" during the exodus-via-the-desert.
Saturday night we have an "almost" like Yom Kippur - a day of fasting - but
also a 25 hour day of mourning.
A couple of weeks ago I had the merit and sad task to eulogize a brilliant elderly friend.
A couple of thousand years ago there was only one lamenting Rabbi - Jeremiah the
Prophet. (He wrote the book we read Tisha B'Av night- Lamentations - Eichah - about the
destruction of the Temple and the downfall of our FIRST STATE of ISRAEL - may it never be repeated).
Today we are in a position to
finish the cure - re-build th Jewish People and the Jewish
State
with
Mordechai (and Esther) medicine - getting us to act together
Yearning to re-build therapy - going to Israel to visit and helping those who live that life and
Research into Torah curative powers - studying a little more Torah each day.
May we dance together at the
Holy Wall at the re-building of a Holy Temple.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
- פרטים
- נכתב על ידי Super User
- קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
- כניסות: 1279
- פרטים
- נכתב על ידי Super User
- קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
- כניסות: 1215
We see from Moses that we are all prisoners of inaction at times.
We were given commandments to MAKE IT THROUGH THE YEAR - no matter what -
holidays and rituals and commandments to love one another -
and in this portion - Moses was told even to start to
"count the potential soldiers who may have to go to war to fulfill G-d's vision" (to enter Israel).
We fix the world by tuning in to the Torah way of life - following the Almighty's commandments -
Shabbat Shalom
- פרטים
- נכתב על ידי Super User
- קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
- כניסות: 1534
Portion of Balak and July 4th - Looking Inward or Looking Outward
What was the pirpose of the Declaration of Independence of the 13 American states?
Were the signers looking into themselves? Or to the world? Or both?
American Independence Day - and the Blessing of
" How Goodly are
your Tents oh Jacob - your dwelling places oh Israel"
The Torah teaches that
Wicked Wizzard Bilam tried to curse -
He only saw the
tents - from outside the camp of Israel in the desert - and tried to focus on them -
But he was FORCED
(by the Almighty turning his attempts to curse
into a CLEAR PROPHETIC VISION-)
to connect to the INSIDE goodness of Israel-
whose only desire is to dwell peacefully
- and today
Even in the (exploding) desert that is our world.
Israel and peaceful dwelling
is the hope for mankind -
making the deserts bloom and helping to feed many all over the world
America has been a major supporter of that dream -
and
we need to all strengthen that support of the
prophetic vision of peace.
The wizzard stuff and Bilam's donkey we can leave
to Harry Potter...
Shabbat
Shalom
Rabbi Andy
Eichenholz
we are commanded
rav shlomo
- the inside of the inside of what's in your
heart
bilam the evil sorcerer sees
only
How Goodly are your
Tents oh Jacob
dwelling plaes oh Israel
he tried to curse - but even
though he only saw
the tents - from
outside the camp of Israel in the desert -
he was FORCED to connect to the INSIDE goodness of
Israel-
whose only desire is to dwell
peacefully
in the desert
that is our world
in
Israel that is the hope for mankind
- פרטים
- נכתב על ידי Super User
- קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
- כניסות: 1409
Portion of Chukas - Holy (RED) Cow, Batman!
Why are some animals not kosher,
why are there rules of ritual purity, and why does the portion tell us of the passing of
Aron, of Miriam,
and of capturing the first parts of the Land of Israel?
THESE ARE THINGS WHICH TEACH US A JEWISH WAY OF LIFE!
I just came from a Bris today, and last night was at a Sheva Brachot
(after a wedding), after I was at a class in the yeshiva I've been with since the seventies.
Judaism's Laws create a HOLINESS -
as Maimonides declares in the first part of his compilation of all the Laws of the Torah -
Yad Hachazaka -
that our purpose is to understand and get CLOSE to the L-rd of Creation.
This week's portion is called "laws you just have to believe in "- That's what "chukas" means.
It talks about laws and HISTORYwe can't really understand,
but if we just FOLLOW these laws - we will get close to the Almighty.
Really -can we KNOW the "meaning" of any laws of the Torah - except on our level?
At some level - the WHOLE TORAH NEEDS TO BE "UNDERSTOOD" AS UNKNOWABLE.
It's like LOVE.
We love our sisters like Miriam, we love our brothers like Aron,
we love the Land of Israel - and all the gifts from the Almighty - every minute of our lives -
and we enter a SHABBOS of holiness every week - and it gets us ABOVE THE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS OF THE WEEK - and gives strength for the following week.
That is the Jewish way of LIFE.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
- פרטים
- נכתב על ידי Super User
- קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
- כניסות: 1446
Why does the
portion of Korach start with the rebellion of
Korah and his followers and end with the
Almighty apportioning the tithes to the
children of Aaron (the High Priest)?
In the Mishna it says "be of the followers of Aaron
seeking peace and loving peace …"
and our teachers explained
he would go to two people who had an argument,
one at a time,
and tell the first one "You know how this argument makes your
friend feel so bad, that they really
wish they knew how to end the argument."
The n he would go say
the same thing to the other party -
And bring them together …
so the argument would end!
Korach was a "pragmatist" - saying
that Aaron made the golden calf - so
he must be disqualified from leading
BUT THE PRIESTS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE PEACEMAKERS
- NOT JUST LEADERS!
the Almighty knew that Aaron only got involved in
the golden calf thing to try to prevent
bloodshed when the people went wild
he WAS BRINGING PEACE - AND CERTAINLY NOT WORSHIPPING IDOLS
he was even willing NOT TO DEBATE Korach - for the sake of peace in
Israel-
Aaron didn't enter into the fight here - Moses represented his side.
That’s why we learn G-d's reward for
the staying out of this rebellion - was
The gifts of eating some of the
the sacrifices and redemption of the first born -
because when we give
offerings it is to bring peace - and when a child or a new
animal enters the world
IT IS ALL TO GIVE US A NEW CHANCE TO BRING PEACE TO THE
WORLD.
May we see more peace, and increase peace in the world
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
- פרטים
- נכתב על ידי Super User
- קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
- כניסות: 1238
Portion Shelach - The "BUT's" of the Spies
The Israelites in the desert sent 12 spies to check out Canaan before the people of Israel were to enter the land.
10 spies misled the whole 12 tribes to revolt against the Almighty's plan for them– while only 2 spies tried to convince the tribes how GOOD the land was and how it could be won.
The 10 were the fore-runners of today's negativity in social media!
The world admits Israel has given humankind morality medicine wisdom and hope.
"BUT", they say, that Israel has to … the Jews have to … BUT BUT BUT –
All of those "but"s today are the work of anti-semitism justifying evil.
THE PORTION OF THE TORAH IS TRYING TO WARN US TODAY!!!
The spies tricked the public by saying "yes the fruits of the land are great – see for yourself" and
then adding a big "BUT …." – which totally negated all the good words of all 12 "scouts".
I never heard Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach (zatza"l) use the word "but". He was the most positive in public and in private.
He said "Before I say anything I ask the Almighty to help me speak in a holy way."
The spies might have waited a moment before speaking their "buts".
Today the social media and anti-Israel crowd might be honest
- and ask for the Almighty to inspire them with TRUTH – rather than negativity.
To paraphrase something Hanna Pearlberger wrote in a message from "United with Israel" – one negative half-statement after a "BUT" can destroy all the good of many positive statements!
If only the spies had said "the land was good enough for our fathers and mothers –
Abraham Isaac and Jacob and Sarah Rebecca Leah and Rachel!" they would have saved so much travail!
They might have avoided all the troubles which afflicted our people on the 9th of Av (like the punishment of those in the desert which happened on the 9th of AV).
They said " but there are giants … and a lot of funerals …" – and the people withered in their trust in the Almighty.
Can we all try to look at the positive in all the Almighty has given us – with no buts? That would be a great step for humankind.
It might be something to practice every Shabbat – and especially THIS Shabbat of Shelach!
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
- פרטים
- נכתב על ידי Super User
- קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
- כניסות: 1209
Buh Hah Ah Lowt Cha - The Ark and the Father in Law?
This portion has many themes – and they don't SEEM connected.But let's see ...
When the Ark of the Tablets moves and indicates the Israelites have t o move on,
Moses prays "Oh L-rd – disperse our enemies before us"
Okay – so how is that related to the rest of the portion?
There's another small section – where Moses asks Yisro (Jethro) his father in law to stay with the Israelites. "You can be our eyes as we go through the desert "(on the way to Canaan).
Yisro answers "I need to go to my homeland" – meaning Midian.
How old was Moses' father-in-law if Moses was around 100? Pretty NOT YOUNG I would say.
Why travel alone in the desert at that advanced age?
Now remember – in a few weeks we read how Bilam the witch and Balak the hired war-king AND the Midianites – make trouble for the Israelites!
So if Jethro cares for his grandchildren – why would he go be with the source of those attacking his grandchildren?
It MAY be possible that Moses said Oh L-rd – disperse our enemies before us while Jethro was still with the Israelites, and Jethro felt "a calling".
Maybe Jethro acted publicly PURPOSELY going on alone through the Sinai desert
so he and his family in Midian (from his other 6 daughters he had more grandchildren)
could spy out the territory and help Israel –
as it says later in the prophets (Judges) that many of Jethro's descendants were at peace with Israel
So these two items can be related – and the rest of the portion – I suggest a lot of study for the long summer Shabbat afternoon.
Love and Shabbos from Israel
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
- פרטים
- נכתב על ידי Super User
- קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
- כניסות: 1461
- פרטים
- נכתב על ידי Super User
- קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
- כניסות: 1310