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קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
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פורסם בראשון, 22 נובמבר 2020 16:55
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Portion of BO - Why didn't Pharoah just have Moses "Disappear"?
This is very deep - the FIRST mitzva (command) to Israel is in this week's portion -
"To prepare for the Passover offering" - and the world still doesn't GET IT!
Why is there SO MUCH DIALOGUE between Pharoah and Moses in the Torah?
Because G-d is teaching us: THAT's WHAT HE WANTS!
The Talmud teaches us how HARD it is to correct (or rebuke) someone (like a Pharoah) doing wrong.
Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach (zatza"l) teaches us how EASY it is - just TALK with them.
You need to know where they are coming from and improve their take on things -
and be a partner in their correcting what's wrong.
Pharoah KNEW he needed to learn things from Moses -
so he didn't do the Mafia thing -
but as the Torah says
"he hardened his heart..." - so the communication couldn't get in.
Moses was taught by G-d to try and try again - even to say
"You will also send sacrifices with us (when we leave)" - teaching -
"HISTORY can RECORD that
YOU were a PARTNER in teaching the WORLD about ENDING SLAVERY -
isn't that GREAT?"
hoping to get some real communication-
But in the end - G-d tells Moses the Mitzva "HaChodesh Hazeh Lachem" -
This new thing (Holy Freedom) - it's YOURS - my Israelites -
the world doesn't get it yet.
Let's pray the world gets it sooner than later.
Love and Shabbes and Torah from Jerusalem
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
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קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
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פורסם בראשון, 22 נובמבר 2020 16:54
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Portion of VaAyRa - Who is "liberated" and when?
Based on a thought for this portion by Rabbi Neria zatza"l - who founded the schools of Bnei Akiva in Israel
Wow! It's way after the 60's and 70's! And we're all "liberated"!?
China and Japan (and the US) are still fighting over turf? Africa (Sudan, Ethiopia, and wars, etc.) is liberated? The Middle East (with civilian bombings all over) is "liberated"?
Why can't they learn from the Torah? That we learn to drink the 4 cups on Passover from:
In the Bible Story ( 3300 years ago - Joseph interpreting the steward's dreams) - the words "cup of Pharoah) were used 4 times, and in this week's Portion there are 4 words alluding to G-d's liberating Israel from Pharoah.
The prophet Zacharia's (from 2500 years ago) foretold building the 3rd and FINAL Jewish Temple in Jerusalem - symbolizing the eventual FINAL liberation of Israel and the WORLD
He writes "a golden "globe" will shine above the Menora"(not the Golden Globe Award I hope)
And the Medrash Rabbis (2000 years ago) explain the word globe "gulah" - as relating to either the PAIN of Israel suffering their part to bring Israel's liberation, OR that the ACTUAL LIBERATION of Israel will SHINE (to the world) from OUR MENORA
So let's explain these different ideas of liberation from our Holy Torah as 1. 4 stages of REAL liberation - the Jewish people becoming Holiness-based and "Serving-the-Almighty" - based versus 2. Under for the Steward of wicked Pharoah (or ANY WICKED REGIME - like so many today) - the 4 stages PRELIMINARY to real liberation - working off the ego of the steward took time- UNTIL HE REMEMBERED JOSEPH'S KINDNESS - AND GOT HIM OUT OF PRISON
and NOW - ??? When will the world remember Israel's kindnesses, inspiration, teaching Afrians to develop their deserts, and creating medical miracles and sending help to Haiti and the Philipines and ...
Maybe this Shabbos!
Love from Israel
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
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קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
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פורסם בראשון, 22 נובמבר 2020 16:54
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Portion of Vayechi
Portion Vayechi - and there was LIFE
Rabbi Josh Hoffman's discussion of this week's portion focused on ENCOURAGEMENT -
something that never goes out of style.
Jacob's last words to his sons were encouragement - to give them EXTRA STRENGTH.
Rabbi Carlebach always said - the Almighty gave us the ability to lift up our arms over our head - so that we can know that we can EXTEND OURSELVES further than we think - but JAOB taught us HOW -
by encouraging each other.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
back in Israel filled with the blessings of rain
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קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
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פורסם בראשון, 22 נובמבר 2020 16:54
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Va-yee-Gash
Va-yee-Gash – and (Judah) approached – he CAME CLOSE
(to Joseph, to G-d, to his inner self?)
After Chanuka – we read the portion of RECONCILIATION between the brothers – the children of Jacob – Va Yee Gash.
We learned frm Rabbi Carlebach that the love between Aron and Moses was the fixing of the jealousy of Cain and Abel-
So what does the reconciliation of Joseph and his brothers come to teach us?
Espeially after Chanuka?
We read in the holy commentaries on this portion that
at this stage the brothers were still fearful that after Jacob leaves the world Joseph would turn against them-
OIY VEY!
After he saved them ALL! Really?
So after Chanuka and the 5 Macabbee brothers we see-
YES WE CAN TRULY BE RECONCILED
AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER
AND GIVE GREAT GIFTS TO THE WORLD (freedon from tyranny)
If we do not FEAR to “come close
To our brothers and sisters – and to G-d
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
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קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
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פורסם בראשון, 22 נובמבר 2020 16:53
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Portion of MeKates
What G-dly genius!
What a sense of Humor and Genius of Teaching!
JUST Read between the lines -
In this portion Joseph PLAYFULLY tries to teach his brothers about REPENTANCE
and Forgiving Themselves and each other-
to overcome past mistakes (we ALL make them)-
by trying to teach them to REACH into the DEPTHS of their inner souls
(they must REURN to Egypt...
they must try to get their Brother OUT OF PRISON
they must again seek out Joseph
they must promise their father Jacob to be more careful in their brotherly relationships
etc-
so many BEAUTIFUL ideas for us all today as well!!! )
And like SO many things in life - we don't see
the conclusion and the consequences (the brothers RE - UNITED) - until NEXT WEEK's Tora Portion!!!
(when we see the LIGHT)
So here's somthing from Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach sent me by Rabbi Sholom Brodt of Jerusalem,
and I'm relating this thought to Chanuka Lighting
Light is the level of the reaching higher than your 'self', deeper than everything in the world.
You can learn something and know more or feel more.
This is not the level of light yet.
Sometimes you learn a word and it gets very deep in your heart. (and) Suddenly
you reach somewhere deeper than the deepest part of yourself.
This is called light.
Gutt Shabbos and Happy Chanuka
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
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קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
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פורסם בראשון, 22 נובמבר 2020 16:53
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Portion of Vayayshev - Jacob Back in Israel - and - OIY VEY what Happens!
I still have these 2 stories I want to tell you - but I woke up 5AM in NY and - like Rav Kook wrote -
when you leave Israel (even for a holy purpose) - some of your spirit goes back to G-d the first night you sleep abroad - and it only comes back when you come back to Israel - and get to sleep in that holy Land!
So my "extra Israel soul" left me and I woke up worrying!
Jacob comes home to Israel - and his sons are FURIOUS with Joseph - and SELL him as a slave!
Judah becomes depressed, marries a girl - and his kids are SO bad - that - oh -you can read the portion!
And here's the sad part about losing my extra-Israel-soul - because I think -
What should Jacob expect?
Abraham had Ishmael (still giving US trouble),
and Isaac had Esav - whose FIRST 2 wives were no hit with the family-
and then he marries a THIRD - a daughter of Ishmael no less!
Where's my sympathy? My feelings for our forbear Yakov (Jacob) Avinu?
Joseph - OIY Yosele - HE ends up in PRISON - for doing the RIGHT THING!
So I quote - or paraphrase - to you from what my friend Rabbi Sholom Brodt (student of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach) wrote:
Hashem Yisborach please open my heart, please help us to open our hearts..... to Yakov Avinu..... to Yosef and his brothers......
on one very special level
these stories are about opening our hearts to our children
opening our hearts to our brothers and sisters
it’s the story about what happens when
‘chas v’shalom’... may Hashem protect us and Bless us with ‘shalom’
when we close our hearts and ....
(and forget) the part of me which is an essential
“cheilek Elokah mi’ma’al, mammash”..... part of Hashem "
So I went to visit a sick person this morning after 6:30 AM prayers,
did a few mitzvas - and now pray my "extra shabbos spirit" comes back tonight !
Because I know that what happened to Jacob and OUR family worked out well in the end - as Joseph tells them later on in the Torah "it was the All-mighty" that PLANNED all this - so that WE CAN SAVE THE WORLD"
SHABBAT SHALOM
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
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קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
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פורסם בראשון, 22 נובמבר 2020 16:53
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Portion of Vayayshev - Jacob Back in Israel - and - OIY VEY what Happens!
I still have these 2 stories I want to tell you - but I woke up 5AM in NY and - like Rav Kook wrote -
when you leave Israel (even for a holy purpose) - some of your spirit goes back to G-d the first night you sleep abroad - and it only comes back when you come back to Israel - and get to sleep in that holy Land!
So my "extra Israel soul" left me and I woke up worrying!
Jacob comes home to Israel - and his sons are FURIOUS with Joseph - and SELL him as a slave!
Judah becomes depressed, marries a girl - and his kids are SO bad - that - oh -you can read the portion!
And here's the sad part about losing my extra-Israel-soul - because I think -
What should Jacob expect?
Abraham had Ishmael (still giving US trouble),
and Isaac had Esav - whose FIRST 2 wives were no hit with the family-
and then he marries a THIRD - a daughter of Ishmael no less!
Where's my sympathy? My feelings for our forbear Yakov (Jacob) Avinu?
Joseph - OIY Yosele - HE ends up in PRISON - for doing the RIGHT THING!
So I quote - or paraphrase - to you from what my friend Rabbi Sholom Brodt (student of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach) wrote:
Hashem Yisborach please open my heart, please help us to open our hearts..... to Yakov Avinu..... to Yosef and his brothers......
on one very special level
these stories are about opening our hearts to our children
opening our hearts to our brothers and sisters
it’s the story about what happens when
‘chas v’shalom’... may Hashem protect us and Bless us with ‘shalom’
when we close our hearts and ....
(and forget) the part of me which is an essential
“cheilek Elokah mi’ma’al, mammash”..... part of Hashem "
So I went to visit a sick person this morning after 6:30 AM prayers,
did a few mitzvas - and now pray my "extra shabbos spirit" comes back tonight !
Because I know that what happened to Jacob and OUR family worked out well in the end - as Joseph tells them later on in the Torah "it was the All-mighty" that PLANNED all this - so that WE CAN SAVE THE WORLD"
SHABBAT SHALOM
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
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קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
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פורסם בראשון, 22 נובמבר 2020 16:53
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Vayishlach (send it out - like Jacob) - Really our Purpose here
Aish Hatora reported this week about a Rabbi in Concecticut who found $98000 in a desk he bought second hand - and he returned it immediately.
Rabbi Sholom Brodt wrote about a story told by the Kloisenberger Rebbe (who lost his family in the holocaust and re-settled in New Jersey).
In the portion of the week Jacob is moving his family and belongings across the river - and alone has to fight someone for "some little items". This "someone" is the evil angel protector of Jacob's brother Esav.
Jacob believed the "little items were his".
The Rabbi in Connecticut knew the money he found was NOT his.
The Kloisenburger Rebbe explained from a Bal Shem Tov story - that before leaving an argument he had lost with the Holy Bal Shem, the Satan made one last attempt at knocking the Baal Shem Tov off – by trying to seduce his students with haughtiness - telling them "how great they were" - but he failed.
And this too was the intention of Eisav's arch-angel. Seeing that he was not able to overcome Yaakov, he made one more attempt at knocking him off with haughtiness, by telling him, "You are so awesomely holy – you will from now on be called "Israel".
It was already known in the supernal realms that "No longer will your name be spoken of as Yaakov, but as Yisrael, for you have contended with God[ly beings] and with men, and you have won." But Yaakov Avinu did not succumb to his attempt at tricking him to haughtiness - he just took care of his "little items" and went on.
May we know what is ours, and keep what is ours, and sanctify G-d's name by helping others hold what is theirs - and teaching others that is the way of G-d and the Jewish people.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
