Prayers for Men: Eliezer David HaCohain ben
Naomi, Asher ben Esther Malka, Avraham ben Devorah, Zvi Yechezkel ben Leah,
Aharon ben Rishol, Chaim Zev ben Faige Tova, Naphtali Moshe ben Tziporah,
Shalom Charles ben Gracia, Yoel ben Esther, Zev ben Rachel, Binum Benyamin
Tuvia ben Chana Friedel, Yehonatan ben Malka, Aaron ben Sara Chana, Aharon ben
Miriam, Aiyahu ben Sonia Silvie
Women: Karen Neshama bas Esther Ruth, Chaya
Melecha Rachel bas Baila Alta, Rachel bas ChanaHodaya Nirit bas Mazel, Rivka
bas Idit, Kayla Rus bas Chaya Rachel, Aharona Aliza bas Chaya, Chava Malka bas
Chaya, Zahava bas Sara, Adina bas Sara, Esther bas Tziporah, *Miriam bas Irene
Taita Malka (see below)
I want to say that I check up on
the names that I ask to be to pray for and when I did not receive answers
regarding two women this week, I removed them from the list: Here is a letter
that I got in French and via Bing Translator have posted it: To answer your question
about my health. Unfortunately, my condition worsened! A surgery operation,
would have to take place October 25, 2012. This could not be done, my state of
health is very weakened. There was a risk of mortality, too important, to
support the operation. Now, B "H, I could be facing a new hospital and
surgeon in Paris. He is Dr. Philippe SELLAM, took over my medical records in
hand. I stabilize me in order to be made Blieder, Monday, January 14, 2013.
This time, I hope if God want, this operation will be performed as expected,
and that I would survive Amen. While knowing that it is planned to operate on
me 3 or 4 times to remove me all that is undesirable and sickens in my body.
Can not remove me all at once, it's too risky! I hope that you understand the
nature of the steps of these procedures, to which I hope not only survive if
God want it, but hand me completely, to be present to raise my daughter Abigail
11 year-old ve amen Amen. So I still need your prayers and let me remember my
name my mother also: I am (Myriam) daughter of
IreneTaita Malka. Thank you for your prayers
and your support. Still me more than my mom, who is a lot of concern for me.
God forgive me for inflicting such suffering to my mom and my daughter Amen.
May God bless you and protect you, you and your family Amen Amen ve. Thank you
from the heart.
Two miracles a woman who vomited for 7 months during pregnancy gave birth to a normal and healthy boy. An infant saved by a miracle http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/163689#.UOBzqXfjNGo
Parsha Shemos
When we were in Egypt, it became a task of Pharaoh to trick the
Bnei Yisrael into a national service. The tribe of Levi which was the Priestly
Class as he was the last brother to die had religious exemption. (Sound
familiar in today’s Israeli Politics) Eventually the voluntary national service
for Pharaoh became obligatory until eventually it became slavery.
I took part of Rabbi Pinchas Winston’s Shlita Drasha and
incorporated it here. http://www.torah.org/learning/perceptions/5773/shemos.html?print=1
So, they weren’t punished for their fear, or for being nervous to
go to war against the 31 kings of Canaan and to take the Land. They were
punished because, in their panic, they closed their minds and the door to Eretz
Yisrael and, in effect, had outlived their usefulness. By rejecting Eretz
Yisrael when they had, they rejected God’s plan for Creation, and signed their
own death warrants.
This is why the Jewish people are praised for not changing the
language, their clothes, and the food they ate, which does not sound like much
of deal. After all, they had fallen down to the 49th level of spiritual
impurity, so what difference did it make that they still had something to
distinguish them from the Egyptians all around them?
It made all the difference in the world to Heaven, and was the
merit they needed to be saved from spiritual oblivion. God knew their souls,
and the test that was Egypt, and though they failed to maintain the high
spiritual level on which they ancestors descended to Egypt, after 210 years it
was pretty significant that they maintained anything at all, from God’s
perspective.
Likewise it says about the final generation in advance of the
Messianic Era:
I will remember the land, which will have been left behind by them,
enjoying its Sabbaths, lying desolate without them. The transgression of
despising My judgments and detesting My laws, will [also] have been atoned for.
In spite of all of this, even though they live in the land of their enemies, I
will not discard them, or detest them to the point of annihilating them, or
void My covenant with them, for I am God, your God. For their sake, I will
remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought out of the land of
Egypt before the eyes of the nations, to be their God. I am God. (Vayikra
26:40-45)
Why shouldn’t God discard us, knowing how much we have assimilated
into foreign cultures? Because, He knows our souls, and our circumstances, and
how difficult the test it, and He takes it all into account. Not everyone may
survive, but at least those who try the best they can to be the best they can
be, will have a special place in God’s plan at the end of history.
1:1 Now these are the names of the sons
of Israel, who came into Egypt with Jacob; every man came with his household:
And these are the names of the sons of Israel: Although
[God] counted them in their lifetime by their names (Gen. 46:8-27), He counted
them again after their death, to let us know how precious they are [to Him],
because they were likened to the stars, which He takes out [From beyond the
horizon] and brings in by number and by name, as it is said: who takes out
their host by number; all of them He calls by name (Isa. 40:26). [From Tanchuma
Buber, Shemot 2; Exod. Rabbah 1:3]
2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah; 3 Issachar, Zebulun,
and Benjamin; 4
Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. 5 And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were
seventy souls; and Joseph was in Egypt already. 6 And Joseph died, and all his
brethren, and all that generation. 7 And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased
abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled
with them.
Understanding Pshat (simple meaning) in our times: When Zachariah
says "On that Day" and Yeshaya says "It will be said on that day
here is our G-D" Are
we surprised when this happens and people don’t know or remember or even want
to politically remember? In recent history in the times of Balfour the United
Kingdom said one thing and England and France were our allies in the Sinai Campaign
in early 5617 but now they are chattering about building in E1 portion of
Yerushalayim. A lot of people are telling me Gematria and Bible Codes of
Capitols of the world that will cease to exist by “THAT DAY” and among them are
places dear to the hearts of all Britain and France. Those who understand will
understand and make Aliyah.
Another explanation is that a new Dynasty took
over Egypt – Rav Eliyahu Schatz Shlita or like my wife discussed with me
similar to what is happening in Mitzrayim today that Morsi is eliminating the
peace that his two predecessors made with Yisrael and it looks like in the
future the Jihad will be at war with us again and this time perhaps we will
conquer Sinai for the third time and annex it!
9 And he said unto his people:
'Behold, the people of the children of Israel are too many and too mighty for
us;
Look they control all the money (banking) and
they will join with our enemies in time of war to over throw us. They have dual
loyalties one to Pharaoh and one to Yisrael.
10 come, let us deal wisely with them,
lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there befalls us any war,
they also join themselves unto our enemies, and fight against us, and get them
up out of the land.' 11
Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens.
And they built for Pharaoh store-cities, Pithom and Raamses. 12 But the more they afflicted them,
the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And they were adread
because of the children of Israel.
Man proposes G-D disposes. Plan number one back
fired so now in Pasuk 15 we see plan number two and finally in Pasuk 22 plan
number three.
13 And the Egyptians made the children
of Israel to serve with rigour. 14 And they made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar
and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field; in all their service,
wherein they made them serve with rigour. 15 And the king of Egypt spoke to the
Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the
other Puah; 16
and he said: 'When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, ye shall
look upon the birthstool: if it be a son, then ye shall kill him; but if it be
a daughter, then she shall live.' 17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt
commanded them, but saved the men-children alive.
But they enabled the boys to live: They
provided water and food for them. [From Sotah 11b] [The word וַךְתְּחַיֶּיןָ is
found in verse 17 and again in verse 18.] The first is translated וְקַיָּמָא,
and they enabled to live, and the second וְקַיֵּמְךְתִּין, and you enabled to
live, because in Hebrew, for the feminine plural, this word and others like it
are used as the third person past tense and the second person past tense, e.g.
“And they said (וַךְתֹּאמַרְןָ), ‘An Egyptian man מִצְרִי) (אִישׁ ’” (Exod.
2:19), the past tense, like וַיֹּאמְרוּ for the masculine plural; you have
spoken (וַךְתְּדַבֵּרְנָה) with your בְּפִיכֶם (Jer. 44:25), an expression like
וַךְתְּדַבֵּרְנָה, the equivalent of דִבַּרְךְתֶּם for the masculine plural.
Similarly, You have profaned (וַךְתְּחַלֶּלְנָה) Me before My people (Ezek.
13:19), the past tense, an expression like חִלַּלְךְתֶּם, the equivalent of וַךְתְּחַלּלוּ
for the masculine plural. If it was necessary to supply the infants with food,
Ohr Hachayim asks why the midwives did not do it prior to Pharaoh’s decree. He
answers that the Torah means that despite Pharaoh’s decree, the midwives
continued their previous practice, that is, supplying needy children with
nourishment. He suggests further that they particularly sustained the male
children lest one die and they be suspected of being responsible for his death.
Rashi explains that in the Hebrew, there is a conversive vav, (turning past
into future and future into past). Therefore, since the future forms of the
feminine plural, both in the second person and in the third person, are
identical, the same is true for the past forms with the conversive vav.
[Mizrachi] In Aramaic, however, since there is no conversive vav, the two past
forms are different. [Divrei David]
18 And the king
of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them: 'Why have ye done this
thing, and have saved the men-children alive?' 19 And the midwives said unto Pharaoh:
'Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively,
and are delivered ere the midwife come unto them.' 20 And God dealt well with the
midwives; and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty. 21 And it came to pass, because the
midwives feared God, that He made them houses. 22 And Pharaoh charged all his people,
saying: 'Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every
daughter ye shall save alive.'
All his people: He
issued this decree upon them as well. On the day Moses was born, his
astrologers told him [Pharaoh], Today the one who will save them has been born,
but we do not know whether from the Egyptians or from the Israelites, but we
see that he will ultimately be smitten through water. Therefore, on that day he
issued a decree also upon the Egyptians, as it is said: Every son who is born,
and it does not say: who is born to the Hebrews. They did not know, however,
that he [Moses] would ultimately suffer because of the water of Meribah (Num.
20:7-13) [i.e., that he would not be permitted to enter the Holy Land]. [From
Sotah 12a, Exod. Rabbah 1:18, Sanh. 101b]
Without a good Yiddisher Kopf, Pharaoh and his advisors were
foolish or at best stupid. Think about it kill the males and you kill your
labor but keep the females alive and they can reproduce with an older male with
more than one wife. The basic education in Judaism has always been with the
mother from cradle to and through the ages of kindergarten until the child was
old enough to be in a real classroom type of environment with a teacher.
2:1 And there went a man of the house
of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi. 2 And the woman conceived, and bore a son; and when she saw him
that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months. 3 And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark
of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch; and she put the child
therein, and laid it in the flags by the river's brink. 4 And his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to
him. 5 And the daughter of
Pharaoh came down to bathe in the river; and her maidens walked along by the
river-side; and she saw the ark among the flags, and sent her handmaid to fetch
it. 6 And she opened it, and saw
it, even the child; and behold a boy that wept. And she had compassion on him,
and said: 'This is one of the Hebrews' children.' 7 Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter: 'Shall I go and call
thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee?' 8 And Pharaoh's daughter said to her:
'Go.' And the maiden went and called the child's mother. 9 And Pharaoh's daughter said unto
her: 'Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy
wages.' And the woman took the child, and nursed it.
This is around the time of the Yahrzeit of Rabbi
Glixman (what a hidden Tzaddik) and I remember him talking about this and
laughing. See how HASHEM works Pharaoh is afraid of the Moshiach of the Bnei
Yisrael so HASHEM has the events take place that the redeemer grows up in
Pharaoh’s own household under his patronage.
10 And the child grew, and she brought
him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name
Moses, and said: 'Because I drew him out of the water.' 11 And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown up,
that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens; and he saw an
Egyptian smiting a Hebrew, one of his brethren. 12 And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there
was no man, he smote the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.
He turned this way and that way: He saw
what he [the Egyptian] had done to him [the Hebrew] in the house and what he
had done to him in the field (Exod. Rabbah 1:28). But according to its simple
meaning, it is to be interpreted according to its apparent meaning, i.e., he
looked in all directions and saw that no one had seen him slay the Egyptian. and he
saw that there was no man: [I.e., he saw that] there was no man
destined to be descended from him [the Egyptian] who would become a proselyte
[i.e., a convert]. [From Exod. Rabbah 1:29]
No good would ever arise from this individual.
The Medrash says he used THE NAME but that does not make sense with 3:17 so it
is just not so rather it appears like the Pshat indicates that he dealt the man
a blow or argued with him that he had a heart attack. There is a Medrash too
that he had conquered an African Country and had a wife from there and the
“Black woman” mentioned by Miriam in Bamidbar 12:1 was his queen from there and
not Tziporah but this is only speculation and the Pshat seems to indicate that
Tziporah was his only wife.
13 And he went out the second day,
and, behold, two men of the Hebrews were striving together; and he said to him
that did the wrong: 'Wherefore do you smite your fellow?' 14 And he said: 'Who made thee a ruler
and a judge over us? Do you think to kill me, as thou didst kill the Egyptian?'
And Moses feared, and said: 'Surely the thing is known.'
The Bnei Yisrael could easily Pshat who the killer
of the Egyptian was. For the Bnei Yisrael feared the Egyptian and the only one
who it possibly could be was somebody who had the possibility of getting close
to him and that would be Moshe.
15 Now when Pharaoh heard this thing,
he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in
the land of Midian; and he sat down by a well.
Dathan and Aviram were the Bnei Yisrael Kapos of
their day and they wanted the reward money for squealing on whom the killer of
the Egyptian was. It became clear to Moshe that he had better flee if he wanted
to keep his head. He grabbed his supplies and set off on his own as fast as he
could by his own mode of transport.
16 Now the priest of Midian had seven
daughters; and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their
father's flock.
Now the chief of Midian had: Heb. וּלְכֹהֵן
מִדְיָן, i.e., the most prominent among them. He had abandoned idolatry, so
they banned him from [living with] them. [From Exod. Rabbah 1:32, Tanchuma,
Shemos 11] the troughs: Pools of running water, made in the ground.
Based on the Rashi here and the statement that
he was also the Priest of Midian one can conclude that they had a double or
triple role among his people. 1) King (2) Priest and finally (3) Medicine man
as in many tribes the Priest is also the Medicine Man. We have our own example
not of king but as Talmud Chacham Medicine Man in the Rambam. Even today we
have Rabbi and MD Zev Vilna, Cardiologist of Tel HaShomer Hospital and Rabbi MD
Shalom Friedman, Surgeon in Hadassah Hospital and many more. The top of the
list is Rabbi Firer Shlita who is not a Dr.; but the whole Jewish World and
then some contact him for medical advice and whom to turn to in almost every
country in the world. This week the former head of Israel National Security was
featured for the first time after his liver transplant thanking Rabbi Firer.
You could only guess what the Shepherds were
thinking but they feared the head of the tribe to lay their hands on his
daughters but to tease them they did as good bullies do and Moshe who had been
trained in war tactics and combat under Pharaoh had no problem driving these
local Yokels away.
17 And the shepherds came and drove
them away; but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock. 18 And when they came to Reuel their
father, he said: 'How is it that ye are come so soon to-day?'
The Medrash notes that Yisro had 7 names one was
listed here and elsewhere Hobab etc. Some of the names might be titles like
this one could seer or perhaps lover of
or brotherhood of G-D and a title.
19 And they said: 'An Egyptian
delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and moreover he drew water for
us, and watered the flock.' 20
And he said unto his daughters: 'And where is he? Why is it that ye have left
the man? Call him, that he may eat bread.'
Why have you left the man: He
recognized him [Moses] as being of the seed of Jacob, for the water rose toward
him. [From Exod. Rabbah 1:32, Tanchuma Shemos 11] and let
him eat bread: Perhaps he will marry one of you, as it is said: except the
bread that he ate (Gen. 39:6) [alluding to Potiphar’s wife]. [From Exod. Rabbah
1:32, Tanchuma, Shemos 11]
We must recall that Midian learned hospitality
from Avraham Avinu listed in Beresheis 25:2 and Divrei HaYamim I 1:32.
21 And Moses was content to dwell with
the man; and he gave Moses Tziporah his daughter. 22 And she bore a son, and he called his name Gershom; for he
said: 'I have been a stranger in a strange land.'
A wise man sees a nice catch for his daughter he
takes him in as a guest and she gets to his heart via his stomach.
23 And it came to
pass in the course of those many days that the king of Egypt died; and the
children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their
cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage.
When Pharaoh died they really cried but not like
the Kim Jong Ill cries but for freedom.
24 And God heard their groaning, and
God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 And God saw the
children of Israel, and God took cognizance of them.
This is the rule everytime the Bnei Yisrael cry
unto HASHEM in sincerity, HE listens!
3:1 Now Moses
was keeping the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian; and he
led the flock to the farthest end of the wilderness, and came to the mountain
of God, unto Horeb.
As I mentioned above Reuel is now Yisro. The Pshat seems to be
that Yisro already knew this mountain as a holy site and there is no reason not
to believe so. Rashi holds differently from the Pshat.
To the mountain of God: [Mount
Horeb is called “the mountain of God”] in view of the [events of the] future.
2 And
the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of
a bush; and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was
not consumed.
in a flame of fire: Heb. בִּלַבַּת
אֵשׁ, in a flame of (שַׁלְהֶבֶת) fire, the heart (לִבּוֹ) of fire, like “the
heart (לֵב) of the heavens” (Deut. 4:11), “in the heart (בְּלֵב) of the
terebinth” (II Sam. 18:14). Do not wonder about the tav [in לִבַּת], for we
have [an instance] similar to this: How degenerate is your heart (לִבָּתֵ)
(Ezek. 16:30).
3 And
Moses said: 'I will turn aside now, and see this great sight, why the bush is
not burnt.' 4 And when the LORD
saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the
bush, and said: 'Moses, Moses.' And he said: 'Here am I.'
I assume the double Moshe is because if one hears words, one
expects to see a person in the flesh and blood calling the name and not from
the midst of the burning Sneh!
5 And He
said: 'Draw not nigh hither; put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place
whereon thou stand is holy ground.'
Like the Cohanim in the Beis HaMikdash who went barefoot.
6
Moreover He said: 'I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of
Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look
upon God. 7 And the LORD said:
'I have surely seen the affliction of My people that are in Egypt, and have
heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their pains; 8 and I am come down to deliver them
out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a
good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place
of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the
Hivite, and the Jebusite. 9 And
now, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto Me; moreover I have
seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. … 14 God said to
Moses, "Ehyeh asher ehyeh (I will be what I will be)," and He said,
"So shall you say to the children of Israel, 'Ehyeh (I will be) has sent
me to you.'"
“Ehyeh asher ehyeh (I will be what I will
be)”: “I will be” with them in this predicament “what I will be” with
them in their subjugation by other kingdoms. He [Moses] said before Him, “O
Lord of the universe! Why should I mention to them another trouble? They have
enough [problems] with this one.” He said to him, “You have spoken well. So
shall you say, etc.” -[from Ber. 9b] (Not that Moses, God forbid, outsmarted
God, but he did not understand what God meant, because originally, when God
said, “I will be what I will be,” He told this to Moses alone, and He did not
mean that he should tell it to Israel. That is the meaning of “You have spoken
well,” for that was My original intention, that you should not tell such things
to the children of Israel, only “So shall you say to the children of Israel,”
‘Ehyeh [I will be] has sent me.’” From tractate Berachoth this appears to be
the correct interpretation. Give this matter your deliberation.) [Annotation to
Rashi] [There appears to be no indication of this interpretation in tractate
Berachoth.]
The bad English translation I AM only
guarantees the present just as I WAS would guarantee what happened with
Avraham, etc. but I WILL BE guarantees the future which is most important to
the nation.
15 And
God said moreover unto Moses: 'Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel:
The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and
the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you; this is My name forever, and this is
My memorial unto all generations. 16
Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them: The LORD, the
God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, hath appeared
unto me, saying: I have surely remembered you, and seen that which is done to
you in Egypt. 17 And I have
said: I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the
Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite,
and the Jebusite, unto a land flowing with milk and honey. 18 And they shall hearken to thy
voice. And thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of
Egypt, and ye shall say unto him: The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, hath met
with us. And now let us go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the
wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God. 19 And I know that the king of Egypt will not give you leave to
go, except by a mighty hand. 20
And I will put forth My hand, and smite Egypt with all My wonders which I will
do in the midst thereof. And after that he will let you go. 21 And I will give this people favor
in the sight of the Egyptians. And it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye
shall not go empty; 22 but every
woman shall ask of her neighbor, and of her that sojourned in her house, jewels
of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment; and ye shall put them upon your
sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians.'
4:1 … 15 And you shall speak unto him, and put the words in his mouth;
and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye
shall do. 16 And he shall be thy
spokesman unto the people; and it shall come to pass, that he shall be to thee
a mouth, and thou shalt be to him in God's stead. 17 And you shalt take in thy hand this rod, wherewith thou shalt
do the signs.' … 21 And the LORD
said unto Moses: 'When you go back into Egypt, see that thou do before Pharaoh
all the wonders which I have put in thy hand; but I will harden his heart, and
he will not let the people go. 22
And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh: Thus says the LORD: Israel is My son, My
first-born.
Once there was a Jew who came from a
non-religious house. His mother pleaded to him with no avail and he was going
to leave to convert to a different religion. She came to Rabbi Glixman and
asked him to intervene. The chances were slim and the members of that group
were waiting on the lawn and in cars to take him to their area. He was given
all their propaganda to debate with Rabbi Glixman. Then came the clincher what
about HE gave HIS only son? This is one of the basis for their belief and not
for the belief of the Bnei Noach or Am Yisrael. Rabbi Glixman calmly opened up
the Chumash with the Hebrew on one side and the English on the other to the
above Pasuk. The fellow turned red with anger at his friends and went out and
took his belongings from the car shouting at them with the Holy Scriptures in
hand “You lied to me that man was not HIS only son.”
23 And I have said unto thee: Let My
son go, that he may serve Me; and thou hast refused to let him go. Behold, I
will slay thy son, thy first-born.'—
Either Pharaoh would let the Bnei Yisrael go or
he would lose his heir apparent and then let the people go. It was Pharaoh’s
free will at this point.
24 And it came to pass on the way at the
lodging-place, that the LORD met him, and sought to kill him.
On the way, in an inn and sought to put him to death: [I.e.,
He sought] Moses, because he had neglected to circumcise his son Eliezer.
Because he neglected it, he was [to be] punished with death. It was taught in a
Braitha: Rabbi Jose said: God forbid! Moses did not neglect it, but he
reasoned: Shall I circumcise [him] and go forth on the road? It will be
dangerous for the child for three days. Shall I circumcise [him] and wait three
days? The Holy One, blessed be He, commanded me, “Go, return to Egypt.” [Moses
hurried to Egypt intending to circumcise Eliezer upon his return.] Why [then]
was he to be punished with death? Because first he busied himself with [the
details of] his lodging. [This appears] in tractate Nedarim (31b). The angel
turned into a sort of serpent and swallowed him [Moses] from his head to his
thighs, and then [spit him out and] swallowed him from his feet to his private
parts. Tziporah therefore understood that it was because of [the failure to
perform] the circumcision [that this occurred]. — [from Ned. 32a, Exodus Rabbah
5:5]
The snake is often used as a messenger of
HASHEM. This snake was the snake from Gan Eden and really an Angel but not to
test Moshe but to bring a message. For had it been a real Python, Moshe would
have first been strangled to death but here it was only a hint on the lack of a
Bris! The Bnei Yisrael went 40 years in the desert without circumcision so why
was Moshe circumcising his son different? Because he was to be an example to
all.
25 Then Tziporah took a flint, and cut
off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet; and she said: 'Surely a
bridegroom of blood art thou to me.' 26 So He let him alone. Then she said: 'A bridegroom of blood in
regard of the circumcision.'
Then the snake slithered off or became a Malach
and flew back to heaven. [Recall the story of the Jewish American who fought in
the ‘80’s with the Taliban against the Russians and the cobra stood against him
for 8 hours until it slithered away and when he arrived at the encampment found
everybody in his group dead – it would take a while for him to get the message
and become a Baal Teshuva.]
27 And the LORD
said to Aaron: 'Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.' And he went, and met him
in the mountain of God, and kissed him.
Perhaps Moshe had doubts about what was
happening to him if he was not a delusional 80 year old. When Aaron shows up,
he cannot think that he had delusions of grandeur for two people in two
different places do not get the same delusions at the same time.
28 And Moses told Aaron all the words
of the LORD wherewith He had sent him, and all the signs wherewith He had
charged him. 29
And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children
of Israel. 30 And
Aaron spoke all the words which the LORD had spoken unto Moses, and did the
signs in the sight of the people. 31 And the people believed; and when they heard that the LORD had
remembered the children of Israel, and that He had seen their affliction, then
they bowed their heads and worshipped.
Aaron being a religious authority convinced the people to believe.
However, things went only straight forward for a short time and upon meeting
Pharaoh, things turned sour and the conditions before the redemption worsen to
the extent that most of the people turn against Moshe. At this point Moshe
cries unto HASHEM and then receives the following reply:
6:1 And
the LORD said unto Moses: 'Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh; for by
a strong hand shall he let them go, and by a strong hand shall he drive them
out of his land.'
Editorial – A crazy planet full of crazy people
In India an incident
similar to the Pilegesh of Givah Shoftim (Judges) all of Chapter 19 with the
exception that the Indian woman did not play the harlot and she was probably a
virgin. In both horrible cases a woman was raped to death. Since the Kinsey
Report in 1948, the world has become more and more immoral and promiscuous.
Women and men are instead of being moral giving in to the basest of instincts.
We have always had sin because Vayikra 18 – 20 are filled with forbidden things
and comes along Kinsey and they become permissible. I would sound like a cheap
novel if I iterated them and bestiality is the next barrier that the Yetzer
plans to break down in the last days before Moshiach. What was normal in 1947
and moral in 1947 is a thing of the past in many societies. It is time to
return to G-D for if not we will find ourselves being swept away in the war of
Gog and Magog.
A so-called Baal
Teshuva move into my area but the man does not want to work, but to freeload
off of people. His behavior is criminal so I assume that he “repented”
partially for his earlier behavior. He has rented in the last close to a dozen
years 10 apts. What does he do? He rents from people and pays rent for a few
months and then stops paying the rent, electricity and water on the hands of
the owner of the building. He lives in Charedi areas where most of the people
who rent do so because they need every penny. My friend rented out his
downstairs and had to shut off the water and use rainwater for the toilets and
washing and get from the Synagogue regular water and bathe in a Charedi
swimming pool & shower. He also had to come to people like myself for doing
his wash. The character still refuses to remove his furniture from the house or
pay the back rent, water or electricity and until the Israeli courts can deal with
this, it is stuck. It may be this man who borrowed from a charity and refused
to pay back an non-interest loan. Also this is in the Israeli Courts.
Not that there is
real justice when treason can prosper: High Court judges Israeli Arab MK Zouabi
eligible for re-election DEBKAfile December 30, 2012, 11:33 AM
(GMT+02:00) An expanded High Court bench of nine judges overruled the Central
Election Committee’s decision to disqualify MK Hanan Zouabi of the Balad party
from running for reelection on Jan. 22. The High Court will disclose it reasons
at a later date. A number of parties demanded Zouabi be disqualified because
she was aboard the Turkish Mavis Marmara and collaborated with the attempt
mounted by the Turkish IHH terrorist group to break the Israeli naval blockade
against the Gaza Strip.
The Mezuzah and the cost (A short general guide not full Halachos)
Only a qualified
scribe can write a Mezuzah. Some scribes go to the Mikvah before they start
writing. A Mezuzah can only be written on parchment from a kosher animal and
prepared only from a certain part of the skin called Klaf in Hebrew. The ink is
prepared from certain ingredients. The writing instrument is made by the Sofer
who sharpens it from time to time. Not everybody is capable of writing a
Mezuzah. Rabbi S. W. took a course for months only to be told that his writing
was not good enough. Unlike a Megilla or Sefer Torah; both Tephillin and
Mezuzos cannot have a mistake in them (not an ink problem that can be
corrected) but if a word is skipped or misplaced or some other mistake that
cannot be corrected, the Mezuzah is Pasul and must be thrown out or if it has a
NAME, buried. All this drives up the cost of Mezuzos. A Stam Sofer usually has
another Sofer check over his work to make sure that it is perfect. All this
adds to the cost. Purchasing a Mezuzah from the Sofer can cost starting a $45 a
Mezuzah. My son in his book story usually negotiates for a lower price and
makes a few dollars on each one so he keeps his stock low and Tephillin he
orders special upon demand. People complain about the high cost but after the
Klaf, ink, inspection and per the time it takes to write properly and possible
loss via a mistake, the poor Sofer does not have that much from his labor. The
putting up of the Mezuzah on the door posts can be done by a woman who makes
the blessing.
Hilchos Deyos of the Rambam http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/910344/jewish/Chapter-Four.htm
Halacha 17
When one leaves the bath, he should dress and cover his head
in the outer room [of the bathhouse], so that he not catch a chill. He should
take this precaution even in the summer.
After leaving [the baths], he should wait until he regains
his composure, and the warmth [from bathing] has receded, and then eat.
A nap before eating, after the bath, is very beneficial. One
should not drink cold water on leaving the baths and it goes without saying,
that he should not drink while bathing. If he should be thirsty upon leaving
the bath and cannot refrain, he should mix the water with wine or honey, and
drink.
It is beneficial for one to rub himself with oil at the
baths, during the winter, after he has rinsed off.
Halacha 18
One should not accustom himself to constant bloodletting. He
should not be bled unless there is an extreme necessity. He should not be bled
in the summer or winter, but slightly in Nisan and slightly in Tishrei.
After the age of fifty, he should not be bled at all. He
should not be bled and go to the baths on the same day, or leave on a journey
after being bled; nor should he be bled on the day on which he returns from a
trip.
He should eat less than usual on the day of a bloodletting.
He should rest on that day, not exert himself, nor exercise, nor stroll.
Halacha 19
Semen is the strength of the body, its life [force], and the
light of the eyes; the greater the emission [of sperm], [the greater] the
damage to the body, to its strength and the greater the loss to one's life
[span]. This was implied by Solomon in his wisdom: "Do not give your
strength to women" (Proverbs 31:3).
Whoever is steeped in sexual relations, old age springs upon
him [before its time], his strength is depleted, his eyes become dim, a foul
odor emanates from his mouth and his armpits, the hair of his head, his
eyebrows, and eyelashes fall out, the hair of his beard, armpits, and legs
grows in abundance, his teeth fall out and he suffers many pains beyond these.
The wise of the doctors have said: One of a thousand dies from other illnesses
and a thousand from excessive intercourse.
Therefore, a person must take care in this mater if he
wishes to live in good [health]. He should not engage in intercourse except
when the body is healthy and particularly strong, when he has many involuntary
erections, the erection is still present even when he makes an effort to think
of something else, he finds a heaviness from the loins and below, the tendons
of the testicles seem to be stretched, and his flesh is warm. Such a person
needs to engage in intercourse and it is medically advisable.
He should not engage in intercourse on a full or empty
stomach, but after the food has been digested. He should examine himself to see
if he needs to move his bowels before and after intercourse. He should not
engage in intercourse while standing or sitting, nor in the bathhouse, nor on a
day on which he goes to the bathhouse, nor on a day on which he lets blood, nor
on the day he departs on a journey or arrives from a journey, nor [on the day]
before or afterwards.
Halacha 20
Whoever conducts himself in the ways which we have drawn up,
I will guarantee that he will not become ill throughout his life, until he
reaches advanced age and dies. He will not need a doctor. His body will remain
intact and healthy throughout his life.
One may rely on this guarantee] unless [his body] was
impaired from the birth, he was accustomed to one of the harmful habits from
birth, or should there be a plague or a drought in the world.
Halacha 21
All of these beneficial habits which we have stated apply
only to a healthy man. In contrast, a sick person, or one who has a single
organ which is not healthy, or one who has followed a harmful way of life for
many years, each of these must choose different patterns of behavior in
accordance with his [particular] illness as it is explained in the medical
literature.
Any change from the conduct which one normally follows is
the beginning of sickness.
Halacha 22
Where there is no doctor available, neither the healthy nor
the sick man should budge from all the directions given in this chapter for
each of them ultimately brings to a beneficial result.
Halacha 23
A Torah Sage is not permitted to live in a community which
does not have the following: a doctor, a blood letter, a bathhouse, a latrine,
an available source of water such as a river or a spring, a synagogue, a
teacher of children, a scribe, a charity supervisor, a rabbinical court
empowered to impose corporal punishment and jail sentences.
Watch out what you dish out: A newspaper printed a list of legal
registered guns in New York and the address of the owners. The owners posted
kindly for criminals who wish to rob a pushover the addresses of the newspaper
editors and author of the post all over the internet. Congratulations on
stupidity and violation of privacy all the way around. I wish they would have
published that I have an armory with security cameras and tear gas and 6 hungry
Rottweiler dogs trained to maim or kill.
Put a
painting of Hitler where Jews died to aggravate people: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/163664#.UN9GE3fjNGo
Third intifada:
A female soldier was hurt Saturday near Neve Tsuf and
the civilian motorist driving on the 443 highway to Jerusalem near
Maccabim – both by flying rocks thrown by Palestinians. IDF and Border Guard
troops were also attacked with bottle bombs in three parts of the West Bank.
Saturday night, the Nahal Bazelet battalion detained two Palestinians
south of Nablus in possession of a pistol, two knives, a bottle bomb and
instructions for their use.
HASHEM Yisborach watches over all creation: I have a humor list
that I send out to a number of close friends of which for every about 30 posts
I get, I read about 20 plus or minus and mail out one or two or combine one or
two to my friends. From Chaim B. Subject: FW: Israel - Dead Sea - IBEX-this is an
unbelievable education http://www.youtube.com/embed/wdsZz8StyV4
Not the survival of the fittest but the defenses that HASHEM has
given to the weak.
Shalom Rachamim:
My wife tells me I repeat stories and happenings. So perhaps
I have told this this before. In brief, a bunch of Ibex head up a steep
mountain pass, being followed at 1/2 hour behind by a snow leopard. The
leopard had the ability to jump maybe 30 feet. Even an Ibex cannot do
that. The male goat leads them to a gap near the top of the mountain
pass. There is another mountain just past the gap, but it is not obvious
that the little kids could jump the gap. In any event, the leopard certainly
could, so I didn't understand why the lead goat stopped. About 20 minutes
later, with the leopard closing in, the lead male Ibex starts running back and
forth in the group. They are all watching him now. Then he heads
for the gap between the two mountains. The gap defines
a vertical cliff between the two mountains.
The head male goat jumps, but it is obvious he jumps short.
He's not going to make it across. But he wasn't planning to make it
across. He lands on a nib of a rock on the face of the cliff, rotates 180
degrees, and jumps back to the other face of the cliff. And this behavior
continues, as the Ibex runs down the cliff from side to side. But even
more amazing is that the other goats follow him, nib to nib. Even the young
kids follow him. The snow leopard, once 30 minutes behind, then only 10,
now finds that it must go down the mountain the way it came up -- it is a full
hour behind.
Shalom, Laib
A
year after stroke, Kirk climbs Capitol steps http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130102/news/701029938/
For Mark Kirk, there was no
white light, no tunnel.
What Illinois' junior U.S.
senator experienced was three angels standing at the foot of his bed.
"You want to come with
us?" Kirk was asked.
"No," he told
them. "I'll hold off."
The Highland Park
Republican, who plans to return to the Senate when Congress convenes Thursday,
recounted the story in his first in-depth interview since he suffered a massive
stroke nearly a year ago.
Awakening from what he says
might have been a dream, a side effect of medication or a near-death
experience, Kirk found himself lying in a hospital bed in Northwestern Memorial
Hospital's Intensive Care Unit, hooked up to monitors and tubes.
He had no way of
immediately knowing what had transpired in the days after he suffered an
ischemic stroke on Jan. 21, 2012; that doctors had put him in a coma and
performed several surgeries, temporarily removing a 4-by-8 inch portion of
skull to allow his brain to swell and heal.
What Kirk did know was how
close he had been to death.
"A thing goes off in
your head that this is the end," he remembered.
Some people have values and others no love for their
fellow frum Jews: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4326163,00.html
103
year old Nobel Prize winner passes away: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/12/30/nobel-winning-scientist-levi-montalcini-dies-in-rome-at-103-biologist-studied/?test=latestnews
Israel's
illegal migrant problem http://www.jpost.com/NationalNews/Article.aspx?id=297886
Something
is wrong with the population estimate. In Israel there are approximately
1,500,000 Orthodox Jews and in the diaspora much more than half a million
more.: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4326173,00.html
I just
met Chicken Little back from the Mayan Ruins I said now think about the
following: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/31/2013-stargazing-events-comets-eclipses-meteor-showers_n_2387623.html?icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl10%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D251287
Israeli
training accident leaves a female cadet seriously wounded: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4327836,00.html
We hate
to see you go x2 we hope the heck you never come back: http://debka.com/article/22649/Ahmadinejad-in-suicidal-anti-corruption-drive-against-Khamenei%E2%80%99s-establishment
Wishful
thinking poll perhaps the very rightwing party will get in but not 8 mandates
and the Likud I think less and Shass more as for National Union it could be but
it looks too much too to me it appears more like Ron Paul supporters and the
poll: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/163838#.UOVU4XfjNGo
Israel like
all countries with large companies and large unions is not exempt from
corruption: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4327943,00.html
Inyanay Diyoma
IDF
Post attacked in Yehuda: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4325494,00.html
Yehuda
and the Shomron to another Gaza: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4325541,00.html
My
name’s Cliff drop over any time $1 extra in aid to Egypt: http://www.icontact-archive.com/qsOZ4hdDBjZn229xsbHxmccT0zjmHSAL?w=4
What is
the TSA doing behind the scenes is what I expected of violation of privacy: http://www.aol.com/video/inappropriate-behavior-in-tsa-screening-rooms/517625337/?icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl20%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D249929
Russia
on Syria: http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=297641
Abbas
threatens to resign I am not waiting with baited breath: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/163656#.UN2NgHfjNGo
Devil
and Daniel Webster now as the Devil and Syria a modern sequel: http://www.debka.com/article/22640/Fateh-missiles-and-Russian-Iranian-military-cooperation-to-bolster-Assad-
You can't even have peace during the election season: A SPECIAL
APPEAL FOR LIKUDNIKS LIVING IN YEHUDA AND THE SHOMRON TO VOTE FOR BIBI NETANYAHU
SO THAT HE CAN REMOVE YOU FROM YOUR HOME. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4325713,00.html
Infiltrating
the USA with Coke terror: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4325850,00.html
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The number of low-income preschoolers
who qualify as obese or "extremely obese" has dropped over the last
decade, new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show.http://news.yahoo.com/obesity-declining-young-poorer-kids-study-220109586.html
Syria
both sides seem to have gas: http://debka.com/article/22642/Failed-Syria-envoy-Brahimi%E2%80%99s-mission-brings-chemical-war-closer
Rumors
about the real “sickness” and accident of Hillary Clinton: http://debka.com/article/22645/Hillary-Clinton-in-hospital-amid-speculation-of-plane-accident-in-Iran
You
have up to two months of not much worry financially but then??? http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/163762#.UOJZeHfjNGo
Where
are the remains of Eli Cohen? http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=297976
Playing
political footsie with different groups in Syria: http://www.debka.com/article/22647/IDF-and-Syrian-rebel-officers-meet-clandestinely-in-Jordan-
Moshe
Feiglin proposes paying half a million dollars to each Arab family will to
leave Israel: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4327557,00.html
Shimshon
fell for a woman and lost his strength. http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=298214
This
has nothing to do with Syria??? http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Article.aspx?id=298232
Clamping
down on the third Intifada before it gets too far out of hand (although I think
it is already on its way) http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4328045,00.html
Now for M. Wolfberg’s Good Shabbos Story “Next Year in
Yerushalayim”
Good Shabbos Everyone. Many people say “Next Year in Jerusalem... and the year after
that, how about a cruise?” “Next Year in Jerusalem” does not refer to vacation
plans. Next Year in Jerusalem means that we must believe that Moshiach will
come at any minute and redeem us.
The Rabbis tell us that Hashem actually intended man to live a life of total enjoyment in the paradise of the Garden of Eden. Unfortunately, we were temporarily banished from paradise after the sin of Odam and Chava. Even so, Hashem has promised us that our final destiny is to once again experience the happiness and tranquility of the Garden of Eden. (When Moshiach Comes, R.Y. Chayoun, R.Y.M.Rappaport trans.) The coming of Moshiach is an important milestone in our road back to the Garden of Eden.
Belief in Moshiach is a basic point of belief in our religion. As we recite daily in the 13 Principles of Faith according to the Rambam: “I believe with perfect faith in the coming of the Moshiach, even though he may delay, I anticipate his arrival every day.”
The Torah speaks about Moshiach in our parsha this week Vayechi. As the verse tells us: “The scepter shall not depart from Yehudah nor a scholar among his descendants until Shiloh arrives and his will be an assembly of nations.”(Bereishis – Genesis 49:10) Rashi explains that this verse is referring to Moshiach who will be a Jewish King from the tribe of Yehudah. When Moshiach comes, the Nations will gather around him to seek the wisdom of Hashem.
When Moshiah comes, the entire character of civilization will change. (Ibid,citing Rav Sadia Gaon Emunos ve’Deos 8:6) As we read in the Haftara for the last day of Pesach “The wolf will dwell with the lamb, the leopard will lie with the kid.... They shall do no evil, nor will they destroy... for the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of G-d, as the waters cover the sea.” (Ibid, citing Yishayahu 11:6-9) The world will be a better place for everyone; suffering, violence, corruption, and evil will be replaced by universal brotherhood, peace and fellowship.
In 1777, Reb Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk led a large group of Chassidim to Eretz YisroeI, where they established a community in Tiberias. Some time after his arrival, some enterprising fool climbed up the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, and blew a mighty blast from his shofar. The simple folk who heard it assumed in their innocence that this was the long-awaited shofar of Moshiach, heralding the good news of the Redemption. But when the rumor reached Reb Menachem Mendel, he opened the window, looked around at the world outside, and said: "No. I do not feel that there is anything new in the air."
All of the strife in the world will disappear with Moshiach and the United Nations will be out of business forever. For this reason, we must long for the coming of Moshiach. The Midrash in fact tells us that “A generation which longs for the reign of Moshiach will be redeemed immediately.” (Ibid,citing Yalkut Shimoni, Eicha) The Sages also teach us that when a Jew is called to give a reckoning of his deeds before the Heavenly Court at the end of his life, the first question put to him will be: “Did you anticipate the redemption?” (Ibid, citing Shabbos 31a)
Reb Moshe of Rozvidov, the son of Reb Eliezer of Dzikov, was once talking of Moshiach in the company of a group of his chassidim. They came to discuss the different dates of the arrival of Moshiach which had been calculated by various tzaddikim. The Sages tell us that the world will last for a maximum of 6000 years. Out of all the years remaining until the six thousand years elapse, there are certain times when Moshiach was predicted to come.
"Believe me, my brothers," said Reb Moshe, "that even if the nine hundred and ninety-ninth year of the sixth thousand year comes around and we reach sunset of the last day of that year, right before the last minute, and Moshiach has not yet come - I will not despair, G-d forbid. I will confidently await his coming." (Sipurei Chassidim al HaTorah, p.158, Reb S.Y. Zevin, R.U. Kaploun trans.)
Reb Yaakov Yitzchak, the Chozeh (Seer) of Lublin, was once discussing these same calculations of the arrival of Moshiach. Those who predicted when Moshiach would come often based their predictions on a verse from the Torah. The Chozeh commented that even though the predictions proved to be not true, the intentions of those who made the predictions may be understood, and even encouraged.
"Jewish Law," explained the Chozeh, "teaches that if a son sees his father acting against the Torah (heaven forbid), the son is not allowed to correct his father outright, because of the mitzvah to honor his parents. Instead, the son should show his father the law, and say: 'Father, thus it is written in the Torah.'
Certain tzaddikim would like to get the message across to our Father in Heaven that in their opinion it is time for Him to have compassion on His children, and to bring about the Moshiach. How do they go about doing this? They calculate some date or another, connect it to some verse in the Torah that speaks of the Redemption, and thus hint to the Almighty: 'Father, thus it is written in the Torah.’(Zevin, p.158)
We conclude with the blessing we say three times a day: “Sound the great shofar for our freedom, raise the banner to gather our exiles and speedily gather us together to our land from the four corners of the world to our Land. Blessed are you Hashem, who gathers the dispersed of His people of Israel.” “Father, that is how it is written in the Torah.” Good Shabbos Everyone. M. Wolfberg is sponsored by: In memory of R' Yaakov ben Naftoly, of blessed memory In Memory of Tziporah Yita bas Mordechai Mendel Refuah Shleima to Reb Mordechai Menachem Mendel ben Tziporah Yitta Refuah Shleima to Tsviah bas Bracha Leah
The Rabbis tell us that Hashem actually intended man to live a life of total enjoyment in the paradise of the Garden of Eden. Unfortunately, we were temporarily banished from paradise after the sin of Odam and Chava. Even so, Hashem has promised us that our final destiny is to once again experience the happiness and tranquility of the Garden of Eden. (When Moshiach Comes, R.Y. Chayoun, R.Y.M.Rappaport trans.) The coming of Moshiach is an important milestone in our road back to the Garden of Eden.
Belief in Moshiach is a basic point of belief in our religion. As we recite daily in the 13 Principles of Faith according to the Rambam: “I believe with perfect faith in the coming of the Moshiach, even though he may delay, I anticipate his arrival every day.”
The Torah speaks about Moshiach in our parsha this week Vayechi. As the verse tells us: “The scepter shall not depart from Yehudah nor a scholar among his descendants until Shiloh arrives and his will be an assembly of nations.”(Bereishis – Genesis 49:10) Rashi explains that this verse is referring to Moshiach who will be a Jewish King from the tribe of Yehudah. When Moshiach comes, the Nations will gather around him to seek the wisdom of Hashem.
When Moshiah comes, the entire character of civilization will change. (Ibid,citing Rav Sadia Gaon Emunos ve’Deos 8:6) As we read in the Haftara for the last day of Pesach “The wolf will dwell with the lamb, the leopard will lie with the kid.... They shall do no evil, nor will they destroy... for the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of G-d, as the waters cover the sea.” (Ibid, citing Yishayahu 11:6-9) The world will be a better place for everyone; suffering, violence, corruption, and evil will be replaced by universal brotherhood, peace and fellowship.
In 1777, Reb Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk led a large group of Chassidim to Eretz YisroeI, where they established a community in Tiberias. Some time after his arrival, some enterprising fool climbed up the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, and blew a mighty blast from his shofar. The simple folk who heard it assumed in their innocence that this was the long-awaited shofar of Moshiach, heralding the good news of the Redemption. But when the rumor reached Reb Menachem Mendel, he opened the window, looked around at the world outside, and said: "No. I do not feel that there is anything new in the air."
All of the strife in the world will disappear with Moshiach and the United Nations will be out of business forever. For this reason, we must long for the coming of Moshiach. The Midrash in fact tells us that “A generation which longs for the reign of Moshiach will be redeemed immediately.” (Ibid,citing Yalkut Shimoni, Eicha) The Sages also teach us that when a Jew is called to give a reckoning of his deeds before the Heavenly Court at the end of his life, the first question put to him will be: “Did you anticipate the redemption?” (Ibid, citing Shabbos 31a)
Reb Moshe of Rozvidov, the son of Reb Eliezer of Dzikov, was once talking of Moshiach in the company of a group of his chassidim. They came to discuss the different dates of the arrival of Moshiach which had been calculated by various tzaddikim. The Sages tell us that the world will last for a maximum of 6000 years. Out of all the years remaining until the six thousand years elapse, there are certain times when Moshiach was predicted to come.
"Believe me, my brothers," said Reb Moshe, "that even if the nine hundred and ninety-ninth year of the sixth thousand year comes around and we reach sunset of the last day of that year, right before the last minute, and Moshiach has not yet come - I will not despair, G-d forbid. I will confidently await his coming." (Sipurei Chassidim al HaTorah, p.158, Reb S.Y. Zevin, R.U. Kaploun trans.)
Reb Yaakov Yitzchak, the Chozeh (Seer) of Lublin, was once discussing these same calculations of the arrival of Moshiach. Those who predicted when Moshiach would come often based their predictions on a verse from the Torah. The Chozeh commented that even though the predictions proved to be not true, the intentions of those who made the predictions may be understood, and even encouraged.
"Jewish Law," explained the Chozeh, "teaches that if a son sees his father acting against the Torah (heaven forbid), the son is not allowed to correct his father outright, because of the mitzvah to honor his parents. Instead, the son should show his father the law, and say: 'Father, thus it is written in the Torah.'
Certain tzaddikim would like to get the message across to our Father in Heaven that in their opinion it is time for Him to have compassion on His children, and to bring about the Moshiach. How do they go about doing this? They calculate some date or another, connect it to some verse in the Torah that speaks of the Redemption, and thus hint to the Almighty: 'Father, thus it is written in the Torah.’(Zevin, p.158)
We conclude with the blessing we say three times a day: “Sound the great shofar for our freedom, raise the banner to gather our exiles and speedily gather us together to our land from the four corners of the world to our Land. Blessed are you Hashem, who gathers the dispersed of His people of Israel.” “Father, that is how it is written in the Torah.” Good Shabbos Everyone. M. Wolfberg is sponsored by: In memory of R' Yaakov ben Naftoly, of blessed memory In Memory of Tziporah Yita bas Mordechai Mendel Refuah Shleima to Reb Mordechai Menachem Mendel ben Tziporah Yitta Refuah Shleima to Tsviah bas Bracha Leah
Shabbat Shalom,
Rachamim Pauli
