Please
say prayers for Reuven David ben Rachel. B”H please remove Masha Rivka bas
Shaindel from the prayer list.
Parsha Korach
Ha Zohar Ha Kadosh starts out this Parsha with Korach trying to
change the spiritual nature of the world. A heart needs a left side and right
side to pump correctly (my words). The Leviim in the Avoda Ha Kadosh were on
the spiritual left side of the service. The Cohanim on the right side. Try to
make left right or right left changes the spiritual nature of the world. If you
are born a certain way you cannot try to be what you are not or in the end lose
it all. Korach strived for what he could not obtain and lost what he had.
Hitler tried to propagandize “heaven is hell” and in the end got worse than
either. A soul is placed in a human body as a male or a female from HASHEM and
one cannot interfere with the nature of the matter. Physically one might even
succeed today but the purpose of the incarnation on this earth is defeated.
More than once the Ari Ha Kadosh speaks of a male soul being placed in a female body and vice versa. Why
is this? It is a Tikkun and the opposite for trying to physically alter the
body is a destruction of the purpose of this incarnation.
Rabbi Salid Shlita is one of
the Rabbis at the Young Israel of Fort Lauderdale (Hollywood). Every week I
receive an e-mail from PATH (a Torah group). They usually come too late to even
think of posting. For a delightful change I received this: Many questions arise
concerning the rebellion of Korach, one of the most fascinating and tragic
events of Jewish history. Korach was a first cousin of Moshe and Aharon, and a
descendent of Kohas, the elite of the Levites. How could such a person make
such a fatal error?
The
Midrash tells us that one day Korach came home exhausted from carrying the Ark.
His wife incited him to rebel by claiming that Moshe took all the honor for himself and
made Korach the janitor and the moving man.
The
difficulty is that we know that the Tablets were rendered weightless by the
writing, and the Ark was in turn rendered weightless by the Tablets. Why then was
Korach exhausted? It
must be that even then there was something defective in Korach. Since he didn't
believe totally in the Torah, the
Tablets didn't work their "magic" for him. It is amazing how what
appears to be a tiny flaw can snowball into a monstrous wrong.
As brilliant and charismatic as he was, Korach will always be
remembered for machlokes (dispute). He is the incarnation of strife and rebellion,
and what happened to him will forever serve as a reminder for what happens
to those who challenge Moshe and Torah.
16:1 Now Korah, the son of
Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of
Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men; 2 and they rose up
in face of Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty
men; they were princes of the congregation, the elect men of the assembly, men
of renown;
Rashi explains that they took
themselves apart from the rest of the congregation.
3 and they assembled themselves together
against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them: 'Ye take too much upon
you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is
among them; wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the assembly of the
LORD?'
The best way they could defend their
rebellion was to make an offensive plan and claim.
4 And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his
face.
Korach was Moshe’s first cousin
and it was more painful to him than strangers coming against his authority. It
is not the first time that Moshe fell on his face like with the spies but this
time would be the last time until the 39th year that the people
complained again for water and the incident of Zimri.
5 And he spoke unto Korah and unto all his
company, saying: ‘In the morning the LORD will show who are His, and who is
holy, and will cause him to come near unto Him; even him whom He may choose
will He cause to come near unto Him.
Korach foresaw that Shmuel HaNovi
will be from him and equal in righteousness and leadership like Moshe and
Aaron. What he did not see was that his sons would do Teshuva and stay with
Moshe. He thought that this prophecy would save him.
6 This do: take you censors, Korah, and all
his company; 7 and put fire therein, and put incense upon them before the LORD
to-morrow; and it shall be that the man whom the LORD doth choose, he shall be
holy; ye take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi.’
Moshe tried to tell him that he
was one of the bearers of the Aron HaKodesh and that should suffice as written
Bnei Levi. But he was greedy and wanted more that he could not obtain. Like the
man who wanted to convert to become Cohain Gadol. Shammai threw him out and
Hillel said to him learn. He learned that a stranger would be put to death and
he said that is for a born Jew all the more so for me who came from the
outside. I praised Hillel for his patience and the Ger converted. Korach did
not have the example of the Ger but he was a brilliant man but blinded by
jealousy and ambition.
8 And Moses said unto Korah: ‘Hear now, ye
sons of Levi:
Rashi says that Moshe approached
first Korach as a cousin He began to speak softly to him, but when
he saw that he [Korah] was adamant [lit., stiff-necked], he [Moses] thought,
“Before the other tribes [other versions: the rest of the tribe] join him and
perish with him, I will speak to all of them as well.” He then began exhorting
them [saying,], “Listen to me, sons of Levi.” - [Midrash Tanchuma Korach 6,
Num. Rabbah 18:9]
9 is it but a small thing unto you, that the
God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you
near to Himself, to do the service of the tabernacle of the LORD, and to stand
before the congregation to minister unto them;
And
to stand before the congregation: to sing on the platform.
The whole congregation gives the
Leviim the Maaser which the Bechorim were supposed to get and you are chosen
before HASHEM. You also get attention and you are teachers and given respect by
all – isn’t this enough for you?
10 and that He hath brought thee near, and all
thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee? And will ye seek the priesthood also?
He
drew you near: to that service from which he has distanced the rest of the
congregation of Israel.
I already mentioned the holy
Zohar that the left cannot be right and vice versa. Try to be what you are and
exceed at that. I cannot be a Congregation Rabbi and some of them cannot do
what I do. The religious engineers at work sometimes did greater good in bring
non-religious people towards Judaism than all the Congregation Rabbis in Eretz
Yisrael combined. One is not a religious leader but leads by deeds, wisdom and
examples while the other is limited to his congregation and vicinity.
11 Therefore thou and all thy company that are
gathered together against the LORD--; and as to Aaron, what is he that ye
murmur against him?’
Therefore:
Because of this, “you and your entire company who are assembled” with you “are
against the Lord,” for I acted as His messenger to give the kehunah to Aaron,
and this rebellion is not with us [but with the Lord]. - [Midrash Tanchuma
Korach 6, Num. Rabbah 18:9]
This is a warning by the Novi
and Gadol HaDor (greatest in the generation) to Korach. If he listens well and
if not he is going against the L-RD and under Chanchaga from heaven like in
examples before, there will be a heavy price to pay.
12 And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram,
the sons of Eliab; and they said: ‘We will not come up; 13 is it a small thing
that thou hast brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill
us in the wilderness, but thou must needs make thyself also a prince over us?
14 Moreover thou hast not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey,
nor given us inheritance of fields and vineyards; wilt thou put out the eyes of
these men? We will not come up.’
Since there is no before or
after in the Torah was this before the spies for if this was after, there was a
reason why Mosh did not bring them in.
15 And Moses was very wroth, and said unto the
LORD: ‘Respect not Thou their offering; I have not taken one ass from them,
neither have I hurt one of them.’
Moses
was exceedingly distressed: Heb. וַיִּחַר לְמשֶׁה מְאֹד,
he was very grieved, [not that he was angry]. Do not accept their offering: According
to its simple meaning, [Moses said,] Do not accept the incense that they will
sacrifice before You tomorrow. According to its Midrashic interpretation, he
said: I know that they have a portion in the daily communal offerings. Let
their portions not be accepted favorably before You. Let the fire leave it and
not consume it. - [Midrash Tanchuma Korach 7, Num. Rabbah 10] I have not taken
a donkey from a single one of them: I did not take a donkey from any one of
them. Even when I went from Midian to Egypt, and I placed my wife and sons on a
donkey to ride, and I should have taken that donkey from their property, I took
only from my own property (Tanchuma Korach 7, Num. Rabbah 10). Onkelos renders
it as שְׁחָרִית, ‘expropriated.’ In Aramaic, the king’s
service is called שַׁחְוַור.
Moshe was racking his brains and
going sleepless for Am Yisrael and this rebellion is all that he received. He
was more than frustrated he was at his wits end.
16 And Moses said unto Korah: ‘Be thou and all
thy congregation before the LORD, thou, and they, and Aaron, to-morrow; 17 and take
ye every man his fire-pan, and put incense upon them, and bring ye before the
LORD every man his fire-pan, two hundred and fifty fire-pans; thou also, and
Aaron, each his fire-pan.’ 18 And they took every man his fire-pan, and put
fire in them, and laid incense thereon, and stood at the door of the tent of
meeting with Moses and Aaron. 19 And Korah assembled all the congregation
against them unto the door of the tent of meeting; and the glory of the LORD
appeared unto all the congregation.
We will see whom the L-RD will
choose. As wealthy and intelligent as Korach was, he was so blinded by ambition
and jealousy that he could not see the consequences of his actions.
20 And the LORD spoke unto Moses and unto
Aaron, saying: 21 ‘Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may
consume them in a moment.’
Moshe and Aaron now have to
plead for the whole congregation of the Bnei Yisrael so that only Korach and
his band will be punished.
22 And they fell upon their faces, and said: ‘O
God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt Thou be worth
with all the congregation?’
The L-RD accepts Moshe’s plea
and will only deal with the rebels.
23 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 24 ‘Speak
unto the congregation, saying: Get you up from about the dwelling of Korah,
Dathan, and Abiram.’ 25 And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the
elders of Israel followed him. 26 And he spoke unto the congregation, saying: ‘Depart,
I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs,
lest ye be swept away in all their sins.’ 27 So they got them up from the
dwelling of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side; and Dathan and Abiram
came out, and stood at the door of their tents, with their wives, and their
sons, and their little ones. 28 And Moses said: ‘Hereby ye shall know that the
LORD hath sent me to do all these works, and that I have not done them of mine
own mind. 29 If these men die the common death of all men, and be visited after
the visitation of all men, then the LORD hath not sent Me. 30 But if the LORD
make a new thing, and the ground open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all
that appertain unto them, and they go down alive into the pit, then ye shall
understand that these men have despised the LORD.’ 31 And it came to pass, as
he made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground did cleave asunder
that was under them. 32 And the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up,
and their households, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all
their goods. 33 So they, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into
the pit; and the earth closed upon them, and they perished from among the
assembly. 34 And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them;
for they said: ‘Lest the earth swallow us up.’ 35 And fire came forth from the
LORD, and devoured the two hundred and fifty men that offered the incense.
This is one way to show the
power of HASHEM. It was done for the sake of Moshe and Aaron for all to see.
17:1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 2 ‘Speak
unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, that he take up the fire-pans out of
the burning, and scatter thou the fire yonder; for they are become holy; 3 even
the fire-pans of these men who have sinned at the cost of their lives, and let
them be made beaten plates for a covering of the altar—for they are become
holy, because they were offered before the LORD—that they may be a sign unto
the children of Israel.’ 4 And Eleazar the priest took the brazen fire-pans,
which they that were burnt had offered; and they beat them out for a covering
of the altar, 5 to be a memorial unto the children of Israel, to the end that
no common man, that is not of the seed of Aaron, draw near to burn incense
before the LORD; that he fare not as Korah, and as his company; as the LORD
spoke unto him by the hand of Moses.
Since the pans and plates were
used before HASHEM in the NAME of HASHEM, it is appropriate that they be used
in the holy service.
6 But on the morrow all the congregation of
the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying: ‘Ye
have killed the people of the LORD.’ 7 And it came to pass, when the
congregation was assembled against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked
toward the tent of meeting; and, behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of
the LORD appeared. 8 And Moses and Aaron came to the front of the tent of
meeting.
Don’t think that the people are
so good. It was like a NY Times headline “Right winners Moshe and Aaron
fanatically slaughtered progressive Korach, Datan and Aviram. “
9 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 10 ‘Get
you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.’ And
they fell upon their faces. 11 And Moses said unto Aaron: ‘Take thy fire-pan,
and put fire therein from off the altar, and lay incense thereon, and carry it
quickly unto the congregation, and make atonement for them; for there is wrath
gone out from the LORD: the plague is begun.’
A plague broke out among the
congregation for their rebellion. If Aaron had not interceded many thousands
would have died.
12 And Aaron took as Moses spoke, and ran into
the midst of the assembly; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people;
and he put on the incense, and made atonement for the people. 13 And he stood
between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed. 14 Now they that
died by the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, besides them that
died about the matter of Korah. 15 And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door
of the tent of meeting, and the plague was stayed.
So beside the rebellious participants of Korach over 14,000 other
supporters who were also ambitious died.
16 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 17 ‘Speak
unto the children of Israel, and take of them rods, one for each fathers’
house, of all their princes according to their fathers’ houses, twelve rods;
thou shalt write every man’s name upon his rod. 18 And thou shalt write Aaron’s
name upon the rod of Levi, for there shall be one rod for the head of their
fathers’ houses.
This step which HASHEM is about
to do will end the dispute throughout all generations who will be the Cohanim.
19 And thou shalt lay them up in the tent of
meeting before the testimony, where I meet with you. 20 And it shall come to
pass, that the man whom I shall choose, his rod shall bud; and I will make to
cease from ME the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur
against you.’ 21 And Moses spoke unto the children of Israel; and all their
princes gave him rods, for each prince one, according to their fathers’ houses,
even twelve rods; and the rod of Aaron was among their rods. 22 And Moses laid
up the rods before the LORD in the tent of the testimony. 23 And it came to
pass on the morrow, that Moses went into the tent of the testimony; and,
behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and put forth buds,
and bloomed blossoms, and bore ripe almonds. 24 And Moses brought out all the
rods from before the LORD unto all the children of Israel; and they looked, and
took every man his rod.
Aaron’s staff remained in the Teva
aka Ark of Testimony for all generations.
25 And the LORD said unto Moses: ‘Put back the
rod of Aaron before the testimony, to be kept there, for a token against the
rebellious children; that there may be made an end of their murmurings against
ME, that they die not.’ 26 Thus did Moses; as the LORD commanded him, so did
he. 27 And the children of Israel spoke unto Moses, saying: ‘Behold, we perish,
we are undone, we are all undone. 28 Every one that comes near, that cometh
near unto the tabernacle of the LORD, is to die; shall we wholly perish?
First they rebelled and murmured
and then they realized the power of HASHEM and the consequences. Analyzing
this, I have come to the conclusion what was wrong with the generation. They
were slaves in Mitzrayim. They did not realize any secular educations and only
after the Exodus a year or so ago they began to learn laws and Torah. The
plagues and miracles that they witnessed were like a welfare check which was
not earned but expected. They had no appreciation that it was a check given to
Avraham, Yitzchak and Yacov. They had done nothing in particular to receive
this Chessed. It was only after the punishments came in did they realize that
the entitlement program could end if HASHEM left us.
18:1 And the LORD said unto Aaron: ‘Thou and
thy sons and thy fathers’ house with thee shall bear the iniquity of the
sanctuary; and thou and thy sons with thee shall bear the iniquity of your
priesthood. 2 And thy brethren also, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy
father, bring thou near with thee, that they may be joined unto thee, and
minister unto thee, thou and thy sons with thee being before the tent of the
testimony. 3 And they shall keep thy charge, and the charge of all the Tent;
only they shall not come nigh unto the holy furniture and unto the altar, that
they die not, neither they, nor ye. 4 And they shall be joined unto thee, and
keep the charge of the tent of meeting, whatsoever the service of the Tent may
be; but a common man shall not draw nigh unto you. 5 And ye shall keep the
charge of the holy things, and the charge of the altar, that there be wrath no
more upon the children of Israel. 6 And I, behold, I have taken your brethren
the Levites from among the children of Israel; for you they are given as a gift
unto the LORD, to do the service of the tent of meeting. 7 And thou and thy
sons with thee shall keep your priesthood in everything that pertains to the
altar, and to that within the veil; and ye shall serve; I give you the
priesthood as a service of gift; and the common man that draws nigh shall be
put to death.’
In Shabbos 33 there is the story
of the three Gerim that Shammai chased away and that Hillel encouraged. One was
the fellow that heard about the garments of the Cohain Gadol and wanted the
position. Shammai chased him away and Hillel told him to learn what Cohain
Gadol entails. When he came to this Pasuk, he learned a Kal V’ Homer from the
easy to the difficult. He learned that “If a non-seed of Aaron, Ben Yisrael
came to serve that he would get death, all the more so a Ger who came without
any family or background.” He remained a Jew and that it is written “That does
not start for the sake of heaven ends with the sake of heaven.” Often non-religious
Jews start learning Talmud for its wisdom and then come to observance.
8 And the LORD spoke unto Aaron: ‘And I,
behold, I have given thee the charge of My heave-offerings; even of all the
hallowed things of the children of Israel unto thee have I given them for a
consecrated portion, and to thy sons, as a due for ever. … 21 And unto the
children of Levi, behold, I have given all the tithe in Israel for an
inheritance, in return for their service which they serve, even the service of
the tent of meeting. 22 And henceforth the children of Israel shall not come
nigh the tent of meeting, lest they bear sin, and die. 23 But the Levites alone
shall do the service of the tent of meeting, and they shall bear their
iniquity; it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations, and among
the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance. 24 For the tithe of the
children of Israel, which they set apart as a gift unto the LORD, I have given
to the Levites for an inheritance; therefore I have said unto them: Among the
children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.’
We shall note that the Leviim
were given 24 ‘cities’ which when they entered the land were villages or
townships and the immediate environs of some fields going 2000 Amos outside of
the town. If we take the standard cubit of 18 inches or 45 centimeters we have
1000 yards or 900 meters outside the town. Assuming that the town was not a
perfect square we would draw a rectangle around the town based on the 900
meters from the farthest house. This small portion was what the Leviim received
not the relatively vast stretches of land of the other tribes.
25 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 26 ‘Moreover
thou shalt speak unto the Levites, and say unto them: When ye take of the
children of Israel the tithe which I have given you from them for your
inheritance, then ye shall set apart of it a gift for the LORD, even a tithe of
the tithe. 27 And the gift which ye set apart shall be reckoned unto you, as
though it were the corn of the threshing-floor, and as the fullness of the
wine-press. 28 Thus ye also shall set apart a gift unto the LORD of all your
tithes, which ye receive of the children of Israel; and thereof ye shall give
the gift which is set apart unto the LORD to Aaron the priest. 29 Out of all
that is given you ye shall set apart all of that which is due unto the LORD, of
all the best thereof, even the hallowed part thereof out of it. 30 Therefore
thou shalt say unto them: When ye set apart the best thereof from it, then it
shall be counted unto the Levites as the increase of the threshing-floor, and
as the increase of the wine-press. 31 And ye may eat it in every place, ye and
your households; for it is your reward in return for your service in the tent
of meeting. 32 And ye shall bear no sin by reason of it, seeing that ye have
set apart from it the best thereof; and ye shall not profane the holy things of
the children of Israel, that ye die not.’
Teruma and Maaser are mentioned
in other places and the Seder of the hierarchy of Leviim above the average Ben
Yisrael is set down here.
Perkei Avos Chapter 3 Mishnayos
1 to 10 http ://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/682516/jewish/English-Text.htm
Why must we humble ourselves like this? Because sin comes from being brazen. Why must we scare ourselves to where we are going? Because when a person sins, he appears to forget who he is and is busy with his sin which could be thievery, thuggery, some crime of passion, or just goMing out and eating trafe. If the place we are going does not scare the potential sinner then thinking about the TRUE JUDGE and the potential crime just might deter it.
2. Rabbi Chanina, deputy to the kohanim, would say: Pray for the integrity of the government; for were it not for the fear of its authority, a man would swallow his neighbor alive.
As bad sometimes as governments can be they do keep law and order and if you don’t have tribal leaders you need them.
Rabbi Chanina son of Tradyon would say: Two who sit and no words of Torah pass between them, this is a session of scorners, as is stated, “And in a session of scorners he did not sit” (Psalms 1:1).
We should say some Divrei Torah or Halacha or at least a Bracha. If one sits among friends in a coffee house he should at least say something to include HASHEM into the conversation.
But two who sit and exchange words of Torah, the Divine Presence rests amongst them, as is stated, “Then the G-d-fearing conversed with one another, and G-d listened and heard; and it was inscribed before Him in a book of remembrance for those who fear G-d and give thought to His name” (Malachi 3:16). From this, I know only concerning two individuals;
Our Beisei Midrashim are full of people learning Chavrutha. One sparks the other on. I often ask my Chavrutha, the Dayan Rabbi Mimran Shlita, sharp questions that keep him on his feet. It gives us both deeper insight into the matter.
how do I know that even a single individual who sits and occupies himself with the Torah, G-d designates reward for him? From the verse, “He sits alone in meditative stillness; indeed, he receives [reward] for it” (Lamentations 3:28).
This is comforting to people like myself who often learn alone and it is good to know that the Shechina will rest upon me.
3. Rabbi Shimon would say: Three who eat at one table and do not speak words of Torah, it is as if they have eaten of idolatrous sacrifices; as is stated, “Indeed, all tables are filled with vomit and filth, devoid of the Omnipresent” (Isaiah 28:8).
This is a harsh criticism of the Romans who would eat so much that they would force themselves to vomit to eat more. Do you live to eat or eat to live? We are supposed to eat enough to maintain our health and ability to learn Torah. If we eat too little we will be weak and cannot learn. There is also a dumbness of not learning Torah. Are we just talking about the NBA Championships that are here this year and next year will return with perhaps other teams or are we talking something that the ETERNAL ONE gave us that will help our souls in this world and the next! We should be aware of our surroundings and what is going on in this world like even a snake creeping in the grass not to step on or near it but we have to improve our souls.
But three who eat at one table and speak words of Torah, it is as if they have eaten at G-d’s table, as is stated, “And he said to me: This is the table that is before G-d” (Ezekiel 41:22).
This refers to the added blessing of the grace after meals and three ordinary souls become like three Dayanim spiritually.
4. Rabbi Chanina the son of Chachina’I would say: One who stays awake at night, or travels alone on the road, and turns his heart to idleness, has forfeited his life.
The L-RD created the night to refresh our bodies and
souls to give us strength during the day. Who walked at night during the times
of the Mishnah either thieves or guardians. People in those days were afraid of
dark spirits and the thieves. Even Rabbi Tarfon endangered his own life by
travelling alone on the road as darkness approached and a band of thieves and
murderers nearly caught up to him. (Mishnayos Berachos)
5. Rabbi Nechunia the son of Hakanah would say: One who accepts upon himself the yoke of Torah is exempted from the yoke of government duties and the yoke of worldly cares; but one who casts off the yoke of Torah is saddled with the yoke of government duties and the yoke of worldly cares.
Are you willing to give up most of this world and just
sit and learn Torah all day? You will not pay income taxes because you have
close to zero income. You will be exempt from serving in the army. Very few
people can do this and most of those in Kollel rarely listen to the news it
takes a siren and sometimes even more than that to make them listen to the
radio. They are free from this world however most of us cannot live like this.
6. Rabbi Chalafta the son of Dosa of the village of Chanania would say: Ten who sit together and occupy themselves with Torah, the Divine Presence rests amongst them, as is stated: "The Almighty stands in the congregation of G-d" (Psalms 82:1). And from where do we know that such is also the case with five? From the verse, "He established his band on earth" (Amos 9:6). And three? From the verse, "He renders judgement in the midst of the tribunal" (Psalms 82:1). And two? From the verse, "Then the G-d-fearing conversed with one another, and G-d listened and heard" (Malachi 3:16). And from where do we know that such is the case even with a single individual? From the verse, "Every place where I have My name mentioned, I shall come to you and bless you" (Exodus 20:21).
Mishnayos 2 and 3 in this chapter has a similar theme with the exception that there is a Chiddush for we start off this time with a Minyan and work downwards to one person.
7. Rabbi Elazar of Bartosa would say: Give Him what is His, for you, and whatever is yours, are His. As David says: "For everything comes from You, and from Your own hand we give to You" (I Chronicles 29:14).
HaKadosh Baruch Hu owns everything including you and I, so HE deserves that you give your strength and attention unto HIM.
Rabbi Yaakov would say: One who walks along a road and studies, and interrupts his studying to say, "How beautiful is this tree!", "How beautiful is this ploughed field!"---the Torah considers it as if he had forfeited his life.
One is not permitted to interrupt his studies for this worldly goods or pleasures.
8. Rabbi Dusta'i the son of Rabbi Yannai would say in the name of Rabbi Meir: Anyone who forgets even a single word of this learning, the Torah considers it as if he had forfeited his life. As is stated, "Just be careful, and verily guard your soul, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen" (Deuteronomy 4:9). One might think that this applies also to one who [has forgotten because] his studies proved too difficult for him; but the verse goes on to tell us "and lest they be removed from your heart, throughout the days of your life." Hence, one does not forfeit his life unless he deliberately removes them from his heart.
We have stories of Sages who forgot their Torah though age, a fever or stroke and the Talmidim prayed and it returned. I barely remember the names of some of my favorite teachers from High School or some of Calculus and Thermodynamics from College but most of the equations or constants after four to five decades have long been forgotten. If I did not restudy Torah and Gemara I would forget it too. In fact each time I learn Gemara even though I learned Tractate Shabbos 10 or 11 times complete, it is like a new Gemara to me with some familiar material.
9. Rabbi Chanina the son of Dosa would say: One whose fear of sin takes precedence to his wisdom, his wisdom endures. But one whose wisdom takes precedence to his fear of sin, his wisdom does not endure.
How can this be? If one learns with fear of G-D or fear of sin, he will tend to learn for the sake of heaven. However, If he learns for personal gain as soon as he rises in power like Korach it goes into his head and out comes the wisdom. But if one learns to avoid sin or love of HASHEM it endures as he will learn rich or poor / poor or rich and continue to learn it.
10. He would also say: One whose deeds exceed his wisdom, his wisdom endures. But one whose wisdom exceeds his deeds, his wisdom does not endure.
He who goes out of his way to do good deeds then people will remember him after he is gone. The late Rabbi David Winarz went out of his way to help others. So his teachings and deeds are not forgotten. However, a person learning for the argument and debate to show off his wisdom his deeds are forgotten when he is gone.
He would also say: One who is pleasing to his fellow men, is pleasing to G-d. But one who is not pleasing to his fellow men, is not pleasing to G-d.
Rabbi Dosa the son of Hurkinas would say: Morning sleep, noontime wine, children's talk and sitting at the meeting places of the ignoramus, drive a person from the world.
The Rebbe and Science Fiction: by Yerachmiel Tilles http://ascentofsafed.com/cgi-bin/ascent.cgi?Name=916-39
"I was thrilled when the Lubavitcher Rebbe told
me he'd written to Isaac Asimov and had gotten a reply."
Connection: Seasonal --
the 21st yahrzeit of the Lubavitcher Rebbe is on Shabbat, 3rd of Tammuz (2015:
June 20)
Part 1: 1995-1996
William Morrow & Company published Toward a Meaningful Life, by Rabbi Simon Jacobson, the first widely-distributed book of the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson. Among the many responses received by Rabbi Jacobson was a letter from a woman named Nechama Cohen describing how, when she was a child of five, she had met the Rebbe in 1946, "When he was not yet the Rebbe and ... walked freely around the neighborhood [of Crown Heights, Brooklyn]." Below is an extract from a second letter that describes subsequent "sidewalk conversations" with the Rebbe.
William Morrow & Company published Toward a Meaningful Life, by Rabbi Simon Jacobson, the first widely-distributed book of the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson. Among the many responses received by Rabbi Jacobson was a letter from a woman named Nechama Cohen describing how, when she was a child of five, she had met the Rebbe in 1946, "When he was not yet the Rebbe and ... walked freely around the neighborhood [of Crown Heights, Brooklyn]." Below is an extract from a second letter that describes subsequent "sidewalk conversations" with the Rebbe.
Part 2: 1945-1950
"As a young Jewish girl who was born into a traditional family in Crown Heights in 1940, and who had the great merit and good fortune, thank G-d, to know the Rebbe as a beloved childhood friend, reading Toward a Meaningful Life brings tears to my eyes and overwhelming feelings both of joy and loss to my heart. I have been deluged with memories of events that I'd forgotten for approximately 50 years….
"I knew the Rebbe first as "Mister," and then when I learned that Mister was not his name (as I thought it was when I was 5), I asked him his name. But I just couldn't get the name that he told me - he must have been saying Schneerson - so he told me that we had similar names, and could I say Menachem. That I got immediately, so he told me to call him Mr. Menachem. So I did.
"It was not until I saw a picture of him, taken about 1950, that I realized that my beloved Mr. Menachem was also the Rebbe. I had been praying for the Rebbe forever, or so it seemed, but I never knew that I was also praying for one of the dearest friends I ever had….
"Mr. Menachem always asked me what books I was reading. When I was seven - spring of '48 I think - I discovered Science Fiction in the public library on Schenectady Avenue. I loved it. I gave him rave reviews of two [of its most famous] authors, Robert Heinlein [1907-1988] and Isaac Asimov (1920-1992). He was intrigued by the idea of teaching children science through fun-to-read novels. I always told him he should read them, that he would love them. He always told me that he only read Jewish books.
"One day, a year or more later, I told him about Asimov's book 'Foundation.' If you haven't read Asimov's Foundation Series then I should tell you it's about a secret foundation set up by a 'psycho-historian' named Hari Seldon. The purpose of psycho-history and the Foundation was to perfect the Universe. And that is basically what I told him.
"Anyway, Mr. Menachem later told me that he read the book - which floored me - and told me to concentrate on Asimov, not Heinlein. (And he was right.) He then went on to tell me he'd written to Asimov and had gotten a reply.* I was thrilled - that Asimov thought enough of him to write back (I already told you I didn't know who I was talking to. At that point I had no concept of what he truly was, much less what he would become.) He was corresponding with Asimov, and as far as I was concerned that was even better that writing to Jackie Robinson [a star baseball player at the time for the Brooklyn Dodgers], which I think I told him.
"Then he asked me what I thought of the idea of setting up a foundation. I thought it was better than Asimov and Robinson combined and told him so. He then told me he was setting up a foundation. I was so excited I started jumping up and down, telling him I wanted to join, please, please please. He said I could. Well, he did set it up, and I did join for a while. He was talking about Chabad and his shluchim…Maybe other things that I haven't found out yet. Who knows?"
"As a young Jewish girl who was born into a traditional family in Crown Heights in 1940, and who had the great merit and good fortune, thank G-d, to know the Rebbe as a beloved childhood friend, reading Toward a Meaningful Life brings tears to my eyes and overwhelming feelings both of joy and loss to my heart. I have been deluged with memories of events that I'd forgotten for approximately 50 years….
"I knew the Rebbe first as "Mister," and then when I learned that Mister was not his name (as I thought it was when I was 5), I asked him his name. But I just couldn't get the name that he told me - he must have been saying Schneerson - so he told me that we had similar names, and could I say Menachem. That I got immediately, so he told me to call him Mr. Menachem. So I did.
"It was not until I saw a picture of him, taken about 1950, that I realized that my beloved Mr. Menachem was also the Rebbe. I had been praying for the Rebbe forever, or so it seemed, but I never knew that I was also praying for one of the dearest friends I ever had….
"Mr. Menachem always asked me what books I was reading. When I was seven - spring of '48 I think - I discovered Science Fiction in the public library on Schenectady Avenue. I loved it. I gave him rave reviews of two [of its most famous] authors, Robert Heinlein [1907-1988] and Isaac Asimov (1920-1992). He was intrigued by the idea of teaching children science through fun-to-read novels. I always told him he should read them, that he would love them. He always told me that he only read Jewish books.
"One day, a year or more later, I told him about Asimov's book 'Foundation.' If you haven't read Asimov's Foundation Series then I should tell you it's about a secret foundation set up by a 'psycho-historian' named Hari Seldon. The purpose of psycho-history and the Foundation was to perfect the Universe. And that is basically what I told him.
"Anyway, Mr. Menachem later told me that he read the book - which floored me - and told me to concentrate on Asimov, not Heinlein. (And he was right.) He then went on to tell me he'd written to Asimov and had gotten a reply.* I was thrilled - that Asimov thought enough of him to write back (I already told you I didn't know who I was talking to. At that point I had no concept of what he truly was, much less what he would become.) He was corresponding with Asimov, and as far as I was concerned that was even better that writing to Jackie Robinson [a star baseball player at the time for the Brooklyn Dodgers], which I think I told him.
"Then he asked me what I thought of the idea of setting up a foundation. I thought it was better than Asimov and Robinson combined and told him so. He then told me he was setting up a foundation. I was so excited I started jumping up and down, telling him I wanted to join, please, please please. He said I could. Well, he did set it up, and I did join for a while. He was talking about Chabad and his shluchim…Maybe other things that I haven't found out yet. Who knows?"
Kol tuv-All the best.
Nechama Cohen
Tamiment, PA
Nechama Cohen
Tamiment, PA
Part 3: 2010-2014
[Translated from the Hebrew:]
I [David Boas] first read the above story in an email from Rabbi Simon Jacobson a few years ago. I've told it to others a few times since then. The last time was a few weeks ago, whereupon someone challenged that it is not true. I called [from my home in Jerusalem] a contact of mine in Brooklyn, told him the story, and asked him to try to verify it. He spoke with Rabbi Simon Jacobson, who told him that it is true that he received such a letter, in 1996. After that, he tried to establish personal contact with the woman, but he never succeeded.
My contact then decided that he would do whatever he could to locate the woman. He works for JEM [Jewish Educational Media], an organization that among its other fine projects, seeks to record video testimony from seniors who had personal contact with the late Lubavitcher Rebbe of blessed memory. To find and record Nechama Cohen would be a genuine coup.
Eventually, he somehow managed to obtain her current telephone number. She was living in Pennsylvania. For two weeks he rang her number regularly, but no one ever answered.
Finally, on Monday, January 27, there was a click and a male voice said 'Hello.' It turned out that he was a local policeman. Nechama Cohen had passed away at age 74 that very day in the hospital, and he had entered the apartment to search for details about her relatives. What he discovered was that that she dwelled alone and had no living relatives. Because of this, following official regulations, he had arranged to have her body sent to be burnt the following day. Now, thanks to the chain of Heaven-guided events, this would not take place.
The JEM man contacted the nearest Chabad emissary, who was able to arrange for the next day, the 27th of the Jewish month of Shvat (1/28/14), a kosher Jewish burial for the newly departed friend of "Mr. Menachem" in her childhood a half century earlier .
[Translated from the Hebrew:]
I [David Boas] first read the above story in an email from Rabbi Simon Jacobson a few years ago. I've told it to others a few times since then. The last time was a few weeks ago, whereupon someone challenged that it is not true. I called [from my home in Jerusalem] a contact of mine in Brooklyn, told him the story, and asked him to try to verify it. He spoke with Rabbi Simon Jacobson, who told him that it is true that he received such a letter, in 1996. After that, he tried to establish personal contact with the woman, but he never succeeded.
My contact then decided that he would do whatever he could to locate the woman. He works for JEM [Jewish Educational Media], an organization that among its other fine projects, seeks to record video testimony from seniors who had personal contact with the late Lubavitcher Rebbe of blessed memory. To find and record Nechama Cohen would be a genuine coup.
Eventually, he somehow managed to obtain her current telephone number. She was living in Pennsylvania. For two weeks he rang her number regularly, but no one ever answered.
Finally, on Monday, January 27, there was a click and a male voice said 'Hello.' It turned out that he was a local policeman. Nechama Cohen had passed away at age 74 that very day in the hospital, and he had entered the apartment to search for details about her relatives. What he discovered was that that she dwelled alone and had no living relatives. Because of this, following official regulations, he had arranged to have her body sent to be burnt the following day. Now, thanks to the chain of Heaven-guided events, this would not take place.
The JEM man contacted the nearest Chabad emissary, who was able to arrange for the next day, the 27th of the Jewish month of Shvat (1/28/14), a kosher Jewish burial for the newly departed friend of "Mr. Menachem" in her childhood a half century earlier .
~~~~~~~~~~~
Sources: The English letter (part 2), as adapted by Yanki Tauber, was printed in The Week in Review in 1996 (vol VII no 23). Part 1 is his introductory editor's note. Part 3 is from a letter to me from Rabbi David Boas of Jerusalem.
* From Turning Judaism Outward, by Chaim Miller, p.470, note 48:
"It is known that he [Asimov] replied to over 90,000 of the 100,000 thousand letters that he received over his professional career. Unfortunately, most of Asimov's correspondence before 1965 has not survived, since he threw it away. If a copy of the Rebbe's letter to Asimov does exist, it probably is in the Nissan Mindel archive, which has not yet [2013] been opened to researchers."
Editor's note: From //chabadtalk.com
"I've heard from a [Chabad] Asimov (distant cousins of Isaac) that the Rebbe did have contact with Isaac via the shluchim in Massachusetts.”
Sources: The English letter (part 2), as adapted by Yanki Tauber, was printed in The Week in Review in 1996 (vol VII no 23). Part 1 is his introductory editor's note. Part 3 is from a letter to me from Rabbi David Boas of Jerusalem.
* From Turning Judaism Outward, by Chaim Miller, p.470, note 48:
"It is known that he [Asimov] replied to over 90,000 of the 100,000 thousand letters that he received over his professional career. Unfortunately, most of Asimov's correspondence before 1965 has not survived, since he threw it away. If a copy of the Rebbe's letter to Asimov does exist, it probably is in the Nissan Mindel archive, which has not yet [2013] been opened to researchers."
Editor's note: From //chabadtalk.com
"I've heard from a [Chabad] Asimov (distant cousins of Isaac) that the Rebbe did have contact with Isaac via the shluchim in Massachusetts.”
Why are mirrors covered up in the
house of mourning? By Aron Gross http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2969340/jewish/Why-Are-the-Mirrors-Covered-in-a-House-of-Mourning.htm
Question: Can you shed some light on the custom of
covering mirrors in a house of mourning? I was told that after the funeral of
an immediate relative, we cover all mirrors in the home for the seven days of
mourning. I have heard that the reason is that we are not supposed to adorn
ourselves while in mourning, but I am looking for a deeper explanation.
Answer:
The Kabbalists give a more spooky reason for covering mirrors in a house of
mourning. They write that all types of evil spirits and demons come to visit a
family in mourning. When a soul leaves this world, it leaves a void, an
emptiness that is prone to be filled by dark forces. This is because wherever
there is a vacuum, negativity can creep in. And so the house of mourning, the
place where the loss is felt the most, is a magnet for evil spirits.
These
demons cannot be seen by the naked eye. But when looking in a mirror, you may
catch a glimpse of their reflection in the background. And so we cover the
mirrors in a house of mourning because we don’t want to be alarmed by seeing
these demonic visitors.
Before
we dismiss this idea as mythical nonsense, let’s try to understand it in terms
we can relate to. Perhaps the idea of evil spirits can be interpreted on a
psychological level: evil spirits can be thought of as inner demons.
The
ghosts that visit a mourner are regret, guilt and anger. When people who are
grieving take a hard look at themselves in the mirror, they often feel that
they didn’t do enough for the departed, or that they didn’t say all they wanted
to say, or that there are some loose ends, some unfinished business. Even if
this is not really the case, even if they were exemplary sons or daughters,
parents or spouses or siblings, our minds tend to play tricks, and we agonize
over what could have been. These thoughts are the evil spirits that haunt the
grieving, giving them no rest.
So
we cover the mirrors. We don’t want to look at those dark figures lurking
behind us in the mirror. At a time of such raw emotion, when the loss is fresh
and the heart is volatile, there is no room for harsh self-judgment. If there
are unresolved issues, there will be time to deal with them later. But in the
week immediately following the loss, we focus on the loss itself.
The grieving process takes us on a bumpy
journey of many mixed emotions. Every emotion needs its time to be felt. But in
the midst of that bumpy ride, we are not in a position to judge ourselves
fairly. Taking a long hard look at ourselves in the mirror is often a valuable
exercise. But it has to be done when there are no ghosts lurking in the
background
IT IS FORBIDDEN TO
EMBARRASS A BAAL TESHUVA OR GER BY REMINDING THEM OF THEIR PAST
Ani Yehudiah, Ani Ger (Giyores),
I am a Jew, I am a Stranger..............
It is not difficult to
understand what it is to be a Jew, this is the simple part. It is in
understanding what it is to be a Stranger that is difficult.
I was recently in Israel
visiting friends who made Aliyah from the Schul I have attended for the past
four years. I hired a car and we visited Hebron, Tiberius and Tzfat. Awesome
spiritual highs visiting Kever Rambam (the grave site), Kever Yishai and Rut ,
the cave of Machpelah as well as enjoying the shores of the Kinneret and the
old city of Tzfat. It was during Chanukah and at my friends Schul in Netanya we
had wonderful meals and I was able to attend four Shuirim (teachings) by very
prominent Rabbi’s. Prior to me visiting them I had spent four days alone in Yerushalayim,
soaking up the holiness of even its dust. Yet my whole purpose was to simply
pray as fervently as I could for me to convert to Judaism. I visited Kever
Rachel 4 times, Kever David at least four times and HaKotel again at least four
times. Each time my unrelenting request was to become Jewish through
conversion. I write this simply to set the scene.
Yet as I was there visiting my friends it seemed that every time we met someone else, my friend would almost be apologizing to everyone or somehow suffering embarrassment at the fact that I was converting to Judaism. It was his first pronouncement to anybody we met. Over and over again to the point I began to feel embarrassment. Now I love my friends so much for all the kindness they have showed me, but in the end I said to him in quite a firm tone, ‘why are you going around telling everybody that I am converting to Judaism like it is something to be ashamed of, I am a Jew, as much a Jew as you, my soul is a Jewish soul no different from you, is the body we are born into what defines us?’
But it left my soul in a state of absolute turmoil, because I could not find the truth of who I was. I did not have a clear answer but I knew for sure that I was not whatever my friend was telling people I was. No way could I fit myself into the narrow and small minded perspective of what most people considered a convert to be. I had been and previously visited friends in Israel who had converted and made Aliyah, one of them who had gave up everything including a very distinguished job etc., to be part of a Jewish community was given the job of cleaning the toilets at the Shul as part of their service to the community. I could never trade the true humility I have in the depth of my soul for some false humility, just to satisfy other people’s ignorance of what a convert is. G-d Forbid.
I knew I was a Jew, but I also could not understand the mystery of why I had been born into the body of a non- Jew. I also knew that the essence of my soul had not converted as such, it was more accurately in a state of constant revelation and discovering the truth of the Jewish soul that was within me, but I also had something more that I found hard to understand. However, the sheer distress that this caused my soul led me on the most incredible spiritual journey of discovering and understanding who I was. When I had been praying so fervently in Israel, I never expected to discover the depth of light and the treasures that I ultimately found as I tried to determine the mystery of this life Hashem had given me.
Yet as I was there visiting my friends it seemed that every time we met someone else, my friend would almost be apologizing to everyone or somehow suffering embarrassment at the fact that I was converting to Judaism. It was his first pronouncement to anybody we met. Over and over again to the point I began to feel embarrassment. Now I love my friends so much for all the kindness they have showed me, but in the end I said to him in quite a firm tone, ‘why are you going around telling everybody that I am converting to Judaism like it is something to be ashamed of, I am a Jew, as much a Jew as you, my soul is a Jewish soul no different from you, is the body we are born into what defines us?’
But it left my soul in a state of absolute turmoil, because I could not find the truth of who I was. I did not have a clear answer but I knew for sure that I was not whatever my friend was telling people I was. No way could I fit myself into the narrow and small minded perspective of what most people considered a convert to be. I had been and previously visited friends in Israel who had converted and made Aliyah, one of them who had gave up everything including a very distinguished job etc., to be part of a Jewish community was given the job of cleaning the toilets at the Shul as part of their service to the community. I could never trade the true humility I have in the depth of my soul for some false humility, just to satisfy other people’s ignorance of what a convert is. G-d Forbid.
I knew I was a Jew, but I also could not understand the mystery of why I had been born into the body of a non- Jew. I also knew that the essence of my soul had not converted as such, it was more accurately in a state of constant revelation and discovering the truth of the Jewish soul that was within me, but I also had something more that I found hard to understand. However, the sheer distress that this caused my soul led me on the most incredible spiritual journey of discovering and understanding who I was. When I had been praying so fervently in Israel, I never expected to discover the depth of light and the treasures that I ultimately found as I tried to determine the mystery of this life Hashem had given me.
Ani Ger – I am a
Stranger.............
As soon as I returned home, I started to consider the word convert, this was a massive problem for me, because I usually am able to discern Truth, yet when I told my own soul, ‘you are a convert’, my own soul said ‘I am not’. So then I think well I know I have a Jewish soul, yet I am required to go into the Mikvah to become Jewish, so what is the Mikvah able to define. Then I reasoned, the Mikveh determines that I am Halachically Jewish. I could at least accept that although I had a Jewish soul I was not Halachically Jewish, this I knew was the Truth.
But that still left me with the word ‘convert’ that I struggled with. I struggled because I knew I was not converting to something I was not already, yet this designation and need to go into the Mikvah must be more than redefining myself from Jewish to Halachically Jewish, because if felt so much more in my soul.
As soon as I returned home, I started to consider the word convert, this was a massive problem for me, because I usually am able to discern Truth, yet when I told my own soul, ‘you are a convert’, my own soul said ‘I am not’. So then I think well I know I have a Jewish soul, yet I am required to go into the Mikvah to become Jewish, so what is the Mikvah able to define. Then I reasoned, the Mikveh determines that I am Halachically Jewish. I could at least accept that although I had a Jewish soul I was not Halachically Jewish, this I knew was the Truth.
But that still left me with the word ‘convert’ that I struggled with. I struggled because I knew I was not converting to something I was not already, yet this designation and need to go into the Mikvah must be more than redefining myself from Jewish to Halachically Jewish, because if felt so much more in my soul.
I could not accept to be
something I did not understand. I thought let me look at this word ‘convert’ in
the Hebrew. The word ‘convert’ in Hebrew is ‘Ger’ it means a stranger. A
Stranger. These words my soul knew. All my life I have been a Stranger in a
Strange land. My mum told me that as soon as I was born I was straining to look
all the around room, then the midwife who had delivered me said ‘This little
one has been here before’. Sometimes I feel this moment of my birth has stayed
with me, everything seems so strange and I feel such a stranger.
Yet Torah is not strange, Israel is not strange, the Jewish people are not strange, the Hebrew language is not strange, going to Schul is not strange, most of all Hashem is not strange.
Yet Torah is not strange, Israel is not strange, the Jewish people are not strange, the Hebrew language is not strange, going to Schul is not strange, most of all Hashem is not strange.
So I feel at last I can say with
understanding Ani Ger, I am a stranger. But I have then another question. If I
am 100% a Jew and always have been, yet I am also a stranger, how does that
make me different yet equal to someone who was 100% a Jew, yet has not been
given the designation of being a stranger. And how do these different contexts
ultimately define the same thing ‘Ani Yehudiah’, ‘I am a Jew’?
The Moment of Birth.........
Two Jewish souls in Gan Eden prior to birth, nothing distinguishes them as different, they feel part of a ‘Oneness’. Then two souls are born, my soul arriving in the world, a non Jewish world, the context of strangeness on the 11th Tishrei 5736 Torah portion Beresheis. The other soul born in a Jewish world, the context of likeness. How do we define the fact that we both are Jewish?
One child grows up and their soul permanently confirms ‘I am this’, ‘I am this’, ‘I am this’ because they are surrounded by likeness and familiarity.
One child grows up and their soul permanently cries ‘I am not this’, ‘I am not this’, ‘I am not this’, they are surrounded by strangeness and unfamiliarity.
Two Jewish souls in Gan Eden prior to birth, nothing distinguishes them as different, they feel part of a ‘Oneness’. Then two souls are born, my soul arriving in the world, a non Jewish world, the context of strangeness on the 11th Tishrei 5736 Torah portion Beresheis. The other soul born in a Jewish world, the context of likeness. How do we define the fact that we both are Jewish?
One child grows up and their soul permanently confirms ‘I am this’, ‘I am this’, ‘I am this’ because they are surrounded by likeness and familiarity.
One child grows up and their soul permanently cries ‘I am not this’, ‘I am not this’, ‘I am not this’, they are surrounded by strangeness and unfamiliarity.
So I conclude I by definition of
the strangeness find my Jewish identity within the context of strangeness
whilst a Jew born into a Jewish context defines their Jewishness from the
community, family and likeness into which they are born.
Hashem Loves the Stranger to
give him bread....................
So finally I am confident that I am indeed a stranger, ani Ger but then I have another question. If I am a Stranger, and as the Torah says ‘Hashem loves the Stranger’. Then by being a Stranger and the Torah is Truth, then for sure I will see evidence and manifestation of this love in my life.
So how does Hashem show his love for the Stranger? I looked in the Torah and it said. ‘Hashem loves the stranger to give them bread….’ . I was totally moved to the depth of my soul when I read these words, because for over 10 years since I began keeping Shabbat and discovering Torah hidden in the strangeness, I had baked Challah every week except for a minute number of times. So all of a sudden I am faced with this tremendous reality, where Hashem had somehow ensured bread was on my Shabbat table, I am saying to myself, ‘His love is the very bread on my table for Shabbat, each week He has revealed His love to me in this intimate and beautiful way, every moment of joy this bread has brought to my life from the act of making it, separating the Challah, to blessing it, to N’tilat Yadayim, to Birchas HaMazon is connected to the intimate way in which Hashem revealed His love for the stranger’.
This would be enough but also when I was in Israel at Kever Rambam, my friend and I had been given dough that the righteous women at the kever had separated Challah from. They had been praying so fervently whilst kneading the dough and by a miracle they handed the dough to my friend. She did not know how to plait Challah bread, so that evening in her home we made Challah together, it was so beautiful as it was the first time we had ever made Challah in Israel. So this experience was very close to me at the time and just confirmed further this overwhelming Truth concerning Hashem’s love for the Stranger.
So finally I am confident that I am indeed a stranger, ani Ger but then I have another question. If I am a Stranger, and as the Torah says ‘Hashem loves the Stranger’. Then by being a Stranger and the Torah is Truth, then for sure I will see evidence and manifestation of this love in my life.
So how does Hashem show his love for the Stranger? I looked in the Torah and it said. ‘Hashem loves the stranger to give them bread….’ . I was totally moved to the depth of my soul when I read these words, because for over 10 years since I began keeping Shabbat and discovering Torah hidden in the strangeness, I had baked Challah every week except for a minute number of times. So all of a sudden I am faced with this tremendous reality, where Hashem had somehow ensured bread was on my Shabbat table, I am saying to myself, ‘His love is the very bread on my table for Shabbat, each week He has revealed His love to me in this intimate and beautiful way, every moment of joy this bread has brought to my life from the act of making it, separating the Challah, to blessing it, to N’tilat Yadayim, to Birchas HaMazon is connected to the intimate way in which Hashem revealed His love for the stranger’.
This would be enough but also when I was in Israel at Kever Rambam, my friend and I had been given dough that the righteous women at the kever had separated Challah from. They had been praying so fervently whilst kneading the dough and by a miracle they handed the dough to my friend. She did not know how to plait Challah bread, so that evening in her home we made Challah together, it was so beautiful as it was the first time we had ever made Challah in Israel. So this experience was very close to me at the time and just confirmed further this overwhelming Truth concerning Hashem’s love for the Stranger.
And a garment…….
It was a few weeks after considering and meditating on the love Hashem has for the stranger to give them bread, that I began to consider what to be given a garment was. Bread can be a very physical reality as highlighted above, but it can also be a very profound spiritual reality within your soul, to be given bread by Hashem has many layers of understanding all of which demonstrate His love for the stranger. But the second part of the verse in Torah to give them a garment, no doubt refers to the physical aspect of modesty, but also a very great spiritual gift. As the Hebrew word for garment v’simlah, is not only connected with Torah, which is the garment for Hashem’s will and the Glory of Hashem, but this word also permeates to words such as Shlomo, Lishma, the peace Ha Shalom, and shleyma perfection, as is said in the Shabbat Mincha prayers menucha shelayma, perfect rest. One can only conclude that such a gift given to the stranger has not only a wonderful physical reality but the potential for an exceedingly profound spiritual one, which would quantify and qualify in some regards the enormity of Hashem’s love.
It was a few weeks after considering and meditating on the love Hashem has for the stranger to give them bread, that I began to consider what to be given a garment was. Bread can be a very physical reality as highlighted above, but it can also be a very profound spiritual reality within your soul, to be given bread by Hashem has many layers of understanding all of which demonstrate His love for the stranger. But the second part of the verse in Torah to give them a garment, no doubt refers to the physical aspect of modesty, but also a very great spiritual gift. As the Hebrew word for garment v’simlah, is not only connected with Torah, which is the garment for Hashem’s will and the Glory of Hashem, but this word also permeates to words such as Shlomo, Lishma, the peace Ha Shalom, and shleyma perfection, as is said in the Shabbat Mincha prayers menucha shelayma, perfect rest. One can only conclude that such a gift given to the stranger has not only a wonderful physical reality but the potential for an exceedingly profound spiritual one, which would quantify and qualify in some regards the enormity of Hashem’s love.
And you shall love the stranger
for strangers you were in the land of Egypt……
It is not easy to love that which is not understood. When I was considering this command to a Jew, I ended up reading a certain very prominent Jewish website which basically said and I paraphrase ‘You must love the convert, because they are easily offended on account for the fact they are converts and have left everything behind to join to our people, therefore Hashem has commanded us to love the convert and to be extra sensitive not to offend them or make them feel like an outsider’.
It is not easy to love that which is not understood. When I was considering this command to a Jew, I ended up reading a certain very prominent Jewish website which basically said and I paraphrase ‘You must love the convert, because they are easily offended on account for the fact they are converts and have left everything behind to join to our people, therefore Hashem has commanded us to love the convert and to be extra sensitive not to offend them or make them feel like an outsider’.
My soul cried out in revulsion
at these words, ‘Perhaps you might like me to hide under your shoe so as to
avoid these potential insults?’ These words crushed my soul and oppressed me.
I could not possibly allow myself to be patronised to this degree. Besides, love is a two way road, and in order to preserve my love for a Jew, I cannot possibly accept a relationship on these terms. I have heard of Judaphilia, where certain non-jews are very expressive of their love for Jews, I don’t see this as a healthy kind of love, because it is based on a lack of understanding. But Geraphilia, to love a Stranger with the same lack of understanding, confusion and immaturity is just as offensive.
I could not possibly allow myself to be patronised to this degree. Besides, love is a two way road, and in order to preserve my love for a Jew, I cannot possibly accept a relationship on these terms. I have heard of Judaphilia, where certain non-jews are very expressive of their love for Jews, I don’t see this as a healthy kind of love, because it is based on a lack of understanding. But Geraphilia, to love a Stranger with the same lack of understanding, confusion and immaturity is just as offensive.
Love a stranger because they are
something Hashem created to be the object of both His love and the Jews love,
for all the reasons it is possible to understand such a great thing as this.
This is true love based on true humility, because it is such an awesome command
to fulfil and a great gift to receive.
The Image of G-d – B’Tzelem
Elohim............................
All this searching brings some contentment to both my Jewish soul and my stranger but then what becomes of the stranger that I am when I go into the Mikveh?. What of the stranger when I absorb into the Jewish community, when I am surrounded by familiarity, does the stranger cease to exist?
All this searching brings some contentment to both my Jewish soul and my stranger but then what becomes of the stranger that I am when I go into the Mikveh?. What of the stranger when I absorb into the Jewish community, when I am surrounded by familiarity, does the stranger cease to exist?
Part of the answer to the above
questions I have to write in a parable, not because I chose this per se but
because the inspiration came into my soul as a parable. It is no more than an
inspiration.
First I must note what it is well known to artists. You can make an image by observing the outline of the object you desire to create the image from, alternatively and what is referred to as drawing from the left side of the brain, you can draw on object by observing the entire space that surrounds it and define the object from the outside in, observing the limits of the space that surrounds the object.
First I must note what it is well known to artists. You can make an image by observing the outline of the object you desire to create the image from, alternatively and what is referred to as drawing from the left side of the brain, you can draw on object by observing the entire space that surrounds it and define the object from the outside in, observing the limits of the space that surrounds the object.
The Jew said to the stranger
‘think about all the merits you have earned on this journey to bring me home,
all the countless treasures you have uncovered. Every single footstep you have
taken going to the Holy Land of Israel these many times, all the work of your
hands, every penny spent getting there. All the times at Shul, all the kosher
food, all the tzedaka, all the Torah study, all the Tefillah, all the toil, the
pain, the tears and the wanderings, every moment of these forty years redeemed
in full when we go into the mikveh; it will be like plundering Egypt.’
But the stranger was hesitant at these words, ‘some things you take out of Egypt corrupt from within. What if all this merit belongs where it is?’. The stranger perceived the godliness in the strangeness, the stranger perceived the purpose in the strangeness. The Jew perceived truth in the words of the stranger. But the Jew loved the stranger so deeply and profoundly she could not tolerate for them to be apart, she wanted to remove the stranger from the strangeness to be with her always. She ran around the outer limit of herself to every point to find an answer to this. She could perceive she was complete, yet at every point of her own existence stood the stranger face to face surrounded by the vastness of strangeness. It was too big to clearly perceive this thing that was before her, so the Jew looked up towards the heavens. There she saw her image of Hashem, she saw how she was defined from the inner side of line of the image by all that was Jewish and Holy, yet she could see that the outer side of the line of the image was defined by the vast extent of this universe of strangeness she had come to know and that surrounded her. So often she had tried to run from its strangeness, except love for the stranger bound her to it and now she saw this was the very thing that defined her from out with and she was glad, so glad. Then the Jew heard a voice call out from the middle of the line, it was Moshe the guardian of the boundary who rested in Moav , ‘ it is time to go into the Mikveh’. The Jew contemplated what will go into the Mikveh?......... Everything. What will the Mikveh redeem……………….
But the stranger was hesitant at these words, ‘some things you take out of Egypt corrupt from within. What if all this merit belongs where it is?’. The stranger perceived the godliness in the strangeness, the stranger perceived the purpose in the strangeness. The Jew perceived truth in the words of the stranger. But the Jew loved the stranger so deeply and profoundly she could not tolerate for them to be apart, she wanted to remove the stranger from the strangeness to be with her always. She ran around the outer limit of herself to every point to find an answer to this. She could perceive she was complete, yet at every point of her own existence stood the stranger face to face surrounded by the vastness of strangeness. It was too big to clearly perceive this thing that was before her, so the Jew looked up towards the heavens. There she saw her image of Hashem, she saw how she was defined from the inner side of line of the image by all that was Jewish and Holy, yet she could see that the outer side of the line of the image was defined by the vast extent of this universe of strangeness she had come to know and that surrounded her. So often she had tried to run from its strangeness, except love for the stranger bound her to it and now she saw this was the very thing that defined her from out with and she was glad, so glad. Then the Jew heard a voice call out from the middle of the line, it was Moshe the guardian of the boundary who rested in Moav , ‘ it is time to go into the Mikveh’. The Jew contemplated what will go into the Mikveh?......... Everything. What will the Mikveh redeem……………….
From
Chaim O. (not quite observant) on the Rebbe and the spiritual Jockey. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ng43p5pUWZY&feature=youtu.be
This is a
shining example of our cultural “leaders” that abandon all sense of G-D and
think they are the answer for mankind. The Chutzpa of this individual is beyond
comprehension: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/196738#.VX5Xn5sw8eE
Ed-Op
Muslim and Christian Missionaries preying on Jews in Yerushalayim thanks to
Diane: http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/muslimchristian-proselytizing-causing-problems-in-israel
Michael
Douglas gets $1,000,000 prize do you know what I could do for my Kollel with
even some of the money! http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2015/06/18/michael-douglas-awarded-1-million-prize-in-israel/
When I left the USA in 1970 I
saw the moral decline of society: I have condensed an Ed-Op Dr. Harry wrote to
his personal friends he starts off with Mishlei: "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people."
(Prov. 14:34)
America is no longer a righteous people seeking God. We are instead a nation guilty of rampant sin, including homosexuality – the one sin that, when generally accepted as normal by society, indicates a nation is about to be destroyed. Overall, we are a nation of depravity, delusion, and soon destruction. When we celebrate a pathetic man who now thinks he is a woman, how much lower can we go.
America is no longer a righteous people seeking God. We are instead a nation guilty of rampant sin, including homosexuality – the one sin that, when generally accepted as normal by society, indicates a nation is about to be destroyed. Overall, we are a nation of depravity, delusion, and soon destruction. When we celebrate a pathetic man who now thinks he is a woman, how much lower can we go.
This rejection and mocking, and the subsequent
drastic decline began in 1962 when the U.S. Supreme Court removed prayer from
the public schools. Since that time, God has been systematically kicked out of
virtually all public places by government. Our "representatives" in
government have become evil and have perverted the system. Sadly, most people
accept what government says, not God, as the ultimate law, the arbiter of our
fate. Thus, the government is a form of God's judgment upon us. Perhaps it's
true that we get the government we deserve? Nonetheless, while government has
been busy usurping God's authority, God Himself has been lifting His hand of
protection from, and gradually backing away from us. After all, if we don't
want Him around, He will honor our wishes.
"Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin
condemns any people." (Prov. 14:34)
America is no longer a righteous people seeking God. We are instead a nation guilty of rampant sin, including homosexuality – the one sin that, when generally accepted as normal by society, indicates a nation is about to be destroyed. Overall, we are a nation of depravity, delusion, and soon destruction. When we celebrate a pathetic man who now thinks he is a woman, how much lower can we go.
America is no longer a righteous people seeking God. We are instead a nation guilty of rampant sin, including homosexuality – the one sin that, when generally accepted as normal by society, indicates a nation is about to be destroyed. Overall, we are a nation of depravity, delusion, and soon destruction. When we celebrate a pathetic man who now thinks he is a woman, how much lower can we go.
This rejection and mocking, and the subsequent
drastic decline began in 1962 when the U.S. Supreme Court removed prayer from
the public schools. Since that time, God has been systematically kicked out of
virtually all public places by government. Our "representatives" in
government have become evil and have perverted the system. Sadly, most people
accept what government says, not God, as the ultimate law, the arbiter of our
fate. Thus, the government is a form of God's judgment upon us. Perhaps it's
true that we get the government we deserve? Nonetheless, while government has
been busy usurping God's authority, God Himself has been lifting His hand of
protection from, and gradually backing away from us. After all, if we don't
want Him around, He will honor our wishes.
Inyanay Diyoma
Spy virus
blamed on Israel but deigned: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/196661#.VXr_xpsw8eE
Ed-Op did
the people elect the government or the legal appointees in the governmental
system? http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4667423,00.html
ISIS
losing a Turkish supply route of weapons and man-power. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/196673#.VXxzKpsw8eE
Saudi Air
Chief dead in Scud attack by Iranian backed Terrorists. http://debka.com/article/24664/Saudi-air-chief-killed-in-Yemeni-rebel-Scud-attack-on-Khamis-Mushayt-air-base
IDF to
hire tech students on part time basis: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4667848,00.html
Center-Left
backs Educational Minister about removing backing for play that glorifies a
terrorist murderer: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/196680#.VXz3hZsw8eE
Terrorist
flips over jeep with explosive device which lands on him – Kaddish-ed! http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/196695#.VX0kz5sw8eE
http://debka.com/article/24668/ISIS-goes-underground-for-guerilla-warfare-against-new-US-“lily-pad”-strategy-in-Iraq
http://debka.com/article/24668/ISIS-goes-underground-for-guerilla-warfare-against-new-US-“lily-pad”-strategy-in-Iraq
International
Terrorism or Terrorist without borders. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/196743#.VX5Ng5sw8eE
More
worried about Pollard by anti-Semites that they don’t use Israeli Security and
their data goes to China and Russia: http://debka.com/article/24666/The-biggest-heist-of-secret-US-personnel-data-in-cyber-history-is-still-ongoing-
This is
what appeasement to terror does and abandoning Gush Katif: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4667774,00.html
Hamas
looking for time to rebuild, get a port and then murder – Bibi Netanyahu only
thinks about his next re-election and wants to buy time in this world. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/196808#.VX_XpZsw8eE
One less
anti-Semite and inhuman character: http://www.aol.com/article/2015/06/16/al-qaida-confirms-leader-of-powerful-yemen-affiliate-killed-in-u/21196487/
Israel
fights back on social media view cartoon: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4668749,00.html
ISIS goes
underground to prevent air strikes from the US: http://debka.com/article/24668/ISIS-goes-underground-for-guerilla-warfare-against-new-US-“lily-pad”-strategy-in-Iraq
From Ben: The destruction of the mind by the elite first
mentioned by Walter Lippmann 100 years ago and ignored by us: http://thefederalist.com/2015/06/08/how-to-escape-the-age-of-mass-delusion/
Also nothing to do with love only about power and eugenics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkTISop7uKE
Trouble
in the north with the murder of Druze and the BDS why no Cabinet Meeting –
Sarah Netanyahu: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/196868#.VYElRpsw8eE
ISIS
gains popularity in Gaza even Hamas is worried: http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Eisenkot-Groups-with-ties-to-ISIS-are-growing-in-Gaza-406272
We should
hire HAMAS to mHake the light rail in Tel Aviv underground they are specialists
in this and work quickly. Even Ramadan does not stop their work. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4669295,00.html
Wednesday,
Sirens went off on the Golan Heights: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/196889#.VYGf6Zsw8eE
The Druze
problem: http://debka.com/article/24673/Syrian-rebel-force-launches-offensive-near-Golan-to-clear-path-to-S-Damascus-Israel-acts-to-protect-Druze
This
horrid hate crime is like 9/11 or the Yom Kippur War attack on us it is in the
USA on a Church: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/196920#.VYJvMpsw8eE The
question remains is this like “A man called Sue” who names a boy Dylann Storm
Roof - probably laughed at. http://www.firstcoastnews.com/story/news/nation/2015/06/18/charleston-church-shooting/28911595/
If an
individual is breaking the Israeli Law and trying to Missionize Jews I will
condemn him but burning a church is no better than the hate crime done in
Carolina. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4669896,00.html
Finally
outsourcing is stopped. I am sick for the poor devils working in the USA. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/17/us/in-turnabout-disney-cancels-tech-worker-layoffs.html?WT.mc_id=2015-JUNE-AOL-US_AUD_DEV-0601-0630&WT.mc_ev=click&ad-keywords=AUDDEVREMARK&icid=maing-grid7%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl7%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D-1887875619&_r=0
From
Miriam Esther of Boston: How to con America: http://www.israelvideonetwork.com/how-to-con-the-president-of-the-united-states-and-get-away-with-it/?omhide=true&utm_source=MadMimi&utm_medium=email&utm_content=How+to+Con+the+President+of+the+United+States+and+Get+Away+With+it&utm_campaign=20150616_m126208146_6%2F16+Today%27s+Israel+Connection%3A+How+to+Con+the+President+of+the+United+States+and+Get+Away+With+it&utm_term=iran-cons-obama_jpg_3F1434434640
Obama
appears to be caving in more as the reformists in Iran look like a mild form of
ISIS bent of destroying Israel, Saudi, Jordan etc. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4670304,00.html
CIA
strike in Yemen just pot luck based on patterns: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/196941#.VYLnj5sw8eE
Michael Oren: In a notable op-ed in the Wall
Street Journal this week, entitled " How Obama Abandoned Israel,"
Oren wrote:
From the moment he entered office, Mr. Obama
promoted an agenda of championing the Palestinian cause and achieving a nuclear
accord with Iran. Such policies would have put him at odds with any Israeli
leader. But Mr. Obama posed an even more fundamental challenge by abandoning
the two core principles of Israel's alliance with America.
The first principle was "no
daylight." The U.S. and Israel always could disagree but never openly.
Doing so would encourage common enemies and render Israel vulnerable.
...The other core principle was "no surprises." President Obama discarded it in his first meeting with Mr. Netanyahu, in May 2009, by abruptly demanding a settlement freeze and Israeli acceptance of the two-state solution.
In an interview with The Times of Israel,
Oren elaborated:
The Obama administration was problematic
because of its world view: Unprecedented support for the Palestinians.
Reconciling with what Obama calls the Muslim world; even the choice of the term
is interesting. And outreach, reconciling with Iran. From the get-go. You see
that right from the beginning. He comes into office going after Iran.
...The good news is that America is not just
the administration, as you know. America is America. America is the Congress.
My biggest fear is not the Obama administration. I am deeply concerned about
the future of the Democratic Party, with the progressive wing in the
background. I think we have to do much more to reach out to that progressive
wing.
... One of the ironies, as I mention in the
book, is that Obama set out to bring Arabs and Israelis closer together through
peace. He didn't. He brought us closer together, but not through peace. He brought
us together through our common anxiety over his policies. Our relationship with
the Gulf countries is probably closer than at any time in our existence because
of it. We're living in a tremendously perilous time.
The UN devoted 9 paragraphs in their children abuse report to Yemen,
17 to Syria, about 11 to Iraq, a few to Libya but 32 to Israel. Well here is
HELL ON EARTH of ISIS http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/196975#.VYPGw5sw8eE
Have a wonderful Shabbos rest and stay healthy,
Rachamim Pauli
