Our Parsha this Shabbos is Parashas Vayechi.In this Parsha,Yaakov calls his sons in order to Bless them before he passes on .
It is interesting that this Sedra is called 'Vayechi,' which means 'Lived,' when this Sedra ends with Yaakov Yisrael dying as well as Yoseif dying .Why would a Parsha that has to do with the passing of such great Tzaddikim, be called 'Vayechi,'-''Living?'
The answer to this is what is true reality.In true reality, G-D's Reality ,for this physical World is not true reality, even though it appears that a person dies,that is not how it really is. Dying is actually a part of 'Living,' for true living is the continuation of the soul from the beginning of things, as it continues on its journey,toward HaShem .Each lifetime,each day, each moment is a continuing pathway travelling up toward HaShem . What we physically see as dying,is in reality ,quite the opposite , for it is just simply a continuing form of the soul's life as it becomes more Holy .The body we use in this physical realm is our clothing that we are to use to make our souls more holy .So being born , living and dying are all part of a continuing journey the soul takes as it works on itself to raise its level of holiness so it can meet with HaShem again in the end . All things are actually one , even though it doesn't physically appear that way . Our task in Creation is to bring all things back to HaShem and make all around us 'One' by bringing the light of HaShem into all things and all people .The fact that we live in a physical World,is just a form that is necessary for us to spiritually grow. All things around us are actually to become one with us as we raise the level of things around us as we grow ourselves every moment we breathe .
So whether one is born , lives , or passes on , it is all part of 'Vayechi ,' Living,' as the soul continues upwards on its journey towards The Creator .
We all await the coming of Mashiach . What we don't realize is that Heaven is just in front of us . We don't see it as our spirituality is not ready for it yet , but it is closer than we can imagine . HaShem is around us all the time . We can't see any part of the Essence of HaShem , as we are not Holy enough but we are already in the midst of the Messianic era . This Messianic era is 'True Living,' and we see this within the first word of our Sedra ,in the word 'Vayechi,' which means 'Living,' - 'True Living ,' spiritually in a heightened physicality that we are to aim for , as well as seeing it within the word 'Vayechi,' where we can note that this word ,'Vayechi,' has the Gematrical value of 6+10+8+10=34 and 3+4=7 and as we know, this number 7 is the Gematrical value of the word 'Mashiach,' so this true 'Vayechi,' is 'True Living in the Messianic times , a time that we are already in .We just have to bring ourselves back to The Torah Way of Life and this Messianic Era that has already started , will show itself .It all rests with is and the choices we make . Choose G-D above all else . HaShem in His Torah told us to choose 'Chai,' - 'Life,' and this 'Life,' is Torah Light which is HaShem . HaShem asks us to choose Him faithfully , 'Vayechi,' and we will live eternally in His Light .
Yaakov Yisrael , like all Tzaddikim continue to 'Vayechi,' - 'Live' within each and every Jew and we help keep their memories alive as well as the parts of their holiness that come down in us ,their children , by following their words in staying close to HaShem's Torah .
Our Tzaddikim , reached such sublime levels of holiness , that 'passing on,' to them is simply continuing on their journey to the light of G-D .
So can it be for us . Keep HaShem's Torah ,follow G-D faithfully , keeping close to His Ways and Commandments and we will be Blessed to see the beauty of HaShem surrounding us for we are already in the time of 'Vayechi,' - 'Life,' with our beautiful and Blessed G-D , Who Created all things and is One .
True living is within the word 'Vayechi,' which can be rearranged to spell ' Chayaiv,' which shows 'Living within The Life Force Itself ' - ' Living within HaShem .'
With love to HaShem , I wish HaShem with Love, a beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with Love and to my fellow Yidden , a beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with love.
Friday, 25 December 2015
Friday, 18 December 2015
Parashas Vayigash
Our Parsha this Shabbos is Parashas Vayigash.Here,Yehudah approaches Yoseif,as their communication continues ,from the previous Parsha where Binyamin stands to be taken as a slave and Yehudah stands up for him,showing that Yehudah has learnt his lesson of what he did to Yoseif.
The word 'Vayigash,' which means 'And he approached,' is what HaShem chose to use in this context. The more direct word would have been,'Vayikrav,' which means 'Approach or come closer to,' but in this case,Yehudah's intention was not to come closer to whom he thought was the viceroy ,but to spur Yoseif on, in persuading Yoseif to let Binyamin go.The word 'Vayigash,' comes from the word 'Nigash,' which means ,'to spur on /to oppress/to approach.'' HaShem specifically chose this word as here,Yehudah,being so strong and powerful ,was attempting to use his emotional strength to overpower the viceroy.This time,the viceroy (Yoseif) could not be oppressed,as the brothers had previously done to Yoseif.This time,Yoseif was in another position that the brothers had to respect.This time,Yoseif would not be oppressed or put down in any way.Yoseif's dreams had come true and his brothers were forced to respect him.
Another meaning of these words,shows itself here.The word ,' Vayigash,' can also have a future tense meaning which is 'and he will approach,' which shows that this conflict between Yehudah and Yoseif,would continue at a future time and would only be fixed in Moshiach's time.This is exactly what happened when the tribes of Israel split ,after Shlomo Hamelech's son Rechavam took over and the tribes of Yehudah separated from the rest of Israel. Our prophets spoke a lot on this and prophesied many times about these two - Yehudah and Yoseif's tribes coming together at the End of Days. But before this can happen Yehudah and Yoseif and all the tribes of Israel need to follow G-D religiously by approaching G-D as G-D Commands in His Torah and following Torah Law.This is hinted in the word 'Vayigash,' which , as I said can mean ' And he will approach,' which refers to the End of Days,when Israel will approach HaShem and all will do as HaShem requests.
When this happens,HaShem will show Himself and thus give another meaning to these words 'Vayigash,' for then the 'He' in the words ' And He Will Approach,' refers to our beloved HaShem, Who will Approach us and be close to us again, as it was in Gan Eiden.Then HaShem will speak similar words ,saying as Yoseif said ('Ani Yoseif') , HaShem will say 'Ani HaShem.'
HaShem will introduce Himself to us in His long awaited need for our closeness - 'Vayigash,' to us and watch over us from close as Yoseif watched over his brothers.
The fact that Israel - Yaakov and his family who came to Mitzrayim were entering into a place that was far from G-Dliness, did not mean that they were off the path. Sometimes we need to go through certain experiences to strengthen our spirituality, so we can continue to climb toward HaShem,learning lessons we need to learn,for our betterment . Things are never what they appear to be.The fact that we had to go down into Egypt,was , in reality , another step on our pathway to coming close to HaShem . Yaakov's family entered Mitzrayim with 70 souls .The 70th soul was Yocheved (Laivi's daughter and Moshe's Mother) who was born as they went through the gates of Egypt.Our Rabbis say that HaShem made up the 70th soul for HaShem goes down with us into exile and remains close to His people even when they feel troubled and deserted . HaShem never leaves His faithful ones.HaShem is always close.These 70 souls,like the 70 nations of the World, had deep significance that ,at the time could not be understood.Each and every person that is born and each and every action we do has far reaching results that we cannot see.Only in the scheme of things afterwards,does HaShem's Picture start to be realized and seen.This is the same with all things. When things don't appear to be as you feel they should, look beyond, for every step we take is a 'Vayigash,' a step toward HaShem .
With Love to HaShem, I wish HaShem with Love a Blessed Shabbos Kodesh with love and to all, a Blessed Shabbos Kodesh with love.
The word 'Vayigash,' which means 'And he approached,' is what HaShem chose to use in this context. The more direct word would have been,'Vayikrav,' which means 'Approach or come closer to,' but in this case,Yehudah's intention was not to come closer to whom he thought was the viceroy ,but to spur Yoseif on, in persuading Yoseif to let Binyamin go.The word 'Vayigash,' comes from the word 'Nigash,' which means ,'to spur on /to oppress/to approach.'' HaShem specifically chose this word as here,Yehudah,being so strong and powerful ,was attempting to use his emotional strength to overpower the viceroy.This time,the viceroy (Yoseif) could not be oppressed,as the brothers had previously done to Yoseif.This time,Yoseif was in another position that the brothers had to respect.This time,Yoseif would not be oppressed or put down in any way.Yoseif's dreams had come true and his brothers were forced to respect him.
Another meaning of these words,shows itself here.The word ,' Vayigash,' can also have a future tense meaning which is 'and he will approach,' which shows that this conflict between Yehudah and Yoseif,would continue at a future time and would only be fixed in Moshiach's time.This is exactly what happened when the tribes of Israel split ,after Shlomo Hamelech's son Rechavam took over and the tribes of Yehudah separated from the rest of Israel. Our prophets spoke a lot on this and prophesied many times about these two - Yehudah and Yoseif's tribes coming together at the End of Days. But before this can happen Yehudah and Yoseif and all the tribes of Israel need to follow G-D religiously by approaching G-D as G-D Commands in His Torah and following Torah Law.This is hinted in the word 'Vayigash,' which , as I said can mean ' And he will approach,' which refers to the End of Days,when Israel will approach HaShem and all will do as HaShem requests.
When this happens,HaShem will show Himself and thus give another meaning to these words 'Vayigash,' for then the 'He' in the words ' And He Will Approach,' refers to our beloved HaShem, Who will Approach us and be close to us again, as it was in Gan Eiden.Then HaShem will speak similar words ,saying as Yoseif said ('Ani Yoseif') , HaShem will say 'Ani HaShem.'
HaShem will introduce Himself to us in His long awaited need for our closeness - 'Vayigash,' to us and watch over us from close as Yoseif watched over his brothers.
The fact that Israel - Yaakov and his family who came to Mitzrayim were entering into a place that was far from G-Dliness, did not mean that they were off the path. Sometimes we need to go through certain experiences to strengthen our spirituality, so we can continue to climb toward HaShem,learning lessons we need to learn,for our betterment . Things are never what they appear to be.The fact that we had to go down into Egypt,was , in reality , another step on our pathway to coming close to HaShem . Yaakov's family entered Mitzrayim with 70 souls .The 70th soul was Yocheved (Laivi's daughter and Moshe's Mother) who was born as they went through the gates of Egypt.Our Rabbis say that HaShem made up the 70th soul for HaShem goes down with us into exile and remains close to His people even when they feel troubled and deserted . HaShem never leaves His faithful ones.HaShem is always close.These 70 souls,like the 70 nations of the World, had deep significance that ,at the time could not be understood.Each and every person that is born and each and every action we do has far reaching results that we cannot see.Only in the scheme of things afterwards,does HaShem's Picture start to be realized and seen.This is the same with all things. When things don't appear to be as you feel they should, look beyond, for every step we take is a 'Vayigash,' a step toward HaShem .
With Love to HaShem, I wish HaShem with Love a Blessed Shabbos Kodesh with love and to all, a Blessed Shabbos Kodesh with love.
Friday, 11 December 2015
Parashas Miketz
Our Parsha this Shabbos Chanukah Rosh Chodesh is Parashas Miketz when the time comes for Yoseif to be taken out of the prison and come before Par'o to interpret his dreams and be made viceroy over Egypt.The time had come for Yoseif to fulfill the dreams that he had ,that he had related to his brothers so long ago.The time had come for Yoseif to fulfill his destiny and bring about the start of a long period that would lead eventually to The Jewish People being saved by G-D through Moses and being brought to Har Sinai to receive the Holy Torah and become a holy nation of priests and a holy nation.The time had come for this period to begin.
Our Parsha starts off with the words 'Vayehi Miketz,' which means , 'And it happened at the end.. ,' where the verse continues to tell us that it was at the end of two years to the day that Par'o was dreaming and behold,he stood over the river.'To the day,' shows us that it was exactly at this certain time and not a day earlier or later,but when the time came , for HaShem to bring about His Plan,it happened with not a moment to spare. The word 'Miketz' means ' At the End,' a strange way to describe a process that seemed to just be starting.So there must be more here that HaShem is trying to teach us.
Within the word 'Miketz,' are the words 'Mi' and 'Ketz,' which means ' Who,' and 'End.'Thus,'Who's end,' is being referred to with these words?Nothing in our World is what it appears to be.The way we see things is really nothing like they really are.Here,Yoseif was being released from prison after so many years and ,as we know,became viceroy,only to lead to the Jews being enslaved.This is how it appears.So when we look at the words 'Mi' and 'Ketz,' on the surface it may look as though this was a step toward our slavery.But it was actually a step toward our redemption.So when we ask ,'Who's end? ' It looked like ours.But Chas Ve Shalom, in the end,it turned out that this was really the real start of the end of the Egyptian Power and might.For,when the Jews did leave Egypt,the country was completely broken.Now when we look properly,we see the answer to this question of 'Who's End?' It was the end of Egypt as a power.Nothing in this World happens for no reason.Though things may not always look positive,we need to trust HaShem, for when man is busy planning his own schemes, HaShem in His Infinite Wisdom is taking the works of men and turning it to a positive advantage.
The word 'Ketz' that is within the word 'Miketz,' also has another reference.The word 'Ketz,' also refers to the 'End of Days,' - The 'Ketz.' The End of Days,when this World will be a World of Holiness.That is the final 'Ketz,' the final ' End.'The very fact that this word was used here and that it is linked to a reference to 'The End Of Days,' is by no means a just a choice of words Chas Ve Shalom. This word and reference of 'The End' is here for a reason.What appears around and after this word in this verse,has a commonality with what will happen in the End of Days.
The Jews have had a very hard time among the nations,religiously and in every way.We have been maligned and tortured and killed for our belief.We have been murdered and put under extreme hardships while others tried to force us to abandon our faith Chas Ve Shalom , for the nations have thought that the Jews were scorned of G-D Chas Ve Shalom , for not believing as the other nations do.We have been blamed through the centuries for a story that was not even true.The nations have called us afflicted from G-D , Chas Ve Shalom and lost to the covenant ,Chas Ve Shalom.But at the End of Days,the nations will see that it is us all along that HaShem has looked to,to spread His Holiness in this World and thus make a place for HaShem to live among us.For ,when HaShem chooses the time of the End of Days,it will happen without delay ,as the first verse says,'to the day,' when HaShem will show the nations His Light and our light and we will be a light unto the nations attaining our rightful position as HaShem's guides to lead the nations to Him, through the truth of our Torah that we have followed all along. The nations will see that we are not outcast,but were part of HaShem's Plan all along.Though we Jews , as a people , have had to go through many hardships through the centuries,at the End of Days, the full picture will show itself and , as the prophet says ,'They will take hold of the robe of one Jew,and follow him, for they will see that the L-RD is with him.' As Yoseif suffered over the robe that Zulaicha, the wife of Potiphar tried to use against him, so will we shine in truth as the nations take hold of our robe and truth and follow its path to the light of G-D to G-D The One And Only.
At the time that HaShem will decide to usher in the 'End of Days,' so will it happen like a flood,quickly without delay.The same was with Yoseif.When it came to the exact moment that Yoseif was to be released and become Viceroy over Egypt, HaShem brought it like a flood.Yoseif was rushed from the dungeon ,cleaned and washed and his hair cut (for his hair had not been cut in a long time for he lived as a Nazarite in holiness since he was forced to leave his Father Yaakov) and brought before Par'o so the brilliance of HaShem could be shown to all , not a moment later than it was to be.
As Par'o awoke from his dreams standing over the river he had to admit that he was not the one who created the nile as he had told his people.HaShem showed him and his people that it is HaShem Who Created the river and all things and that he was only a created being with no power.The 'Miketz' had come to show the people that G-D is G-D.
So, 'Mi' 'Ketz' 'Who is the End?'HaShem is the true beginning and end.Who make all? HaShem makes all.
The Hebrew word 'Ketz,' has the Gematrical value of 100+90=190 and 1+9+0=10 and 1+0=1 showing that as HaShem Created the World alone with 10 pronouncements and that at the End Of Days all will see that HASHEM is ONE.
As we light our candles throughout the beautiful days of Chanukah,may we bring the light of HaShem into our homes and into this World so that we can dispel the darkness and make this World a place where HaShem's Shechinah can dwell among us and usher in the 'Final End Of Days,' as we celebrate our Holy Shabbos Chanukah on the eve of Rosh Chodesh Tevet and so, may the Eternal Shabbos come now to usher in the final 'Miketz,' with a World filled with G-Dliness as the Light of HaShem permeates every part of this Creation and our waiting come to an end when HaShem ushers in The End Of Days in our time.
May we and all Creation be filled with the Light of HaShem.
With love to HaShem,I wish HaShem with love, a beautiful Shabbos Kodesh,Vreiliche Chag Chanukah Sameach and Chodesh Tov with love and to my fellow Yidden,a beautiful Shabbos Kodesh,Vreiliche Chanukah and Chodesh Tov with love.
Our Parsha starts off with the words 'Vayehi Miketz,' which means , 'And it happened at the end.. ,' where the verse continues to tell us that it was at the end of two years to the day that Par'o was dreaming and behold,he stood over the river.'To the day,' shows us that it was exactly at this certain time and not a day earlier or later,but when the time came , for HaShem to bring about His Plan,it happened with not a moment to spare. The word 'Miketz' means ' At the End,' a strange way to describe a process that seemed to just be starting.So there must be more here that HaShem is trying to teach us.
Within the word 'Miketz,' are the words 'Mi' and 'Ketz,' which means ' Who,' and 'End.'Thus,'Who's end,' is being referred to with these words?Nothing in our World is what it appears to be.The way we see things is really nothing like they really are.Here,Yoseif was being released from prison after so many years and ,as we know,became viceroy,only to lead to the Jews being enslaved.This is how it appears.So when we look at the words 'Mi' and 'Ketz,' on the surface it may look as though this was a step toward our slavery.But it was actually a step toward our redemption.So when we ask ,'Who's end? ' It looked like ours.But Chas Ve Shalom, in the end,it turned out that this was really the real start of the end of the Egyptian Power and might.For,when the Jews did leave Egypt,the country was completely broken.Now when we look properly,we see the answer to this question of 'Who's End?' It was the end of Egypt as a power.Nothing in this World happens for no reason.Though things may not always look positive,we need to trust HaShem, for when man is busy planning his own schemes, HaShem in His Infinite Wisdom is taking the works of men and turning it to a positive advantage.
The word 'Ketz' that is within the word 'Miketz,' also has another reference.The word 'Ketz,' also refers to the 'End of Days,' - The 'Ketz.' The End of Days,when this World will be a World of Holiness.That is the final 'Ketz,' the final ' End.'The very fact that this word was used here and that it is linked to a reference to 'The End Of Days,' is by no means a just a choice of words Chas Ve Shalom. This word and reference of 'The End' is here for a reason.What appears around and after this word in this verse,has a commonality with what will happen in the End of Days.
The Jews have had a very hard time among the nations,religiously and in every way.We have been maligned and tortured and killed for our belief.We have been murdered and put under extreme hardships while others tried to force us to abandon our faith Chas Ve Shalom , for the nations have thought that the Jews were scorned of G-D Chas Ve Shalom , for not believing as the other nations do.We have been blamed through the centuries for a story that was not even true.The nations have called us afflicted from G-D , Chas Ve Shalom and lost to the covenant ,Chas Ve Shalom.But at the End of Days,the nations will see that it is us all along that HaShem has looked to,to spread His Holiness in this World and thus make a place for HaShem to live among us.For ,when HaShem chooses the time of the End of Days,it will happen without delay ,as the first verse says,'to the day,' when HaShem will show the nations His Light and our light and we will be a light unto the nations attaining our rightful position as HaShem's guides to lead the nations to Him, through the truth of our Torah that we have followed all along. The nations will see that we are not outcast,but were part of HaShem's Plan all along.Though we Jews , as a people , have had to go through many hardships through the centuries,at the End of Days, the full picture will show itself and , as the prophet says ,'They will take hold of the robe of one Jew,and follow him, for they will see that the L-RD is with him.' As Yoseif suffered over the robe that Zulaicha, the wife of Potiphar tried to use against him, so will we shine in truth as the nations take hold of our robe and truth and follow its path to the light of G-D to G-D The One And Only.
At the time that HaShem will decide to usher in the 'End of Days,' so will it happen like a flood,quickly without delay.The same was with Yoseif.When it came to the exact moment that Yoseif was to be released and become Viceroy over Egypt, HaShem brought it like a flood.Yoseif was rushed from the dungeon ,cleaned and washed and his hair cut (for his hair had not been cut in a long time for he lived as a Nazarite in holiness since he was forced to leave his Father Yaakov) and brought before Par'o so the brilliance of HaShem could be shown to all , not a moment later than it was to be.
As Par'o awoke from his dreams standing over the river he had to admit that he was not the one who created the nile as he had told his people.HaShem showed him and his people that it is HaShem Who Created the river and all things and that he was only a created being with no power.The 'Miketz' had come to show the people that G-D is G-D.
So, 'Mi' 'Ketz' 'Who is the End?'HaShem is the true beginning and end.Who make all? HaShem makes all.
The Hebrew word 'Ketz,' has the Gematrical value of 100+90=190 and 1+9+0=10 and 1+0=1 showing that as HaShem Created the World alone with 10 pronouncements and that at the End Of Days all will see that HASHEM is ONE.
As we light our candles throughout the beautiful days of Chanukah,may we bring the light of HaShem into our homes and into this World so that we can dispel the darkness and make this World a place where HaShem's Shechinah can dwell among us and usher in the 'Final End Of Days,' as we celebrate our Holy Shabbos Chanukah on the eve of Rosh Chodesh Tevet and so, may the Eternal Shabbos come now to usher in the final 'Miketz,' with a World filled with G-Dliness as the Light of HaShem permeates every part of this Creation and our waiting come to an end when HaShem ushers in The End Of Days in our time.
May we and all Creation be filled with the Light of HaShem.
With love to HaShem,I wish HaShem with love, a beautiful Shabbos Kodesh,Vreiliche Chag Chanukah Sameach and Chodesh Tov with love and to my fellow Yidden,a beautiful Shabbos Kodesh,Vreiliche Chanukah and Chodesh Tov with love.
Friday, 4 December 2015
Parashas Vayeishev
Our Parsha this Shabbos is Parashas Vayeishev where Yaakov settles in the Holy Land,but this is not a permanent settling for,the tragedy that was about to come,in Yaakov losing his beloved Yoseif for so many years ,shows that,as Jews,we are only truly settled in Eretz Yisroel when the final Third Temple will be built on the Holy Site in Yerushalaim.Till then,a Jew wanders,even in the Holy Land,till the time for the Final Redemption comes.
The word 'Vayeishev,' means 'And he settled,' although as mentioned,this would not be a total settling,for once the incident of Yoseif took place which would bring the family to Mitzrayim (Egypt) ,Yaakov and his family would leave Canaan and would not return till generations later after the Egyptian slavery.So why does HaShem use the word 'Vayeishev,' - 'And he settled?' There must be hidden meanings here.
In Jewish Law,we are told that an event starts at it's beginnings,so this means that although the family was to leave Canaan for now,this settling of Yaakov was the start pf the entire process that would lead them back to Canaan,with G-D's Law in their hearts,minds and hands and thus allow Canaan to be the truly settled place it is to be-a place where the Torah would be kept and thus a place where HaShem's Shechinah could and will eventually reside among us.And it is here where the hidden meaning of the word 'Vayeishev,' shows itself,for if we take the word 'Vayeishev,' and split it into the words within it,we get ' Va (And) Yeish (Have) Av (Father) ' - thus rendering the words -'And I have the Father ' Who we know is G-D . G-D is our Father.So therefore the words 'Vayeishev Yaakov,' , taking the words within 'Vayeishev' and putting them with Yaakov,shows that Yaakov had HaShem while within the land of Canaan.This sounds strange for G-D is everywhere.This is not strange at all, for while a holy man is among holiness , HaShem's Shechinah resides closer to him but while a Jew is outside a holy place,among unholiness and unholy and immoral people , the Shechinah of HaShem wants to leave . We saw this while Avraham was with Lot . Only when Lot left Avraham and went toward Sodom,did HaShem come and speak to Avraham . Our Rabbis tell us that while Lot was with Avraham,HaShem stayed away.
While Yaakov and the family were in the Holy Land , HaShem's Shechinah would reside closer,for this land is HaShem's Special Holy place.This land of Israel must be a land where Torah is strictly kept so that HaShem's Shechinah can dwell among its residents.
It is here in this Parsha that we are told that Yaakov was not to have a permanent settling , for tragedy struck and his beloved son Yoseif was wrenched from his care . Yoseif himself was not to remain in the Holy Land but was sold by his brothers and sent off to Mitzraim (Egypt) , after being exchanged on the way four times before he got to Egypt . HaShem took pity on him and went with him to protect him and all he touched in the home he was to be a slave in , was Blessed by HaShem .Here HaShem remained with him for Yoseif took HaShem with him in every way that Yoseif kept every Law of HaShem in Egypt that he learned from his Father Yaakov . Yoseif never became an Egyptian .He never hid his Jewishness . Yoseif remained a Jew who was in Egypt in all the Hebrew Laws he kept , among his Egyptian rulers . The Hebrew word for Egypt is 'Mitzrayim,' which means 'Borders,' for once someone came into their border,they were not allowed to leave unless Par'o (Pharoah) gave permission for them to leave . It was a land closed in and covered by idolworship and evil Tum'a (Spiritual Impurity) yet Yoseif humbly kept the way of the One True Living G-D, HaShem.
Yoseif was sold to Egypt by his brothers who thought his dreams and favoritism by their Father meant that they would lose the Blessings and love from their Father but this would never have been the case.Yoseif would bring reports of their conduct to their Father,never to hurt them, but so that they could be taught and raised to a higher spiritual level . There was never an intention to harm them and sadly Yoseif became a victim of circumstance and his own mistaken judgement and need for acceptance,yet with a Holy purpose that , at that time , he could not understand.Every action the brothers perpetrated on him ,they were punished for, as we see with the interjection of the story of Yehudah , who was like a king among the brothers and who could have stopped the selling of Yoseif , but he didn't so he lost his own two sons . Yaakov had to hear the terrible news of the loss of his son with the very same word that he himself used to his own Father Yitzchak when he went in to get the Blessing instead of his brother Eisav- the word 'Recognize' this garment, the same words that Tamar who was denied Yehudah's third son , ended up telling Yehudah , when she showed the signet ,staff and cloak that Yehudah had given her in lieu of a pledge till he would send her a goat (the same animal's blood that Yehudah had dipped Yoseif's coat into , when they brought the coat to Yaakov) ,when Tamar said to him 'Recognize if you please whose are these.'
We have in this Parsha so many lessons and so many sparks of wisdom,within each and every word.Here we are shown that everything a person does,has a consequence.Here we are shown not to jump to conclusions about what we think we see in others, as Yoseif sadly did about his brothers . Here we are taught to never show favoritism for one child above another or others . Here we are taught the heights of forgiveness,for Yoseif ended up forgiving his brothers and watching over them while they stayed in Egypt even after the way they treated him . And most of all , here we are shown the ultimate need to have faith and trust in HaShem for He Knows what to do and quietly watches after His Holy ones and those who follow Him faithfully.
Poor Yoseif found himself in a foreign land,a land where HaShem was not acknowledged . A land where he was sold into slavery to Potiphar , Par'o's chief executioner , as a fore-runner for our people who were sold into slavery , for he ended up in the home of Potiphar (Potiphera in the ancient tongue meant 'the 'mutilated one' for he was not able to have children and was so called) and his wife who constantly hounded Yoseif , thinking she would have offspring with him , for she saw this in the stars . Yet the Jewish pathway is not judged by stars, but as HaShem said to Avraham that he must raise himself above the stars,showing that our mazal is in the hands of HaShem personally . Yoseif ended up marrying Potiphera's and his wife's ( Zulaicha's ) adopted daughter whose name was Asenath , who was actually Yaakov's grand-daughter through his daughter Dinah.
So Yoseif found himself in a place of unholy spirituality in Egypt ,yet never for a moment, did he ever leave his faith.This is the path of a Jew . To make our way through this World, being a banner for HaShem , no matter where we find ourselves , to be a constant promoter for HaShem , bringing this World to the belief in the One True G-D , HaShem.
We may not yet be 'settled,' but how can we be settled,while HaShem's Shechinah is not yet settled among us in this World.
To be truly settled,each and every one of us are to make every part of this World a place where HaShem can dwell and 'Vayeishev' - 'Settle,' so that HaShem can have His long -awaited 'Vayeishev,' - 'Settling,' with all His children , all His Creation , in a World that keeps His Laws and Ways .
Then Yaakov and his children can truly peacefully settle in Canaan and all Creation come to know the truth of HaShem's Love for all things . When this World becomes a Torah - kept World (for in actual fact , it is not just that people keep Torah, but actually it really is also that Torah keeps and carries the World ) ,then it will be a world where HaShem can 'Vayeishev' - 'Settle' among us and Yaakov and his children can settle in peace in Canaan . Then the first verse of this Parsha will take on a future meaning , for it hints at saying that, ' Vayeishev Yaakov B'Eretz M'Gurei Aviv B'Eretz K'na'an,' - ' And He (G-D) (Vayeishev shows a Yud for 'He ' in the future tense) will settle Yaakov in the land of his sojournings , in the land of Canaan .' May this settling come soon and may we all be Blessed with the Light of the Final Redemption where we can all be worthy to dwell in peace and settle with the Shechinah of HaShem.
I wish HaShem with love, a Beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with love and a Vreiliche Chag Chanukah Sameach and to my fellow Yidden, a beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with love and a vreiliche Chag Chanukah Sameach with love .
The word 'Vayeishev,' means 'And he settled,' although as mentioned,this would not be a total settling,for once the incident of Yoseif took place which would bring the family to Mitzrayim (Egypt) ,Yaakov and his family would leave Canaan and would not return till generations later after the Egyptian slavery.So why does HaShem use the word 'Vayeishev,' - 'And he settled?' There must be hidden meanings here.
In Jewish Law,we are told that an event starts at it's beginnings,so this means that although the family was to leave Canaan for now,this settling of Yaakov was the start pf the entire process that would lead them back to Canaan,with G-D's Law in their hearts,minds and hands and thus allow Canaan to be the truly settled place it is to be-a place where the Torah would be kept and thus a place where HaShem's Shechinah could and will eventually reside among us.And it is here where the hidden meaning of the word 'Vayeishev,' shows itself,for if we take the word 'Vayeishev,' and split it into the words within it,we get ' Va (And) Yeish (Have) Av (Father) ' - thus rendering the words -'And I have the Father ' Who we know is G-D . G-D is our Father.So therefore the words 'Vayeishev Yaakov,' , taking the words within 'Vayeishev' and putting them with Yaakov,shows that Yaakov had HaShem while within the land of Canaan.This sounds strange for G-D is everywhere.This is not strange at all, for while a holy man is among holiness , HaShem's Shechinah resides closer to him but while a Jew is outside a holy place,among unholiness and unholy and immoral people , the Shechinah of HaShem wants to leave . We saw this while Avraham was with Lot . Only when Lot left Avraham and went toward Sodom,did HaShem come and speak to Avraham . Our Rabbis tell us that while Lot was with Avraham,HaShem stayed away.
While Yaakov and the family were in the Holy Land , HaShem's Shechinah would reside closer,for this land is HaShem's Special Holy place.This land of Israel must be a land where Torah is strictly kept so that HaShem's Shechinah can dwell among its residents.
It is here in this Parsha that we are told that Yaakov was not to have a permanent settling , for tragedy struck and his beloved son Yoseif was wrenched from his care . Yoseif himself was not to remain in the Holy Land but was sold by his brothers and sent off to Mitzraim (Egypt) , after being exchanged on the way four times before he got to Egypt . HaShem took pity on him and went with him to protect him and all he touched in the home he was to be a slave in , was Blessed by HaShem .Here HaShem remained with him for Yoseif took HaShem with him in every way that Yoseif kept every Law of HaShem in Egypt that he learned from his Father Yaakov . Yoseif never became an Egyptian .He never hid his Jewishness . Yoseif remained a Jew who was in Egypt in all the Hebrew Laws he kept , among his Egyptian rulers . The Hebrew word for Egypt is 'Mitzrayim,' which means 'Borders,' for once someone came into their border,they were not allowed to leave unless Par'o (Pharoah) gave permission for them to leave . It was a land closed in and covered by idolworship and evil Tum'a (Spiritual Impurity) yet Yoseif humbly kept the way of the One True Living G-D, HaShem.
Yoseif was sold to Egypt by his brothers who thought his dreams and favoritism by their Father meant that they would lose the Blessings and love from their Father but this would never have been the case.Yoseif would bring reports of their conduct to their Father,never to hurt them, but so that they could be taught and raised to a higher spiritual level . There was never an intention to harm them and sadly Yoseif became a victim of circumstance and his own mistaken judgement and need for acceptance,yet with a Holy purpose that , at that time , he could not understand.Every action the brothers perpetrated on him ,they were punished for, as we see with the interjection of the story of Yehudah , who was like a king among the brothers and who could have stopped the selling of Yoseif , but he didn't so he lost his own two sons . Yaakov had to hear the terrible news of the loss of his son with the very same word that he himself used to his own Father Yitzchak when he went in to get the Blessing instead of his brother Eisav- the word 'Recognize' this garment, the same words that Tamar who was denied Yehudah's third son , ended up telling Yehudah , when she showed the signet ,staff and cloak that Yehudah had given her in lieu of a pledge till he would send her a goat (the same animal's blood that Yehudah had dipped Yoseif's coat into , when they brought the coat to Yaakov) ,when Tamar said to him 'Recognize if you please whose are these.'
We have in this Parsha so many lessons and so many sparks of wisdom,within each and every word.Here we are shown that everything a person does,has a consequence.Here we are shown not to jump to conclusions about what we think we see in others, as Yoseif sadly did about his brothers . Here we are taught to never show favoritism for one child above another or others . Here we are taught the heights of forgiveness,for Yoseif ended up forgiving his brothers and watching over them while they stayed in Egypt even after the way they treated him . And most of all , here we are shown the ultimate need to have faith and trust in HaShem for He Knows what to do and quietly watches after His Holy ones and those who follow Him faithfully.
Poor Yoseif found himself in a foreign land,a land where HaShem was not acknowledged . A land where he was sold into slavery to Potiphar , Par'o's chief executioner , as a fore-runner for our people who were sold into slavery , for he ended up in the home of Potiphar (Potiphera in the ancient tongue meant 'the 'mutilated one' for he was not able to have children and was so called) and his wife who constantly hounded Yoseif , thinking she would have offspring with him , for she saw this in the stars . Yet the Jewish pathway is not judged by stars, but as HaShem said to Avraham that he must raise himself above the stars,showing that our mazal is in the hands of HaShem personally . Yoseif ended up marrying Potiphera's and his wife's ( Zulaicha's ) adopted daughter whose name was Asenath , who was actually Yaakov's grand-daughter through his daughter Dinah.
So Yoseif found himself in a place of unholy spirituality in Egypt ,yet never for a moment, did he ever leave his faith.This is the path of a Jew . To make our way through this World, being a banner for HaShem , no matter where we find ourselves , to be a constant promoter for HaShem , bringing this World to the belief in the One True G-D , HaShem.
We may not yet be 'settled,' but how can we be settled,while HaShem's Shechinah is not yet settled among us in this World.
To be truly settled,each and every one of us are to make every part of this World a place where HaShem can dwell and 'Vayeishev' - 'Settle,' so that HaShem can have His long -awaited 'Vayeishev,' - 'Settling,' with all His children , all His Creation , in a World that keeps His Laws and Ways .
Then Yaakov and his children can truly peacefully settle in Canaan and all Creation come to know the truth of HaShem's Love for all things . When this World becomes a Torah - kept World (for in actual fact , it is not just that people keep Torah, but actually it really is also that Torah keeps and carries the World ) ,then it will be a world where HaShem can 'Vayeishev' - 'Settle' among us and Yaakov and his children can settle in peace in Canaan . Then the first verse of this Parsha will take on a future meaning , for it hints at saying that, ' Vayeishev Yaakov B'Eretz M'Gurei Aviv B'Eretz K'na'an,' - ' And He (G-D) (Vayeishev shows a Yud for 'He ' in the future tense) will settle Yaakov in the land of his sojournings , in the land of Canaan .' May this settling come soon and may we all be Blessed with the Light of the Final Redemption where we can all be worthy to dwell in peace and settle with the Shechinah of HaShem.
I wish HaShem with love, a Beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with love and a Vreiliche Chag Chanukah Sameach and to my fellow Yidden, a beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with love and a vreiliche Chag Chanukah Sameach with love .
Friday, 27 November 2015
Parashas Vayishlach
Our Parsha this Shabbos is Parashas Vayishlach,where Yaakov prepares to meet his brother Eisav after the long years that they were separate.
Yaakov left many years ago , after the incident with the Blessing from their Father and now,he was returning home.
Torah tells us how Yaakov prepared to meet his brother and how he even fought Samael,the angel of Edom for each nation has its protecting angel or 'Sar,' in Hebrew and a nation cannot be downed till its Sar is taken care of.
The Parsha starts out by saying ,'Vayishlach Yaakov Malachim' Lefanaiv El Eisav Achiv Artzah Seir S'dei Edom,' - 'Then Jacob sent angels ahead of him to Esau his brother to the land of Seir,the field of Edom.' This is what the verse translates as on the surface.But if one looks a little deeper,a deeper translation might appear.For the word 'VaYishlach,' can be separated to say Va' - 'And' Yi' - 'He Will,' 'Shelach' 'Send ' and putting this to the rest of the verse we get a deeper meaning which says,' And He Will send 'Ya'akov Melachim Lefanaiv El Eisav,' so within the first word of the Parsha,the 'He' can be a hidden hint to HaShem sending Yaakov before Him (before HaShem shows Himself) , to destroy the evil from this World for the evil is in this World as the 'Eisav that seeks to turn away from HaShem Chas Ve Shalom and the Ways HaShem Commands us Chas Ve Shalom.
HaShem could ,in an an instant take away the evil, but leaves it up to us to clean this World that HaShem originally gave in purity.We represent HaShem in this World at all times , as HaShem's messengers and angels to ensure that this World is kept Holy and free from evil and bad.But why the need for evil in the first place? Without good and bad to choose from,there could not be good.HaShem makes all things in duality,two eyes two ears , man and woman , Heaven and Earth , positive and negative , leaving the choice up to us as to which way to travel. The more the negative path is chosen , the greater the 'Sitra Achra,' - 'The Negative Place' grows.The more 'HaShem and His Good' that is chosen,the more of HaShem's Light we welcome and the smaller the 'Sitra Achra,' gets. HaShem spoke to our forefathers of old and also gave us the Torah through Moshe Rabbeinu as to how we are to live. If we live by HaShem's Rules, then this World becomes a place of HaShem's Presence but if people don't Chas Ve Shalom , then this World becomes darkened Chas Ve Shalom. In giving us the Torah, HaShem made us a Kingdom of Priests and a Holy Nation and thus,we are to go out into this World and fight evil - fight the Eisav that exists within this World - that part of this World that doesn't want to acknowledge G-Dliness Chas Ve Shalom . So , within the first words of this Parsha, HaShem may be telling us that although the actions of people make evil grow, HaShem sends out Yaakov as His Messenger to conquer this evil - an evil brought about ,by the actions of people. This evil can take many forms. It may take the form of physical violence or it may even take the form of spiritual negativities that try undermine the 'Good' in this World, but at the end of the attempts of these attacks on us, we need to realize that HaShem is all powerful and fights with us. It may not always feel like it, but we couldn't stand a moment, if HaShem went away from standing with us. At times , we may feel very alone, but it is at those times that we need to look within, for it is at those times that HaShem is carrying us . HaShem puts on us great responsibility as HaShem must love us enough and trust that we are holy and good enough to overcome these forces which , though they may seem too much for us to handle , are nothing when compared to the Almightiness and All- Powerful G-D Who fights on our side. Yes, fights on our side , for we too, have to go into battle , for we are the ones who were given this special task of clearing this World from the mistakes it has made. How HaShem must love us, when He Chose us to represent Him . His Light never leaves us and in order to overcome these forces, we need to come to the realization that our greatest power in defeating the negativities that surround humanity, is to come to the realization that the Creator Of The Universe and Creation stands with us and nothing can beat that ever. When we realize this, the light of HaShem will dawn inside us and HaShem will take over the battle which will automatically turn to our favor as soon as we follow HaShem and His Laws and pass the test of total faith and trust , that G-D will fight for us.
The part of Eisav that is within this World, needs to be beaten in all its attempts. This can be done and will be done . HaShem has faith in us. HaShem has faith in you and me . Time to follow HaShem and keep His Commandments and have faith in return , in HaShem .
With love to HaShem, I wish HaShem with love, a beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with love and to all, a beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with love.
Yaakov left many years ago , after the incident with the Blessing from their Father and now,he was returning home.
Torah tells us how Yaakov prepared to meet his brother and how he even fought Samael,the angel of Edom for each nation has its protecting angel or 'Sar,' in Hebrew and a nation cannot be downed till its Sar is taken care of.
The Parsha starts out by saying ,'Vayishlach Yaakov Malachim' Lefanaiv El Eisav Achiv Artzah Seir S'dei Edom,' - 'Then Jacob sent angels ahead of him to Esau his brother to the land of Seir,the field of Edom.' This is what the verse translates as on the surface.But if one looks a little deeper,a deeper translation might appear.For the word 'VaYishlach,' can be separated to say Va' - 'And' Yi' - 'He Will,' 'Shelach' 'Send ' and putting this to the rest of the verse we get a deeper meaning which says,' And He Will send 'Ya'akov Melachim Lefanaiv El Eisav,' so within the first word of the Parsha,the 'He' can be a hidden hint to HaShem sending Yaakov before Him (before HaShem shows Himself) , to destroy the evil from this World for the evil is in this World as the 'Eisav that seeks to turn away from HaShem Chas Ve Shalom and the Ways HaShem Commands us Chas Ve Shalom.
HaShem could ,in an an instant take away the evil, but leaves it up to us to clean this World that HaShem originally gave in purity.We represent HaShem in this World at all times , as HaShem's messengers and angels to ensure that this World is kept Holy and free from evil and bad.But why the need for evil in the first place? Without good and bad to choose from,there could not be good.HaShem makes all things in duality,two eyes two ears , man and woman , Heaven and Earth , positive and negative , leaving the choice up to us as to which way to travel. The more the negative path is chosen , the greater the 'Sitra Achra,' - 'The Negative Place' grows.The more 'HaShem and His Good' that is chosen,the more of HaShem's Light we welcome and the smaller the 'Sitra Achra,' gets. HaShem spoke to our forefathers of old and also gave us the Torah through Moshe Rabbeinu as to how we are to live. If we live by HaShem's Rules, then this World becomes a place of HaShem's Presence but if people don't Chas Ve Shalom , then this World becomes darkened Chas Ve Shalom. In giving us the Torah, HaShem made us a Kingdom of Priests and a Holy Nation and thus,we are to go out into this World and fight evil - fight the Eisav that exists within this World - that part of this World that doesn't want to acknowledge G-Dliness Chas Ve Shalom . So , within the first words of this Parsha, HaShem may be telling us that although the actions of people make evil grow, HaShem sends out Yaakov as His Messenger to conquer this evil - an evil brought about ,by the actions of people. This evil can take many forms. It may take the form of physical violence or it may even take the form of spiritual negativities that try undermine the 'Good' in this World, but at the end of the attempts of these attacks on us, we need to realize that HaShem is all powerful and fights with us. It may not always feel like it, but we couldn't stand a moment, if HaShem went away from standing with us. At times , we may feel very alone, but it is at those times that we need to look within, for it is at those times that HaShem is carrying us . HaShem puts on us great responsibility as HaShem must love us enough and trust that we are holy and good enough to overcome these forces which , though they may seem too much for us to handle , are nothing when compared to the Almightiness and All- Powerful G-D Who fights on our side. Yes, fights on our side , for we too, have to go into battle , for we are the ones who were given this special task of clearing this World from the mistakes it has made. How HaShem must love us, when He Chose us to represent Him . His Light never leaves us and in order to overcome these forces, we need to come to the realization that our greatest power in defeating the negativities that surround humanity, is to come to the realization that the Creator Of The Universe and Creation stands with us and nothing can beat that ever. When we realize this, the light of HaShem will dawn inside us and HaShem will take over the battle which will automatically turn to our favor as soon as we follow HaShem and His Laws and pass the test of total faith and trust , that G-D will fight for us.
The part of Eisav that is within this World, needs to be beaten in all its attempts. This can be done and will be done . HaShem has faith in us. HaShem has faith in you and me . Time to follow HaShem and keep His Commandments and have faith in return , in HaShem .
With love to HaShem, I wish HaShem with love, a beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with love and to all, a beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with love.
Friday, 20 November 2015
Parashas Vayeitzei
Our Shabbos Parsha is Parashas Vayeitzei where Yaakov departs from Be'er Sheva to head toward Charan.
The Torah says that he went 'towards' Charan.Not directly to Charan ,for he first went to Shem and Aiver's Yeshiva after leaving his home and being chased and robbed by Elifaz,Eisav's son ,from whom the tribe of Amalek came.
On the way to Charan, Yaakov was delayed at the sight of the Future Holy Temple.
It was here that Yaakov had his famous dream where he saw angels 'ascending' and descending' on the ladder.How interesting that the angels first 'ascended' and then 'descended,' on this ladder in Yaakov's dream.Angels first went toward HaShem and then down to the physical.The same as Yaakov first went toward HaShem by going to the Yeshiva of Shem and Aiver and then headed for the physical surroundings of Charan.
Just before Yaakov had his dream he took 12 stones from the altar that his grandfather Avraham had built when Yitzchak was brought up on this mountain for the Akeidah and he put them around him.When he awoke,the 12 stones had become one stone showing that his 12 sons would be holy and follow the One True G-D HaShem.
Yaakov was on his way to Charan ,to the family of Lavan Ha'Arami (which actually meant Lavan the swindler,for Lavan was known to be a crook and cheat) and before he reached there , he knew he had to prepare himself to be ready for the unholiness of Lavan ,so he spent many years in the Yeshiva of Shem and Aiver,preparing his Neshoma in holiness before going to a place of negative physicality.
This is a very important lesson to learn and is within the name of this Parsha,which is 'Vayeitzei' which means 'Departed/Going out from.'
HaShem would like to keep us with Him all the time but in order to make the 'physical' holy,we need to 'go out from' a holy place to bring the holiness to the rest of the World around us.'Before we do this,we need to prepare ourselves by holding fast to HaShem and His Holy Torah and let it guide us and help us make all things around us Holy.
Holiness is very Good,but it cannot just remain in a closed-up bottle.It needs to be let out so that it can permeate the Physical and bring the Physical up to the Spiritual.But ,as the angels in Yaakov's dream first ascended and then descended the ladder,so must we go up all the time to HaShem and help bring His Holiness down here so we can also bring the Spirtual down to the Physical and so,make all things Holy.
HaShem made us physical beings,with physical wants and desires.HaShem wants us to turn every physical feeling into something holier.HaShem wants us to make each and every part of this Physical World that we encounter,a spiritually Holy thing.So HaShem says to us 'Vayeitzei,' - 'Go out from your Physicality,' and let your Neshoma make all things around you Holy with HaShem's Will and then return to your Physicality,a Holier being.But use your physicality to work in this World and make it a Holier place.By doing this,you will,even within yourself,bring peace between your Physicality and Spirituality and this harmony will stretch out to the World around you and bring harmony to the Physical World,after working to make it Spiritually Pure.
But to do this,we need to first 'Vayeitzei,' - ' Go out from our habits,our own desires and our own needs and serve HaShem's Will and Needs.It starts with selfless living for HaShem and others,not just for oneself.
Yaakov was a man who,in his life,received very little reward,asking for any Blessings that should come from HaShem,to rather be carried over to his children and people.This is the way of any good parent,to want better for their children.Children must be the same.They too,even after leaving their parents must never forget what their parents did for them and so,must be there for their parents too,even after leaving.The same is with HaShem.Though HaShem would like to keep us with Him close,He let's us go out into this World to try make our own lives.We too,must remember that all is here including us,because HaShem Wills it and gives it to us.So when we 'Vayeitzei,' - 'Go out from' HaShem,as a baby and try to make our way in this World,we must never forget that it is for HaShem that we live and it is HaShem we are to serve for He gives us each breath of life we have.
The angels that go up and down on Yaakov's ladder,don't forget HaShem ,remembering that they must ascend and return to HaShem .Nor must we.No matter where we go or how far we travel in this Physical World,we must return to HaShem with each breath we are given by Him and carry HaShem with us always, making our Neshoma ascend before it goes to the next level of the physical and spirtual path it is on,in it's ascending journey toward HaShem.
So let us always remember that wherever we go,we are to carry HaShem and His Will with us always and make this World a place where HaShem can dwell.Let us always remember that wherever we go,we are connected to HaShem.
With love to HaShem,I wish HaShem with love a beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with Love and to all,a beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with love.
The Torah says that he went 'towards' Charan.Not directly to Charan ,for he first went to Shem and Aiver's Yeshiva after leaving his home and being chased and robbed by Elifaz,Eisav's son ,from whom the tribe of Amalek came.
On the way to Charan, Yaakov was delayed at the sight of the Future Holy Temple.
It was here that Yaakov had his famous dream where he saw angels 'ascending' and descending' on the ladder.How interesting that the angels first 'ascended' and then 'descended,' on this ladder in Yaakov's dream.Angels first went toward HaShem and then down to the physical.The same as Yaakov first went toward HaShem by going to the Yeshiva of Shem and Aiver and then headed for the physical surroundings of Charan.
Just before Yaakov had his dream he took 12 stones from the altar that his grandfather Avraham had built when Yitzchak was brought up on this mountain for the Akeidah and he put them around him.When he awoke,the 12 stones had become one stone showing that his 12 sons would be holy and follow the One True G-D HaShem.
Yaakov was on his way to Charan ,to the family of Lavan Ha'Arami (which actually meant Lavan the swindler,for Lavan was known to be a crook and cheat) and before he reached there , he knew he had to prepare himself to be ready for the unholiness of Lavan ,so he spent many years in the Yeshiva of Shem and Aiver,preparing his Neshoma in holiness before going to a place of negative physicality.
This is a very important lesson to learn and is within the name of this Parsha,which is 'Vayeitzei' which means 'Departed/Going out from.'
HaShem would like to keep us with Him all the time but in order to make the 'physical' holy,we need to 'go out from' a holy place to bring the holiness to the rest of the World around us.'Before we do this,we need to prepare ourselves by holding fast to HaShem and His Holy Torah and let it guide us and help us make all things around us Holy.
Holiness is very Good,but it cannot just remain in a closed-up bottle.It needs to be let out so that it can permeate the Physical and bring the Physical up to the Spiritual.But ,as the angels in Yaakov's dream first ascended and then descended the ladder,so must we go up all the time to HaShem and help bring His Holiness down here so we can also bring the Spirtual down to the Physical and so,make all things Holy.
HaShem made us physical beings,with physical wants and desires.HaShem wants us to turn every physical feeling into something holier.HaShem wants us to make each and every part of this Physical World that we encounter,a spiritually Holy thing.So HaShem says to us 'Vayeitzei,' - 'Go out from your Physicality,' and let your Neshoma make all things around you Holy with HaShem's Will and then return to your Physicality,a Holier being.But use your physicality to work in this World and make it a Holier place.By doing this,you will,even within yourself,bring peace between your Physicality and Spirituality and this harmony will stretch out to the World around you and bring harmony to the Physical World,after working to make it Spiritually Pure.
But to do this,we need to first 'Vayeitzei,' - ' Go out from our habits,our own desires and our own needs and serve HaShem's Will and Needs.It starts with selfless living for HaShem and others,not just for oneself.
Yaakov was a man who,in his life,received very little reward,asking for any Blessings that should come from HaShem,to rather be carried over to his children and people.This is the way of any good parent,to want better for their children.Children must be the same.They too,even after leaving their parents must never forget what their parents did for them and so,must be there for their parents too,even after leaving.The same is with HaShem.Though HaShem would like to keep us with Him close,He let's us go out into this World to try make our own lives.We too,must remember that all is here including us,because HaShem Wills it and gives it to us.So when we 'Vayeitzei,' - 'Go out from' HaShem,as a baby and try to make our way in this World,we must never forget that it is for HaShem that we live and it is HaShem we are to serve for He gives us each breath of life we have.
The angels that go up and down on Yaakov's ladder,don't forget HaShem ,remembering that they must ascend and return to HaShem .Nor must we.No matter where we go or how far we travel in this Physical World,we must return to HaShem with each breath we are given by Him and carry HaShem with us always, making our Neshoma ascend before it goes to the next level of the physical and spirtual path it is on,in it's ascending journey toward HaShem.
So let us always remember that wherever we go,we are to carry HaShem and His Will with us always and make this World a place where HaShem can dwell.Let us always remember that wherever we go,we are connected to HaShem.
With love to HaShem,I wish HaShem with love a beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with Love and to all,a beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with love.
Friday, 13 November 2015
Parashas Toldot
Our Parsha this Shabbos is Parashas Toldot and tells of the offspring of Yitzchak and Rivka.
Rivka finally is given children,only to find that the pain she is suffering is due to two opposites that cannot abide together within her,within the World,within Creation.Even before these two children were born,their separate paths are set.One is to be a Holy man who looks toward his Nefesh Elokit (His G-Dly Soul) while the other is to be a man of physicality that looks toward his Nefesh Behamit (his Animal soul).
From the very beginning of Creation,a Havdallah (Separation) is set between the Holy Spiritual,in the Creation of The Heavens and the Base Physical,in the Creation of Earth.Right from the very beginning,HaShem gave us a choice-look toward Him or follow one's physical desires that lead away from Him Chas Ve Shalom.G-D didn't force us to do one or the other but gave us all , the choice to choose to be Good and so,come to Him.We are part of this physical World,yet we are to aspire to higher spirituality within it by making every physical action we do,an action toward HaShem .
Though HaShem created the two as separate,we are to make the physicality we live within,a spiritual holiness-a place where HaShem can dwell with us-a place where these two strong forces find Shalom- Peace.The desires we have are there for a reason.We are mean't to heighten them at every opportunity we are given.We can choose to remain based in our physical pulls to Earthliness or we can choose to do what HaShem Created us to do,which is ,not just to bring Earth upwards to Heaven (which we are supposed to do as well),but we are to work at bringing Heaven down to Earth so that the two can become one,for we are given physical bodies so that we can work within the physical realm,so as to make it spiritual.It is not enough to just try to be physical.We need to make the very Earth we live on,a place of Heaven.
When Torah talks ,in the beginning chapters of Bereishis about the Holy Gan Eiden,it gives Gan Eiden,very physical boundaries and rivers that we know.This is,because it is a physical place that was made Heavenly,yet is on a Higher form of Physical Earth.So we,are to do the same with Earth,by making the Physical Earth,a Spiritual mixture and thus bring peace to Creation.
Within Rivka's offspring,was the ultimate battle between Good and Evil.The very Havdallah (Separation)of Creation.Rivka asked the time-old question,'Why Am I Thus.'Why this conflict in Creation.At the heart of the answer to Rivka,is the answer given,within her very question ,for she asked 'Why am ''I'' thus?' Why 'Me?'
We each are within our own world that HaShem Creates and we each connect with other people's World's that HaShem Creates.When we come upon others,we interact with them and the World Realms HaShem Creates for them and within that interaction,comes tests.Within that interaction,comes the opportunities to find HaShem.HaShem,every moment,Creates for each one of us,a World through our own eyes.What we make of this World is the eternal choice we are given 'ourselves' - the 'I' in Rivka's question that allows us to make our own choices.To make our World,what it should be,to make our own World of Physicality,a World of Spirituality,a World of Heaven,we need to turn it into holy Spirituality by choosing G-D and His Laws.
We all have this inner conflict within us.We need this inner conflict,this Yetzer Horah so that we can rise above our physicalities and so , raise the World around us that we are within,to spiritual heights so it can become G-Dly and this all comes about by the positive choices we make toward our Beloved HaShem.
HaShem Created all things,even the Yetzer Horah that pulls us all the time.We need to realize that HaShem didn't make anything negative so that we can be pulled down by it,but all things in Creation are there so that we can rise above the negativity and come closer to Him and this is our daily task and the hopeful direction of History.As a Jewish People,we struggled to teach the World about G-D and His Oneness but as time goes by,more and more people are coming to this Truth.G-D Is One.
The history of the Jewish people through Yitzchak and Rivka are told on the beautiful pages of our Holy Torah.
Our Parsha starts with ''Ve'Eileh Toldot Yitzchak Ben Avraham,Avraham Holid Et Yitzchak, "- "And these are the offspring of Isaac son of Abraham,Abraham begot Isaac," for the history and beautiful true story of the Jewish people and our hardships through time , tell of our attempts to bring this World to G-D and G-Dliness form the very start of Avraham.
This is within the word 'Toldot' of our Parsha,'for if we look into the words that can be in the word 'Toldot,' we get 'Tela'ah Dati,' which means 'Through Hardship we become Pious and Religious,' as well as the word 'Toldah,' which means 'History .'Through our very trials and overcoming the Physical,we become Holy and Pious and Religious through our history of the Jewish People the World gets brought to G-d and G-Dliness .Through our very choices in life,as well as trials and battles against the negativities that threaten us,we become more pious if we remain faithful to HaShem's Neshama Elokit , if we don't just give up and revel in our Neshama Behamit .
We are not just physical beings.We each have the battle within us of two regimes fighting for power-a spiritual side and a physical side.To find ultimate peace,we need to bring both the physical and the spiritual,to work together in HaShem's Service.This is the way life must travel.Mashiach,at the end of days will usher in peace to HaShem's Creation.This peace is to be a peace of the physical and spiritual working together to love,follow and serve HaShem.
With Love to HaShem,I wish HaShem with Love,a Beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with Love and Chodesh Tov Kislev and to all,a beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with love and Chodesh Tov Kislev.
Rivka finally is given children,only to find that the pain she is suffering is due to two opposites that cannot abide together within her,within the World,within Creation.Even before these two children were born,their separate paths are set.One is to be a Holy man who looks toward his Nefesh Elokit (His G-Dly Soul) while the other is to be a man of physicality that looks toward his Nefesh Behamit (his Animal soul).
From the very beginning of Creation,a Havdallah (Separation) is set between the Holy Spiritual,in the Creation of The Heavens and the Base Physical,in the Creation of Earth.Right from the very beginning,HaShem gave us a choice-look toward Him or follow one's physical desires that lead away from Him Chas Ve Shalom.G-D didn't force us to do one or the other but gave us all , the choice to choose to be Good and so,come to Him.We are part of this physical World,yet we are to aspire to higher spirituality within it by making every physical action we do,an action toward HaShem .
Though HaShem created the two as separate,we are to make the physicality we live within,a spiritual holiness-a place where HaShem can dwell with us-a place where these two strong forces find Shalom- Peace.The desires we have are there for a reason.We are mean't to heighten them at every opportunity we are given.We can choose to remain based in our physical pulls to Earthliness or we can choose to do what HaShem Created us to do,which is ,not just to bring Earth upwards to Heaven (which we are supposed to do as well),but we are to work at bringing Heaven down to Earth so that the two can become one,for we are given physical bodies so that we can work within the physical realm,so as to make it spiritual.It is not enough to just try to be physical.We need to make the very Earth we live on,a place of Heaven.
When Torah talks ,in the beginning chapters of Bereishis about the Holy Gan Eiden,it gives Gan Eiden,very physical boundaries and rivers that we know.This is,because it is a physical place that was made Heavenly,yet is on a Higher form of Physical Earth.So we,are to do the same with Earth,by making the Physical Earth,a Spiritual mixture and thus bring peace to Creation.
Within Rivka's offspring,was the ultimate battle between Good and Evil.The very Havdallah (Separation)of Creation.Rivka asked the time-old question,'Why Am I Thus.'Why this conflict in Creation.At the heart of the answer to Rivka,is the answer given,within her very question ,for she asked 'Why am ''I'' thus?' Why 'Me?'
We each are within our own world that HaShem Creates and we each connect with other people's World's that HaShem Creates.When we come upon others,we interact with them and the World Realms HaShem Creates for them and within that interaction,comes tests.Within that interaction,comes the opportunities to find HaShem.HaShem,every moment,Creates for each one of us,a World through our own eyes.What we make of this World is the eternal choice we are given 'ourselves' - the 'I' in Rivka's question that allows us to make our own choices.To make our World,what it should be,to make our own World of Physicality,a World of Spirituality,a World of Heaven,we need to turn it into holy Spirituality by choosing G-D and His Laws.
We all have this inner conflict within us.We need this inner conflict,this Yetzer Horah so that we can rise above our physicalities and so , raise the World around us that we are within,to spiritual heights so it can become G-Dly and this all comes about by the positive choices we make toward our Beloved HaShem.
HaShem Created all things,even the Yetzer Horah that pulls us all the time.We need to realize that HaShem didn't make anything negative so that we can be pulled down by it,but all things in Creation are there so that we can rise above the negativity and come closer to Him and this is our daily task and the hopeful direction of History.As a Jewish People,we struggled to teach the World about G-D and His Oneness but as time goes by,more and more people are coming to this Truth.G-D Is One.
The history of the Jewish people through Yitzchak and Rivka are told on the beautiful pages of our Holy Torah.
Our Parsha starts with ''Ve'Eileh Toldot Yitzchak Ben Avraham,Avraham Holid Et Yitzchak, "- "And these are the offspring of Isaac son of Abraham,Abraham begot Isaac," for the history and beautiful true story of the Jewish people and our hardships through time , tell of our attempts to bring this World to G-D and G-Dliness form the very start of Avraham.
This is within the word 'Toldot' of our Parsha,'for if we look into the words that can be in the word 'Toldot,' we get 'Tela'ah Dati,' which means 'Through Hardship we become Pious and Religious,' as well as the word 'Toldah,' which means 'History .'Through our very trials and overcoming the Physical,we become Holy and Pious and Religious through our history of the Jewish People the World gets brought to G-d and G-Dliness .Through our very choices in life,as well as trials and battles against the negativities that threaten us,we become more pious if we remain faithful to HaShem's Neshama Elokit , if we don't just give up and revel in our Neshama Behamit .
We are not just physical beings.We each have the battle within us of two regimes fighting for power-a spiritual side and a physical side.To find ultimate peace,we need to bring both the physical and the spiritual,to work together in HaShem's Service.This is the way life must travel.Mashiach,at the end of days will usher in peace to HaShem's Creation.This peace is to be a peace of the physical and spiritual working together to love,follow and serve HaShem.
With Love to HaShem,I wish HaShem with Love,a Beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with Love and Chodesh Tov Kislev and to all,a beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with love and Chodesh Tov Kislev.
Friday, 6 November 2015
Parashas Chayei Sarah
Our Parsha this Shabbos is Parashas Chayei Sarah.Avraham has returned from the Akeidah where he took his son Yitzchak , only to find tragic news of the passing of his beloved wife Sarah.
The Parshah starts the telling of the passing of Sarah , by using the words 'Vayiheyu Chayei Sarah,' where the word 'Chai' means 'Life.' Is it not a strange way to describe the passing on of such a Holy Eishes Chayil? To say 'Chayei' - ' Life?'
HaShem has a reason for everything , for we don't see things in this World as they truly are . This World is just one level of Creation and such a minute part of it . Life and Death as it appears to people , is really not how it appears to be . From HaShem's perspective it is so different , as birth and life is a part of living,as is the passing of loved ones onto the next stage of spiritual travelling life . The soul within us all is connected to HaShem and thus is eternal,so though the human body stands as physical clothing to move around and interact with the rest of the physical Universe , the true impression of us , is within . So , when Sarah passed on,she was just going to a new stage of life - true life . We may not see that as we look with limited physical eyes and are unable to see the full reality,but the truth is that life continues onto stages that are meant to travel toward HaShem.
The letting go of the physical,is thus just a continuing stage into the transmigration of souls and existence . With each new stage,comes new enlightenment and so,with each new stage grows the potential to be closer to our Creator .
The Parshah starts the telling of the passing of Sarah , by using the words 'Vayiheyu Chayei Sarah,' where the word 'Chai' means 'Life.' Is it not a strange way to describe the passing on of such a Holy Eishes Chayil? To say 'Chayei' - ' Life?'
HaShem has a reason for everything , for we don't see things in this World as they truly are . This World is just one level of Creation and such a minute part of it . Life and Death as it appears to people , is really not how it appears to be . From HaShem's perspective it is so different , as birth and life is a part of living,as is the passing of loved ones onto the next stage of spiritual travelling life . The soul within us all is connected to HaShem and thus is eternal,so though the human body stands as physical clothing to move around and interact with the rest of the physical Universe , the true impression of us , is within . So , when Sarah passed on,she was just going to a new stage of life - true life . We may not see that as we look with limited physical eyes and are unable to see the full reality,but the truth is that life continues onto stages that are meant to travel toward HaShem.
The letting go of the physical,is thus just a continuing stage into the transmigration of souls and existence . With each new stage,comes new enlightenment and so,with each new stage grows the potential to be closer to our Creator .
You will notice that in the very first verse, the words 'Chayei Sarah' appear at the beginning and at the end of the verse . This teaches that as life goes on, which includes the passing, even at the end of a life, it still is 'Chayei Sarah,' - ' The life of Sarah.'At the beginning of life,it is Chayei Sarah,' for even the birth of 'Sarah,' was part of that soul's continuing journey and the same for the passing of Sarah,which was the continuing of that soul's journey onto the next stage toward HaShem .
We notice that when Avraham came to eulogize his wife the word 'Livkotah' which means 'To Bewail Her,' has a small 'Kaf,' showing that it is as if the letter is not there thus leaving the word as 'Lebaitah,' - ' which means ' to go home,' for Sarah was going home to HaShem.All souls long for the Creator and when a soul joins with or comes closer to The Creator, it is the most beautiful feeling that ever can be . So although the ones left behind bewail and hurt for the person that has passed on,the real truth for that soul,that neshomah,is that it is headed toward home,toward HaShem or close to HaShem . Things are not as we see them.
If one looks at the first verse of this Parshah,one notices that the years of Sarah's life are split up into three ages,one hundred,twenty and seven to make a total of one hundred and twenty seven years for the age of Sarah. Would it not have been easier to just write it as one age complete.HaShem has a reason for everything.The ages of her life were split up to show that Sarah was as virtuous and pure at one hundred and twenty seven,as she was when she was a hundred and she was as virtuous and pure at a hundred,as she was when she was twenty and at twenty,she was as virtuous and pure as a seven year old who has not had the opportunity to do wrong.Out of respect for Sarah's holiness, HaShem told Moshe to write her age in this way for this reason.For such was the 'Life of Sarah,' pure and virtuous and a true Eishes Chayil (as Shlomo Hamelech wrote this for Sarah) worthy to be the Mother of the Holy Jewish People.
Sarah was so holy that from one Shabbos to the next, the candles continued to burn.When she passed on,the candles extinguished,HaShem's clouds of Glory vanished and the blessing of the dough stopped.
These three Blessings returned when Yitzchak brought Rivka into Sarah's tent for Rivka was a worthy person to continue the holy legacy of Sarah , as was Yitzchak , who continued from Avraham , who also passed away as is mentioned at the end of this Parshah.Both Avraham and Sarah were buried in the Cave of Machpelah Chevron which was a doorway to Gan Eiden.Our Midrash tells us that Avraham reburied Chavah (Eve) when he buried his wife,for it was only now that Chavah could gain peace from her feelings of guilt for making the Shechinah leave, as Sarah, had brought the Shechinah back to Earth.
These three Blessings returned when Yitzchak brought Rivka into Sarah's tent for Rivka was a worthy person to continue the holy legacy of Sarah , as was Yitzchak , who continued from Avraham , who also passed away as is mentioned at the end of this Parshah.Both Avraham and Sarah were buried in the Cave of Machpelah Chevron which was a doorway to Gan Eiden.Our Midrash tells us that Avraham reburied Chavah (Eve) when he buried his wife,for it was only now that Chavah could gain peace from her feelings of guilt for making the Shechinah leave, as Sarah, had brought the Shechinah back to Earth.
The next generation of Yitzchak and Rivka now continued and they were a worthy couple to continue the eternal soul and light of Yiddishkeit that Avraham and Sarah had started.
We all have a task to do in this world and that task is to continue the work that Avraham and Sarah started , that continues through our ancestors till it reaches us today.We need to instill in the next generation,the beauty and holiness of Yiddishkeit so that the line of light can continue flowing into the future.It is our children that are to carry the torch into the future and it is our children who will keep Torah and Yidishkeit eternal . So many of our people died through the ages to ensure our Jewishness today and we owe it to HaShem and to every generation since Avraham and Sarah , to continue their precious work of HaShem.
Keep the Torah.Don"t turn away from the road HaShem put you on.Don't turn away from His Beautiful and Precious Light . Keep Torah within you and teach it to your children and grand-children so that the light of 'Chayei Sarah,' continues to burn within each one of us,her children , for the only life from where all light comes , is in HaShem .
With precious love,I wish HaShem with Love,a Beautiful Sweet Shabbos with love and to all,a beautiful sweet Shabbos with love.
Friday, 30 October 2015
Parashas Vayera
Our Parashah this Shabbos is Parashas Vayera where HaShem appears to Avraham in the heat of the day.
This was the third day since Avraham's circumcision and the most painful day so HaShem had specifically kept guests away from Avraham so that Avraham could be given time to heal.But Avraham being the master of chesed kindness felt so bad that he couldn't invite guests in that he put his pain aside and sat at the entrance to his tent.HaShem had specifically made the day very hot so that people wouldn't travel and thus save Avraham the trouble of waiting on guests and also,HaShem made it very hot so that it would help Avraham heal his wounds.When HaShem saw Avraham's despair at not being able to show Chesed,HaShem decided Himself to go and visit Avraham with the three angels - Michael (who was to bring news of the birth of Yitzchak),Gavriel (who was to destroy Sodom and Amorah Admah and Zeboiim and Tzoar(which was saved on Lot's account) ) and Rafael,who was to take out Lot's family).We learn from this that it is proper to visit the sick.
At first Avraham is not aware that the three men are angels,thinking they were arab travelers and thus asks them to wash their feet as desert travelers worship the dust they walk on.He then invites them in and with the usual hospitality of Avraham,tells them he would do little for them but lavishes them with a feast fit for a king.After Michael tells of the coming of Yitzchak ,they all get up to leave and the two other angels (Gavriel and Rafael) set off toward Sodom.
First HaShem Appears to Avraham and waits on the side after the angels come.After the angels leave,HaShem then again addresses Avraham and gives Avraham a chance to plead for the cities that have done such evil.
Sodom was a very evil place,a place where charity was not allowed ,at the pain of death.It was a law in Sodom that all who came there had to be robbed.Anyone found giving charity there would be killed.The Midrash tells of what happened to Avraham's servant Eliezer when he traveled through Sodom.As he arrived in the city he was beaten and robbed and he brought his case before the Sodomite judge who told Eliezer that he must pay the man who robbed and beat him as the man had done him a favor by letting his blood.Eliezer was beyond wise and so,Eliezer hit the judge and when the judge asked why,Eliezer said that the judge now owes him for letting himself be hit by Eliezer and he (the judge) can now give the money to the first man ,who had hit Eliezer.Then Eliezer was offered a room for the night but refused,knowing the laws of Sodom that anyone who was longer then the bed they slept on,would be cut down to size and anyone who was shorter that the bed they slept on,would be stretched.Eleizer then visited a feast but no one offered him a meal for they would have been killed so Eliezer sat down and told the person next to him that he would tell others that that person had offered him a meal.the person got scared and left.One by one,Eliezer did the same with the next one and the next one till Eliezer had an empty table full of food to consume.This was the type of place that was Sodom.
What was the final straw for HaShem in deciding to destroy these cities?Lot's elder daughter P'lotis who was married to a Sodomite,saw a beggar on the street and ,knowing the law that anyone who gives food to a beggar faces death,put this Law aside and constantly brought the beggar food.The Sodomites noticed that the beggar wasn't dying and when they spied on him they saw that she was feeding him.The Sodomites stripped her ,tied her up in the square and put honey all over her body so that the bees would come and sting her to death.Her screams of agony reached On High and HaShem said ,"Enough."
First Avraham pleads for 50 righteous people,hoping that at least in the 5 cities,there would at least be ten righteous people but there were not.Avraham continued to pray for the cities ,each time reducing the number but unfortunately there were not even 10 righteous people and so Avraham had to stop pleading.
When the 2 angels reached Sodom,they met Lot who secretly invited them in.When Lot's wife E'eris,a Sodomite by birth saw that Lot had invited strangers into the house,she shouted at her husband that he must not take them in.When she saw he wouldn't listen,she said she would divide the house between herself and her husband so she could say that she never had the guests in her half and she then proceeded to alert all the neighbors by asking them for salt.It wasn't long before the city converged on their house asking for Lot to give over his guests for immoral practices.Lot refused and offered his daughters instead,which led to the tragic events afterwards when Lot and his 2 daughters ran to a cave and his daughters plied their father with wine,baring from him the 2 nations of Moav and Ammon as they thought the whole World was destroyed.
Lot had delayed in leaving and had to be rushed out by the angels who had blinded the Sodomites.While Lot was fleeing with his wife and 2 daughters,his wife looked back and was turned into a pillar of salt (as punishment for having alerted the city over an issue of salt).
When Avraham awoke in the morning,he awoke to the billowing of smoke in the distance as the 4 cities had been destroyed by HaShem through his angel Gavriel while Lot had been saved by HaShem by the angel Rafael.Such is HAShem's judgement of those who do evil.
The name of the Parsha is 'Vayera' and means 'Appeared.'HaShem Appeared to Avraham in the heat of the day at midday when the Sun is at its height.The word 'Vayera,' has within it the Hebrew word 'Ro'eh,' which means 'See.'Here is a hint that HaShem is always there but is only seen when HaShem wills it and when we are worthy enough to 'See' HaShem's Shechinah.We are not on a level to See HaShem.It was only Moshe that saw the clearest view of the back of HaShem,of any human being but if we keep holiness and follow HaShem wholeheartedly,HaShem can Bless us with His Closeness.No human being can see HaShem but we can be given a touch of HaShem's Sweetness if He Wills it.If we keep to His Commandments and do all that HaShem asks us to do and follow HaShem as Avraham did,with faith and love,HaShem can appear to us too in as way HaShem can choose that we are able to stand.The very fact that the word 'Vayera,' was used shows that HaShem is there all the time but can Appear so that we can see Something of His love when we are worthy.We need to learn to turn toward HaShem and His Will and put our own wishes aside and so, show that we want to 'appear' to HaShem's Will and so HaShem can reciprocate by giving us more of Himself.HaShem is all around us,in the sweetness of the fragrance of the flowers that He made to beautify His World.HaShem is in the sweet air that comes in and helps us live.HaShem is right there with us all the time even when we think things are tough. HaShem is there to hold our hand and surround us with His love.
In this Parsha,HaShem Appears to Avraham and His Spiritual Essence is throughout the Parsha,even in the punishment of the evil 4 cities that were destroyed,HaShem Appears in various ways.If we fulfill His Will and be what He wants us to be,His Appearance will be sweet and pleasant.The choice is ours.HaShem first Appeared in this Creation,When HaShem Created this Creation.Before that,it was Only HaShem.When HaShem Appears to anyone,it is a spiritual reminder of HaShem's love for us when HaShem first gave of His Chesed in Creating Creation.We can see this in the word 'Vayera," for in Gematriah the word comes to 6+10+200+1=217 and 2+1+7=10 which is the number of pronouncements that HaShem made in Creating Creation.HaShem's Appearance is with love.Even when HaShem punishes,HaShem punishes out of Chesed and Love and as it was in the Beginning when HaShem Created this World and so 'Appeared' to His Creation as HaShem,The Creator,HaShem also till this day,does everything as an Appearance of Love and Chesed.
We need to learn that this World is there for us to shower Chesed on ,by keeping HaShem's Creation Holy,keeping HaShem's Commandments and Torah and doing good to all that HaShem Created so that HaShem can again 'Vayera' - 'Appear' to us in Love.
With deep love to HaShem,I wish HaShem with love a beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with love and to all,a beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with love.
This was the third day since Avraham's circumcision and the most painful day so HaShem had specifically kept guests away from Avraham so that Avraham could be given time to heal.But Avraham being the master of chesed kindness felt so bad that he couldn't invite guests in that he put his pain aside and sat at the entrance to his tent.HaShem had specifically made the day very hot so that people wouldn't travel and thus save Avraham the trouble of waiting on guests and also,HaShem made it very hot so that it would help Avraham heal his wounds.When HaShem saw Avraham's despair at not being able to show Chesed,HaShem decided Himself to go and visit Avraham with the three angels - Michael (who was to bring news of the birth of Yitzchak),Gavriel (who was to destroy Sodom and Amorah Admah and Zeboiim and Tzoar(which was saved on Lot's account) ) and Rafael,who was to take out Lot's family).We learn from this that it is proper to visit the sick.
At first Avraham is not aware that the three men are angels,thinking they were arab travelers and thus asks them to wash their feet as desert travelers worship the dust they walk on.He then invites them in and with the usual hospitality of Avraham,tells them he would do little for them but lavishes them with a feast fit for a king.After Michael tells of the coming of Yitzchak ,they all get up to leave and the two other angels (Gavriel and Rafael) set off toward Sodom.
First HaShem Appears to Avraham and waits on the side after the angels come.After the angels leave,HaShem then again addresses Avraham and gives Avraham a chance to plead for the cities that have done such evil.
Sodom was a very evil place,a place where charity was not allowed ,at the pain of death.It was a law in Sodom that all who came there had to be robbed.Anyone found giving charity there would be killed.The Midrash tells of what happened to Avraham's servant Eliezer when he traveled through Sodom.As he arrived in the city he was beaten and robbed and he brought his case before the Sodomite judge who told Eliezer that he must pay the man who robbed and beat him as the man had done him a favor by letting his blood.Eliezer was beyond wise and so,Eliezer hit the judge and when the judge asked why,Eliezer said that the judge now owes him for letting himself be hit by Eliezer and he (the judge) can now give the money to the first man ,who had hit Eliezer.Then Eliezer was offered a room for the night but refused,knowing the laws of Sodom that anyone who was longer then the bed they slept on,would be cut down to size and anyone who was shorter that the bed they slept on,would be stretched.Eleizer then visited a feast but no one offered him a meal for they would have been killed so Eliezer sat down and told the person next to him that he would tell others that that person had offered him a meal.the person got scared and left.One by one,Eliezer did the same with the next one and the next one till Eliezer had an empty table full of food to consume.This was the type of place that was Sodom.
What was the final straw for HaShem in deciding to destroy these cities?Lot's elder daughter P'lotis who was married to a Sodomite,saw a beggar on the street and ,knowing the law that anyone who gives food to a beggar faces death,put this Law aside and constantly brought the beggar food.The Sodomites noticed that the beggar wasn't dying and when they spied on him they saw that she was feeding him.The Sodomites stripped her ,tied her up in the square and put honey all over her body so that the bees would come and sting her to death.Her screams of agony reached On High and HaShem said ,"Enough."
First Avraham pleads for 50 righteous people,hoping that at least in the 5 cities,there would at least be ten righteous people but there were not.Avraham continued to pray for the cities ,each time reducing the number but unfortunately there were not even 10 righteous people and so Avraham had to stop pleading.
When the 2 angels reached Sodom,they met Lot who secretly invited them in.When Lot's wife E'eris,a Sodomite by birth saw that Lot had invited strangers into the house,she shouted at her husband that he must not take them in.When she saw he wouldn't listen,she said she would divide the house between herself and her husband so she could say that she never had the guests in her half and she then proceeded to alert all the neighbors by asking them for salt.It wasn't long before the city converged on their house asking for Lot to give over his guests for immoral practices.Lot refused and offered his daughters instead,which led to the tragic events afterwards when Lot and his 2 daughters ran to a cave and his daughters plied their father with wine,baring from him the 2 nations of Moav and Ammon as they thought the whole World was destroyed.
Lot had delayed in leaving and had to be rushed out by the angels who had blinded the Sodomites.While Lot was fleeing with his wife and 2 daughters,his wife looked back and was turned into a pillar of salt (as punishment for having alerted the city over an issue of salt).
When Avraham awoke in the morning,he awoke to the billowing of smoke in the distance as the 4 cities had been destroyed by HaShem through his angel Gavriel while Lot had been saved by HaShem by the angel Rafael.Such is HAShem's judgement of those who do evil.
The name of the Parsha is 'Vayera' and means 'Appeared.'HaShem Appeared to Avraham in the heat of the day at midday when the Sun is at its height.The word 'Vayera,' has within it the Hebrew word 'Ro'eh,' which means 'See.'Here is a hint that HaShem is always there but is only seen when HaShem wills it and when we are worthy enough to 'See' HaShem's Shechinah.We are not on a level to See HaShem.It was only Moshe that saw the clearest view of the back of HaShem,of any human being but if we keep holiness and follow HaShem wholeheartedly,HaShem can Bless us with His Closeness.No human being can see HaShem but we can be given a touch of HaShem's Sweetness if He Wills it.If we keep to His Commandments and do all that HaShem asks us to do and follow HaShem as Avraham did,with faith and love,HaShem can appear to us too in as way HaShem can choose that we are able to stand.The very fact that the word 'Vayera,' was used shows that HaShem is there all the time but can Appear so that we can see Something of His love when we are worthy.We need to learn to turn toward HaShem and His Will and put our own wishes aside and so, show that we want to 'appear' to HaShem's Will and so HaShem can reciprocate by giving us more of Himself.HaShem is all around us,in the sweetness of the fragrance of the flowers that He made to beautify His World.HaShem is in the sweet air that comes in and helps us live.HaShem is right there with us all the time even when we think things are tough. HaShem is there to hold our hand and surround us with His love.
In this Parsha,HaShem Appears to Avraham and His Spiritual Essence is throughout the Parsha,even in the punishment of the evil 4 cities that were destroyed,HaShem Appears in various ways.If we fulfill His Will and be what He wants us to be,His Appearance will be sweet and pleasant.The choice is ours.HaShem first Appeared in this Creation,When HaShem Created this Creation.Before that,it was Only HaShem.When HaShem Appears to anyone,it is a spiritual reminder of HaShem's love for us when HaShem first gave of His Chesed in Creating Creation.We can see this in the word 'Vayera," for in Gematriah the word comes to 6+10+200+1=217 and 2+1+7=10 which is the number of pronouncements that HaShem made in Creating Creation.HaShem's Appearance is with love.Even when HaShem punishes,HaShem punishes out of Chesed and Love and as it was in the Beginning when HaShem Created this World and so 'Appeared' to His Creation as HaShem,The Creator,HaShem also till this day,does everything as an Appearance of Love and Chesed.
We need to learn that this World is there for us to shower Chesed on ,by keeping HaShem's Creation Holy,keeping HaShem's Commandments and Torah and doing good to all that HaShem Created so that HaShem can again 'Vayera' - 'Appear' to us in Love.
With deep love to HaShem,I wish HaShem with love a beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with love and to all,a beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with love.
Friday, 23 October 2015
Parashas Lech Lecha
Our Parsha this Shabbos is Parashas Lech Lecha.The Torah says ,"VaYomer Ad-nai el Avram Lech Lecha Mei'Artz'cha U'Mimolad't'cha U'MiBeit Avicha el Ha'Aretz Asher Ar'Echa," -"HaShem Said to Abram,"Go for yourself from your land,from your relatives and from your Father's house to the land that I will show you."
If we look closer at this first verse of the Parsha,interesting insights light up.
When HaShem tells Avram to leave Ur Kasdim where he was born,Hashem says,"Lech Lecha," - "Go for you." HaShem could just have said 'Go,' so why did HaShem add 'For You - Lecha.'
Avram in Ur Kasdim was like a precious fragrance as the Midrash describes that if kept closed,cannot be shared and permeate the air around it.But if that bottle of perfume is opened and allowed to spread around ,it sweetens the World at large.It was now time for Avram's special sweet holy fragrance to sweeten the World outside so he could share HaShem with the World.This action of Avram going,was also for him,for he was a fragrance of holiness that needed to be shared and if shared,it would also allow his neshoma to grow spiritually.Sometimes we find ourselves in a place of stagnant water where we can't grow and life seems to never change.It is at such a time where we need to go out of 'ourselves,' so that the true sweet essence within , can be shared by many and not just a few.In the sharing,we ourselves raise our own personal levels of holiness and so,can carry on our journey toward HaShem.So HaShem asked Avram to leave all that was familiar,his home,his family and relatives and even his Father's house and travel to an unknown land.
What is interesting is that when HaShem tells him to go,HaShem does not say to where he is to go.All HaShem says is that he must go to a land that HaShem will show him.So how did Avram know where to go and even in which direction to travel.The answer to this is in the last word of the first verse of this Parsha.HaShem tells Avram to go to a land 'El Ha'Aretz Asher Ar'Echa,' that HaShem would show him.If we look at the word 'Ar'Echa,' we see that within this word , are the words 'Ohr' and 'Ach.'The word 'Ohr,' means 'Light,' and the word 'Ach,' means 'Only,' so HaShem told Avram to go to a land that is 'Only Light.' The land that is only light,is Eretz Yisrael.' Avram knew in which direction to travel.All Avram had to do was follow the 'light,' within him that HaShem put to match the light of HaShem's Holy Land,the site of the future Temple in Yerushalaim.It takes a holy man to see HaShem;s light and Shechinah and Avram was this holy man.So Avram followed this light he saw of HaShem's Shechinah that led him,from within him.We see a similar happening later on when Avraham and Yitzchak are travelling to Mount Moriah and HaShem tells Avraham to go to one of the mountains there but doesn't tell him which one.When they approached this area with the two young men ( Eliezer and Yishmael ) , Avraham asks them if they see anything but they say they don't yet when Avraham asks Yitzchak, he , as Avraham , sees the Light of HaShem on the specific mountain they are to go to.Here too in Parashas Lech Lecha ,Avram follows this light of HaShem to his destination.Also,in both happenings,HaShem tells Avram that at this destination to where HaShem is sending him after he leaves his home and listens to HaShem Who tells him to 'Lech Lecha,' ,HaShem can and will be seen there as the Hebrew word has within it - 'Ar'Echa,' for HaShem will show Himself to Avraham and his descendants,the same as HaShem said to Avraham at the Akeidah,' HaShem Yir'eh,' On this Mountain HaShem will be seen.'It was here on this Mountain that was to be the site of the Holy Temple in Yerushalaim.
Herein is the secret to life.If we follow HaShem's Wish and Light ,it will lead us to HaShem and the destination to which this World is to go,but if we follow our own path (Chas Ve Shalom) and do our own thing,it will lead nowhere.How can we all see this light?It starts by turning toward HaShem and His Law.If we turn away from the Light,we will not see It,but if we turn toward It and follow It,It will lead us to where we need to go.Our Torah on so many occasions,is compared to light.It is like a lighthouse for ships to bring them home.All we need to do is turn toward it and follow it home and we will finally be at home in the Precious Arms of HaShem and His Never Ending Love.
As HaShem tells Avram,that he must 'Lech Lecha,' - 'Go for himself,' so is every action we do for HaShem,actually for our benefit and good.If we just close our eyes and imagine just being within the Light of HaShem,' we see that there is nothing else that can compare.There is nothing else that comes close.It is the ultimate of ultimates.
HaShem gave us The Torah of Laws for our benefit so we can bring this World back to Gan Eiden and make Heaven and Earth one.
The Words 'Lech Lecha,' in Gematriah come to 30+20+30+20=100 and 1+0+0=1 so when we 'Lech Lecha' away from our own needs and go toward HaShem and His Torah which leads us toward HaShem,we become '1' 'one' with HaShem .This is the destination of Creation,for all things to become one with HaShem.
With the most deepest and special love to HaShem,I wish HaShem with love,a beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with love and to all,a beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with love.
If we look closer at this first verse of the Parsha,interesting insights light up.
When HaShem tells Avram to leave Ur Kasdim where he was born,Hashem says,"Lech Lecha," - "Go for you." HaShem could just have said 'Go,' so why did HaShem add 'For You - Lecha.'
Avram in Ur Kasdim was like a precious fragrance as the Midrash describes that if kept closed,cannot be shared and permeate the air around it.But if that bottle of perfume is opened and allowed to spread around ,it sweetens the World at large.It was now time for Avram's special sweet holy fragrance to sweeten the World outside so he could share HaShem with the World.This action of Avram going,was also for him,for he was a fragrance of holiness that needed to be shared and if shared,it would also allow his neshoma to grow spiritually.Sometimes we find ourselves in a place of stagnant water where we can't grow and life seems to never change.It is at such a time where we need to go out of 'ourselves,' so that the true sweet essence within , can be shared by many and not just a few.In the sharing,we ourselves raise our own personal levels of holiness and so,can carry on our journey toward HaShem.So HaShem asked Avram to leave all that was familiar,his home,his family and relatives and even his Father's house and travel to an unknown land.
What is interesting is that when HaShem tells him to go,HaShem does not say to where he is to go.All HaShem says is that he must go to a land that HaShem will show him.So how did Avram know where to go and even in which direction to travel.The answer to this is in the last word of the first verse of this Parsha.HaShem tells Avram to go to a land 'El Ha'Aretz Asher Ar'Echa,' that HaShem would show him.If we look at the word 'Ar'Echa,' we see that within this word , are the words 'Ohr' and 'Ach.'The word 'Ohr,' means 'Light,' and the word 'Ach,' means 'Only,' so HaShem told Avram to go to a land that is 'Only Light.' The land that is only light,is Eretz Yisrael.' Avram knew in which direction to travel.All Avram had to do was follow the 'light,' within him that HaShem put to match the light of HaShem's Holy Land,the site of the future Temple in Yerushalaim.It takes a holy man to see HaShem;s light and Shechinah and Avram was this holy man.So Avram followed this light he saw of HaShem's Shechinah that led him,from within him.We see a similar happening later on when Avraham and Yitzchak are travelling to Mount Moriah and HaShem tells Avraham to go to one of the mountains there but doesn't tell him which one.When they approached this area with the two young men ( Eliezer and Yishmael ) , Avraham asks them if they see anything but they say they don't yet when Avraham asks Yitzchak, he , as Avraham , sees the Light of HaShem on the specific mountain they are to go to.Here too in Parashas Lech Lecha ,Avram follows this light of HaShem to his destination.Also,in both happenings,HaShem tells Avram that at this destination to where HaShem is sending him after he leaves his home and listens to HaShem Who tells him to 'Lech Lecha,' ,HaShem can and will be seen there as the Hebrew word has within it - 'Ar'Echa,' for HaShem will show Himself to Avraham and his descendants,the same as HaShem said to Avraham at the Akeidah,' HaShem Yir'eh,' On this Mountain HaShem will be seen.'It was here on this Mountain that was to be the site of the Holy Temple in Yerushalaim.
Herein is the secret to life.If we follow HaShem's Wish and Light ,it will lead us to HaShem and the destination to which this World is to go,but if we follow our own path (Chas Ve Shalom) and do our own thing,it will lead nowhere.How can we all see this light?It starts by turning toward HaShem and His Law.If we turn away from the Light,we will not see It,but if we turn toward It and follow It,It will lead us to where we need to go.Our Torah on so many occasions,is compared to light.It is like a lighthouse for ships to bring them home.All we need to do is turn toward it and follow it home and we will finally be at home in the Precious Arms of HaShem and His Never Ending Love.
As HaShem tells Avram,that he must 'Lech Lecha,' - 'Go for himself,' so is every action we do for HaShem,actually for our benefit and good.If we just close our eyes and imagine just being within the Light of HaShem,' we see that there is nothing else that can compare.There is nothing else that comes close.It is the ultimate of ultimates.
HaShem gave us The Torah of Laws for our benefit so we can bring this World back to Gan Eiden and make Heaven and Earth one.
The Words 'Lech Lecha,' in Gematriah come to 30+20+30+20=100 and 1+0+0=1 so when we 'Lech Lecha' away from our own needs and go toward HaShem and His Torah which leads us toward HaShem,we become '1' 'one' with HaShem .This is the destination of Creation,for all things to become one with HaShem.
With the most deepest and special love to HaShem,I wish HaShem with love,a beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with love and to all,a beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with love.
Friday, 16 October 2015
Parashas Noach
Our Parsha this Shabbos is Parashas Noach.The Parsha's first verse says,'Eileh Toldot Noach Noach Ish Tzadik Tamim Hayah B'Dorotaiv Et Ha Elokim Hithalech Noach.'-'These are the offspring of Noah-Noah was a righteous man,perfect in his generations;Noah walked with G-D.'
This first verse of the Parsha says so much about how we are supposed to be and how Noach was.This verse tells us that Noach was the father of us all , for from him,all the nations and people came.This verse tells us that Noach was righteous among his generation,where his generation was evil and Noach chose to rise above all those around him and be good.While all others were stealing and murdering and killing and following the stars as deities,Noach was G-Dly.Noach had the inner strength to stand up to the evil temptations and pressures of his day and that was an amazing task,for the whole World was evil.Noach wouldn't be bullied.Noach wouldn't be persuaded toward evil.Noach loved G-D Whole-heartedly.This verse also teaches that a person who walks in G-D's Ways of good and righteousness,literally walks with G-D and has G-D at their side.This is how we are all to be.How people behave around us,should never affect what we do.This is our ultimate test.No matter what pressures are put upon us,to conform to the negativity that surrounds us,we must remain pure and Holy and righteous to HaShem.It is within us all,for Noach and his strength is within us all.It took one man - Noach to save humanity and persuade HaShem that this World is still worth saving and so each one of us can be that 'one.'Each one of us can work toward bringing others to HaShem.
The Parsha starts by saying,'Eileh Toldot Noach,' - 'These are the offspring of Noach,' for this is the start of our opportunity to build a world,an opportunity given to us by G-D through this holy Tzaddik,to correct the wrongs that the generation before the flood had committed and build a new World.When we look at the sins of that generation and we look around us today,we see that little has changed.What were the sins of this generation?Our. Sages say that the people of this generation had gone astray,having such a Blessed World that they forgot it was G-D who gave it to them and believed that their own witchcraft practices and their own physical powers was the cause of the World's abundance and blessings to them.G-D had Blessed them with beautiful fruits and food yet they thanked other celestial bodies like the sun and moon and stars (G-D's creations) for what G-D gave them.They looked to their own arrogance and put themselves up as powerfu beings that can stand without The Creator Chas Ve Shalom.When robbery became the pastime of the day,this was the final straw that caused HaShem to say 'Enough.' Robbery undermines the very moral code of a society and is an insult to HaShem for it shows that people want what G-D never gave them and take it from others (as if they know better what they need) ,this showing a complete disregard of faith in HaShem and His Wisdom in ruling the World.People would steal from others just a small amount that was just enough so as not to look like robbery but stole within the bounds of a lawless law.People would move the boundaries of their fellow just a little bit so as not to be counted as stealing according to Law.A man who would put down a basket of fruit,would suddenly have hordes of robbers and thieves coming and taking it,but each one would take just under the amount that would be considered illegal stealing.Bands of robbers would steal people's clothes from off their backs and some would walk around without clothes for fear of their clothes being stolen.When people use the Law to break the Law,then the very backbone of society no longer exists in upholding morals.It was here that G-D said ,'Enough' and came down to judge humanity.
The World was judged and G-D decided to wipe off humanity save and except for Noach and his family.
It was here where our sages feel that though Noach was righteous,it was only in his generation,for had he lived in the generation of Moshe Rabbeinu,he would not have been as righteous , for the sages teach us that where Moshe would pray for the people when hearing HaShem's judgement against them,Noach did not.He built an Ark for himself and his family.Yet,though the first verse of this Parhsa talks of Noach being an 'Ish Tzaddik' - 'Righteous Man,' they point out that he was 'Tamim Hayah B'Dorotaiv,' - 'Perfect in his generation,' as compared to the people of his day.Yet I feel that this makes him even more righteous for he stood up to everyone in his day and followed G-D's Word that Noach carries to all of us.The Parsha starts by telling us that 'These are the offspring of Noach,' to also remind us that the Laws given to him are the same Laws we are to still keep as offspring of Noach.
All the generations from Noach came down to us.We are are each a child of Noach that HaShem G-D instructs to follow G-D's path.
HaShem told Noach to build an Ark.This Command of HaShem goes further for HaShem wants us all to also build an Ark within ourselves so HaShem can dwell within us.
The Ark took 120 years to build and this was to give the generation time to change their minds.Yet they continued to mock Noach.The trees for the Ark were grown to the exact size the Ark would need,without having to cut them,as HaShem had taught Noach how to do.The animals would come in pairs and the Kosher animals would come in pairs of seven.The animals came themselves and any animal that had commited perversions with humans were denied entry into the Ark.The fish remained as before for they had not committed perversion with humans.
When the time came,Noach tried to delay for seven days hoping the Mabul,the flood would not come, but it did.G-D had previously sent many warnings to get the people to repent,like making the Sun rise and set in the opposite directions from which it normally does and also harsh rains as well as other physical calamities in the hopes that people would change but they did not.The people tried to stop Noach from entering the Ark , but HaShem sent lions to surround the Ark and protect him.The Giant named Og was also saved and he was put on a little platform outside the Ark.Noach would feed him through a hole.
The people said that nothing would overcome their strength and if rain would fall,they would simply climb the mountains or stop the water from beneath , from coming up , by standing on the holes.It was for this reason that HaShem caused the water to rise many amos above the mountain tops and heated water to come from the deep.When boiling water started to come up from the deep,people tried plugging them with their children.Nothing helped and all humanity perished besides those on the Ark.As a reminder of the hot water from the deep,HaShem let 3 of these hotsprings remain till today,one being in Tiberius.HaShem constantly gives us opportunites to correct things if only we would listen.
It was for fear of another Mabul that the later generations who built the tower of Bavel made sure this time to built a very high tower thinking they could overcome G-D.But G-D knows all and though this time humanity worked together,even to do something wrong,HaShem was more lenient because of their togetherness and so confounded their language.The different sects of humanity at the time that had different intentions for building the Tower,were punished with different punishments,some being destroyed,others being turned into monkeys and the rest finding they couldn't understand each other's new language.Yet,there was one man who stood out among the rest ,who walked past the building operations every day while the people tried to get him involved,but he continued to refuse,for he was a man who was called the 'Ivri' the 'Man on the other side of the negativities of the World,a man who stood with G-D.This man was Avram from Ur Kasdim.Here again , we have the idea of one righteous man who carries humanity and does what G-D wants,no matter what that may be,not what he wants.Here again is Righteousness that stands alone with G-D and carries the World as a hope to HaShem that there is still hope for this World.
G-D asks of each and every one of us to stand with Him against all negativity,rising above it as the purified waters rose higher and higher to clear out all impurity.G-D asks of each and every one of us to let shine the part of HaShem that is within us all to purify the World and keep it as HaShem intended.To have the courage to those around us to stand up and do the right thing and make this entire World,a place for G-D to dwell.Each of us can be that 'one' that is HaShem's sweet hope for this World to make this World into what HaShem intends it to be.Within our heart,G-D wrote His Law and if we let the heart G-D gave us,shine forth,this World according to G-D's Laws,will be a World of Heaven.A World that is according to G-D,is a World that can fulfill the last part of the first verse in this Parsha which says ,' Et Elokim Hit'Halech Noach,' - 'With HaShem walked Noach,' for fulfilling HaShem's Wish and Laws,will have the sweetest reward of all,to walk with G-D.To walk with G-D is the ultimate calm holy comfort and this is what Noach's name means for the root of the word 'Nach,' means 'to settle,stay,rest,console and be in comfort,' for when Noach was born,HaShem lifted his proclamation on the Earth that he had told Adam when Adam was told that through his own sweat he would get food,for HaShem Blessed the World with abundance in Noach's time.So,will we be Blessed with comfort and rest and Blessings with HaShem if we follow HaShem Whole-Heartedly for we too,will have the ultimate Blessing,to walk with HaShem.
With sweet love to HaShem,I wish HaShem with love,a Sweet Beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with love and to all,a sweet beautiful sweet Shabbos Kodesh with love.
This first verse of the Parsha says so much about how we are supposed to be and how Noach was.This verse tells us that Noach was the father of us all , for from him,all the nations and people came.This verse tells us that Noach was righteous among his generation,where his generation was evil and Noach chose to rise above all those around him and be good.While all others were stealing and murdering and killing and following the stars as deities,Noach was G-Dly.Noach had the inner strength to stand up to the evil temptations and pressures of his day and that was an amazing task,for the whole World was evil.Noach wouldn't be bullied.Noach wouldn't be persuaded toward evil.Noach loved G-D Whole-heartedly.This verse also teaches that a person who walks in G-D's Ways of good and righteousness,literally walks with G-D and has G-D at their side.This is how we are all to be.How people behave around us,should never affect what we do.This is our ultimate test.No matter what pressures are put upon us,to conform to the negativity that surrounds us,we must remain pure and Holy and righteous to HaShem.It is within us all,for Noach and his strength is within us all.It took one man - Noach to save humanity and persuade HaShem that this World is still worth saving and so each one of us can be that 'one.'Each one of us can work toward bringing others to HaShem.
The Parsha starts by saying,'Eileh Toldot Noach,' - 'These are the offspring of Noach,' for this is the start of our opportunity to build a world,an opportunity given to us by G-D through this holy Tzaddik,to correct the wrongs that the generation before the flood had committed and build a new World.When we look at the sins of that generation and we look around us today,we see that little has changed.What were the sins of this generation?Our. Sages say that the people of this generation had gone astray,having such a Blessed World that they forgot it was G-D who gave it to them and believed that their own witchcraft practices and their own physical powers was the cause of the World's abundance and blessings to them.G-D had Blessed them with beautiful fruits and food yet they thanked other celestial bodies like the sun and moon and stars (G-D's creations) for what G-D gave them.They looked to their own arrogance and put themselves up as powerfu beings that can stand without The Creator Chas Ve Shalom.When robbery became the pastime of the day,this was the final straw that caused HaShem to say 'Enough.' Robbery undermines the very moral code of a society and is an insult to HaShem for it shows that people want what G-D never gave them and take it from others (as if they know better what they need) ,this showing a complete disregard of faith in HaShem and His Wisdom in ruling the World.People would steal from others just a small amount that was just enough so as not to look like robbery but stole within the bounds of a lawless law.People would move the boundaries of their fellow just a little bit so as not to be counted as stealing according to Law.A man who would put down a basket of fruit,would suddenly have hordes of robbers and thieves coming and taking it,but each one would take just under the amount that would be considered illegal stealing.Bands of robbers would steal people's clothes from off their backs and some would walk around without clothes for fear of their clothes being stolen.When people use the Law to break the Law,then the very backbone of society no longer exists in upholding morals.It was here that G-D said ,'Enough' and came down to judge humanity.
The World was judged and G-D decided to wipe off humanity save and except for Noach and his family.
It was here where our sages feel that though Noach was righteous,it was only in his generation,for had he lived in the generation of Moshe Rabbeinu,he would not have been as righteous , for the sages teach us that where Moshe would pray for the people when hearing HaShem's judgement against them,Noach did not.He built an Ark for himself and his family.Yet,though the first verse of this Parhsa talks of Noach being an 'Ish Tzaddik' - 'Righteous Man,' they point out that he was 'Tamim Hayah B'Dorotaiv,' - 'Perfect in his generation,' as compared to the people of his day.Yet I feel that this makes him even more righteous for he stood up to everyone in his day and followed G-D's Word that Noach carries to all of us.The Parsha starts by telling us that 'These are the offspring of Noach,' to also remind us that the Laws given to him are the same Laws we are to still keep as offspring of Noach.
All the generations from Noach came down to us.We are are each a child of Noach that HaShem G-D instructs to follow G-D's path.
HaShem told Noach to build an Ark.This Command of HaShem goes further for HaShem wants us all to also build an Ark within ourselves so HaShem can dwell within us.
The Ark took 120 years to build and this was to give the generation time to change their minds.Yet they continued to mock Noach.The trees for the Ark were grown to the exact size the Ark would need,without having to cut them,as HaShem had taught Noach how to do.The animals would come in pairs and the Kosher animals would come in pairs of seven.The animals came themselves and any animal that had commited perversions with humans were denied entry into the Ark.The fish remained as before for they had not committed perversion with humans.
When the time came,Noach tried to delay for seven days hoping the Mabul,the flood would not come, but it did.G-D had previously sent many warnings to get the people to repent,like making the Sun rise and set in the opposite directions from which it normally does and also harsh rains as well as other physical calamities in the hopes that people would change but they did not.The people tried to stop Noach from entering the Ark , but HaShem sent lions to surround the Ark and protect him.The Giant named Og was also saved and he was put on a little platform outside the Ark.Noach would feed him through a hole.
The people said that nothing would overcome their strength and if rain would fall,they would simply climb the mountains or stop the water from beneath , from coming up , by standing on the holes.It was for this reason that HaShem caused the water to rise many amos above the mountain tops and heated water to come from the deep.When boiling water started to come up from the deep,people tried plugging them with their children.Nothing helped and all humanity perished besides those on the Ark.As a reminder of the hot water from the deep,HaShem let 3 of these hotsprings remain till today,one being in Tiberius.HaShem constantly gives us opportunites to correct things if only we would listen.
It was for fear of another Mabul that the later generations who built the tower of Bavel made sure this time to built a very high tower thinking they could overcome G-D.But G-D knows all and though this time humanity worked together,even to do something wrong,HaShem was more lenient because of their togetherness and so confounded their language.The different sects of humanity at the time that had different intentions for building the Tower,were punished with different punishments,some being destroyed,others being turned into monkeys and the rest finding they couldn't understand each other's new language.Yet,there was one man who stood out among the rest ,who walked past the building operations every day while the people tried to get him involved,but he continued to refuse,for he was a man who was called the 'Ivri' the 'Man on the other side of the negativities of the World,a man who stood with G-D.This man was Avram from Ur Kasdim.Here again , we have the idea of one righteous man who carries humanity and does what G-D wants,no matter what that may be,not what he wants.Here again is Righteousness that stands alone with G-D and carries the World as a hope to HaShem that there is still hope for this World.
G-D asks of each and every one of us to stand with Him against all negativity,rising above it as the purified waters rose higher and higher to clear out all impurity.G-D asks of each and every one of us to let shine the part of HaShem that is within us all to purify the World and keep it as HaShem intended.To have the courage to those around us to stand up and do the right thing and make this entire World,a place for G-D to dwell.Each of us can be that 'one' that is HaShem's sweet hope for this World to make this World into what HaShem intends it to be.Within our heart,G-D wrote His Law and if we let the heart G-D gave us,shine forth,this World according to G-D's Laws,will be a World of Heaven.A World that is according to G-D,is a World that can fulfill the last part of the first verse in this Parsha which says ,' Et Elokim Hit'Halech Noach,' - 'With HaShem walked Noach,' for fulfilling HaShem's Wish and Laws,will have the sweetest reward of all,to walk with G-D.To walk with G-D is the ultimate calm holy comfort and this is what Noach's name means for the root of the word 'Nach,' means 'to settle,stay,rest,console and be in comfort,' for when Noach was born,HaShem lifted his proclamation on the Earth that he had told Adam when Adam was told that through his own sweat he would get food,for HaShem Blessed the World with abundance in Noach's time.So,will we be Blessed with comfort and rest and Blessings with HaShem if we follow HaShem Whole-Heartedly for we too,will have the ultimate Blessing,to walk with HaShem.
With sweet love to HaShem,I wish HaShem with love,a Sweet Beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with love and to all,a sweet beautiful sweet Shabbos Kodesh with love.
Friday, 9 October 2015
Parashas Bereishis
Our Parsha this Shabbos is Parashas Bereishis where we return to the Beginning of Creation and the beginning of the Torah.
Though it is our Beginning,it is not the beginning of the plan of Creation,for our Midrash tells us that HaShem wrote the words of the Torah as the blueprint of Creation,the equivalent of 2000 years before Creation itself.Our Rabbis say 'HaShem looked into the Torah and Created the World.'The Torah was the plan of Creation and the World that HaShem Created from it,was to be a World where this very Torah is to be kept.So in essence,the Torah is the very epitome of Creation itself and its result , for a completed World where Torah is to be kept.
The very fact that HaShem used the Torah which He Wrote,to Create the World shows us that every little detail that HaShem Created ,has a purpose in the Master Plan of Creation.HaShem Created everything to serve toward the fulfillment of His plan for the result of Creation.We may not truly be able to see this plan but the wisdom and intelligence that lies underneath all things,is so beyond our comprehension and understanding that we see that we can have total faith in our Creator who Created all things,past present and future,at the beginning of Creation.What I mean by that,is that HaShem Created all things that have been,are and are still to come,right at the beginning of Creation.The very fruit we eat and the very day we live in, day to day,was all Created with HaShem's Immense Wisdom,right at the beginning of Creation.Thus,all things still to come,await their physical opportunity to come,from the very beginning of time.So wise is HaShem.
We note that the first word in Torah,begins with a 'Beis,' and not the first letter 'Aleph,' of the Hebrew Alphabet.This is to show that HaShem's Names 'Elokim,' and 'El,' which start with an Aleph,represent showing us that HaShem was before Creation and that HaShem Created all things.
The very 'Beis' that the first Torah word starts with,shows that all HaShem Created ,is to be His House (in Hebrew 'Bais' ) and that His Creation,us,must make his 'House,' - this 'World,' a place where HaShem can dwell.We do this by raising the physicality of all things around us,by keeping HaShem's Torah,which is the Creation's plan.Thus,the very plan of Creation - the Torah - leads us to the result of where Creation is supposed to go.
When HaShem pronounced the very first verse of Torah ,' Bereishis Barah Elokim Et HaShamaim Ve Et Ha Aretz,' Creation came into being and HaShem put what He had made,into its place ,making Creation every day till the Shabbos,on which Creation,is due to rest and be filled with the Holiness of G-D.
Every time we Bless something and say 'Borei,' we are actually Blessing what was Created at the beginning,that waited till we Bless it in HaShem's Name Only,so that its spiritual essence can return to HaShem.The very word 'Borei,' is within the first two words of the Torah ,in the words ''Berei'shis Barah,' so the very Creation that G-D made is an opportunity for us to Bless the Physical and raise it to higher spiritual levels.Everything we do,everything we Bless,everything we encounter,is a designed opportunity to bring the physical back to G-D.
HaShem left His Creation in our hands so that we might work with Him to complete the task of making ourselves and all around us ,Holy by following the Torah that leads to G-D.
In the Torah,we see that there are many Names by which Torah refers to G-D.These Names are Attributes of HaShem that manifest in Creation at different times.When HaShem first Created this Creation,HaShem used His attribute of Justice - 'Elokim,' (which is HaShem's Attribute of Judgement,as it appears in the first verse of Torah) for HaShem first Created a Creation that runs on Heaven and Earth,strict Justice but,knowing our human weaknesses,HaShem tempered His justice with 'Ad-nai,' Mercy for we could not have lived if we were judged with strict justice due to our human weaknesses.
We see that out of the 10 pronouncements that HaShem used to Create Creation,HaShem gives at the Beginning ,'Light.' HaShem saw that the 'Light' was so immense that we would be unable to take such Holiness,so HaShem withdrew some of that light which HaShem let's filter down for us on each and every Shabbos we have and the rest will be given in Moshiach's time.Within the first word 'Bereishis,' are the words 'Berei' and 'Sheis,' which shows that at the beginning,HaShem Blessed Creation with His Blessing and at the end,will bring about Moshiach,the final result to complete Creation,bringing Creation back to Him,as Sheis was the first child that Adam Ve Chava conceived after they left the Garden,in this physical World.The very words in Torah that talk of the births of Kayin and Hevel say that Adam ''had ' known his wife,' which Rashi says shows that these two sons were conceived before Adam Ve Chava had left the Garden.So Sheis was actually the first child born to them outside the Garden of Eden and so we await a 'Sheis' to be the child that will be Moshiach that will lead us back to Gan Eiden,ushering in The End Of Days.
This shows that even before Creation,when HaShem Created Creation,HaShem already put the solution to our World into the very first word of Torah for our Mercy for HaShem knows already what we will do and what we will need ,before we even make the mistakes we choose to make.
How Vastly Beautiful and Almighty is our Beloved HaShem.
From the very first moments of Creation till HaShem finished His Work on the Seventh Day,right till the time that Adam Ve Chava sinned,HaShem was so close to His Creation.But Aveirahs distanced us from HaShem and the only way back , is HaShem's Torah.
As each generation after Creation got further from keeping HaShem's Wish,the distance continued to grow,till the world reached a point where it was beyond saving,except for one family with their father Noach.HaShem had sent many warnings to try to stop the evil that people were perpetrating but people,as today ,didn't want to listen.HaShem gives us a beautiful World.If only we would realize it and bless and thank HaShem for it and know that all are welcome on its ground without wars.We just need to all follow HaShem with love.
HaShem so wants to give us His light.All we need to do is put our own feelings aside and follow HaShem as HaShem wants to be followed.The Blessings HaShem would shower on us would be endless.We see this also in the first verse of Torah where it says that HaShem Created 'Ve Et Ha Shamaim Ve Et Ha Aretz.' We see that 'Shamaim' is plural showing the Seven Heavens Levels that HaShem Created where HaShem only makes 'Ha Aretz,' 'The one Earth.' HaShem Created more levels of Blessing us in the many levels of Heaven than of the Earth where we are to earn Shamaim.HaShem so wishes to shower His Creation with His Closeness,Blessings and Light.It is up to us to do the right things by HaShem and thus receive HaShem's Closeness and Blessing.We do this by starting at the beginning of the Torah at Bereishis and learning HaShem's Torah so we can know how to be for HaShem ,in doing our part in bringing Creation to its intended result and bringing all things back to HaShem.
With love and special thanks to HaShem for all that You Created for each and every one of us and for Creating the World anew every morning for us,may You HaShem have a Beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with love and to all,a beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with love
Though it is our Beginning,it is not the beginning of the plan of Creation,for our Midrash tells us that HaShem wrote the words of the Torah as the blueprint of Creation,the equivalent of 2000 years before Creation itself.Our Rabbis say 'HaShem looked into the Torah and Created the World.'The Torah was the plan of Creation and the World that HaShem Created from it,was to be a World where this very Torah is to be kept.So in essence,the Torah is the very epitome of Creation itself and its result , for a completed World where Torah is to be kept.
The very fact that HaShem used the Torah which He Wrote,to Create the World shows us that every little detail that HaShem Created ,has a purpose in the Master Plan of Creation.HaShem Created everything to serve toward the fulfillment of His plan for the result of Creation.We may not truly be able to see this plan but the wisdom and intelligence that lies underneath all things,is so beyond our comprehension and understanding that we see that we can have total faith in our Creator who Created all things,past present and future,at the beginning of Creation.What I mean by that,is that HaShem Created all things that have been,are and are still to come,right at the beginning of Creation.The very fruit we eat and the very day we live in, day to day,was all Created with HaShem's Immense Wisdom,right at the beginning of Creation.Thus,all things still to come,await their physical opportunity to come,from the very beginning of time.So wise is HaShem.
We note that the first word in Torah,begins with a 'Beis,' and not the first letter 'Aleph,' of the Hebrew Alphabet.This is to show that HaShem's Names 'Elokim,' and 'El,' which start with an Aleph,represent showing us that HaShem was before Creation and that HaShem Created all things.
The very 'Beis' that the first Torah word starts with,shows that all HaShem Created ,is to be His House (in Hebrew 'Bais' ) and that His Creation,us,must make his 'House,' - this 'World,' a place where HaShem can dwell.We do this by raising the physicality of all things around us,by keeping HaShem's Torah,which is the Creation's plan.Thus,the very plan of Creation - the Torah - leads us to the result of where Creation is supposed to go.
When HaShem pronounced the very first verse of Torah ,' Bereishis Barah Elokim Et HaShamaim Ve Et Ha Aretz,' Creation came into being and HaShem put what He had made,into its place ,making Creation every day till the Shabbos,on which Creation,is due to rest and be filled with the Holiness of G-D.
Every time we Bless something and say 'Borei,' we are actually Blessing what was Created at the beginning,that waited till we Bless it in HaShem's Name Only,so that its spiritual essence can return to HaShem.The very word 'Borei,' is within the first two words of the Torah ,in the words ''Berei'shis Barah,' so the very Creation that G-D made is an opportunity for us to Bless the Physical and raise it to higher spiritual levels.Everything we do,everything we Bless,everything we encounter,is a designed opportunity to bring the physical back to G-D.
HaShem left His Creation in our hands so that we might work with Him to complete the task of making ourselves and all around us ,Holy by following the Torah that leads to G-D.
In the Torah,we see that there are many Names by which Torah refers to G-D.These Names are Attributes of HaShem that manifest in Creation at different times.When HaShem first Created this Creation,HaShem used His attribute of Justice - 'Elokim,' (which is HaShem's Attribute of Judgement,as it appears in the first verse of Torah) for HaShem first Created a Creation that runs on Heaven and Earth,strict Justice but,knowing our human weaknesses,HaShem tempered His justice with 'Ad-nai,' Mercy for we could not have lived if we were judged with strict justice due to our human weaknesses.
We see that out of the 10 pronouncements that HaShem used to Create Creation,HaShem gives at the Beginning ,'Light.' HaShem saw that the 'Light' was so immense that we would be unable to take such Holiness,so HaShem withdrew some of that light which HaShem let's filter down for us on each and every Shabbos we have and the rest will be given in Moshiach's time.Within the first word 'Bereishis,' are the words 'Berei' and 'Sheis,' which shows that at the beginning,HaShem Blessed Creation with His Blessing and at the end,will bring about Moshiach,the final result to complete Creation,bringing Creation back to Him,as Sheis was the first child that Adam Ve Chava conceived after they left the Garden,in this physical World.The very words in Torah that talk of the births of Kayin and Hevel say that Adam ''had ' known his wife,' which Rashi says shows that these two sons were conceived before Adam Ve Chava had left the Garden.So Sheis was actually the first child born to them outside the Garden of Eden and so we await a 'Sheis' to be the child that will be Moshiach that will lead us back to Gan Eiden,ushering in The End Of Days.
This shows that even before Creation,when HaShem Created Creation,HaShem already put the solution to our World into the very first word of Torah for our Mercy for HaShem knows already what we will do and what we will need ,before we even make the mistakes we choose to make.
How Vastly Beautiful and Almighty is our Beloved HaShem.
From the very first moments of Creation till HaShem finished His Work on the Seventh Day,right till the time that Adam Ve Chava sinned,HaShem was so close to His Creation.But Aveirahs distanced us from HaShem and the only way back , is HaShem's Torah.
As each generation after Creation got further from keeping HaShem's Wish,the distance continued to grow,till the world reached a point where it was beyond saving,except for one family with their father Noach.HaShem had sent many warnings to try to stop the evil that people were perpetrating but people,as today ,didn't want to listen.HaShem gives us a beautiful World.If only we would realize it and bless and thank HaShem for it and know that all are welcome on its ground without wars.We just need to all follow HaShem with love.
HaShem so wants to give us His light.All we need to do is put our own feelings aside and follow HaShem as HaShem wants to be followed.The Blessings HaShem would shower on us would be endless.We see this also in the first verse of Torah where it says that HaShem Created 'Ve Et Ha Shamaim Ve Et Ha Aretz.' We see that 'Shamaim' is plural showing the Seven Heavens Levels that HaShem Created where HaShem only makes 'Ha Aretz,' 'The one Earth.' HaShem Created more levels of Blessing us in the many levels of Heaven than of the Earth where we are to earn Shamaim.HaShem so wishes to shower His Creation with His Closeness,Blessings and Light.It is up to us to do the right things by HaShem and thus receive HaShem's Closeness and Blessing.We do this by starting at the beginning of the Torah at Bereishis and learning HaShem's Torah so we can know how to be for HaShem ,in doing our part in bringing Creation to its intended result and bringing all things back to HaShem.
With love and special thanks to HaShem for all that You Created for each and every one of us and for Creating the World anew every morning for us,may You HaShem have a Beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with love and to all,a beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with love
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