Our Parsha this Shabbos is Parashas Ki Savo.
The previous Parsha ended with the reminder to not forget Amalek ( which can also deep down be a reminder not to forget HaShem and all HaShem Does for us ) and in this Parsha , HaShem Tells us what He Requests of us when The Children of Israel Enter the Land of Israel . Amalek came upon us when we didn't appreciate what HaShem did for us in freeing us from Egypt and continued complaints in the Wilderness. In this Parsha , we are asked to bring Bikkurim also as an appreciation for when we are finally settled in the land of Israel, so after the mention of Amalek ( Who is the epitome of lack of appreciation and denial of HaShem ) , we learn to appreciate HaShem Who Gives us everything and so , we give to HaShem first , with joy and happiness as we bring our First Fruits as Bikkurim when we are finally settled in the land as we become obligated in the Mitzvah of Bikkurim , which is given first mention in this Parsha , only after the land has finally been settled ( which it became , in Yehoshuah 's time ) , as the verses state here in the first few lines of this Parsha of " Ki Savo . " Our last Parsha was " Ki Seitzei , " - " When you go out , " which shows how going away from HaShem's Torah leads to a lowering of Spiritual Level and Holiness , and here in this Parsha , " Ki Savo , " - " When you Enter / Come ," also refers to coming back to HaShem in Acknowledging and Appreciating HaShem and all He Does , by bringing to HaShem , the first of our fruits , thus raising our Spiritual Level and Holiness , so this Parsha naturally follows on from the one before it and both thus teach us to always stay on the path that leads to HaShem , doing His Mitzvahs with love .
HaShem Instructs that when we enter the Land , we are to Remember to Whom all belongs - To HaShem - and to acknowledge HaShem First before oneself or anyone, by Bikkurim - the First Fruits and bringing it to the Kohein in Yerushalayim .
We are to rejoice with these First Fruits of Israel and make sure we always give our first and best to HaShem , like Hevel ( Abel ) did , unlike Kayin (Cain ) , who would , as it directly says in Bereishis , give to HaShem from that which was on the ground, meaning he would actually pick up rotten old fruit that had fallen from the tree , so he wouldn't have to pick the better fruits to give , as he wanted to keep that for himself and not have to put in any effort in picking it , but rather take what had already fallen , just as a show .
As soon as the First Fruits Appeared we were to tie a chord around it and when we have all the species that make up Bikkurim , we used to take it in a procession to the Kohanim .
People would come from far and wide, to hand over their baskets of fruit over to the Kohein .The coming to the Kohannim at the Temple , would also be a way to inspire Spirituality and the need to come closer to G-D . The coming to Yerushalayim was a true special religious and thoroughly uplifting practice . The travelers to Yerushalayim, would come near the Temple and be totally uplifted . Being in the presence of the Kohanim ,would pull a person to become a part of all things holy .
To be in the vicinity of the Kohanim and Levites performing their daily Avodas HaShem , would be enough for oneself to grow by leaps and bounds , in learning many Torah Lessons .
The processions , coming to Yerushalayim would be a happy and joyful one , with the people and cattle , filled with color . On reaching the Kohanim , the person was to make a declaration , the one printed here in this Sedra . It would be a time of togetherness among our people as different groups came together and proceeded together with their Bikkurim , and this is one of the things that HaShem Requested .
HaShem Then Instructs us on Tithes . HaShem Instructed Moshe also , that when we go over the Jordan and enter into the Land , that we are to set up twelve large stones, on which is to be inscribed , The Torah in all of the Nations' Seventy Languages . This would stand as a banner ( plaster and all ) for all those coming into the Land, are to know that this is a Land where Torah Only is Kept and Observed. This is the condition to being given and keeping the Land Of Israel , by HaShem Ha Kadosh Baruch Hu .
Again, this is when we were going to come into the Land .
Moshe reminds us of the Love , HaShem's Love , That He Kept for us .
HaShem then Asks us , as soon as we enter the Land of Canaan , ( which was done in Yehoshua's Time later on ) , we were Commanded to stand, some of our Tribes on Mount Eivel and the other Tribes of Israel , are to stand on Mount Gerizim , with the Ark of the Covenant , surrounded by the Kohanim and the remaining Tribe of Levi surrounding the Kohanim and The Ark, in between these two mountains ,down in the Valley . The Leviyim were then to call out alternately , the Blessings and the Curses, to which the. Tribes would respond ' Amein .'
This was done also so that it be Known and Clearly understood , that as soon as a Jew enters the Land , they were to know that Israel , is , and is to be forever more, a Land where HaShem is Followed and His Torah . The same reason is for the stones that had to be set up, to remind all those entering Eretz Yisrael, that this was and is and must always be , a Land of HaShem's Torah .
HaShem in this Parsha then Talks of the Blessings and Curses that will come upon us if we listen or disobey Him . In this Sedra in Devarim Chaf,Chet ( Deuteronomy 28 : 15 verse Tet Vav ( 15 ) where HaShem Warns us that all these curses will come upon us for disobedience 'Vehisigucha ,' - "And Overtake us ." If we change this 'S'in' to a 'Tzadi,' we get the word , " Vehitzigucha," which means , 'They shall preserve you," which shows that HaShem never wants to hurt us and that even in Punishing us sometimes , that Punishment is also there to preserve us and Spiritually improve us , so that we may make up for the Aveirah and live .
After all these Tochachah - Admonitions for disobedience , Moshe Reminds us of the Miracles HaShem Performed for us out of His Love for us , and how we must keep HaShem's Torah and this is where the Parsha ends.
The Haftorah , is the last of the seven portions of the last seven weeks , that comes from Yeshayahu - Isaiah 60 :1-22 , which talks of the bright future for our people when HaShem Returns to us and Shows us His Light of Closeness and how at the End Of Days , HaShem Will again Return to our people Israel and Bring peace and happiness to the Land of Israel and Eternal Blessings for the Land and us as a Jewish People .
Our Parsha " Ki Savo," means " When you enter ," and refers as I mentioned , to when the Jews come to settle in Israel . The first things we are asked to do , is recognize that not through our own efforts did we accomplish Fruit Trees or anything else, but all is from HaShem . We are asked to do this in the Mitzvah of Bikkurim , which includes the Seven Species of Fruit for which Israel is Blessed , which is Wheat, Barley , Grapes , Figs , Pomegranates , Olives and Dates . As soon as the farmer noticed the first fruits growing, he would as I mentioned , tie a chord around it to mark it as Bikkurim . When all were fully ripened , he would collect them and put them in a basket , each separated on their own , with Barley at the bottom, then Wheat , Olives above, Dates above that , then Pomegranates and then Figs at the top , each having it's own division separation , in the basket . The procession made its way ( Between Shavuos and Chanukkah were the times Bikkurim would be brought ) to Yerushalayim, on the way to Yerushalayim , lodging in the open fields , so as not to come into contact with anything Tamei, and when getting near Yerushaliyam, the Levites and Kohanim would go out to welcome and greet them.
The Bikkurim would be brought to the Temple and handed in the vicinity of the Kohanim , where the farmer would state the Words from the Torah as the Acknowledgement of the bringing of Bikkurim in the Torah .
So before we partake of anything, we are to remember HaShem . He Is the First And Foremost of All things and all is due to Him . The same was with the Large Stones and the decree to read the Blessings and Curses , just on entering the Land . All this , so as to acknowledge HaShem as The True Creator of Creation , and First in all things .
Even the other nations, were to see from the start at the border of the Land , the Stones filled Miraculously with Torah , so they and all , would know that Israel is to be kept pure of Idol Worship , and G-D Only and His Laws are to be followed .
The words " Ki Savo," means " When you enter ," but it can also be rendered as ," If or because you enter," showing that we are only allowed to Enter this Holy Land, if we abide by HaShem's Laws . We are to put HaShem forever before us first , and not what just makes us happy and comfortable , first . Thus HaShem Will Bring us to the Land and keep us there so long as we Keep Eretz Yisroel in HaShem . HaShem Is Saying that when we come to the land, it will no longer be like in the Wilderness, where all needs were Given on a plate . Here , as we enter the land, we are going to have to work for the food we eat , and if we do continue to follow HaShem and His Torah , then HaShem will ' Ki Savo ' - " Come and Bless us too .
Within the word' Savo ' is the word ' Ta' av ,' which means ' To Long for ,' which is a test of Love in itself , for when new fruits come, we long to taste them , but here is the test , for , we must show that HaShem Comes first and so we wait and bring our Bikkurim to the Temple area .
The final coming and Spiritual entering into Eretz Yisroel , will be in Moshiach's time . We see this in the Gematriah of the word ' Ki Savo, ' which comes to a total of 439 and 4 + 3 + 9 = 16 and 1+ 6 = 7 , which is the Gematrical value of the word Moshiach . Thus to bring on Moshiach, we all , in Creation , finally need to acknowledge that HaShem is The Creator and put Him First in all things .
We must remember that HaShem is First in all and that it is HaShem who gives us all things , as it refers to it in the first line of this Parsha . Though HaShem Gives us the Land of Israel as a possession , it still belongs to HaShem , as all things do .
It is HaShem Who Gave us all these wonder and all things in Creation .It is to Him that we must talk first thing in the morning when we awaken ( with saying Modeh Ani ) and it is to HaShem , we greet last thing at night before we go to sleep , like the Prayers before bedtime . HaShem is always to be First . If we put HaShem First, then that " Ki Savo, " will be a " Coming home " to HaShem .
As our Midrash Beshivtei Kohen says , 'Let the " First " ( The Jewish People ) bring the first ( first fruits - Bikkurim ) , to the first ( The Kohein in the Bais Ha Mikdash ) , to the first place ( Beis Ha Mikdash ) , to the First Of All ( HaShem - where Yeshayahu ( Isaiah ) 31:3 says ,"I , HaShem , Am First , and with the last , I Am He ." ) . So HaShem is All and Makes All and is One . So when we come to HaShem. , we enter within Him , to the sweet depths of HaShem's Love and caring, and so , we realize just how our every action and word and thought must be to "Ki Savo," - " Come to HaShem ." That is what life is about, that is what the Laws are also about and that is what Creation is also about - Coming to HaShem . That is the Breath of True Life .So make your every day a longing for HaShem and put HaShem First in all things that you do , as HaShem makes all things you will want , at the Beginning of Creation , so much is HaShem's Love for all of us , for making all we need at the Beginning of Creation and Keeping it in abeyance till we need it, for everything we will ever partake of, HaShem Knew we would need it and HaShem Made it at the Beginning of Creation for us and Waited for His Creation of us to Give it to us , that which we need to Spiritually grow , at each new second of Creation. So , as the word ' Tov "' - ' Good ' is within the word " Savo," so may our doing the Mitzvahs lead us to the Ultimate 'Good' of HaShem .And so must we Bless all things we partake of and so ,bring HaShem into all things that we do , for All things are from HaShem and His Love . So let our 'To'eiv,' - ' our ' longing for HaShem ,' ( this Hebrew word is also within the word " Savo ," ) bring us to " Ki Savo ," - " Coming to " HaShem , so that with each Mitzvah of love we do for HaShem , let that longing we have for HaShem , lead us back to HaShem With Love . Everything we give to HaShem , really already belongs to HaShem Who Creates all things , as even Dovid Ha Melech mentioned also in Pirkei Avos , that when we give to HaShem , we are giving to HaShem from that which is already belonging to HaShem , so when we give Bikkurim , or ourselves as offerings of love for HaShem , in every Mitzvah we do , may we " Ki Savo " - " Come Close " to HaShem , with every part of Creation that HaShem Gives us and may it lead us to the ultimate ' Tov ' - 'Good' in " Savo " - " in Coming to " HaShem .
I wish HaShem With Love, an Ever So Sweet and Ever So Beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with Love and to all my fellow Yidden, an ever so Sweet and Ever so Beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with Love .
Thursday, 30 August 2018
Friday, 24 August 2018
Parashas Ki Seitzei
Our Parsha this Shabbos , is Parashas Ki Seitzei . In the previous Parsha, just before this section, we just learned of the case where a body is found and no one knows who had committed the action, so we take the closest city and do what is prescribed by the Torah . The incident being described here ,took place , due to the fact that the closest city to this happening, did not take the proper care to escort a guest , and so , the guest met with tragedy . Now , this Parsha starts talking of going out to war . Thus, in going out from one's personal surroundings, one can encounter all kinds of danger .Why is this , we might ask? Because there is a deeper meaning here . When we " Go Out " - " Ki Seitzei," from Whom we should be working closer To - HaShem , we put ourselves in danger .So here , looking deeply into these words ,the ' Going out From ' refers to HaShem and His Commandments. Thus whenever we go out from HaShem and His Ways, we will fall short. The Haftorah this week is from Isaiah 54:1-10 and discusses how our desolation and exile will come to an end.Though things may look bleak , at the end , HaShem Returns to Zion . The time will come when Mitzvos will be kept and so , like our Parsha, staying with the Law, leads us back to HaShem .
The Parsha starts with the captive woman and then goes onto the Firstborn's rights, if a man had more than one wife and one becomes hated while the other loved, one must still treat the first born with the honor accorded , even if the firstborn , came from the one less liked . The Parsha continues on with the Laws of a wayward and rebellious son and the law that a body hanged, must not be left out overnight .
The Torah then teaches us to be concerned with another's property and animals. The concern for another must always go above the concern and feelings for one self .
HaShem then Instructs that the genders must not wear each other's clothing . HaShem Created both male and female and this is how Creation functions . To try change that with or for any reason , is to tell HaShem , a person knows better than Him . We each have a special role to fulfill in Creation and so must we always follow how HaShem Made everything .Torah mentions another Chok ( A Law not openly explainable ) about sending away the Mother's Bird , where our Rabbonim talk of how we must always be as compassionate to other's feelings as much as possible .
HaShem Created for us a safe World. We must continue to keep it that way .Thus we are to always be cognizant about another's safety and needs . Thus, if a new house is built, we are to make a barrier around the roof to keep anyone walking there , safe . The Law of Forbidden mixtures or fibers is then spoken of.
HaShem Tells us to make Tzitzis on our Garments.
Torah then gives us Laws on the defamed Woman . Adultery is then discussed as is the matter of the Betrothed here .
HaShem Reminds us again who are some of those we are not able to marry. Among those forbidden, HaShem Instructs us that the Ammonites and Moabites are not to enter the congregation of HaShem.The reason for them not being able to enter our covenant , is because of their lack of simple human kindness, by them not giving us even bread and water when we, the Children of Israel , were headed from Mitzraim to Eretz Yisrael . On Kindness and Kind deeds , is this World built . HaShem Created Creation To Show Kindness and Giving .We are then reminded not to reject an Edomite or an Egyptian.
HaShem then Warns us that our military camp and soldiers need to be pure and holy .This is sadly lacking today in today's nations military in so many ways .
HaShem Teaches that a slave who runs away from their master, must not be given back . We are then told not to have any promiscuous women among us .We are not to take interest from our fellow. We are told to rather not vow, then promise and not repay, ,as well as the Law of a person working for you in the fields, who is permitted to eat while they work, but not put it in a basket.
HaShem Then Permitted Divorce and Gave us the Laws of the ' Get ,' as the Hebrew Divorce Document is called .
We are taught not to take the tools , a man uses to make his living .HaShem Tells us of the big Aveirah of Kidnapping and then the Laws of Tzaraas for Slander Loshon Torah , the sin that can ruin humanity .
HaShem Instructs us to pay workers and if they have no money, we are not permitted to take anything that belongs to them and keep it over night .
We are then told that when reaping our fields, we are to leave that which drops on the ground for the poor.
HaShem Next Talks of the giving of 40 lashes, for certain types of sin and how , one is not allowed to give even the most minute amount of Lashes more, as the one whipping , would have to be responsible and face punishment for doing more than is necessary. This teaches us that when HaShem Metes out punishment , it is never more or less than we need to grow Spiritually , and is always for our own good .
Levirate Marriage and the Laws of " Yibum " are then mentioned and the whole procedure with the Yavam and the Yevamah is enumerated. This is in reference to a man who dies childless, and his brother is supposed to step in and do her the honor , so as to bring up children in his brother's honor .
Modesty is again brought up, in the case of a woman ,while her husband is busy fighting with another man, and by error, she stretches out her hand and mistakenly grasps his private place,while this other person fights with her husband, she will have her hand removed. Purity means purity in soul and mind . We are told to have honest weights and measures .The Parsha ends with a very strong reminder to never forget what our terrible enemy Amalek , from who was haman , agag and in modern times , gematrically hitler ,torquemada of spain and saddam hussein and many more of our enemies through time . We are never to forget what Amalek did to us as we left Egypt, where other nations feared HaShem after how HaShem saved us with miraculous wonders and also at the sea, yet Amalek, who are vile killers, did not fear G-D , and attacked those in the Israelite camp , who were hindmost and weaker ,at the rear , faint and exhausted and as HaShem Says, the Amalek that did not fear G-D at all and cared nothing for retribution as they felt they were above it. HaShem Commands us through time, to wipe out the memory of Amalek ( who descended from Eisav's son Elifaz's son who was called Amalek. ( Eisav's grandson ) , from under the Heaven . Elifaz himself was not a bad man and was even one of the friends of Iyov - Job who came to see Job when he was being tested and tried to persuade Iyov to have faith in HaShem . Elifaz learnt at the tent of his Grandfather Yitzchak . HaShem Says about Amalek and what they did and His Commandments , " Lo Tishkach " - " You shall not forget! " Our Sages say we fulfill remembering Amalek by reading this verse near Purim, when we remember haman , and just before Purim , we read this section on that Shabbos before and call it Parashas Zachor where ' Zachor ,' means to remember, in reference to this Torah Law of Remembering Amalek .
The name of this Parsha is Parashas Ki Seitzei , which means ' When you go out ," and in this verse , it refers to when we go out to war against our enemies . The type of wars referred to here are not in the coming to and conquering Canaan , but subsequent wars . There is a deeper meaning here and if we follow it, we will never come to enticements , or harm in any way, from the Yetzer Horah or from outside Physical enemies. The deeper meaning here and within the words ' Ki Seitzei ," which , though in this context refers to going out to war and seeing a ' Yefas Toar ,' - ' A woman of beautiful form ,' the deeper meaning , and this is in the direct translation of the words ' Ki Seitzei ,' where the word ' Ki' can also mean because , thus rendering the term , ' When one goes out ,' is in reference to when one goes out from HaShem and His Commandments, we get caught by Physical enemies as well as ones of the Yetzer Horah that might Physically entice us away , Chas ve Shalom , from HaShem and His Commandments . Thus the secret to Holy living the way HaShem Wants us to live , is not to ' " Ki Seitzei ," - " Go out ," from HaShem or His Laws . The verse directly states, when we go out ' Lamilchamah Al Oyvecha ," - " To war against our enemies ," we note that in leaving HaShem's Care and Laws , we automatically put ourselves in the path of negativity for the Body and Soul - Physical and Spiritual and Emotional , that can lead us on a downward spiral further away , Chas ve Shalom , from HaShem , for the going out from HaShem ' Ki Seitzei ,' can end with us marrying one who is outside Judaism who is not always a Ger by choice, which leads to the next problem mentioned in this Parsha of the one wife loved and the other wife hated - thus family strife and problems effecting the children into the next generation and that leads further down the spiral to negativity , with the next problem mentioned in the Parsha of a Rebellious son . So did HaShem put this one after the other in the Torah , to teach us that one negative step away from HaShem in ' Ki Seitzei - " Going out " from His Presence , Chas Ve Shalom , leads one further away from HaShem's Holiness and leads more and more into negativity .
We see how this happened to Dovid HaMelech , who married a Yefas Toar and from there , had Absalom, who ended up rebelling against his Father and forcing his own father to leave his Kingdom and hide with Batsheva and little Shlomo ,where every day Avshalom would wait outside the judging court of his Father , and bring rebellion against David . Such is the result of a Yefas Toar .
Thus the long string of negativity can start , by just starting with the first step of "Ki Seitzei ," Going out ," and , taking the " Ki," by its other translation , as " Because." We have our answer, for all the bad things that happened , were " Ki " - " Because ," one went out from HaShem and His Ways and Laws .
The fact is that every time one ' Goes Out ' from one's closeness with HaShem ' one is figuratively " Going out to war against enemies ." HaShem's Love for us is so great that even when we do the wrong thing sometimes , the verse states here , that HaShem will still ,"U'Netano B'Yadecha ," - " Deliver them into your hands ." HaShem's Love is Endlesss and most Faithful . The verse mentions " Ve Shavita Shivyo ." - " And you will Capture its Captivity ," which figuratively can also mean that when one goes out away from HaShem's Holy Path, one puts oneself in the position, to be tainted by their foreign pagan ways of negativity , Chas Ve Shalom . One must stay always close to HaShem and Follow always His Light and Torah like a Ship following a Lighthouse back Home to HaShem .
The verse talks of " Ve Ra'ita Ba'Shivya Eishes Yefas Toar " - " And you will see a woman of beautiful form ' , we note that it doesn't just say that the woman is of beautiful form , but that she is seen that way - of beautiful form , for whether she is or not beautiful, the Yetzer Horah is always there to catch us , and so it is the subject , the one seeing her , that sees her as beautiful ( beauty is in the eyes of the beholder ) . HaShem Understands human need and nature and thus , ensures after she is taken captive , that she is made as unattractive as possible for a month , so that the Yetzer Horah can lose its power , for HaShem Tries quietly to help the person to see things as they really are . She mourns her family for a month by shaving her hair and removing her garments of her captivity ( which were the beautiful catching garments the women of these nations used to wear in order to attract the enemy soldiers so they could have their minds on other things and be easier enticed and beaten which was the method many of these nations would employ to win and defeat their opposition ) . If after this , the man still wanted her, she would be converted and they would marry .
The words " Yefas Toar ," - " Beautiful Form ," suggest only the Physical, where the word ' Yefas ," refers to " Beautiful," and the the word " To'ar ," - means "Outside Appearance ." Thus it is only an outside beauty and desire that attracted him in the first place . Thus outside desire , is not a true desire and this Physicality leads to a line of negativity that ends up creating family problems and rebellious physical children. Again we saw this with David's son Absalom , who was constantly concerned about his Physicality and thought he was the holy of the holy, which he wasn't. His thoughts of trying to be a holy nazirite led him to not cutting his hair, and this became his downfall, for when he was being chased by Yoav, he got this very hair caught in the branches of a tree while he was trying to get away and Yoav pierced him through with three Javelins . Even that number of Javelins had a reason ( everything in life has a deeper reason we don't always understand and that needs to be ) , for when Avshalom had rebelled against his Father, he had disrespectfully cohabited with his Father's Three concubines and so, he ended up being pieced through with the Three Javelins as the Gemorah teaches us. He wasn't the only child of this Yefas Toar, for also Tamar (Avshalom's sister ) was also the daughter of Maacah bat Talmai,that was also of Physical Beautiful form that drove Amnon so crazy in a physical way , that she sadly got taken advantage of and raped , and then Amnon's physical desire suddenly abated as if it wasn't even there in the first place , for he was completely overcome by his Yetzer Horah , and so did these events lead to downfall and the killing by Avshalom of Amnon.
So we learn that when we go out from and stray and walk away from HaShem's Presence and Laws, it is then that we get caught by the Yetzer Horah , the greatest enemy of all , among other physical enemies .
The answer to the path of Holiness , is never to " Ki Seitzei , " - " Go out " from HaShem and His Laws and we are to always Emulate HaShem , in all we do , even to the most minute actions , so that there is no place left for the Yetzer Horah to catch us and so that we can remain holy and pure always and never stray Chas Ve Shalom from Holy Ways and Paths that are Taught by HaShem .
The story is told of a Rabbi , who was asked by his students why he traveled so far to his Rebbe and for what he went to see his Rebbe about . His answer was that he went so far in hard conditions just to see how his Rebbe ties his shoes , for , even how a holy man does something so slight and so apparently natural and simple , shows the morals of a person and his holy ways , for into every action we do , we can bring quiet humble holiness in emulating HaShem and His Holiness . To see , even a how a man ties his shoes , can show such a lot about the man and it is in the simple every day things that we do , that , if they are done with modesty and purity and holiness , with a mind-set to do all for HaShem , can teach us depths beyond depths of holiness . It is not always the big actions that count , but how holy people live moment to moment .Holy Lessons are taught not just by large actions , but how a person lives every moment and the example they show to others. That is a wonderful teacher of holiness to emulate . So must we always emulate the Holy Actions and Morals of HaShem .
I wish HaShem with Love , a Very Sweet and Blessed Beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with Love and to all my fellow Yidden , a very Sweet and Blessed Beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with love .
The Parsha starts with the captive woman and then goes onto the Firstborn's rights, if a man had more than one wife and one becomes hated while the other loved, one must still treat the first born with the honor accorded , even if the firstborn , came from the one less liked . The Parsha continues on with the Laws of a wayward and rebellious son and the law that a body hanged, must not be left out overnight .
The Torah then teaches us to be concerned with another's property and animals. The concern for another must always go above the concern and feelings for one self .
HaShem then Instructs that the genders must not wear each other's clothing . HaShem Created both male and female and this is how Creation functions . To try change that with or for any reason , is to tell HaShem , a person knows better than Him . We each have a special role to fulfill in Creation and so must we always follow how HaShem Made everything .Torah mentions another Chok ( A Law not openly explainable ) about sending away the Mother's Bird , where our Rabbonim talk of how we must always be as compassionate to other's feelings as much as possible .
HaShem Created for us a safe World. We must continue to keep it that way .Thus we are to always be cognizant about another's safety and needs . Thus, if a new house is built, we are to make a barrier around the roof to keep anyone walking there , safe . The Law of Forbidden mixtures or fibers is then spoken of.
HaShem Tells us to make Tzitzis on our Garments.
Torah then gives us Laws on the defamed Woman . Adultery is then discussed as is the matter of the Betrothed here .
HaShem Reminds us again who are some of those we are not able to marry. Among those forbidden, HaShem Instructs us that the Ammonites and Moabites are not to enter the congregation of HaShem.The reason for them not being able to enter our covenant , is because of their lack of simple human kindness, by them not giving us even bread and water when we, the Children of Israel , were headed from Mitzraim to Eretz Yisrael . On Kindness and Kind deeds , is this World built . HaShem Created Creation To Show Kindness and Giving .We are then reminded not to reject an Edomite or an Egyptian.
HaShem then Warns us that our military camp and soldiers need to be pure and holy .This is sadly lacking today in today's nations military in so many ways .
HaShem Teaches that a slave who runs away from their master, must not be given back . We are then told not to have any promiscuous women among us .We are not to take interest from our fellow. We are told to rather not vow, then promise and not repay, ,as well as the Law of a person working for you in the fields, who is permitted to eat while they work, but not put it in a basket.
HaShem Then Permitted Divorce and Gave us the Laws of the ' Get ,' as the Hebrew Divorce Document is called .
We are taught not to take the tools , a man uses to make his living .HaShem Tells us of the big Aveirah of Kidnapping and then the Laws of Tzaraas for Slander Loshon Torah , the sin that can ruin humanity .
HaShem Instructs us to pay workers and if they have no money, we are not permitted to take anything that belongs to them and keep it over night .
We are then told that when reaping our fields, we are to leave that which drops on the ground for the poor.
HaShem Next Talks of the giving of 40 lashes, for certain types of sin and how , one is not allowed to give even the most minute amount of Lashes more, as the one whipping , would have to be responsible and face punishment for doing more than is necessary. This teaches us that when HaShem Metes out punishment , it is never more or less than we need to grow Spiritually , and is always for our own good .
Levirate Marriage and the Laws of " Yibum " are then mentioned and the whole procedure with the Yavam and the Yevamah is enumerated. This is in reference to a man who dies childless, and his brother is supposed to step in and do her the honor , so as to bring up children in his brother's honor .
Modesty is again brought up, in the case of a woman ,while her husband is busy fighting with another man, and by error, she stretches out her hand and mistakenly grasps his private place,while this other person fights with her husband, she will have her hand removed. Purity means purity in soul and mind . We are told to have honest weights and measures .The Parsha ends with a very strong reminder to never forget what our terrible enemy Amalek , from who was haman , agag and in modern times , gematrically hitler ,torquemada of spain and saddam hussein and many more of our enemies through time . We are never to forget what Amalek did to us as we left Egypt, where other nations feared HaShem after how HaShem saved us with miraculous wonders and also at the sea, yet Amalek, who are vile killers, did not fear G-D , and attacked those in the Israelite camp , who were hindmost and weaker ,at the rear , faint and exhausted and as HaShem Says, the Amalek that did not fear G-D at all and cared nothing for retribution as they felt they were above it. HaShem Commands us through time, to wipe out the memory of Amalek ( who descended from Eisav's son Elifaz's son who was called Amalek. ( Eisav's grandson ) , from under the Heaven . Elifaz himself was not a bad man and was even one of the friends of Iyov - Job who came to see Job when he was being tested and tried to persuade Iyov to have faith in HaShem . Elifaz learnt at the tent of his Grandfather Yitzchak . HaShem Says about Amalek and what they did and His Commandments , " Lo Tishkach " - " You shall not forget! " Our Sages say we fulfill remembering Amalek by reading this verse near Purim, when we remember haman , and just before Purim , we read this section on that Shabbos before and call it Parashas Zachor where ' Zachor ,' means to remember, in reference to this Torah Law of Remembering Amalek .
The name of this Parsha is Parashas Ki Seitzei , which means ' When you go out ," and in this verse , it refers to when we go out to war against our enemies . The type of wars referred to here are not in the coming to and conquering Canaan , but subsequent wars . There is a deeper meaning here and if we follow it, we will never come to enticements , or harm in any way, from the Yetzer Horah or from outside Physical enemies. The deeper meaning here and within the words ' Ki Seitzei ," which , though in this context refers to going out to war and seeing a ' Yefas Toar ,' - ' A woman of beautiful form ,' the deeper meaning , and this is in the direct translation of the words ' Ki Seitzei ,' where the word ' Ki' can also mean because , thus rendering the term , ' When one goes out ,' is in reference to when one goes out from HaShem and His Commandments, we get caught by Physical enemies as well as ones of the Yetzer Horah that might Physically entice us away , Chas ve Shalom , from HaShem and His Commandments . Thus the secret to Holy living the way HaShem Wants us to live , is not to ' " Ki Seitzei ," - " Go out ," from HaShem or His Laws . The verse directly states, when we go out ' Lamilchamah Al Oyvecha ," - " To war against our enemies ," we note that in leaving HaShem's Care and Laws , we automatically put ourselves in the path of negativity for the Body and Soul - Physical and Spiritual and Emotional , that can lead us on a downward spiral further away , Chas ve Shalom , from HaShem , for the going out from HaShem ' Ki Seitzei ,' can end with us marrying one who is outside Judaism who is not always a Ger by choice, which leads to the next problem mentioned in this Parsha of the one wife loved and the other wife hated - thus family strife and problems effecting the children into the next generation and that leads further down the spiral to negativity , with the next problem mentioned in the Parsha of a Rebellious son . So did HaShem put this one after the other in the Torah , to teach us that one negative step away from HaShem in ' Ki Seitzei - " Going out " from His Presence , Chas Ve Shalom , leads one further away from HaShem's Holiness and leads more and more into negativity .
We see how this happened to Dovid HaMelech , who married a Yefas Toar and from there , had Absalom, who ended up rebelling against his Father and forcing his own father to leave his Kingdom and hide with Batsheva and little Shlomo ,where every day Avshalom would wait outside the judging court of his Father , and bring rebellion against David . Such is the result of a Yefas Toar .
Thus the long string of negativity can start , by just starting with the first step of "Ki Seitzei ," Going out ," and , taking the " Ki," by its other translation , as " Because." We have our answer, for all the bad things that happened , were " Ki " - " Because ," one went out from HaShem and His Ways and Laws .
The fact is that every time one ' Goes Out ' from one's closeness with HaShem ' one is figuratively " Going out to war against enemies ." HaShem's Love for us is so great that even when we do the wrong thing sometimes , the verse states here , that HaShem will still ,"U'Netano B'Yadecha ," - " Deliver them into your hands ." HaShem's Love is Endlesss and most Faithful . The verse mentions " Ve Shavita Shivyo ." - " And you will Capture its Captivity ," which figuratively can also mean that when one goes out away from HaShem's Holy Path, one puts oneself in the position, to be tainted by their foreign pagan ways of negativity , Chas Ve Shalom . One must stay always close to HaShem and Follow always His Light and Torah like a Ship following a Lighthouse back Home to HaShem .
The verse talks of " Ve Ra'ita Ba'Shivya Eishes Yefas Toar " - " And you will see a woman of beautiful form ' , we note that it doesn't just say that the woman is of beautiful form , but that she is seen that way - of beautiful form , for whether she is or not beautiful, the Yetzer Horah is always there to catch us , and so it is the subject , the one seeing her , that sees her as beautiful ( beauty is in the eyes of the beholder ) . HaShem Understands human need and nature and thus , ensures after she is taken captive , that she is made as unattractive as possible for a month , so that the Yetzer Horah can lose its power , for HaShem Tries quietly to help the person to see things as they really are . She mourns her family for a month by shaving her hair and removing her garments of her captivity ( which were the beautiful catching garments the women of these nations used to wear in order to attract the enemy soldiers so they could have their minds on other things and be easier enticed and beaten which was the method many of these nations would employ to win and defeat their opposition ) . If after this , the man still wanted her, she would be converted and they would marry .
The words " Yefas Toar ," - " Beautiful Form ," suggest only the Physical, where the word ' Yefas ," refers to " Beautiful," and the the word " To'ar ," - means "Outside Appearance ." Thus it is only an outside beauty and desire that attracted him in the first place . Thus outside desire , is not a true desire and this Physicality leads to a line of negativity that ends up creating family problems and rebellious physical children. Again we saw this with David's son Absalom , who was constantly concerned about his Physicality and thought he was the holy of the holy, which he wasn't. His thoughts of trying to be a holy nazirite led him to not cutting his hair, and this became his downfall, for when he was being chased by Yoav, he got this very hair caught in the branches of a tree while he was trying to get away and Yoav pierced him through with three Javelins . Even that number of Javelins had a reason ( everything in life has a deeper reason we don't always understand and that needs to be ) , for when Avshalom had rebelled against his Father, he had disrespectfully cohabited with his Father's Three concubines and so, he ended up being pieced through with the Three Javelins as the Gemorah teaches us. He wasn't the only child of this Yefas Toar, for also Tamar (Avshalom's sister ) was also the daughter of Maacah bat Talmai,that was also of Physical Beautiful form that drove Amnon so crazy in a physical way , that she sadly got taken advantage of and raped , and then Amnon's physical desire suddenly abated as if it wasn't even there in the first place , for he was completely overcome by his Yetzer Horah , and so did these events lead to downfall and the killing by Avshalom of Amnon.
So we learn that when we go out from and stray and walk away from HaShem's Presence and Laws, it is then that we get caught by the Yetzer Horah , the greatest enemy of all , among other physical enemies .
The answer to the path of Holiness , is never to " Ki Seitzei , " - " Go out " from HaShem and His Laws and we are to always Emulate HaShem , in all we do , even to the most minute actions , so that there is no place left for the Yetzer Horah to catch us and so that we can remain holy and pure always and never stray Chas Ve Shalom from Holy Ways and Paths that are Taught by HaShem .
The story is told of a Rabbi , who was asked by his students why he traveled so far to his Rebbe and for what he went to see his Rebbe about . His answer was that he went so far in hard conditions just to see how his Rebbe ties his shoes , for , even how a holy man does something so slight and so apparently natural and simple , shows the morals of a person and his holy ways , for into every action we do , we can bring quiet humble holiness in emulating HaShem and His Holiness . To see , even a how a man ties his shoes , can show such a lot about the man and it is in the simple every day things that we do , that , if they are done with modesty and purity and holiness , with a mind-set to do all for HaShem , can teach us depths beyond depths of holiness . It is not always the big actions that count , but how holy people live moment to moment .Holy Lessons are taught not just by large actions , but how a person lives every moment and the example they show to others. That is a wonderful teacher of holiness to emulate . So must we always emulate the Holy Actions and Morals of HaShem .
I wish HaShem with Love , a Very Sweet and Blessed Beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with Love and to all my fellow Yidden , a very Sweet and Blessed Beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with love .
Friday, 17 August 2018
Parashas Shoftim
This Shabbos, we read Parashas Shoftim. In last week's Parsha Re'eh , we completed the Sedra with the Festivals and Coming to Yerushalaim with Offerings. Now in this Parsha, HaShem Instructs that we are to appoint "Shoftim Ve Shotrim,' - "Judges and Officers," in all our cities, to enforce the Law and Judge it. This comes just after the Laws for Festivals, where Officers saw to it that the right things were set aside so as to bring it to Yerushaim and to make sure Tithes were done right , visiting people in their lands and in market places to ensure Law and Right was upheld.
HaShem then Tells us not to plant an idolatrous tree or any tree near the Temple nor put up a pillar - a single stone to worship on, like idol-worshipers do.
HaShem then warns us not to Shecht a blemished animal for HaShem and Offerings and then HaShem Discusses Idol Worshipers who worship false deities,or worship, the sun or moon or stars, and those that do promote such things are to be put to death,firstly by the hand of the witnesses who saw what they did.
HaShem's Torah then next discusses how a Judge is to be obeyed.
HaShem then teaches the Law of having a King , that we will ask for in the future as we did in Samuel's time , though HaShem Is our King .
HaShem Asks us not to take a foreign person as a king, but only one of our own Jews . HaShem Tells us that this King must not have too many horses , for in those days, high bred horses came from Egypt and HaShem didn't want us to return to that place or way again, for a return to there, is a return to lower levels of physicality and negativity . HaShem also instructs that the Jewish King cannot have many foreign wives, so his heart will not stray from HaShem's Path. The Jewish King is also not meant to have lots in silver and gold A Jewish King is to write himself two copies of the Torah , and one is to be with him all the time , as Dovid Ha Melech carried with him all the time wherever he went .A Jewish King is not to become arrogant in any way over his brothers. Thus there were three main prohibitions for a King who sits on a Throne . Our Rabbis , tell us that in Hebrew, the word Throne is ' Kisei,' , which includes the three Hebrew Letters ' Khaf, Samech and Alef. These three letters of the Hebrew Word 'Throne - ' Kisei , ' each spell one of the things forbidden to a King who sits on a 'Throne - Kisei,' where the 'Khaf,' represents 'Kesef- Silver ,' that is forbidden to a King en masse,the next letter 'Samech,' which is the first letter of the word 'Sus,' meaning 'Horse,' in Hebrew, for a Jewish King was not to amass too many Horses and the last letter of the Hebrew Word 'Kisei- Throne' is the letter 'Alef,' which is also the first letter of the word 'Ishah' for 'Wife,' for a Jewish King is not posses too many wives. A Jewish King that sits on the Throne of Israel must be as if he sits next to HaShem Who 'Sits ' on His Throne of Glory - ' The Kisey Ha Kavod ' Created at the beginning of Creation , and thus a Jewish King must be a Gleaming example of Holiness inside and out .
Thus the three injunctions for a Jewish King are all within the word ' Kisei,' for King's 'Throne.'
Torah then mentions the Priestly Gifts . HaShem in His Torah then strictly warns us against following the ways of the other nations. HaShem Warns us strictly not to let our children pass through the fire to molech or other such despicable idols , for other idol worshipers do despicable blasphemous things .The Torah forbids the practice divination - ( for G-D is our only True Source ) , or astrology, reading omen or sorcery. HaShem Tells us that we must be 'Tamim,' - ' Wholehearted ' with Him . This means not following HaShem with half measures, but following HaShem with our whole being fully and Loving G-D and Doing all He Asks of us, without question , with full faith with all our heart, wholeheartedly .
HaShem told Avraham, that he and his descendants , us Jews ,and our Jewish pathways , are above the Stars , as HaShem told Avraham in Bereishis to lift himself up above the Stars for our Jewish Destiny is directly under HaShem Himself and not by the stars or astrology, for we are directly under HaShem . Only HaShem Is G-D and only His Prophets are true Prophets that get their Prophecy from HaShem directly , to give to us . HaShem Instructs us to listen to the Words of His Prophets, of whom , there will be a number of Prophets from HaShem. HaShem Warns us though that should a pretended prophet come and speak the words , not said or commanded by G-D, even though he purports to be a prophet, yet leads others astray and in ways , not Instructed before, by HaShem , or who speaks in G-D's Name , Words G-D Has Not Spoken and also words that G-D Never Said , or speaks in the words of false deities,we know that prophet is false and not a prophet at all . HaShem Tells us that we can test such a prophet by having that person make a prediction and if it doesn't come to pass and that Prophet tries to change a single Law of G-D , we know that prophet is false and was not following G-D .
Torah then again discusses Cities of Refuge and the Laws of the Unintentional Murderer who can flee there.
An Intentional Murderer , HaShem Commands , is to be put to death and it needs two witnesses . Should a witness lie , as they conspired to their fellow, so shall be done to them .
HaShem Then Speaks of what the Kohanim are to do when we go to war. And under what instances a soldier is to return home and not partake; if a man built a new house and hasn't inaugurated it yet,a man who planted a vineyard and not redeemed it and a man who has just gotten betrothed, all these must return home and not fight in the battle.Also a man who fears to battle, must also return home. HaShem Warns us not to be afraid of the enemy or the trumpets, calls or shouts they may make or the noise of their horses, for HaShem HaKadosh Baruch Hu , HaShem The Holy One Blessed Be He , Fights at our side .
HaShem then Instructs in this Parsha, of how to wage war and besiege an enemy and to first offer it overtures of peace and to be under HaShem .
But to the nations in Canaan, they are not to be left. HaShem Tells us , when waging war ,not to cut down the fruit trees.
The Parsha ends with the Laws of the Egla Arufa , where a corpse is found , fallen in the field, and it isn't known who slay him, then the cities around are measured and the closest one , performs a ritual for this , as they , being the closest , should have ensured safe passage and accompaniment through their territory and city to strangers.
The Haftorah for this Sedra is in Isaiah 51:12 - 52:12 and speaks of G-D being in control and that His Mercies abound and we can at any moment be redeemed and that we are to remember that it is to G-D we must be faithful to and not idols as HaShem Warned in the Sedra.
Our Parsha as mentioned, is Parashas Shoftim . It begins, " Shoftim Ve Shotrim Titen Lecha Bechol Sh' Arecha Asher HaShem Elokeicha Notein Lecha Lishvatecha Ve Shaftu Et Ha' Am Mishpat Tzeddek ," - " Judges and Officers shall you appoint in your cities - which HaShem your G-D Gives you - for your tribes ; and they shall judge the people with Righteous Judgement . "
Thus HaShem Instructs us to appoint " Shoftim " - " Judges " of Moral and Holy Righteous character , who will judge fairly and won't look at the status of the person to be judged, but Judge fairly , without taking a bribe or favor of any kind from the litigants , or even a kind action from them , which might sway their opinion toward one side or the other. These Judges are to be Torah Observant and Wholeheartedly following the Mitzvos of HaShem and His Torah . HaShem also instructs that " Shotrim " be chosen to enforce the Law and keep the Peace . Each tribe and territory is to have its own Court and a City of over 120 , is to have at least a Beis Din of Twenty Three and under 120 , was to have a Beis DIn of at least 3 members who were to be learned Torah Shoftim and also a number of Shotrim to enforce the Law . There is to be one main Beis Din of 71 Judges to represent the 70 Elders that were chosen to help Moshe Judge as well as Moshe which makes 71 . Towns of over 120 ,that were to have a Beis Din of 23 Judges , the Number chosen here referred to verses that talk of " Then the Assembly " Eidah shall Judge... the Assembly shall rescue "( Numbers 35 ) where the word "Assembly " was linked to the 10 Spies that HaShem called an assembly in Numbers 14:26 and seeing there were two more , being Yehoshua and Kaleiv , putting this with the double mention of the word 'Assembly, in Numbers 35 , we get '10 + 10 ( for the double mention of the word 'Assembly (in Numbers 35 ) which makes 20 and adding two to the number for Yehoshuah and Kaleiv , we get 22 and seeing as there should always be a majority , we add one to make it an uneven number of Judges to prevent an even amount of a tie amount to bring us to the number 23 . The Looking out for the upholding of the Law was to be done by " Shotrim " " Officers ."
HaShem Instructs that the Judges Judge with Righteous Judgement , showing that they must adhere to the Law of HaShem , and put their own feelings aside, so as to let HaShem Judge through them , through sublime Righteousness.
There was a Rabbi who would Judge cases only , while he covered his eyes so he would not see the litigants and thus could not be bias either way . He would only first see them after the Judgement . Thus , the Judges were to Judge with total selflessness and not a sway in anyway of opinion to whom he may physically think is right, if he would not be able to rise over his own Yetzer Horah , so a Judge was to be completely selfless, and this is true Righteousness .
There is also a deeper meaning . HaShem Tells us every day , as we walk around on this Earth , to appoint within ourselves, " Shoftim Ve Shotrim " - " Judges and Officers ," in other words, to be a Judge and Officer to ourself, fighting our own Yetzer Horahs and ensuring , like a Judge and Officer, that we keep ourselves in line with the Mitzvos . HaShem Has given us the power in one area , and that is in the choosing of doing Good or Bad . We have thus been given the ability to be the Judge and Officer of our own actions and thus it is important to take stock each night , of how we did during the previous day and to correct , like a Judge and Officer , any wrongs we keep doing. This is the Power of Choice and the resultant power to climb higher , if we would only so choose .
The verses continue to say ,"Tzeddek Tzeddek Tirdof ," - " Righteousness Righteousness shall you pursue." This sounds obvious , so why the need to reiterate the word " Tzeddek, " - " Righteousness ," twice . Everything in Torah has a reason , even if it is a word repeated .Our Rabbis suggest that the double mention of the word ' Tzeddek,' teaches that we are to pursue Righteous ways always , but to use Righteous acts to do it. Never to do something wrong to make something right. In other words, the end doesn't justify the means of Righteousness, if we have to do something wrong to ensure a Right in the end . Thus " Tzeddek Tzeddek Tordof ," - " Righteousness Righteousness shall we pursue, " by fixing wrongs, only with Righteous means and ways . The use of the word ' Tirdof,' suggests a forcefulness, where the root ' Radaf ,' means ' to Pursue with force,' which suggests , not stopping to consider fears or things that will hold us back, like giving the Yetzer Horah an opportunity to persuade us otherwise, from doing the right thing, but acting immediately to do the right thing, without milling on reasons not to. Also like doing a Mitzvah as soon as it comes up to do and as soon as possible . We are to forcefully act without hesitation, in doing the right thing, that which HaShem Wants us to do at that moment and always , before the Yetzer Horah has an opportunity , Chas Ve Shalom , to persuade us otherwise Chas Ve Shalom .
The word "Tzeddek," also refers to doing 'Tzeddakah,' - ' Charity,' for when we are given the opportunity to do Charity, in reality, HaShem is giving us the opportunity to receive , for when we give, we actually receive from HaShem , thus it is like a double 'Tzeddek,' for in pursuing to do Righteousness, HaShem responds with Righteousness in return given to us .
If we live a life of not just giving because we have to , but repeatedly looking and pursuing opportunities to do Righteousness, then we will be Emulating HaShem , Who does for us, without doing for the reasons of getting anything back in return . That is True Tzeddek .
Thus we have to be " Shoftim Ve Shotrim ," - " Judges and Officers " for ourselves and fix ourselves before we look out to the World, for it starts within us . The errors we see in others, are actually the errors we possess ourselves, so the way to fix the World is to fix ourselves .
" Righteousness Righteousness Shall we pursue " shows how we must go out of our way to pursue Goodness and Pursue HaShem's Torah and not wait for it to come to us . We are to go to HaShem . The double meaning is a double choice, for to be Righteous is not only to pursue the Good, but to outwardly and inwardly refute and fight the Bad . This is the Path of Pursuing Righteousness . To Pursue HaShem in All things - to make this World Righteous and to bring Heaven down to Earth and make them one and so , live within the Love of HaShem.
We are to serve HaShem with all our faculties and so, when we Daven, we are to not just say the words in our mind, but to voice them softly aloud, so that we can also be serving HaShem with our mouths and thus serve HaShem with all of us , Wholeheartedly . And this is the true action of a 'Shofet and Shoter,' - ' Judge and Officer,' for the true Righteous task and reason they are " Shoftim and Shotrim, " - " Judges and Officers ," is to give and serve HaShem and those around us . Thus all we do must be for HaShem , though HaShem is our True Judge and Officer, let us prove to HaShem , that we can love HaShem so much that we can correct ourselves and follow His Torah and make our selves Righteous and do what is right, not just according to our own morals, but according to HaShem.
With Love to HaShem I wish HaShem with Love , a Very Sweet and Happy Blessed Shabbos Kodesh with Love and to all my fellow Yidden, a very Sweet and Blessed Shabbos Kodesh with love .
HaShem then Tells us not to plant an idolatrous tree or any tree near the Temple nor put up a pillar - a single stone to worship on, like idol-worshipers do.
HaShem then warns us not to Shecht a blemished animal for HaShem and Offerings and then HaShem Discusses Idol Worshipers who worship false deities,or worship, the sun or moon or stars, and those that do promote such things are to be put to death,firstly by the hand of the witnesses who saw what they did.
HaShem's Torah then next discusses how a Judge is to be obeyed.
HaShem then teaches the Law of having a King , that we will ask for in the future as we did in Samuel's time , though HaShem Is our King .
HaShem Asks us not to take a foreign person as a king, but only one of our own Jews . HaShem Tells us that this King must not have too many horses , for in those days, high bred horses came from Egypt and HaShem didn't want us to return to that place or way again, for a return to there, is a return to lower levels of physicality and negativity . HaShem also instructs that the Jewish King cannot have many foreign wives, so his heart will not stray from HaShem's Path. The Jewish King is also not meant to have lots in silver and gold A Jewish King is to write himself two copies of the Torah , and one is to be with him all the time , as Dovid Ha Melech carried with him all the time wherever he went .A Jewish King is not to become arrogant in any way over his brothers. Thus there were three main prohibitions for a King who sits on a Throne . Our Rabbis , tell us that in Hebrew, the word Throne is ' Kisei,' , which includes the three Hebrew Letters ' Khaf, Samech and Alef. These three letters of the Hebrew Word 'Throne - ' Kisei , ' each spell one of the things forbidden to a King who sits on a 'Throne - Kisei,' where the 'Khaf,' represents 'Kesef- Silver ,' that is forbidden to a King en masse,the next letter 'Samech,' which is the first letter of the word 'Sus,' meaning 'Horse,' in Hebrew, for a Jewish King was not to amass too many Horses and the last letter of the Hebrew Word 'Kisei- Throne' is the letter 'Alef,' which is also the first letter of the word 'Ishah' for 'Wife,' for a Jewish King is not posses too many wives. A Jewish King that sits on the Throne of Israel must be as if he sits next to HaShem Who 'Sits ' on His Throne of Glory - ' The Kisey Ha Kavod ' Created at the beginning of Creation , and thus a Jewish King must be a Gleaming example of Holiness inside and out .
Thus the three injunctions for a Jewish King are all within the word ' Kisei,' for King's 'Throne.'
Torah then mentions the Priestly Gifts . HaShem in His Torah then strictly warns us against following the ways of the other nations. HaShem Warns us strictly not to let our children pass through the fire to molech or other such despicable idols , for other idol worshipers do despicable blasphemous things .The Torah forbids the practice divination - ( for G-D is our only True Source ) , or astrology, reading omen or sorcery. HaShem Tells us that we must be 'Tamim,' - ' Wholehearted ' with Him . This means not following HaShem with half measures, but following HaShem with our whole being fully and Loving G-D and Doing all He Asks of us, without question , with full faith with all our heart, wholeheartedly .
HaShem told Avraham, that he and his descendants , us Jews ,and our Jewish pathways , are above the Stars , as HaShem told Avraham in Bereishis to lift himself up above the Stars for our Jewish Destiny is directly under HaShem Himself and not by the stars or astrology, for we are directly under HaShem . Only HaShem Is G-D and only His Prophets are true Prophets that get their Prophecy from HaShem directly , to give to us . HaShem Instructs us to listen to the Words of His Prophets, of whom , there will be a number of Prophets from HaShem. HaShem Warns us though that should a pretended prophet come and speak the words , not said or commanded by G-D, even though he purports to be a prophet, yet leads others astray and in ways , not Instructed before, by HaShem , or who speaks in G-D's Name , Words G-D Has Not Spoken and also words that G-D Never Said , or speaks in the words of false deities,we know that prophet is false and not a prophet at all . HaShem Tells us that we can test such a prophet by having that person make a prediction and if it doesn't come to pass and that Prophet tries to change a single Law of G-D , we know that prophet is false and was not following G-D .
Torah then again discusses Cities of Refuge and the Laws of the Unintentional Murderer who can flee there.
An Intentional Murderer , HaShem Commands , is to be put to death and it needs two witnesses . Should a witness lie , as they conspired to their fellow, so shall be done to them .
HaShem Then Speaks of what the Kohanim are to do when we go to war. And under what instances a soldier is to return home and not partake; if a man built a new house and hasn't inaugurated it yet,a man who planted a vineyard and not redeemed it and a man who has just gotten betrothed, all these must return home and not fight in the battle.Also a man who fears to battle, must also return home. HaShem Warns us not to be afraid of the enemy or the trumpets, calls or shouts they may make or the noise of their horses, for HaShem HaKadosh Baruch Hu , HaShem The Holy One Blessed Be He , Fights at our side .
HaShem then Instructs in this Parsha, of how to wage war and besiege an enemy and to first offer it overtures of peace and to be under HaShem .
But to the nations in Canaan, they are not to be left. HaShem Tells us , when waging war ,not to cut down the fruit trees.
The Parsha ends with the Laws of the Egla Arufa , where a corpse is found , fallen in the field, and it isn't known who slay him, then the cities around are measured and the closest one , performs a ritual for this , as they , being the closest , should have ensured safe passage and accompaniment through their territory and city to strangers.
The Haftorah for this Sedra is in Isaiah 51:12 - 52:12 and speaks of G-D being in control and that His Mercies abound and we can at any moment be redeemed and that we are to remember that it is to G-D we must be faithful to and not idols as HaShem Warned in the Sedra.
Our Parsha as mentioned, is Parashas Shoftim . It begins, " Shoftim Ve Shotrim Titen Lecha Bechol Sh' Arecha Asher HaShem Elokeicha Notein Lecha Lishvatecha Ve Shaftu Et Ha' Am Mishpat Tzeddek ," - " Judges and Officers shall you appoint in your cities - which HaShem your G-D Gives you - for your tribes ; and they shall judge the people with Righteous Judgement . "
Thus HaShem Instructs us to appoint " Shoftim " - " Judges " of Moral and Holy Righteous character , who will judge fairly and won't look at the status of the person to be judged, but Judge fairly , without taking a bribe or favor of any kind from the litigants , or even a kind action from them , which might sway their opinion toward one side or the other. These Judges are to be Torah Observant and Wholeheartedly following the Mitzvos of HaShem and His Torah . HaShem also instructs that " Shotrim " be chosen to enforce the Law and keep the Peace . Each tribe and territory is to have its own Court and a City of over 120 , is to have at least a Beis Din of Twenty Three and under 120 , was to have a Beis DIn of at least 3 members who were to be learned Torah Shoftim and also a number of Shotrim to enforce the Law . There is to be one main Beis Din of 71 Judges to represent the 70 Elders that were chosen to help Moshe Judge as well as Moshe which makes 71 . Towns of over 120 ,that were to have a Beis Din of 23 Judges , the Number chosen here referred to verses that talk of " Then the Assembly " Eidah shall Judge... the Assembly shall rescue "( Numbers 35 ) where the word "Assembly " was linked to the 10 Spies that HaShem called an assembly in Numbers 14:26 and seeing there were two more , being Yehoshua and Kaleiv , putting this with the double mention of the word 'Assembly, in Numbers 35 , we get '10 + 10 ( for the double mention of the word 'Assembly (in Numbers 35 ) which makes 20 and adding two to the number for Yehoshuah and Kaleiv , we get 22 and seeing as there should always be a majority , we add one to make it an uneven number of Judges to prevent an even amount of a tie amount to bring us to the number 23 . The Looking out for the upholding of the Law was to be done by " Shotrim " " Officers ."
HaShem Instructs that the Judges Judge with Righteous Judgement , showing that they must adhere to the Law of HaShem , and put their own feelings aside, so as to let HaShem Judge through them , through sublime Righteousness.
There was a Rabbi who would Judge cases only , while he covered his eyes so he would not see the litigants and thus could not be bias either way . He would only first see them after the Judgement . Thus , the Judges were to Judge with total selflessness and not a sway in anyway of opinion to whom he may physically think is right, if he would not be able to rise over his own Yetzer Horah , so a Judge was to be completely selfless, and this is true Righteousness .
There is also a deeper meaning . HaShem Tells us every day , as we walk around on this Earth , to appoint within ourselves, " Shoftim Ve Shotrim " - " Judges and Officers ," in other words, to be a Judge and Officer to ourself, fighting our own Yetzer Horahs and ensuring , like a Judge and Officer, that we keep ourselves in line with the Mitzvos . HaShem Has given us the power in one area , and that is in the choosing of doing Good or Bad . We have thus been given the ability to be the Judge and Officer of our own actions and thus it is important to take stock each night , of how we did during the previous day and to correct , like a Judge and Officer , any wrongs we keep doing. This is the Power of Choice and the resultant power to climb higher , if we would only so choose .
The verses continue to say ,"Tzeddek Tzeddek Tirdof ," - " Righteousness Righteousness shall you pursue." This sounds obvious , so why the need to reiterate the word " Tzeddek, " - " Righteousness ," twice . Everything in Torah has a reason , even if it is a word repeated .Our Rabbis suggest that the double mention of the word ' Tzeddek,' teaches that we are to pursue Righteous ways always , but to use Righteous acts to do it. Never to do something wrong to make something right. In other words, the end doesn't justify the means of Righteousness, if we have to do something wrong to ensure a Right in the end . Thus " Tzeddek Tzeddek Tordof ," - " Righteousness Righteousness shall we pursue, " by fixing wrongs, only with Righteous means and ways . The use of the word ' Tirdof,' suggests a forcefulness, where the root ' Radaf ,' means ' to Pursue with force,' which suggests , not stopping to consider fears or things that will hold us back, like giving the Yetzer Horah an opportunity to persuade us otherwise, from doing the right thing, but acting immediately to do the right thing, without milling on reasons not to. Also like doing a Mitzvah as soon as it comes up to do and as soon as possible . We are to forcefully act without hesitation, in doing the right thing, that which HaShem Wants us to do at that moment and always , before the Yetzer Horah has an opportunity , Chas Ve Shalom , to persuade us otherwise Chas Ve Shalom .
The word "Tzeddek," also refers to doing 'Tzeddakah,' - ' Charity,' for when we are given the opportunity to do Charity, in reality, HaShem is giving us the opportunity to receive , for when we give, we actually receive from HaShem , thus it is like a double 'Tzeddek,' for in pursuing to do Righteousness, HaShem responds with Righteousness in return given to us .
If we live a life of not just giving because we have to , but repeatedly looking and pursuing opportunities to do Righteousness, then we will be Emulating HaShem , Who does for us, without doing for the reasons of getting anything back in return . That is True Tzeddek .
Thus we have to be " Shoftim Ve Shotrim ," - " Judges and Officers " for ourselves and fix ourselves before we look out to the World, for it starts within us . The errors we see in others, are actually the errors we possess ourselves, so the way to fix the World is to fix ourselves .
" Righteousness Righteousness Shall we pursue " shows how we must go out of our way to pursue Goodness and Pursue HaShem's Torah and not wait for it to come to us . We are to go to HaShem . The double meaning is a double choice, for to be Righteous is not only to pursue the Good, but to outwardly and inwardly refute and fight the Bad . This is the Path of Pursuing Righteousness . To Pursue HaShem in All things - to make this World Righteous and to bring Heaven down to Earth and make them one and so , live within the Love of HaShem.
We are to serve HaShem with all our faculties and so, when we Daven, we are to not just say the words in our mind, but to voice them softly aloud, so that we can also be serving HaShem with our mouths and thus serve HaShem with all of us , Wholeheartedly . And this is the true action of a 'Shofet and Shoter,' - ' Judge and Officer,' for the true Righteous task and reason they are " Shoftim and Shotrim, " - " Judges and Officers ," is to give and serve HaShem and those around us . Thus all we do must be for HaShem , though HaShem is our True Judge and Officer, let us prove to HaShem , that we can love HaShem so much that we can correct ourselves and follow His Torah and make our selves Righteous and do what is right, not just according to our own morals, but according to HaShem.
With Love to HaShem I wish HaShem with Love , a Very Sweet and Happy Blessed Shabbos Kodesh with Love and to all my fellow Yidden, a very Sweet and Blessed Shabbos Kodesh with love .
Friday, 10 August 2018
Parashas Re'eh Rosh Chodesh Elul
Our Parsha this Shabbos that is also the First Day Rosh Chodesh for the Hebrew Month of Elul to come, leading up to Rosh HaShanah in a month's time, is Parashas Re'eh.
This month every morning except Shabbos,we Jews Blow the Shofar as we call all of us to Teshuvah as we lead up to Rosh HaShanah , the New Year, which was also the day Adam ve Chava were Created by HaShem . During this whole time period, at this time of the year, HaShem Comes down closer to the World to Judge His Creation and their Actions , and takes a closer look at this time , at all our deeds , which are put to Judgement and 'Re'eh' - ' Seen,' with a View by HaShem as being Judged by Him with more scrutiny,the Free Choice actions we have chosen to live our lives by. A choice is Given to us on how to behave and we are left to choose either Good , which leads to Brachos - Blessings , or K'lalah - Curses.The Choice is left to us , and this is the start of our Parsha this Shabbos.
This Parsha contains many Laws of morality,including the Sanctity of the Land, the removal of Avodah Zarah - idol-worship,the forbidding of private altars,more Laws about Offerings and Tithes and Laws regarding the consuming of meat, and not to copy the ways of the Canaanim.
The Parsha then warns us about a false prophet.But before that, states very clearly just after the words of warning , against fake deities , that ," Eit Kol Ha Davar Asher Anochi M'Tzaveh Etchem Otoh Tishmeru La'Asot Lo Toseif Alaiv V'Lo Tigra Mimenu," - " The Entire Word that I Command you, that you shall Observe to do,YOU SHALL NOT ADD TO IT AND YOU SHALL NOT SUBTRACT FROM IT ." This Important Law,relates with the Laws against idol-worship, for when people pick foreign false deities, there is usually a book of false doctrine to go with it written by humans.
HaShem Says this is wrong and totally blasphemous .
HaShem Totally Forbids the Writing of anything that is not Torah Tanach or part of the Law or its explanations 'She Be Al Pe,' Al Pi Ha Torah .HaShem Gave us One Testament and no human is permitted to make out that there are more testaments Chas Ve Shalom.Doing so is strictly against HaShem and His Laws and Commandments and against this particular Law . The Law for this very Commandment, is in this very verse in Torah about not being allowed to Add to or Subtract from Torah. Even the last Book of the Chumash, reminds us in the Book of the Prophet Malachi, just near the very end of the Tanach ( Malachi 3:22 ) , "That we are to Remember the Laws of Moshe , Hashem's Servant , whom HaShem Commanded in Chorev ,for all Israel ,Statutes and Laws, " and this Law is at the end part of the Chumash , showing that HaShem's Law and Only that, is True and to remain without additional Changes or Additions or Removals . Thus new additions or testaments are totally against HaShem's Laws of Adding to or Subtracting From The Law , which is Forbidden and against G-D .Doing such an Aveirah would thus be false, and not Written or Inspired by HaShem G-D.
Straight after this as I mentioned, are the Laws of the False Prophet and this is juxtaposed with the Laws of 'Not Adding to or Subtracting from the Torah ', for this is what happens when a new false prophet arrives, where they or their followers, stray from HaShem's Torah , the next step is to start adding false things in the form of a book , to prove false claims, something that is totally untrue, and a direct attempt to try change G-D's Law and an infringement of the Commandments , and such an idea or testament is not from G-D or written from G-D .
The Torah here in this Parsha even tells us about these false prophets and how to recognize such an individual, saying that if this prophet or dreamer of a dream makes signs or wonders, yet tells the people to go serve other deities or ideas foreign to Torah,or tries to change the Torah in any way from how HaShem Commands It , Chas Ve Shalom , we are not to listen at all to such a prophet of falsity. Such a deceiver is still described with the word 'prophet,' as this is how this false fake individual will be thought of , among others and how he tries to portray himself .
One has to ask why then , would HaShem Allows such a person to at first be , and HaShem Answers that question straight away in this portion of the Torah , by saying that HaShem's Reason is To Test us and our love for HaShem, that we will shun such a false individual and have faith in and only follow HaShem .For it is Only to HaShem The One And Only G-D and Creator , that we are to follow and to cleave to . Thus if we truly love HaShem, the One and Only G-D , and Creator , we will remain faithful to Him and never follow anything or anyone but HaShem and never add more than the Torah and Tanach and their 'She B' Al Peh' Explanations , but keep strictly to Torah Law . Thus we are cautioned not to accept a false prophet or false messiah by signs they can perform .In Devarim 18 , we are told also that anyone who comes and changes any Torah Law is a False Prophet . A True Prophet never changes a single word of Torah . This Law goes on in this Parsha to tell of one who entices others astray and what we are Commanded by G-D to Do. The Parsha then talks of the 'Ir Ha Nidachat ,' the Wayward city, and the Laws from HaShem of what to do with such a City. We also learn how one or two charlatans can affect a whole city and affect a world and lead millions to falsity and idol-worship .
The Parsha Continues telling us that we are Children of HaShem our G-D and not to cut ourselves or make a make a bald spot between our eyes for the dead , as the other nations do, for HaShem chose us Jews as treasured unto Himself and then HaShem Instructs about Kosher and Non Kosher Foods and Beheimah and Tzipporim and what may be consumed in Creation and what may not.
Then Tithes are discussed and Remission of Loans and how to treat the poor and also Jewish bondsmen and women. The Laws of Sanctified Offerings are then discussed.
The Parsha continues with the Pilgrimage Festivals of Pesach , Shavuos and Succos and the Omer Count between Pesach and Shavuos and ends by the Commandment to come three times to Yerushalaim with Offerings and not to " Yeira'eh," " Appear " before HaShem Empty- Handed . It is interesting how the root 'Re'eh' that is the name of this Parsha, appears near the end of the Parsha in the form of ' Yeira' eh," which means " Appear. " Thus in discussing the word used at the beginning of the Parsha ' " Re'eh," which has the same root letters, where HaShem Tells us to "See" how the choice is put before us as a "Blessing and a Curse," how the word "Yeira'eh' is also within this word, showing how, if we keep HaShem's Word, His Shechinah can "Appear" to us , if only we all keep HaShem's Torah. This is what Creation has waited for since It was Created by HaShem , to be Holy enough , for HaShem's Shechinah to 'Yeira'eh," - " Appear" to us . This can be one of the underlying reasons for The Laws, to bring up our holiness so HaShem's Shechinah can Appear to us and also to bring us closer to HaShem .
The first verse of this Parsha says ," Re' eh Anochi Notein Lifneichem Hayom Beracha U' Klalah ," - " See, I Present before you today a blessing and a curse ." The verses continue telling us that if we keep to HaShem and His Commandments, we will receive Brocha ,and if not , K'lalah . HaShem Tells us that when HaShem Brings us into the Land , then we are to read these Blessings and Curses , which appear in Parasha Ki Savo , on Mount Gerizim and Mount Eval as soon as we enter the Land. Thus, even though these Blessings and Curses were to be read at a later date as soon as the Children of Israel first enter the Land, Moshe was Instructed now , so the people will realize that us keeping Eretz Yisrael is contingent on us Keeping HaShem's Torah in all It's entirety . Israel is not like any other Physical place on Earth like New York or Paris or London, where anything goes or where any secular practice is done . No, not Israel, for it is a Holy Place and must be kept so, with no paganism or false deities and false Messiahs and false religions. It is a Holy Place , a place of Torah , where HaShem's Eyes are always Upon It , and so , it is to be kept ' Al Pi Torah ' - ' By the Words and Mouth of Torah .' Failure to do so , will be a cause for lack of Brochas .
HaShem , Shows us in this first verse, how , every day " Hayom ", at the start , we are presented with a choice of either doing Good or Bad and receiving a Brocha or a K'lalah . The choice is ours in our life.
As the verse says , 'Hayom,' - 'Today,' at every moment , we are presented with this choice whether to do Good or Bad. The result is our own responsibility.
HaShem Tells us that He "Notein Lifneichem " - " Presents before us " this Choice, in other words , HaShem makes two roads and leaves us to choose which . Thus the purpose of negativity , is there to give us a choice in life and thus allow us to choose the opposite and thus grow Spiritually . So even Negativity has its purpose in the scheme of Creation . All things in Creation , are for our Good , even if we don't always see it at first . HaShem Uses the word " Re'eh " - " See " in connection with this choice for good reason , as HaShem Knows that the Eye sees and that makes the Heart want . Thus it starts with training what and how we " Re'eh " - " See ," things . It starts witth looking up to Heaven and that teaches us how to Love HaShem and " Re' eh " - " See ," the Blessing , and that will help us look and act in the right holy choice of direction. The Eye sees and the Heart wants. Thus if we look toward holy things, the Heart will desire holiness. Within the Word " Re'eh ," is the word ' Yir'eh ,' which means ' to fear ,' thus, we need to fear HaShem in Love and that will lead us away from the "K'lalah ,' and toward the " Brocha ." The word " Re'eh " in Gematriah comes to 200+1+5 = 206 and 2+0+6 = 8 which is the number and represents the time after Mashiach , into the Spiritual Realm and thus , in " Re'eh," - " Seeing ," in making the correct choice, it leads to " Re'eh ," - " Seeing ," HaShem's. Beautiful Shechinah, the Greatest Brocha Reward of all , for us simply making the choice in choosing the Good . In Hebrew , the word 'Ra'ah ,' means ' Lung ' ( Shilo Hebrew Dictionary ) . The Lung is known for Breathing, the Breath HaShem gives us to live . And this Hebrew word has the same root as the name of our Parsha " Re'eh ." Thus Seeing the right path leads us back to HaShem's Breath of Life. At the End of Days , we await HaShem to " Appear ." The Hebrew word for 'Appear,' is R'iyah," ( Shilo Hebrew Dictionary ) having the same root as " Re'eh ," and thus , at the End of Days , ' HaShem Will 'Appear,' to those who choose Him " and His Path of Brocha.
"Re'eh," - " Seeing ," The Right Path , is like "Seeing ," the " Brocha ,' and " Seeing the Deepest " Brochas ," is like " Seeing the Essence of HaShem's Shechinah .
At this time of the year , as we come into the Hebrew Month of Elul , a time of Love For HaShem , which is in the Word Elul as it's first four letters connect to a verse of Shlomo Ha Melech that translates to ' Ani L' Dodi V' Dodi Li ,' 'I am my Beloved's - HaShem - and my Beloved - HaShem - Is mine ' Shir HaShirim 6:3 , and as we head toward the High Holy Days of Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur , we need to work heavily on ourselves to choose the right path of Brocha Always and make an extreme effort to come back to Torah and HaShem and to show HaShem utmost love . HaShem Comes Down Closer to us at this time , so let us come closer to HaShem . Let us all work at all times and all year round to coming up closer with love to HaShem . With Love to HaShem , I wish HaShem With Love , a Most Special and Beautiful Shabbos Kodesh and Chodesh Tov Elul with Love , and to all my fellow Yidden, a most Special Shabbos Kodesh and Chodesh Tov Elul with love .
This month every morning except Shabbos,we Jews Blow the Shofar as we call all of us to Teshuvah as we lead up to Rosh HaShanah , the New Year, which was also the day Adam ve Chava were Created by HaShem . During this whole time period, at this time of the year, HaShem Comes down closer to the World to Judge His Creation and their Actions , and takes a closer look at this time , at all our deeds , which are put to Judgement and 'Re'eh' - ' Seen,' with a View by HaShem as being Judged by Him with more scrutiny,the Free Choice actions we have chosen to live our lives by. A choice is Given to us on how to behave and we are left to choose either Good , which leads to Brachos - Blessings , or K'lalah - Curses.The Choice is left to us , and this is the start of our Parsha this Shabbos.
This Parsha contains many Laws of morality,including the Sanctity of the Land, the removal of Avodah Zarah - idol-worship,the forbidding of private altars,more Laws about Offerings and Tithes and Laws regarding the consuming of meat, and not to copy the ways of the Canaanim.
The Parsha then warns us about a false prophet.But before that, states very clearly just after the words of warning , against fake deities , that ," Eit Kol Ha Davar Asher Anochi M'Tzaveh Etchem Otoh Tishmeru La'Asot Lo Toseif Alaiv V'Lo Tigra Mimenu," - " The Entire Word that I Command you, that you shall Observe to do,YOU SHALL NOT ADD TO IT AND YOU SHALL NOT SUBTRACT FROM IT ." This Important Law,relates with the Laws against idol-worship, for when people pick foreign false deities, there is usually a book of false doctrine to go with it written by humans.
HaShem Says this is wrong and totally blasphemous .
HaShem Totally Forbids the Writing of anything that is not Torah Tanach or part of the Law or its explanations 'She Be Al Pe,' Al Pi Ha Torah .HaShem Gave us One Testament and no human is permitted to make out that there are more testaments Chas Ve Shalom.Doing so is strictly against HaShem and His Laws and Commandments and against this particular Law . The Law for this very Commandment, is in this very verse in Torah about not being allowed to Add to or Subtract from Torah. Even the last Book of the Chumash, reminds us in the Book of the Prophet Malachi, just near the very end of the Tanach ( Malachi 3:22 ) , "That we are to Remember the Laws of Moshe , Hashem's Servant , whom HaShem Commanded in Chorev ,for all Israel ,Statutes and Laws, " and this Law is at the end part of the Chumash , showing that HaShem's Law and Only that, is True and to remain without additional Changes or Additions or Removals . Thus new additions or testaments are totally against HaShem's Laws of Adding to or Subtracting From The Law , which is Forbidden and against G-D .Doing such an Aveirah would thus be false, and not Written or Inspired by HaShem G-D.
Straight after this as I mentioned, are the Laws of the False Prophet and this is juxtaposed with the Laws of 'Not Adding to or Subtracting from the Torah ', for this is what happens when a new false prophet arrives, where they or their followers, stray from HaShem's Torah , the next step is to start adding false things in the form of a book , to prove false claims, something that is totally untrue, and a direct attempt to try change G-D's Law and an infringement of the Commandments , and such an idea or testament is not from G-D or written from G-D .
The Torah here in this Parsha even tells us about these false prophets and how to recognize such an individual, saying that if this prophet or dreamer of a dream makes signs or wonders, yet tells the people to go serve other deities or ideas foreign to Torah,or tries to change the Torah in any way from how HaShem Commands It , Chas Ve Shalom , we are not to listen at all to such a prophet of falsity. Such a deceiver is still described with the word 'prophet,' as this is how this false fake individual will be thought of , among others and how he tries to portray himself .
One has to ask why then , would HaShem Allows such a person to at first be , and HaShem Answers that question straight away in this portion of the Torah , by saying that HaShem's Reason is To Test us and our love for HaShem, that we will shun such a false individual and have faith in and only follow HaShem .For it is Only to HaShem The One And Only G-D and Creator , that we are to follow and to cleave to . Thus if we truly love HaShem, the One and Only G-D , and Creator , we will remain faithful to Him and never follow anything or anyone but HaShem and never add more than the Torah and Tanach and their 'She B' Al Peh' Explanations , but keep strictly to Torah Law . Thus we are cautioned not to accept a false prophet or false messiah by signs they can perform .In Devarim 18 , we are told also that anyone who comes and changes any Torah Law is a False Prophet . A True Prophet never changes a single word of Torah . This Law goes on in this Parsha to tell of one who entices others astray and what we are Commanded by G-D to Do. The Parsha then talks of the 'Ir Ha Nidachat ,' the Wayward city, and the Laws from HaShem of what to do with such a City. We also learn how one or two charlatans can affect a whole city and affect a world and lead millions to falsity and idol-worship .
The Parsha Continues telling us that we are Children of HaShem our G-D and not to cut ourselves or make a make a bald spot between our eyes for the dead , as the other nations do, for HaShem chose us Jews as treasured unto Himself and then HaShem Instructs about Kosher and Non Kosher Foods and Beheimah and Tzipporim and what may be consumed in Creation and what may not.
Then Tithes are discussed and Remission of Loans and how to treat the poor and also Jewish bondsmen and women. The Laws of Sanctified Offerings are then discussed.
The Parsha continues with the Pilgrimage Festivals of Pesach , Shavuos and Succos and the Omer Count between Pesach and Shavuos and ends by the Commandment to come three times to Yerushalaim with Offerings and not to " Yeira'eh," " Appear " before HaShem Empty- Handed . It is interesting how the root 'Re'eh' that is the name of this Parsha, appears near the end of the Parsha in the form of ' Yeira' eh," which means " Appear. " Thus in discussing the word used at the beginning of the Parsha ' " Re'eh," which has the same root letters, where HaShem Tells us to "See" how the choice is put before us as a "Blessing and a Curse," how the word "Yeira'eh' is also within this word, showing how, if we keep HaShem's Word, His Shechinah can "Appear" to us , if only we all keep HaShem's Torah. This is what Creation has waited for since It was Created by HaShem , to be Holy enough , for HaShem's Shechinah to 'Yeira'eh," - " Appear" to us . This can be one of the underlying reasons for The Laws, to bring up our holiness so HaShem's Shechinah can Appear to us and also to bring us closer to HaShem .
The first verse of this Parsha says ," Re' eh Anochi Notein Lifneichem Hayom Beracha U' Klalah ," - " See, I Present before you today a blessing and a curse ." The verses continue telling us that if we keep to HaShem and His Commandments, we will receive Brocha ,and if not , K'lalah . HaShem Tells us that when HaShem Brings us into the Land , then we are to read these Blessings and Curses , which appear in Parasha Ki Savo , on Mount Gerizim and Mount Eval as soon as we enter the Land. Thus, even though these Blessings and Curses were to be read at a later date as soon as the Children of Israel first enter the Land, Moshe was Instructed now , so the people will realize that us keeping Eretz Yisrael is contingent on us Keeping HaShem's Torah in all It's entirety . Israel is not like any other Physical place on Earth like New York or Paris or London, where anything goes or where any secular practice is done . No, not Israel, for it is a Holy Place and must be kept so, with no paganism or false deities and false Messiahs and false religions. It is a Holy Place , a place of Torah , where HaShem's Eyes are always Upon It , and so , it is to be kept ' Al Pi Torah ' - ' By the Words and Mouth of Torah .' Failure to do so , will be a cause for lack of Brochas .
HaShem , Shows us in this first verse, how , every day " Hayom ", at the start , we are presented with a choice of either doing Good or Bad and receiving a Brocha or a K'lalah . The choice is ours in our life.
As the verse says , 'Hayom,' - 'Today,' at every moment , we are presented with this choice whether to do Good or Bad. The result is our own responsibility.
HaShem Tells us that He "Notein Lifneichem " - " Presents before us " this Choice, in other words , HaShem makes two roads and leaves us to choose which . Thus the purpose of negativity , is there to give us a choice in life and thus allow us to choose the opposite and thus grow Spiritually . So even Negativity has its purpose in the scheme of Creation . All things in Creation , are for our Good , even if we don't always see it at first . HaShem Uses the word " Re'eh " - " See " in connection with this choice for good reason , as HaShem Knows that the Eye sees and that makes the Heart want . Thus it starts with training what and how we " Re'eh " - " See ," things . It starts witth looking up to Heaven and that teaches us how to Love HaShem and " Re' eh " - " See ," the Blessing , and that will help us look and act in the right holy choice of direction. The Eye sees and the Heart wants. Thus if we look toward holy things, the Heart will desire holiness. Within the Word " Re'eh ," is the word ' Yir'eh ,' which means ' to fear ,' thus, we need to fear HaShem in Love and that will lead us away from the "K'lalah ,' and toward the " Brocha ." The word " Re'eh " in Gematriah comes to 200+1+5 = 206 and 2+0+6 = 8 which is the number and represents the time after Mashiach , into the Spiritual Realm and thus , in " Re'eh," - " Seeing ," in making the correct choice, it leads to " Re'eh ," - " Seeing ," HaShem's. Beautiful Shechinah, the Greatest Brocha Reward of all , for us simply making the choice in choosing the Good . In Hebrew , the word 'Ra'ah ,' means ' Lung ' ( Shilo Hebrew Dictionary ) . The Lung is known for Breathing, the Breath HaShem gives us to live . And this Hebrew word has the same root as the name of our Parsha " Re'eh ." Thus Seeing the right path leads us back to HaShem's Breath of Life. At the End of Days , we await HaShem to " Appear ." The Hebrew word for 'Appear,' is R'iyah," ( Shilo Hebrew Dictionary ) having the same root as " Re'eh ," and thus , at the End of Days , ' HaShem Will 'Appear,' to those who choose Him " and His Path of Brocha.
"Re'eh," - " Seeing ," The Right Path , is like "Seeing ," the " Brocha ,' and " Seeing the Deepest " Brochas ," is like " Seeing the Essence of HaShem's Shechinah .
At this time of the year , as we come into the Hebrew Month of Elul , a time of Love For HaShem , which is in the Word Elul as it's first four letters connect to a verse of Shlomo Ha Melech that translates to ' Ani L' Dodi V' Dodi Li ,' 'I am my Beloved's - HaShem - and my Beloved - HaShem - Is mine ' Shir HaShirim 6:3 , and as we head toward the High Holy Days of Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur , we need to work heavily on ourselves to choose the right path of Brocha Always and make an extreme effort to come back to Torah and HaShem and to show HaShem utmost love . HaShem Comes Down Closer to us at this time , so let us come closer to HaShem . Let us all work at all times and all year round to coming up closer with love to HaShem . With Love to HaShem , I wish HaShem With Love , a Most Special and Beautiful Shabbos Kodesh and Chodesh Tov Elul with Love , and to all my fellow Yidden, a most Special Shabbos Kodesh and Chodesh Tov Elul with love .
Friday, 3 August 2018
Parashas Eikev
This Shabbos is Parashas Eikev . In this Parsha, Moshe continues to speak to the people,starting out telling of the reward for keeping HaShem's Laws faithfully.Moshe reminds us of how HaShem , with Great Wonders and Signs and a Strong Hand and Outstretched Arm, took us out of Egypt and how HaShem Would do the same to all nations that come upon us, if only we would listen to HaShem our G-D .
Moshe then reminds us of how HaShem Sustained us with the Manna and Moshe says the famous words,"not by bread alone does man live , rather by everything that emanates from the Mouth of G-D . " Bread and physicality are just that, temporary sustenance while we live in this Physical Plane. But the true life force is HaShem .
Moshe talks of Eretz Yisroel and cautions us not to get complacent , when we prosper in our Land but to remain faithful to HaShem Who Is Responsible for every thing there is and that we have.
Moshe speaks of how HaShem saved us from all manner of atrocities, including a Massively Large snake that roamed the desert that HaShem kept at bay . HaShem , even today keeps dangers away from us , that we are not even aware of .We don't even know and realize how often HaShem Clears our path for us .
Moshe then discusses the Ark of the Covenant and the Tablets of the Ten Commandments.
Aharon's passing is then mentioned , as are the separation of the Levites as holy unto HaShem .
Moshe then says, "Ve Atah Yisrael Mah HaShem Elokecha Sho'el Mei' imach , Ki ' im Le' Yir'ah Et HaShem Elokecha Lalechet B'Chol-Derachaiv U'le 'Ahava Oto Ve ' La' Avod et HaShem Elokecha Bechol Levav'cha Uvechol Nafshecha . Lishmor et Mitzvos HaShem Ve ' Et Chukotaiv Asher Anochi Metzavcha Hayom LeTov Lach ," - "Now O Israel what does your G-D Ask of you? Only to fear HaShem , your G-D , to go in all His Ways and to Love Him and to serve HaShem your G-D with all your heart and with all your soul, to observe the Commandments of HaShem and His Decrees,which I Command you today, for your benefit ." What beautiful Words and a true way to Holiness. We must always serve HaShem with our heart and soul and not just for the moment . We must realize that when we serve HaShem , we are serving The Creator of all that was ever made and HaShem deserves our undivided attention from our heart and soul - our all - that HaShem Gives us. Sometimes one may think HaShem Wants so much from us. But it is actually the other way around, as it is us who wants so much if not everything from HaShem and HaShem really gets so little if anything at all from us . All HaShem Wants of us is to Fear Him with Love and Awe and to follow His Commandments and Laws and Statutes,with all our Heart and Soul , not for HaShem's Sake, but purely for us to help us improve and get Kavod . HaShem doesn't make the Laws for helping Himself. HaShem Makes the Laws to be a holy pathway to climb , in becoming and being more holy - purely as HaShem Says to us "Letov Lach,"- " for you ( us ) ,solely for our benefit .'
Our Sages see a great depth in the beginning of these lines, for where it asks, 'What does HaShem Ask of us,' for the Hebrew word 'What is ,'Mah," and this word can be read as Me'ah,' which is the Hebrew Word for a 100 . Thus , " What does HaShem Ask of us, " can also be a reference to saying 'Me'ah Brochos,' 100 Brochos at least , every single day. Our Midrash tells of when this idea of 100 Brochos was originally instituted , for it goes back to the incident of Dovid Ha Melech, , where HaShem Had Sent a plague , which took the lives of 100 Jews each day. David looked for a reason of this punishment and he perceived by Ruach Ha Kodesh that the Jews had neglected to Bless and Praise HaShem Correctly and enough , for HaShem's Kindness to us every day , so Dovid Ha Melech instituted the decree that every Jew is to say 100 Brochas - Blessings every day and then the plague stopped . After Dovid's time , this decree was neglected till the Men of the Great Assembly again re-instituted it permanently ( Midrash Bamidbar Rabba ) .
The Sedra goes on to tell us that HaShem Instructs us to love the Proselyte who chooses HaShem with courage.
Moshe then speaks of the happenings again at the Yam Suf and also afterwards, what happened to Dathan and Aviram and then tells us of the beauty of Eretz Yisroel and how it is a Land that HaShem Gives His Jewish people, a land flowing with Milk and Honey, Fed directly from HaShem's Love.
The Parsha ends, with the Second Verse - Paragraph of the Shema Prayer, which talks of the reward for keeping HaShem's Commandments and the Punishments for one who doesn't. We notice in a few places, that this second verse of the Shema is mainly written in the plural, unlike the first Verse - Paragraph of the Shema, in the previous Parsha which is mostly written in the Singular ,for the words in this Second Paragraph, directly affect the Jewish Community as a whole, whereas the First verse of the Shema, is pointed more at the individual. HaShem Tells is of the sweet rewards we get for keeping His Mitzvos and how we are to teach His Torah Laws to our Children at all times.The Parsha ends with how HaShem Will Stand by us and Put the fear of us on our enemies, and this will happen if we keep HaShem's Commandments faithfully .
This Parsha is called Parashas Eikev, which means ' Reward,' in this Context.
The root of the word 'Eikev,' is 'Heel' as in our Fore-Father Yaakov's Name . Thus, Keeping HaShem's Commandments, is like the basis, the foundation to live, and as the heel is our foundation and support, so will be the Keeping of HaShem's Laws , our life and support at all times and Torah Observance will lead to the result of this foundation, which is Reward, in a True Spiritual Way.
Till this time comes , HaShem Rewards us Physically . True Torah Reward cannot be fathomed in a Physical Plane like the one in which we live , for Torah is so deep, that its reward cannot be fathomed in this realm . Torah Reward is too great, and the Physicality hasn't got the total scope to appreciate the true Final Spritual Bliss of ' Eikev,' - 'Reward that will come in the End of Days, for this Physical World cannot possibly truly contain the True Bliss of Holiness in ' Reward ' , that Keeping HaShem's Mitzvos Will end up Giving us , so that is why the true ' Eikev,' - ' Reward ,' can only come in Shamaim or in ' The End Of Days .'
This Physical World is not deeply vast enough and Light and Holy enough in Spiritual depth and Holiness , for the Reward to truly be accomplished here and so , true Reward is only properly paid in Gan Eiden. The word ' Eikev,' also means ,' Because of / On Account Of ,' ( Shilo Dictionary ) and this too explains the same context , running through this Parsha, that because of , or on account of us keeping HaShem's Torah Mitzvos , so will we get our 'Eikev,' - ' Reward.'
The Word 'Eikev,' in Gematriah comes to '70 + 100 + 2 = 172 and 1+7+2 = 10 which is the Number of Completion and thus , keeping HaShem's Commandments, leads to fulfilling One of Creation's Purposes and that is to bring us to Gan Eiden . It also leads us to HaShem , for that number 10 , in the word ' Eikev, ' can be brought deeper, where 1+0 = 1 , which refers to HaShem Who is One and thus , by keeping HaShem's Torah, we join with HaShem's Closeness, which is the Ultimate ' Eikev,' - 'Reward. ' Creation was Created by HaShem with His 10 Pronouncements , thus in keeping HaShem's Commandments, we are joining HaShem in being a part of the Foundation of Creation. The Ten Commandments that are the basis of all the Laws, are also like the Foundation of Mitzvos, and so , in keeping them , it links us with HaShem's Intention of them being Given , so as to Bring Creation to its final End of Days .
The Haftorah for this Parsha is in Yeshayahu Isaiah 49:14-51:3 and within the Chapter of Isaiah from which this section is written, is spoken of how we Jews are a Light unto the Nations and how HaShem Will Never Forsake us.This is one of the task of the Jew, to bring the True Knowledge of HaShem being One, to all the Nations of the Earth, started long ago by our ForeFather Avraham and ForeMother Sarah . The Haftorah ends with how HaShem Will Make our Wilderness like Eden and our Wasteland like the Garden of HaShem , a true tribute to the result of 'Eikev,' - ' Reward,' of us keeping HaShem's Mitzvos as leading to Gan Eiden and Shamaim .
This is the final destination of Creation . To lead us all back to Gan Eiden , through the Pathway of HaShem's Torah Mitzvos . This is the Completion of our Journey, and so, the True 'Eikev,' - ' Reward ,' that final tenth stage that brings us to the End of Days , as this number 10 is hidden in the word 'Eikev,' and the Number 1 , which shows how HaShem Created all things and Is Hidden within all things and so , is this reward of The End of Days , accomplished , in keeping HaShem's Laws of Torah , the True Pathway that leads to the One and Only G-D HaShem HaKadosh Baruch Hu HaShem The Holy One Blessed Be He .
With love to HaShem, I wish HaShem With Love, a Blessed Sweet Shabbos Kodesh with Love, and to all my fellow Yidden , a Blessed Sweet Shabbos Kodesh with love.
Moshe then reminds us of how HaShem Sustained us with the Manna and Moshe says the famous words,"not by bread alone does man live , rather by everything that emanates from the Mouth of G-D . " Bread and physicality are just that, temporary sustenance while we live in this Physical Plane. But the true life force is HaShem .
Moshe talks of Eretz Yisroel and cautions us not to get complacent , when we prosper in our Land but to remain faithful to HaShem Who Is Responsible for every thing there is and that we have.
Moshe speaks of how HaShem saved us from all manner of atrocities, including a Massively Large snake that roamed the desert that HaShem kept at bay . HaShem , even today keeps dangers away from us , that we are not even aware of .We don't even know and realize how often HaShem Clears our path for us .
Moshe then discusses the Ark of the Covenant and the Tablets of the Ten Commandments.
Aharon's passing is then mentioned , as are the separation of the Levites as holy unto HaShem .
Moshe then says, "Ve Atah Yisrael Mah HaShem Elokecha Sho'el Mei' imach , Ki ' im Le' Yir'ah Et HaShem Elokecha Lalechet B'Chol-Derachaiv U'le 'Ahava Oto Ve ' La' Avod et HaShem Elokecha Bechol Levav'cha Uvechol Nafshecha . Lishmor et Mitzvos HaShem Ve ' Et Chukotaiv Asher Anochi Metzavcha Hayom LeTov Lach ," - "Now O Israel what does your G-D Ask of you? Only to fear HaShem , your G-D , to go in all His Ways and to Love Him and to serve HaShem your G-D with all your heart and with all your soul, to observe the Commandments of HaShem and His Decrees,which I Command you today, for your benefit ." What beautiful Words and a true way to Holiness. We must always serve HaShem with our heart and soul and not just for the moment . We must realize that when we serve HaShem , we are serving The Creator of all that was ever made and HaShem deserves our undivided attention from our heart and soul - our all - that HaShem Gives us. Sometimes one may think HaShem Wants so much from us. But it is actually the other way around, as it is us who wants so much if not everything from HaShem and HaShem really gets so little if anything at all from us . All HaShem Wants of us is to Fear Him with Love and Awe and to follow His Commandments and Laws and Statutes,with all our Heart and Soul , not for HaShem's Sake, but purely for us to help us improve and get Kavod . HaShem doesn't make the Laws for helping Himself. HaShem Makes the Laws to be a holy pathway to climb , in becoming and being more holy - purely as HaShem Says to us "Letov Lach,"- " for you ( us ) ,solely for our benefit .'
Our Sages see a great depth in the beginning of these lines, for where it asks, 'What does HaShem Ask of us,' for the Hebrew word 'What is ,'Mah," and this word can be read as Me'ah,' which is the Hebrew Word for a 100 . Thus , " What does HaShem Ask of us, " can also be a reference to saying 'Me'ah Brochos,' 100 Brochos at least , every single day. Our Midrash tells of when this idea of 100 Brochos was originally instituted , for it goes back to the incident of Dovid Ha Melech, , where HaShem Had Sent a plague , which took the lives of 100 Jews each day. David looked for a reason of this punishment and he perceived by Ruach Ha Kodesh that the Jews had neglected to Bless and Praise HaShem Correctly and enough , for HaShem's Kindness to us every day , so Dovid Ha Melech instituted the decree that every Jew is to say 100 Brochas - Blessings every day and then the plague stopped . After Dovid's time , this decree was neglected till the Men of the Great Assembly again re-instituted it permanently ( Midrash Bamidbar Rabba ) .
The Sedra goes on to tell us that HaShem Instructs us to love the Proselyte who chooses HaShem with courage.
Moshe then speaks of the happenings again at the Yam Suf and also afterwards, what happened to Dathan and Aviram and then tells us of the beauty of Eretz Yisroel and how it is a Land that HaShem Gives His Jewish people, a land flowing with Milk and Honey, Fed directly from HaShem's Love.
The Parsha ends, with the Second Verse - Paragraph of the Shema Prayer, which talks of the reward for keeping HaShem's Commandments and the Punishments for one who doesn't. We notice in a few places, that this second verse of the Shema is mainly written in the plural, unlike the first Verse - Paragraph of the Shema, in the previous Parsha which is mostly written in the Singular ,for the words in this Second Paragraph, directly affect the Jewish Community as a whole, whereas the First verse of the Shema, is pointed more at the individual. HaShem Tells is of the sweet rewards we get for keeping His Mitzvos and how we are to teach His Torah Laws to our Children at all times.The Parsha ends with how HaShem Will Stand by us and Put the fear of us on our enemies, and this will happen if we keep HaShem's Commandments faithfully .
This Parsha is called Parashas Eikev, which means ' Reward,' in this Context.
The root of the word 'Eikev,' is 'Heel' as in our Fore-Father Yaakov's Name . Thus, Keeping HaShem's Commandments, is like the basis, the foundation to live, and as the heel is our foundation and support, so will be the Keeping of HaShem's Laws , our life and support at all times and Torah Observance will lead to the result of this foundation, which is Reward, in a True Spiritual Way.
Till this time comes , HaShem Rewards us Physically . True Torah Reward cannot be fathomed in a Physical Plane like the one in which we live , for Torah is so deep, that its reward cannot be fathomed in this realm . Torah Reward is too great, and the Physicality hasn't got the total scope to appreciate the true Final Spritual Bliss of ' Eikev,' - 'Reward that will come in the End of Days, for this Physical World cannot possibly truly contain the True Bliss of Holiness in ' Reward ' , that Keeping HaShem's Mitzvos Will end up Giving us , so that is why the true ' Eikev,' - ' Reward ,' can only come in Shamaim or in ' The End Of Days .'
This Physical World is not deeply vast enough and Light and Holy enough in Spiritual depth and Holiness , for the Reward to truly be accomplished here and so , true Reward is only properly paid in Gan Eiden. The word ' Eikev,' also means ,' Because of / On Account Of ,' ( Shilo Dictionary ) and this too explains the same context , running through this Parsha, that because of , or on account of us keeping HaShem's Torah Mitzvos , so will we get our 'Eikev,' - ' Reward.'
The Word 'Eikev,' in Gematriah comes to '70 + 100 + 2 = 172 and 1+7+2 = 10 which is the Number of Completion and thus , keeping HaShem's Commandments, leads to fulfilling One of Creation's Purposes and that is to bring us to Gan Eiden . It also leads us to HaShem , for that number 10 , in the word ' Eikev, ' can be brought deeper, where 1+0 = 1 , which refers to HaShem Who is One and thus , by keeping HaShem's Torah, we join with HaShem's Closeness, which is the Ultimate ' Eikev,' - 'Reward. ' Creation was Created by HaShem with His 10 Pronouncements , thus in keeping HaShem's Commandments, we are joining HaShem in being a part of the Foundation of Creation. The Ten Commandments that are the basis of all the Laws, are also like the Foundation of Mitzvos, and so , in keeping them , it links us with HaShem's Intention of them being Given , so as to Bring Creation to its final End of Days .
The Haftorah for this Parsha is in Yeshayahu Isaiah 49:14-51:3 and within the Chapter of Isaiah from which this section is written, is spoken of how we Jews are a Light unto the Nations and how HaShem Will Never Forsake us.This is one of the task of the Jew, to bring the True Knowledge of HaShem being One, to all the Nations of the Earth, started long ago by our ForeFather Avraham and ForeMother Sarah . The Haftorah ends with how HaShem Will Make our Wilderness like Eden and our Wasteland like the Garden of HaShem , a true tribute to the result of 'Eikev,' - ' Reward,' of us keeping HaShem's Mitzvos as leading to Gan Eiden and Shamaim .
This is the final destination of Creation . To lead us all back to Gan Eiden , through the Pathway of HaShem's Torah Mitzvos . This is the Completion of our Journey, and so, the True 'Eikev,' - ' Reward ,' that final tenth stage that brings us to the End of Days , as this number 10 is hidden in the word 'Eikev,' and the Number 1 , which shows how HaShem Created all things and Is Hidden within all things and so , is this reward of The End of Days , accomplished , in keeping HaShem's Laws of Torah , the True Pathway that leads to the One and Only G-D HaShem HaKadosh Baruch Hu HaShem The Holy One Blessed Be He .
With love to HaShem, I wish HaShem With Love, a Blessed Sweet Shabbos Kodesh with Love, and to all my fellow Yidden , a Blessed Sweet Shabbos Kodesh with love.
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