I dedicate this Torah Sedra Writing to my Ima Chava Rivka Bas Eliyahu Ha Kohein A"H . May HaShem Bless her Neshomele Eternally in Shamaim . The Parsha this week is Parashas Bechukosai.
In this Sedra , HaShem Gives the basis of choice of living in this World and the result that comes from the choice we make . HaShem Gives us a choice to either abide by Him and be Blessed, or turn away from Him , Chas Ve Shalom , and be cursed . This is the basis of choice of living . HaShem Doesn't Make us robots , but gives us the opportunity to choose our own road to travel , and with it , the destination we come to . From the very first moments of Creation , HaShem Put into Creation , Shamaim and an Aretz - a Heaven and Earth . If we hearken to The Voice of HaShem , we make for ourselves a path of Brochas , but if we don't , Chas Ve Shalom , we set ourselves up for many sevens of groups of punishment , as the Sedra says . There is only one way to travel , and that is HaShem's Way .
The Sedra starts with the words , " Im Bechukosai Teileichu V'es Mitzvosai Tishmeru Va'Asitem Otam , " - " If you will follow My Decrees and observe My Commandments and perform them , " then the most wonderful Blessings will abound . But should HaShem's Laws be ignored and treated with casualness , then that choice will bring about its own deserved Curses from HaShem . The epitome of ' casualness ' is Amalek who tries to remove HaShem from the World , Chas Ve Shalom , and tries to take all things HaShem Miraculously does , with casualness . When we came out of Mitzrayim , all the nations were in awe at the Miracles HaShem Performed for us and there was at the time , a great feeling for HaShem in the World . Amalek wanted to cool this fervor down and make it into a casualness , to try remove the Essence for HaShem in the World . All the other nations steered clear of The Children of Israel , but Amalek attacked us from the back , not fearing HaShem . So an action of ' casualness ' is an action like Amalek . An action we are to steer very well clear of . We thus need to keep HaShem's Commandments with fervor and cancel out any feelings of ' casualness . ' May the World come to follow HaShem Only . The word " Im " - " If " shows The Fairness of HaShem , as He Wants us kindly to follow His Decrees and Laws , on our own , to choose HaShem with love . That is the best show of love , if it comes from within us on our own and by our own choice . HaShem Gives us a free choice , unlike most of the Malachim - Angels , who obey His Commandments without choice . So HaShem Puts us on a very trusted level , Hoping we will love Him enough to obey , for our own sake .
The word " " Bechukosai " - " My Decrees , " has within it the word ' Chok , ' which refers to a decree we must keep without an explanation or a full understanding from Him . This again is a great show of love , as to keep a Law without even a deeper understanding of it , is a great show of love , for there is not even the satisfaction of knowing the why's , but obedience to it is purely for the love and faith and Bitachon and Trust in HaShem , Who Knows Best . This is like the era of Mashiach , such a deep era that comes with love from HaShem . The word " Bechukosai ," comes to 520 in Gematria and these numbers add up to 7 , the same as the Gematrical value of the word Mashiach , showing that the way to bring Mashiach , is to love HaShem with a pure trusting love , and follow him wholeheartedly with pure trust and faith , that He Knows Better , in all things. The way HaShem Wants us to keep His Decrees and Mitzvos is to " Teileichu , " - to " Follow " them without question , with a perfect faith and trust in Him . This suggests again a choice of ours not just to wait for a Mitzvah to come along , but to go after it , desperately wanting to fulfill it with love - to " follow " after it with a full heart . To Follow HaShem Only and His Decrees and Mitzvos only , to not just observe them " Tishmeru , " but also to ' Shomer ' ( the root word within " Tishmeru " ) , to ' Guard ,' them and make sure they are never broken , and then to "Va' Asitem Otam ," - " And Do them , " with our whole being , body and soul and heart . And if we can get to a stage like that , we will warrant to go beyond the time of Mashiach ( the number 7 ) and bring about Olam Habah , the step after Mashiach comes , represented as it starts with the number 8 , and if we count the words in the first verse of this Parsha , of the last Parsha in the third book of the Torah Vayikra - the Book of the Priests , we see that there are 8 words in the verse . Often in Yiddishkeit , we have the idea of the holy 7 leading into 8 , like the Shabbos that will continue when it becomes Eternal to us , or the counting of the Omer for Seven Weeks and then that next day ( 50th day ) is the 8th day after that 7th week .
First the Sedra discusses the blessings and then the curses . The Curses sound very harsh , and are much longer then the Blessings , and this is due to human nature having a Yetzer Horah that needs strictness at times . But even in these Curses and these negative things that come upon the Wrong-doers , there is with Well Meaning HaShem , a hidden Blessing within each Curse , where each curse can be turned around into a Blessing if only we listen . So if we listen , all the Curses will be turned the other way around , and become Blessings . All Curses are thus designed to eventually bring the Jew back to HaShem in Obedience . As strong as these Tochachah Admonitions sound , Listening to HaShem's Decrees and His Mitzvos , will lead us all back to our intended destiny with HaShem . These Tochachah Admonitions , were Said by HaShem , where as the Tochacha in Devarim , were related by Moshe Rabbeinu . The Haftorah , in Yirmeyahu 16:9 - 17:4 speaks with the same ideas of choosing to obey HaShem . The path to HaShem is to follow HaShem's " Bechukosai " - " Decrees " and Laws . Then HaShem can let us all go to Shamaim , where HaShem's Love Will Abound . Shamamim can just be a choice away , depending on what we choose . HaShem's Blessings Are Endless , so may we all choose the Right Path , the Path of HaShem Ha Kadosh Baruch Hu .
I wish HaShem with Love , a Very Special and Beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with much Love and to my beloved Ima A"H with much and endearing love and to all my fellow Jews , a very special and beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with love .
Friday, 31 May 2019
Friday, 24 May 2019
Parashas Behar
Our Parsha this week is Parashas Behar.
This Parsha starts out with Commandments of the Shemittah Sabbatical Year and then the Yovel Jubilee Year. Like every Seventh Day Shabbos , we must rest and surround ourselves within HaShem's Love, so on every Seventh Shemittah Sabbatical Year , we are to let the land lie fallow and not work it , so that the land in Eretz Yisroel may have its rest. Like Shabbos , where we are not to work and earn a living on that day , so are we on every Sabbatical Year , to let the land have its rest. Both are our beautiful opportunity , to show total faith and trust in HaShem that He Will Watch over us and Give us sustenance, without working for it . This is total trust in HaShem , that He Provides for all . Also , letting the land lie fallow, reminds us that it is not ours, but all Belongs to HaShem .
Counting Seven Sabbatical Years, the following 50th Year is a Yovel Jubilee Year. We announce it with a broken Shofar Blast on Yom Kippur . This is a Year of Freedom , for slaves to go free and certain people's property that was sold , returns to its tribe . Redemption of land is then discussed , including Laws of return of the land in the 50th Jubilee Year and also that Laws are different for walled and unwalled towns , depending on how they were at the time of Yehoshuah - Joshua . Levite cities are also spoken of in this Parsha in this vain. The Number Seven is always a holy number , with it being the value of the Hebrew Word Moshiach in Gematriah , the Seven Days of the week , Seventh Day Shabbos and Seventh Year Shemittah among many other Sevens .
HaShem Then Discusses the need to help a fellow Jew who is impoverished and in a desperate financial situation.We are also not to take interest and increase from a fellow Jew .
We are taught how to treat a Jewish Slave ,with the same caring as we would like for ourselves. One may not take advantage of him in any way or assign him tasks that we ourselves wouldn't do.
The Parsha ends with HaShem Instructing us not protrate on a flooring stone , nor may we folow Avodah Arah - Idol worship Chas Ve Shalom . We are to honor HaShem's Shabboses and HaShem's Santuary . The Haftorah Jeremiah 32:6-27 deals with Redemption of land , as it does in the Parsha.
The Parsha is called " Behar " - " Mount , " and this , as the next word shows , is Mount Sinai - Har Sinai . The Parsha talks of these Laws of Shemittah being given on Har Sinai , even though it is only mentioned now .
There is a reason for this . HaShem Is Telling us that all Laws were given then , and so continue on forever . Every Jew carries within our Neshoma - Soul , Har Sinai and HaShem's Holy Revelation there , when HaShem Came Down on the Mountain . It directly says in Torah that ' HaShem Came Down , ' which as Rabbi Manis Friedman puts it , this ' Coming Down ' refers to HaShem Bringing Himself Down to us and thus Making Himself Vulnerable . This suggests that HaShem Opened Himself Up To us , thus Putting Himself in the vulnerable position of Being Exposed To us and Allowing Himself To Be Hurt by us . And that is exactly what happened when the Chait Ha Eigel was made , HaShem Exposed Himself and Put Himself In The Position To Be Hurt , By Being Vulnerable , thus HaShem Trusted us With Himself . How sad that we hurt Him . HaShem Opened Himself Up To Bring us Closer to Him . This is what HaShem Does all the time . HaShem Is Always Calling us Close to Him. If only we would listen and heed Him . Every Jew carries Har Sinai within , the time when HaShem Came Down to Reveal Himself To us. The whole Essence of this Event , was one of pure humility , where HaShem Humbled Himself To Come Down to us . Even Har Sinai at the time was not the tallest Mountain , so why was it chosen ? At the time , when all the Mountains there heard that HaShem Would Reveal Himself On a Mountain , they all ( as the Psalm says that we read in Hallel that they came skipping spiritually ) to be the one on which HaShem Would Reveal Himself , but Har Sinai humbled Itself , thinking itself not worthy to Have HaShem Come Down on it , and so , HaShem Chose Har Sinai , for His Revelation . This Teaches us that Torah Wisdom is acquired by humility . Being open to learning . To become Holy , we must be like Har Sinai and like the humble Bamidbar - Wilderness in which we traveled - we must be Humble . Humilty Can thus lead to Holiness . The word " Behar " also has within it , the word ' Ro'eh or Re'eh and even" Harei " all referring to " What is seen , " as a Revelation . For it was on a Har , a Mountain , That HaShem's Shechinah Was Revealed to us . This Revelation and HaShem's Voice With it , is Never Ending . It Stretches Across the Ages , for all Laws were Given To Moshe on this Mountain , Laws Revealed to us in Torah She Be ' Michtav ( Written ) and Torah She ' Be' Al Peh ( Oral ) both making up the Revelation of Laws on Har Sinai , with its depth of Wisdom and Halachos through the ages and the Secrets to understanding the written Word , all revealed to Moshe Rabbeinu , whose name in Hebrew ( Moshe Rabbeinu ) has the Gematrical value of 613 , the exact number of Mitzvos every Jew is to keep . Humility is the path to HaShem . Moshe Himself was the most Humble man and he climbed through the many Gates of Wisdom ( 49 to 50 like the Yovel number ) to be close to HaShem .
HaShem's Voice from Har Sinai , Penetrates the ages and Continues on , to each generation , sent out at that time , for HaShem's Voice is never ending , having no echo , for nothing can stop It or contain It . His Voice carries through the Ages , Still Revealing His Secrets of Torah to us all . We need only listen .
Within the Hebrew word " Behar , " is the word ' Chorev ' which is another name that this Mountain is referred to in Torah . The name Chorev as Talmud Bavli Shabbos 89 shows by Rabbi Abbahu , is that ' it was called Mount Horeb ( Chorev ) because desolation ( ' Hurbah ' ) to idolators descended thereon ' and the other Rabbis here say ' it was called the Wilderness of Sinai because hostility ( ' sin'ah ) toward idolators descended thereon . ' ( Mi Yodeah ) .
Also within the name " Behar " is the word ' Harbei ' - ' Many , ' for Many Laws were Given by HaShem on the Mountain .
The Revelation at Har Sinai was the only True Religious Revelation witnessed collectively by over 600 000 people , unlike may other false beliefs that claim a seeing of one or two or a small few handful of people . This Revelation of HaShem on the 6th of Sivan that is Shavuos , that we are headed to now , was a long awaited day by HaShem since Creation , for hidden in the words in Bereishis , every day of Creation is written as an indefinite article " a fourth day , a fifth day , " but only the Sixth day was written with a definite article " The " where Chazal teach us that this is so , as this sixth day refers to another Sixth Day as well to come , and this Sixth Day was the Sixth of Sivan , the Revelation on Har Sinai . Thus HaShem Waited all the Generations from Creation to His Revelation on Mount Sinai to Reveal Himself to His people . Creation is totally interlinked with HaShem Being Among us in Love .
Each and every Jew carries HaShem's Light within and so , as HaShem Spoke all the Laws at Har Sinai , so are we to carry These Laws within us humbly always . HaShem's Revelation on Behar Sinai is in the Heart and Soul of Every Jew , past , present and still to come and so HaShem's Voice Will Carry us into the future and into Olam Ha Bah The Word To Come , and HaShem Will Be With us Always and His Voice , Within Our Soul , Carrying us into Gan Eiden , when Creation with return back to HaShem and we will forever be within HaShem's Love and Light .
I wish HaShem With Love , A Beautiful and Sweet Shabbos Kodesh with Love , and to all my fellow Yidden , a beautiful and sweet Shabbos Kodesh with love .
This Parsha starts out with Commandments of the Shemittah Sabbatical Year and then the Yovel Jubilee Year. Like every Seventh Day Shabbos , we must rest and surround ourselves within HaShem's Love, so on every Seventh Shemittah Sabbatical Year , we are to let the land lie fallow and not work it , so that the land in Eretz Yisroel may have its rest. Like Shabbos , where we are not to work and earn a living on that day , so are we on every Sabbatical Year , to let the land have its rest. Both are our beautiful opportunity , to show total faith and trust in HaShem that He Will Watch over us and Give us sustenance, without working for it . This is total trust in HaShem , that He Provides for all . Also , letting the land lie fallow, reminds us that it is not ours, but all Belongs to HaShem .
Counting Seven Sabbatical Years, the following 50th Year is a Yovel Jubilee Year. We announce it with a broken Shofar Blast on Yom Kippur . This is a Year of Freedom , for slaves to go free and certain people's property that was sold , returns to its tribe . Redemption of land is then discussed , including Laws of return of the land in the 50th Jubilee Year and also that Laws are different for walled and unwalled towns , depending on how they were at the time of Yehoshuah - Joshua . Levite cities are also spoken of in this Parsha in this vain. The Number Seven is always a holy number , with it being the value of the Hebrew Word Moshiach in Gematriah , the Seven Days of the week , Seventh Day Shabbos and Seventh Year Shemittah among many other Sevens .
HaShem Then Discusses the need to help a fellow Jew who is impoverished and in a desperate financial situation.We are also not to take interest and increase from a fellow Jew .
We are taught how to treat a Jewish Slave ,with the same caring as we would like for ourselves. One may not take advantage of him in any way or assign him tasks that we ourselves wouldn't do.
The Parsha ends with HaShem Instructing us not protrate on a flooring stone , nor may we folow Avodah Arah - Idol worship Chas Ve Shalom . We are to honor HaShem's Shabboses and HaShem's Santuary . The Haftorah Jeremiah 32:6-27 deals with Redemption of land , as it does in the Parsha.
The Parsha is called " Behar " - " Mount , " and this , as the next word shows , is Mount Sinai - Har Sinai . The Parsha talks of these Laws of Shemittah being given on Har Sinai , even though it is only mentioned now .
There is a reason for this . HaShem Is Telling us that all Laws were given then , and so continue on forever . Every Jew carries within our Neshoma - Soul , Har Sinai and HaShem's Holy Revelation there , when HaShem Came Down on the Mountain . It directly says in Torah that ' HaShem Came Down , ' which as Rabbi Manis Friedman puts it , this ' Coming Down ' refers to HaShem Bringing Himself Down to us and thus Making Himself Vulnerable . This suggests that HaShem Opened Himself Up To us , thus Putting Himself in the vulnerable position of Being Exposed To us and Allowing Himself To Be Hurt by us . And that is exactly what happened when the Chait Ha Eigel was made , HaShem Exposed Himself and Put Himself In The Position To Be Hurt , By Being Vulnerable , thus HaShem Trusted us With Himself . How sad that we hurt Him . HaShem Opened Himself Up To Bring us Closer to Him . This is what HaShem Does all the time . HaShem Is Always Calling us Close to Him. If only we would listen and heed Him . Every Jew carries Har Sinai within , the time when HaShem Came Down to Reveal Himself To us. The whole Essence of this Event , was one of pure humility , where HaShem Humbled Himself To Come Down to us . Even Har Sinai at the time was not the tallest Mountain , so why was it chosen ? At the time , when all the Mountains there heard that HaShem Would Reveal Himself On a Mountain , they all ( as the Psalm says that we read in Hallel that they came skipping spiritually ) to be the one on which HaShem Would Reveal Himself , but Har Sinai humbled Itself , thinking itself not worthy to Have HaShem Come Down on it , and so , HaShem Chose Har Sinai , for His Revelation . This Teaches us that Torah Wisdom is acquired by humility . Being open to learning . To become Holy , we must be like Har Sinai and like the humble Bamidbar - Wilderness in which we traveled - we must be Humble . Humilty Can thus lead to Holiness . The word " Behar " also has within it , the word ' Ro'eh or Re'eh and even" Harei " all referring to " What is seen , " as a Revelation . For it was on a Har , a Mountain , That HaShem's Shechinah Was Revealed to us . This Revelation and HaShem's Voice With it , is Never Ending . It Stretches Across the Ages , for all Laws were Given To Moshe on this Mountain , Laws Revealed to us in Torah She Be ' Michtav ( Written ) and Torah She ' Be' Al Peh ( Oral ) both making up the Revelation of Laws on Har Sinai , with its depth of Wisdom and Halachos through the ages and the Secrets to understanding the written Word , all revealed to Moshe Rabbeinu , whose name in Hebrew ( Moshe Rabbeinu ) has the Gematrical value of 613 , the exact number of Mitzvos every Jew is to keep . Humility is the path to HaShem . Moshe Himself was the most Humble man and he climbed through the many Gates of Wisdom ( 49 to 50 like the Yovel number ) to be close to HaShem .
HaShem's Voice from Har Sinai , Penetrates the ages and Continues on , to each generation , sent out at that time , for HaShem's Voice is never ending , having no echo , for nothing can stop It or contain It . His Voice carries through the Ages , Still Revealing His Secrets of Torah to us all . We need only listen .
Within the Hebrew word " Behar , " is the word ' Chorev ' which is another name that this Mountain is referred to in Torah . The name Chorev as Talmud Bavli Shabbos 89 shows by Rabbi Abbahu , is that ' it was called Mount Horeb ( Chorev ) because desolation ( ' Hurbah ' ) to idolators descended thereon ' and the other Rabbis here say ' it was called the Wilderness of Sinai because hostility ( ' sin'ah ) toward idolators descended thereon . ' ( Mi Yodeah ) .
Also within the name " Behar " is the word ' Harbei ' - ' Many , ' for Many Laws were Given by HaShem on the Mountain .
The Revelation at Har Sinai was the only True Religious Revelation witnessed collectively by over 600 000 people , unlike may other false beliefs that claim a seeing of one or two or a small few handful of people . This Revelation of HaShem on the 6th of Sivan that is Shavuos , that we are headed to now , was a long awaited day by HaShem since Creation , for hidden in the words in Bereishis , every day of Creation is written as an indefinite article " a fourth day , a fifth day , " but only the Sixth day was written with a definite article " The " where Chazal teach us that this is so , as this sixth day refers to another Sixth Day as well to come , and this Sixth Day was the Sixth of Sivan , the Revelation on Har Sinai . Thus HaShem Waited all the Generations from Creation to His Revelation on Mount Sinai to Reveal Himself to His people . Creation is totally interlinked with HaShem Being Among us in Love .
Each and every Jew carries HaShem's Light within and so , as HaShem Spoke all the Laws at Har Sinai , so are we to carry These Laws within us humbly always . HaShem's Revelation on Behar Sinai is in the Heart and Soul of Every Jew , past , present and still to come and so HaShem's Voice Will Carry us into the future and into Olam Ha Bah The Word To Come , and HaShem Will Be With us Always and His Voice , Within Our Soul , Carrying us into Gan Eiden , when Creation with return back to HaShem and we will forever be within HaShem's Love and Light .
I wish HaShem With Love , A Beautiful and Sweet Shabbos Kodesh with Love , and to all my fellow Yidden , a beautiful and sweet Shabbos Kodesh with love .
Friday, 17 May 2019
Parashas Emor
Our Parsha this week is Parashas Emor. This Parsha starts out with instructions to the Kohanim , the sons of Aharon , the teachers and keepers of holiness for our people's Temple Services . A Kohein , who does the work of the Sanctuary , had to be pure and holy, keeping away from all forms of Tum'a Impurity and marrying purity . The Laws of the Kohein Gadol were even more strict , purity wise . The Kohein had to be pure in Spirit and Body. The Kohein Gadol had to be a man of pure standing, looked up upon in the community , one of strict holiness . The anointment of the Kohein Gadol with the Shemen Ha Mishchah , the Holy Anointing Oil brought even more purity to him and even and more physical strength. We see this in Aharon who , when he had to anoint the other Levites ,The Torah Tells us how he had to lift each one and move them from side to side , waving them in the air all in one day , and we are talking of over 22 000 Levites ( Vayikra. 8:11 ) . In those days, a Spiritual defect showed up as a Physical defect, so the Kohanim had to be Spiritually pure.
The portions given to the Kohanim , like Terumah, is then discussed and the Parsha then instructs that even the Korbanos had to be without blemish. We are reminded of a story in the Gemorrah , sometimes learnt on Tisha B' Av of Kamtza and Bar Kamtza , where a certain person / host asked his helper to invite Kamzta to a banquet and, due to the similarity of these names, the the wrong one Bar Kamtza , the host's enemy was invited mistakenly, who was an enemy of the host of the banquet . Bar Kamtza pleaded , in order to save his embarrassment , to at first pay for his meal, then half the banquet and eventually offered to pay for the full banquet , but each time , the host rejected it and wanted him to leave . On leaving , Bar Kamtza got so angry at the host and the leaders of the congregation there , that they should have protested, that he went to the roman leader and told him a lie that we want to rebel, and that the roman leader should test our Jewish people , by sending a Korban to see if we would accept it on our altar. The beheimah was given through Bar Kamtza and he purposefully caused a Moom, a blemish on its lip , knowing we couldn't accept it , and so started Nero's upset and rome's resulting destruction of our Holy Temple ( Gemorrah Gittin ) . So , the Korbanos offered must be pure and without blemish to be acceptable .
HaShem Then Commands in the Parsha , not to desecrate His Holy Name and how HaShem's Holy Name is to be Sanctified by us .
A Jew is called upon to sacrifice his or her life , should the Jew be called upon to sin in idolworship, murder or immorality , Chas Ve Shalom . The same applies, if a Jew is asked to break a Torah Commandment in front of ten other Jews Chas Ve Shalom . Throughout the ages , our fellow Jews have gone to their deaths, for Kiddush HaShem , in Sanctifying HaShem's Holy Name . We Jews are still here today , from our ancestors who would not give up on our Holy Yiddishkeit . In today's times , we can still perform this Mitzvah , by not stopping our Torah Laws , in the face of being told not to . The very way we portray ourselves to others , in being upstanding moral , as Jews , Sanctifies HaShem's Name . We as Jews must be proud of who we are , as HaShem's Light Unto the Nations , and teach others to follow HaShem's Laws , and never follow or acknowledge any of their pagan ways or traditions ever .
HaShem then discussed the Holy Yomim Tovim Holy Festivals of Pesach ( when we left Mitzrayim ) , The Omer we count ( as we are doing right now ) in between , for 49 days till the 50th day of Shavuot , where we purify ourselves through the 49 Gates of Purity and Wisdom , till we reach the Holy Festival of Shavuot , on which day , we received the Ten Commandments and Met HaShem at the foot of Har Sinai on the 6th of Sivan . It is interesting to note , that in Bereishis , where each day of Creation is referred to as an indefinite article ' one day , a second day .... , ' yet the Sixth Day , has a definite article " The . " Our Rabbis of Blessed Memory teach that this specific " The , " points to another specific 'Sixth Day ,' which is the Sixth Day of Sivan on Mount Sinai , for Shavuot. This shows that even at Creation , HaShem Linked it with the day we received His Law , on Har Sinai , for had we not accepted it , there would have been no purpose for a Creation that does not uphold HaShem's Laws and so, Creation would have reverted back to ' Nothingness . ' Creation exists only to fulfill the Will of HaShem.
Then Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur is discussed in the Parsha , and then Succos and Shemini Atzeres , where we take The Arba Minim , The Four Species, and put them together and rejoice throughout Succos. The four species have many representations , like referring to the four types of Jews , having Torah Knowledge or Torah Actions in different degrees. The can also refer to our Foremothers . The Succah we build , takes us back to HaShem's Clouds of Glory that surrounded us in the Wilderness .
The Menorah is then discussed, and we can learn from this to always let our Neshoma point toward HaShem , just as the lights on the Menorah pointed toward the central stem . Also only Pure Clear Olive Oil , pressed from the first drop of squeezed olive oil was used, just as we are to serve HaShem with total purity and holiness . HaShem Then Discussed the Showbread , the twelve loaves every Shabbos baked on the day before , that lasted in freshness from one Shabbos to the Next .
The Parsha ends with the blasphemer, just after discussing in the Parsha about the Showbread, for it was the subject of the Showbread that the blasphemer started talking of , to blaspheme HaShem .
This blasphemer was the progeny of an Egyptian and a Jewish woman named Shelomis Bas Divri , Dasan's wife . This was the same Dasan , whom Moshe saved in Egypt , from an Egyptian Task-master. Shelomis , who had this name as she immodestly was always saying Shalom - Hello to everyone , chatting impurely with men who weren't her husband . One day , the Task -master , had come to Dasan and her home , and he took a liking to her , especially due to the fact that she was quite forward with him and displayed no Tznius modesty . So , when Dasan left the home one day , the Egyptian Task-master returned and so was this Mekalel - Blasphemer born . The Mekalel , first started to try put down HaShem by mockimg the Miracle of the Showbreads lasting all week in freshness , and then moved his tent into the place where the tribe of Dan were situated in their positions , for before , the Mekalel , had lived outside, with the Tamim - impure ones . A certain Jewish member of the tribe of Dan told the Mekalel, that he doesn't belong there as his Father was an Egyptian , and tribal lineage only goes through the Father . The Mekalel argued and the Danite told him to remove himself as he is not allowed to be there . A Beis Din was called for the matter and the subject of the death of the Mekalel's Father came up , where the Mekalel, the Blasphemer heard that his Egyptian Father had died , when Moshe had pronounced the Shem Ha Meforash - The Deep Name of HaShem , to save Dasan that day , to kill the Enemy Egyptian . The Mekalel , Blasphemer in anger , blamed HaShem and HaShem's Deep Name for the death of his Egyptian Father and the Mekalel proceeded to blaspheme HaShem's Name and so , HaShem Intructed him to be sentenced to death .
The Laws of an eye for an eye are repeated again , teaching the consequences of wronging another , that restitution need be paid , in monetary value , according to deep secrets within the text of this verse .So ends the Parsha .
The Haftorah is Yechezkel 44:15-31 and also speaks of the holiness of the Kohanim , just like our Parsha.
We notice , that the word " Emor ," the name of the Parsha , can be an indication of the future tense . We also note that the root of " Emor , " appears three times in this verse , as " Vayomer, " " Emor , " and " Ve ' Amarta . " This shows the pathway of all Holy Laws . They Start From HaShem , then come down to us in our Torah and also to our Holy Leaders and Kohanim , and we are then taught . The very fact that the word " Emor ," is in the Future Tense , shows that Torah Learning must be ongoing , into every generation . It ( The Torah and It's Laws ) , are what gives Creation , its reason for continuing . As I said earlier , had Torah not been accepted , the reason for Creation , would have been returned to Nothingness . Thus , with HaShem's Torah , HaShem Is Giving each one of us to play a part in holding up the World and Keeping Creation going . The path of " Emor , " of continuing the pathway of HaShem's Commandments , in Torah , is what will lead us into the World to Come Olam Ha bah after Moshiach Comes . This is also hidden within the word " Emor , " for its Gematrical value is 1+40+200=241 and 2+4+1=7 , the same value as the Hebrew Word Moshiach . All HaShem's Commandments were spoken before at the beginning , and HaShem's " Emor " Speech , Is Eternal . What HaShem Says , With His Voice , Continues Forever . So Everything HaShem Said , Is Ongoing , And Continues To Enter into us into the future . So explains the one opinion of the future tense of the word " Emor ," for HaShem's Commands and Voice , Even That Was Spoken Back Then , Is Ongoing . Sometimes , when we ask HaShem a question , HaShem Who Is All Knowing , we can be assured that HaShem Knew at the beginning of Creation that we would ask it , and gave the answer back them . His Answer Filters To us Through the ages , into the future , To Answer us when , in the future , we might ask it . How Amazing is HaShem . HaShem Created Creation via " Emor " - " Speaking ," and so , Continues to Create , since the Beginning .
If we listen closely , we might hear The Beauty of HaShem " Emor " Talking to us from within .
HaShem Wants us holy and pure . We need to listen carefully to His Commandments and so , travel toward HaShem and His Created Olam Habah - The World To Come . As HaShem Continues To Speak To us through the ages , may we continue to listen , and so , let HaShem's Words Carry us into the future , into the time of Moshiach , where we can live within HaShem's " Emor , " in His Everlasting Love .
With Everlasting Love , I wish HaShem with Everlasting Love , a Beautiful and Sweet Shabbos Kodesh with Love , and to all my fellow Jews , a beautiful and sweet Shabbos Kodesh with love .
The portions given to the Kohanim , like Terumah, is then discussed and the Parsha then instructs that even the Korbanos had to be without blemish. We are reminded of a story in the Gemorrah , sometimes learnt on Tisha B' Av of Kamtza and Bar Kamtza , where a certain person / host asked his helper to invite Kamzta to a banquet and, due to the similarity of these names, the the wrong one Bar Kamtza , the host's enemy was invited mistakenly, who was an enemy of the host of the banquet . Bar Kamtza pleaded , in order to save his embarrassment , to at first pay for his meal, then half the banquet and eventually offered to pay for the full banquet , but each time , the host rejected it and wanted him to leave . On leaving , Bar Kamtza got so angry at the host and the leaders of the congregation there , that they should have protested, that he went to the roman leader and told him a lie that we want to rebel, and that the roman leader should test our Jewish people , by sending a Korban to see if we would accept it on our altar. The beheimah was given through Bar Kamtza and he purposefully caused a Moom, a blemish on its lip , knowing we couldn't accept it , and so started Nero's upset and rome's resulting destruction of our Holy Temple ( Gemorrah Gittin ) . So , the Korbanos offered must be pure and without blemish to be acceptable .
HaShem Then Commands in the Parsha , not to desecrate His Holy Name and how HaShem's Holy Name is to be Sanctified by us .
A Jew is called upon to sacrifice his or her life , should the Jew be called upon to sin in idolworship, murder or immorality , Chas Ve Shalom . The same applies, if a Jew is asked to break a Torah Commandment in front of ten other Jews Chas Ve Shalom . Throughout the ages , our fellow Jews have gone to their deaths, for Kiddush HaShem , in Sanctifying HaShem's Holy Name . We Jews are still here today , from our ancestors who would not give up on our Holy Yiddishkeit . In today's times , we can still perform this Mitzvah , by not stopping our Torah Laws , in the face of being told not to . The very way we portray ourselves to others , in being upstanding moral , as Jews , Sanctifies HaShem's Name . We as Jews must be proud of who we are , as HaShem's Light Unto the Nations , and teach others to follow HaShem's Laws , and never follow or acknowledge any of their pagan ways or traditions ever .
HaShem then discussed the Holy Yomim Tovim Holy Festivals of Pesach ( when we left Mitzrayim ) , The Omer we count ( as we are doing right now ) in between , for 49 days till the 50th day of Shavuot , where we purify ourselves through the 49 Gates of Purity and Wisdom , till we reach the Holy Festival of Shavuot , on which day , we received the Ten Commandments and Met HaShem at the foot of Har Sinai on the 6th of Sivan . It is interesting to note , that in Bereishis , where each day of Creation is referred to as an indefinite article ' one day , a second day .... , ' yet the Sixth Day , has a definite article " The . " Our Rabbis of Blessed Memory teach that this specific " The , " points to another specific 'Sixth Day ,' which is the Sixth Day of Sivan on Mount Sinai , for Shavuot. This shows that even at Creation , HaShem Linked it with the day we received His Law , on Har Sinai , for had we not accepted it , there would have been no purpose for a Creation that does not uphold HaShem's Laws and so, Creation would have reverted back to ' Nothingness . ' Creation exists only to fulfill the Will of HaShem.
Then Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur is discussed in the Parsha , and then Succos and Shemini Atzeres , where we take The Arba Minim , The Four Species, and put them together and rejoice throughout Succos. The four species have many representations , like referring to the four types of Jews , having Torah Knowledge or Torah Actions in different degrees. The can also refer to our Foremothers . The Succah we build , takes us back to HaShem's Clouds of Glory that surrounded us in the Wilderness .
The Menorah is then discussed, and we can learn from this to always let our Neshoma point toward HaShem , just as the lights on the Menorah pointed toward the central stem . Also only Pure Clear Olive Oil , pressed from the first drop of squeezed olive oil was used, just as we are to serve HaShem with total purity and holiness . HaShem Then Discussed the Showbread , the twelve loaves every Shabbos baked on the day before , that lasted in freshness from one Shabbos to the Next .
The Parsha ends with the blasphemer, just after discussing in the Parsha about the Showbread, for it was the subject of the Showbread that the blasphemer started talking of , to blaspheme HaShem .
This blasphemer was the progeny of an Egyptian and a Jewish woman named Shelomis Bas Divri , Dasan's wife . This was the same Dasan , whom Moshe saved in Egypt , from an Egyptian Task-master. Shelomis , who had this name as she immodestly was always saying Shalom - Hello to everyone , chatting impurely with men who weren't her husband . One day , the Task -master , had come to Dasan and her home , and he took a liking to her , especially due to the fact that she was quite forward with him and displayed no Tznius modesty . So , when Dasan left the home one day , the Egyptian Task-master returned and so was this Mekalel - Blasphemer born . The Mekalel , first started to try put down HaShem by mockimg the Miracle of the Showbreads lasting all week in freshness , and then moved his tent into the place where the tribe of Dan were situated in their positions , for before , the Mekalel , had lived outside, with the Tamim - impure ones . A certain Jewish member of the tribe of Dan told the Mekalel, that he doesn't belong there as his Father was an Egyptian , and tribal lineage only goes through the Father . The Mekalel argued and the Danite told him to remove himself as he is not allowed to be there . A Beis Din was called for the matter and the subject of the death of the Mekalel's Father came up , where the Mekalel, the Blasphemer heard that his Egyptian Father had died , when Moshe had pronounced the Shem Ha Meforash - The Deep Name of HaShem , to save Dasan that day , to kill the Enemy Egyptian . The Mekalel , Blasphemer in anger , blamed HaShem and HaShem's Deep Name for the death of his Egyptian Father and the Mekalel proceeded to blaspheme HaShem's Name and so , HaShem Intructed him to be sentenced to death .
The Laws of an eye for an eye are repeated again , teaching the consequences of wronging another , that restitution need be paid , in monetary value , according to deep secrets within the text of this verse .So ends the Parsha .
The Haftorah is Yechezkel 44:15-31 and also speaks of the holiness of the Kohanim , just like our Parsha.
We notice , that the word " Emor ," the name of the Parsha , can be an indication of the future tense . We also note that the root of " Emor , " appears three times in this verse , as " Vayomer, " " Emor , " and " Ve ' Amarta . " This shows the pathway of all Holy Laws . They Start From HaShem , then come down to us in our Torah and also to our Holy Leaders and Kohanim , and we are then taught . The very fact that the word " Emor ," is in the Future Tense , shows that Torah Learning must be ongoing , into every generation . It ( The Torah and It's Laws ) , are what gives Creation , its reason for continuing . As I said earlier , had Torah not been accepted , the reason for Creation , would have been returned to Nothingness . Thus , with HaShem's Torah , HaShem Is Giving each one of us to play a part in holding up the World and Keeping Creation going . The path of " Emor , " of continuing the pathway of HaShem's Commandments , in Torah , is what will lead us into the World to Come Olam Ha bah after Moshiach Comes . This is also hidden within the word " Emor , " for its Gematrical value is 1+40+200=241 and 2+4+1=7 , the same value as the Hebrew Word Moshiach . All HaShem's Commandments were spoken before at the beginning , and HaShem's " Emor " Speech , Is Eternal . What HaShem Says , With His Voice , Continues Forever . So Everything HaShem Said , Is Ongoing , And Continues To Enter into us into the future . So explains the one opinion of the future tense of the word " Emor ," for HaShem's Commands and Voice , Even That Was Spoken Back Then , Is Ongoing . Sometimes , when we ask HaShem a question , HaShem Who Is All Knowing , we can be assured that HaShem Knew at the beginning of Creation that we would ask it , and gave the answer back them . His Answer Filters To us Through the ages , into the future , To Answer us when , in the future , we might ask it . How Amazing is HaShem . HaShem Created Creation via " Emor " - " Speaking ," and so , Continues to Create , since the Beginning .
If we listen closely , we might hear The Beauty of HaShem " Emor " Talking to us from within .
HaShem Wants us holy and pure . We need to listen carefully to His Commandments and so , travel toward HaShem and His Created Olam Habah - The World To Come . As HaShem Continues To Speak To us through the ages , may we continue to listen , and so , let HaShem's Words Carry us into the future , into the time of Moshiach , where we can live within HaShem's " Emor , " in His Everlasting Love .
With Everlasting Love , I wish HaShem with Everlasting Love , a Beautiful and Sweet Shabbos Kodesh with Love , and to all my fellow Jews , a beautiful and sweet Shabbos Kodesh with love .
Friday, 10 May 2019
Parashas Kedoshim
Our Parsha this week is Parashas Kedoshim. In the last Parsha , at the end , we were cautioned not to do as others before have done that contaminated the Land of Israel . We are to keep the Laws of HaShem. Now through Moshe , HaShem Addresses the whole nation of Israel with these coming Laws , that expand on a day to day righteous way of living , the Laws of the Ten Commandments expanded , and thus , the entire assembly of the Children of Israel had to be spoken to. At the basis of HaShem's Torah , is the Command that appears at the beginnning of this Sedra , " Kedoshim Tiheyu Ki Kadosh Ani , Ani HaShem Elokeichem , " - " You shall be holy , for Holy Am I , HaShem your G-D . " This is the basis and deep reason for all of HaShem's Torah . That we become Holy and Emulate our Creator , HaShem Ha Kadosh Baruch Hu . Even the Haftorah for this Sedra Yechezkiel 20 : 1-20 ( depending on either the Ashkenazik or Sephardic custom which starts at verse 2 ) , also speaks of some of these Laws appearing in our Sedra and how they must not be broken . Thus HaShem Wants us to be Holy and close to Him .
In the last Sedra, the Laws of how not to act in the Holy Land are mentioned and now here, in this Sedra, Laws are expanded of how we are to behave in the Holy Land and in many instances , everywhere . This Parsha is like the collection of diamonds in the Torah , for the gamut of Holy Laws mentioned in this Parsha .
The First Law mentioned , is the reverence for our parents , who are partners with HaShem , in bringing us into this World. The verse here says " Revere , " and " Mother " is put first , unlike in the Ten Commandments , where it says " Honor , " and there, " Father , " is put first . The reason for this is that when it comes to " Revering ," one usually "Reveres ( Fears ) one's Father more , so Torah Tells us first , that we are also to have Reverence for our Mother , but in the case of the Ten Commandments , where it uses the word " Honour " and puts the Father first , where people feel more Honor and emotional softness toward a Mother, so Torah warns us to Honor our Fathers .
After this , HaShem Commands us about the Shabbos and that all are to observe It . The fact that the Observance of the Shabbos, is juxtaposed with the respect for Parents ,who are also part of the " every man ," in the verse , shows that Parents to are subservient to the Shabbos and so , Parents must not be obeyed , should they Chas Ve Shalom , request their child to break Shabbos or Torah Laws . For we all , are under HaShem . Then in this Parsha , just like in the Ten Commandments , HaShem Forbids idols of any kind . Only HaShem Derves our Faithfullness . We notice that with many of HaShem's Requests of us in this Sedra , they end with the Words , " Ani HaShem Elokeichem ," showing us how HaShem Is in every Mitzvah and Commandment we do . And when we do for others , we do for HaShem Within them .
HaShem Deals then with Piggul , rejected offerings , and goes on to talk of gifts for the poor where people are to leave the corners of their fields for the poor , as well as articles farmed , that are dropped , and how they are to be left for the poor and the proselyte . HaShem Tells us then not too steal , lie or deny falsely to others . We are not to use HaShem's Name in vain . We are to have honesty, not cheating our fellow in any way. We are not to rob , and we are not to keep a worker's wage till morning , not to curse the deaf , which also means , to deceive in any way that the deceiver might not know the full story . We are not " to place a Stumbling Block Before the Blind . " This means not to get others to sin and thus distance them from HaShem . The Sedra mentions honest Judges , who are not to favor one side over the other .
The Parsha continues that we are not to go up as a gossip-monger among our people and never to stand by while our fellow's blood is shed , thus not to turn against our own fellow Jews .
We are not to hate our fellow Jew in our heart and take all things as HaShem's Providence . We are to reprove our fellow Jew , and not stand by and do nothing when they wrong another . We are not to take revenge against our fellow Jew , or bear a grudge against them ( so if our neighbor says no to a loan of an article , we cannot deny them when they ask for something ) , but we are to love our fellow Jew as ourself , for as again , HaShem ends this verse with " I Am HaShem . "
HaShem Then Commands us against Kilayim , Forbidden Mixtures and not mixing one species of animal with another and not mixing different seeds when planting . Also we are not to mix wool and linen fibres . Our Rabbis offer an explanation for not mixing fibres , that goes back to Kayin and Hevel , who brought of the wool as an animal , where Kayin brought of the linen from the fallen fibres . Thus we don't mix fibres . HaShem Teaches about the Shifchah Charufah about the designated Maidervant .
HaShem Then Teaches about Orlah ( first three years of newly planted tree's fruit is forbidden to us ) and Neta Revai ( the fourth year , where the produce is brought to Yerushaim , and consumed there ) .
Torah Warns us not to engage in sorcery, and not to believe in lucky times .
We are Commanded to keep our Peiyot and not cut these or the edge of the beard
It is forbidden to copy the other nations , by cutting into the flesh for the dead and not to put on Tattoos.
We are not to give our daughters to harlotry , Chas Ve Shalom . Again we are Commanded on the Sanctity of Shabbos and we are asked to revere the Beis Ha Mikdash .
We are to rise in the presence of an old person and honor a Talmid Chochem . We are also to treat a Proselyte with respect and keep honest weights and measures. More warnings are given to not give over childen to idols . Again HaShem Reminds us to sanctify ourselves and be holy . We are not to curse our parents Chas Ve Shalom .
Then HaShem Goes again through the forbidden relationships . The Sedra ends with HaShem Telling us to Observe His Decrees and not follow in the pagan footsteps of those that HaShem Threw out of the Land - a Land Flowing with Milk and Honey .
HaShem Tells us clearly that we Jews are separated from others . We are to Observe cleanliness Laws of Kashrus , for HaShem Has Separated us to be His Own Special Treasure . So ends the Parsha .
HaShem Asks of us to be Holy - Kadosh . The Sedra is called " Kedoshim " - " " Holy . " The root of the word " Kedoshim " is actually " Kadeish , " which means ' separate . ' Thus , to be Holy " Kadosh , " we need to separate ourselves from unclean things , unclean law , and unclean ways that are not like HaShem . Separartion makes Holiness . Abstaining from negativity , is the key to Living a Kosher life . HaShem Wants us to Emulate Him , and so we are to emulate Him in All Ways . HaShem Wants to Keep Himself Separate from all this unholiness . Thus the way to reach HaShem's Closeness , is to separate ourselves from all that is unholy .
From all that is negative . From all that comes from fake and false ways .
For us to be Holy , we need to start to Emulate HaShem . HaShem Gave us His Beautiful Gift of Torah . This is our Way to Separate from unholy things and ways , and to work toward " Kedoshim " - " Holiness ." HaShem Made us Jews , His Special People and He Wants us to remain so . So HaShem Tells us , " Kedoshim Tiheyu Ki Kadosh Ani HaShem Elokeichem ," - " You shall be holy for Holy Am I , HaShem Your G-D . " This is the basis of all Yiddishkeit . Of Living . Of being HaShem's People . To Emulate HaShem , and take HaShem in , is to be what HaShem Wants us to be , so we can carry His Name that He Put within us , as He Waits for us to let our true Yiddishe Neshomas come out , and make all things beautiful . We see this in the Word. " Kedoshim , " which can be separated into two words ' Shem ' and ' Kadosh , ' where the word ' Shem ' refers to the Name , HaShem's Name , ' and ' Kadosh ' refers to Holy . Thus only within HaShem's Name and Laws , can we find " Kedoshim " - " Holiness , " no other place . HaShem's Name is Beyond Holy . With HaShem and His Holy Name and the Torah HaShem Gave , we can work toward great spiritual heights , and this will lead us to " Kedoshim " - " Holiness . "
I wish HaShem with Love , a Very Beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with Love and to all my fellow Yidden ,a very beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with love .
In the last Sedra, the Laws of how not to act in the Holy Land are mentioned and now here, in this Sedra, Laws are expanded of how we are to behave in the Holy Land and in many instances , everywhere . This Parsha is like the collection of diamonds in the Torah , for the gamut of Holy Laws mentioned in this Parsha .
The First Law mentioned , is the reverence for our parents , who are partners with HaShem , in bringing us into this World. The verse here says " Revere , " and " Mother " is put first , unlike in the Ten Commandments , where it says " Honor , " and there, " Father , " is put first . The reason for this is that when it comes to " Revering ," one usually "Reveres ( Fears ) one's Father more , so Torah Tells us first , that we are also to have Reverence for our Mother , but in the case of the Ten Commandments , where it uses the word " Honour " and puts the Father first , where people feel more Honor and emotional softness toward a Mother, so Torah warns us to Honor our Fathers .
After this , HaShem Commands us about the Shabbos and that all are to observe It . The fact that the Observance of the Shabbos, is juxtaposed with the respect for Parents ,who are also part of the " every man ," in the verse , shows that Parents to are subservient to the Shabbos and so , Parents must not be obeyed , should they Chas Ve Shalom , request their child to break Shabbos or Torah Laws . For we all , are under HaShem . Then in this Parsha , just like in the Ten Commandments , HaShem Forbids idols of any kind . Only HaShem Derves our Faithfullness . We notice that with many of HaShem's Requests of us in this Sedra , they end with the Words , " Ani HaShem Elokeichem ," showing us how HaShem Is in every Mitzvah and Commandment we do . And when we do for others , we do for HaShem Within them .
HaShem Deals then with Piggul , rejected offerings , and goes on to talk of gifts for the poor where people are to leave the corners of their fields for the poor , as well as articles farmed , that are dropped , and how they are to be left for the poor and the proselyte . HaShem Tells us then not too steal , lie or deny falsely to others . We are not to use HaShem's Name in vain . We are to have honesty, not cheating our fellow in any way. We are not to rob , and we are not to keep a worker's wage till morning , not to curse the deaf , which also means , to deceive in any way that the deceiver might not know the full story . We are not " to place a Stumbling Block Before the Blind . " This means not to get others to sin and thus distance them from HaShem . The Sedra mentions honest Judges , who are not to favor one side over the other .
The Parsha continues that we are not to go up as a gossip-monger among our people and never to stand by while our fellow's blood is shed , thus not to turn against our own fellow Jews .
We are not to hate our fellow Jew in our heart and take all things as HaShem's Providence . We are to reprove our fellow Jew , and not stand by and do nothing when they wrong another . We are not to take revenge against our fellow Jew , or bear a grudge against them ( so if our neighbor says no to a loan of an article , we cannot deny them when they ask for something ) , but we are to love our fellow Jew as ourself , for as again , HaShem ends this verse with " I Am HaShem . "
HaShem Then Commands us against Kilayim , Forbidden Mixtures and not mixing one species of animal with another and not mixing different seeds when planting . Also we are not to mix wool and linen fibres . Our Rabbis offer an explanation for not mixing fibres , that goes back to Kayin and Hevel , who brought of the wool as an animal , where Kayin brought of the linen from the fallen fibres . Thus we don't mix fibres . HaShem Teaches about the Shifchah Charufah about the designated Maidervant .
HaShem Then Teaches about Orlah ( first three years of newly planted tree's fruit is forbidden to us ) and Neta Revai ( the fourth year , where the produce is brought to Yerushaim , and consumed there ) .
Torah Warns us not to engage in sorcery, and not to believe in lucky times .
We are Commanded to keep our Peiyot and not cut these or the edge of the beard
It is forbidden to copy the other nations , by cutting into the flesh for the dead and not to put on Tattoos.
We are not to give our daughters to harlotry , Chas Ve Shalom . Again we are Commanded on the Sanctity of Shabbos and we are asked to revere the Beis Ha Mikdash .
We are to rise in the presence of an old person and honor a Talmid Chochem . We are also to treat a Proselyte with respect and keep honest weights and measures. More warnings are given to not give over childen to idols . Again HaShem Reminds us to sanctify ourselves and be holy . We are not to curse our parents Chas Ve Shalom .
Then HaShem Goes again through the forbidden relationships . The Sedra ends with HaShem Telling us to Observe His Decrees and not follow in the pagan footsteps of those that HaShem Threw out of the Land - a Land Flowing with Milk and Honey .
HaShem Tells us clearly that we Jews are separated from others . We are to Observe cleanliness Laws of Kashrus , for HaShem Has Separated us to be His Own Special Treasure . So ends the Parsha .
HaShem Asks of us to be Holy - Kadosh . The Sedra is called " Kedoshim " - " " Holy . " The root of the word " Kedoshim " is actually " Kadeish , " which means ' separate . ' Thus , to be Holy " Kadosh , " we need to separate ourselves from unclean things , unclean law , and unclean ways that are not like HaShem . Separartion makes Holiness . Abstaining from negativity , is the key to Living a Kosher life . HaShem Wants us to Emulate Him , and so we are to emulate Him in All Ways . HaShem Wants to Keep Himself Separate from all this unholiness . Thus the way to reach HaShem's Closeness , is to separate ourselves from all that is unholy .
From all that is negative . From all that comes from fake and false ways .
For us to be Holy , we need to start to Emulate HaShem . HaShem Gave us His Beautiful Gift of Torah . This is our Way to Separate from unholy things and ways , and to work toward " Kedoshim " - " Holiness ." HaShem Made us Jews , His Special People and He Wants us to remain so . So HaShem Tells us , " Kedoshim Tiheyu Ki Kadosh Ani HaShem Elokeichem ," - " You shall be holy for Holy Am I , HaShem Your G-D . " This is the basis of all Yiddishkeit . Of Living . Of being HaShem's People . To Emulate HaShem , and take HaShem in , is to be what HaShem Wants us to be , so we can carry His Name that He Put within us , as He Waits for us to let our true Yiddishe Neshomas come out , and make all things beautiful . We see this in the Word. " Kedoshim , " which can be separated into two words ' Shem ' and ' Kadosh , ' where the word ' Shem ' refers to the Name , HaShem's Name , ' and ' Kadosh ' refers to Holy . Thus only within HaShem's Name and Laws , can we find " Kedoshim " - " Holiness , " no other place . HaShem's Name is Beyond Holy . With HaShem and His Holy Name and the Torah HaShem Gave , we can work toward great spiritual heights , and this will lead us to " Kedoshim " - " Holiness . "
I wish HaShem with Love , a Very Beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with Love and to all my fellow Yidden ,a very beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with love .
Friday, 3 May 2019
Parashas Acharei Mot
Our Parsha this Shabbos is Parashas Acharei Mot . It was after the passing of Aharon's two sons Nadav and Avihu, that HaShem Told Moshe to tell Aharon , not to come at all times into the Sanctuary , in the inner part , where HaShem's Shechinah Rests . It is here that we learn that Aharon's two sons tried to approach HaShem here , thus not displaying the correct respect and humility. HaShem Is Beyond Holy. Holiness too, as is everything else , is a Creation of HaShem . HaShem Is Above Creation . We are to always give HaShem the utmost respect , even when we address Him or refer to Him . So many in this World bring HaShem's Name down to a colloquialism , for every day talk and even go so far as to speak with ugly swearing using His Name , Chas Ve Shalom . This is a sin beyond sin . HaShem and His Name Is Beyond Sacred , and must be treated as such . Even in Holy Speech, we are. To be careful not to over-use HaShem's Name , but to treat His Name with the utmost respect and Kavod . Even when saying a Brocha , we are cautioned in Halacha not to say a Blessing in vain and our Rabbonim teach us what to do and say , if we do . How much more so must the Holy of Holies in the Mishkan be respected , which Aharon's two sons did not give It the Respect It Deserved. So HaShem here Cautions that not at all times must Aharon go into this Holy area . A time when it was permitted by the Kohein Gadol , was on Yom Kippur , the Day of Atonement and even so , the High Priest had to go into this most holy area , with pure white garments and as to perform the Ketores action , only after practicing before-hand . This Parsha teaches the Yom Kippur Service , with all that needed to be done on It . Yom Kippur , is the Day of Atonement on the 10th of Tishrei , the day when Moshe finally achieved Atonement for us for the Chait Ha Eigel ( golden calf ) and thus set as the Day of HaShem's Mercy . It is also linked with the death of Aharon's two sons , as our Chazal teaches that the death of the Righteous can work toward an Atonement for that generation .
All that the Torah mentions for Yom Kippur , was to be strictly done as Commanded . The idea of one Korban being set as a sin offering and the other sent to ' Azazel ' ( Az meaning strong and el meaning mighty ) and the idea of ' Azazel , ' is one of the Chukim of the Torah . It is interesting to note that the names of the two fallen angels in Noach's time that were linked with the Nephillim ( the Fallen Ones ) , that so lowered the spiritual level of the Earth at that time , were Shem-chazai ( Azai ) and Azael , and these two names fit into the word ' Azazel . ' Midrash Bereishis ) . The one sent to ' Azazel , ' was taken to a tall cliff , high peak in the Wilderness and by its Korban , atoned.
The Whole Yom Kippur Service is explained in detail in the Torah . HaShem Then Commands that from now on , that no one may make his own private altar , but must bring a Korban to the Altar of the Tabernacle . HaShem Cautions that it is totally forbidden to consume any blood and also that blood of an animal found or caught , is to be covered with earth .
HaShem Then , for the first of two times in the Torah , Strictly Forbids the Immorality of Forbidden Relationships , and we are cautioned as a people to not behave as the Canaanites did or others , but to remain pure and holy and modest in such matters and thus to be a Kingdom of Priests and a Holy Nation , As HaShem Requests of us . We are not to behave as the Canaanites did in the Holy Land for it is such a Holy Land close to HaShem , that it will disgorge any such impure immoral people . Israel is not to be a place like new york or paris or any of the other main city in the World . Israel is to be a total place of holiness . Immoral sexual acts cannot abide in this Holy Land . It is to be a Land where purity of marriage and union be kept . HaShem Lists the Forbidden Relationships , forbidding incest , bestiality and homosexual unions . We , as Jews are to be a holy people unto HaShem , and not bring these leud sexual practices to the Holy Land , which the nations before there , were thrown out for doing . An example of this were the four cities of Sodom , Amorah ( Gemorrah ) Admah and Tzeboyim . These cities were destroyed , being within the Holy Land ( The fifth city that was set for destruction Tzoar , was saved on account of Lot and his daughters having to run there ) . Israel is not to be like other lands , and will not tolerate any impurity within its borders and any lack of following Torah there . It must be a land where Torah is kept , and not become , Chas Ve Shalom , like other cities around the World that are secular and far away from HaShem's Commandments . Israel is very close to HaShem and HaShem's ' Eyes ' Are Always on this Land , and so , It is to be kept pure and Holy and Torah Following .
HaShem Gives us Laws , not just for the sake of it , but so that we can emulate Him . These forbidden relationships , are there to aid us in emulating HaShem . How so ? The true union between a Husband and Wife , is something that cannot be gotten with other forbidden relationships . It is at such a time , when the couple are truly one , As HaShem Commanded in the Beginning that a man shall leave his Father and his Mother and cling to his wife and they shall become one flesh , Bereishis 2:24 . It is at such a time , that they become one . HaShem Is One and so , as they become one , not just physically , but spiritually too , they thus emulate the Oneness of HaShem . It is a closeness to HaShem that is gotten in a beautiful way , unlike any other . So to turn away from this and seek forbidden relationships , is to turn away from that Holy Oneness and thus is a rebellion against HaShem Himself Chas Ve Shalom . HaShem Calls upon us to do a Kiddush HaShem and give up our lives on three occasions ,one is when forced to worship Avodah Zorah Idolatry , another is when asked to commit Murder and thirdly , Sexual Immorality . All these three , lead away from HaShem and it is very important not to transgress these sins .
The Torah Portion this week ends on this subject of not committing a forbidden relationship , with strict punishment ensuing and also not to give over our children to molech . This was a statue of a calf with a fire set in its stomach , carved out and two poles with fire and flames before it , between which parents were to pass their children through . A sick and disgusting cult and HaShem Cautioned that we are not to give over our children to molech . The Midrash Vayikra of Rabbi Weissman goes into details of how today , this is still a problem , not that this cult is worshiped today , but that our Jewish children are not to be given over to secular education without Torah Values , for their upbringing as Jews can be lost to the new ways of secular today . It is easy in this modern World for a young person's mind to be turned away from traditional values and sadly then , a Jew is lost Chas Ve Shalom . So easy is the pull of negative ways and the Yetzer Horah to be taken by these negative ways . Our people must get a proper Torah education and proper Jewish values and grow up in an atmosphere of holiness , with no pull of secular foreign and pagan ways . Not doing so , could lose Jewish people to the pull of false religions and idol worship , Chas Ve Shalom . Such is today's warning with molech .
The Parsha ends with HaShem Telling us to Safegurd His Charge thus keeping it Holy , not to do any of the abominable things that nations did before us , nor contaminate ourselves with them , with the Parsha ending with HaShem Telling us " I Am HaShem your G-D . " Thus , we are to put into place Laws that will keep us far away from transgressing the Torah Law , as Rabbi Akiva taught , to ' Put a Fence Around the Torah , ' to ensure that we don't even get close to breaking the Torah Law . In the case of Forbidden Relationships , our Rabbis instituted Yichud , to make sure , knowing that we each have a Yetzer Horah , that we are not alone with a person of the opposite gender where transgression , in the hands of the Yetzer Horah can be an easy target . The Laws of Yichud are far and wide , and though some might think they are outdated , our Rabbis teach us that the Yetzer Horah that is strongest in this area of forbidden relationships , keeps the pull toward this kind of transgression , the same as it was in Adam's time . HaShem In His Wisdom of Creation , Knows the human psyche and power of this area and Thus Wants us to be very careful in this subject . Safeguards are there for our protection , and as Yosef showed us , keeping away from immorality , brings us closer to the Shechinah of HaShem . The Haftorah for this Shabbos is 1Samuel 20: 18-42 starting out with the subject of the following day being Rosh Chodesh , and is read ( replacing the regular Haftorah for this portion ) because , the day after Shabbos is Rosh Chodesh Iyar .
HaShem Wants To Shower us with His Goodness and Blessings . HaShem Wants us close to Him . HaShem Wants the same relationship with us that we would have had , had we stayed in Gan Eiden , where Adam Ve Chava walked with HaShem in the Garden . Sadly , we are not on a level right now to do this, and the only way to get on that level is through HaShem's Torah . We need to work at it every day . The path back to Gan Eiden is only through HaShem's Laws and Tests . We are not ready , to stand before HaShem's Shechinah yet , even if some of us think we are . Nadav and Avihu also thought they were ready to stand before HaShem's Shechinah . They too , were not yet ready . Only when HaShem Decides , will we be ready . In the mean time , we have to prove ourselves every day and make ourselves ready every day , growing every day , with HaShem's Laws . There is no other way to HaShem , but by HaShem's Way . Every day we need to atone for the previous day and work at ourselves . The time will come , but it isn't right now . But it could be in the next minute . It all depends on us . It always has depended on us and our humility and obedience to HaShem . HaShem Is Waiting And Is Always Ready To Receive us . It is for us to make ourselves ready for HaShem . HaShem Awaits us . Gan Eiden awaits us . Shamaim awaits us . May we all get to the point where we ourselves think of nothing else , but that the real holy versions of us all , await us and that once and for all , nothing else but HaShem , is our destination . HaShem's Gift of Torah , is our Pathway , and HaShem's Eternal Love for us ,Is our Life . So guard the gift of life with honor , and live in the Arms of HaShem forever .
With Love to HaShem , I wish HaShem with Love , a Very Sweet and Beautiful Shabbos Kodesh and Chodesh Tov with Love , and to all my fellow Yidden , a very sweet and beautiful Shabbos Kodesh and Chodesh Tov with love .
All that the Torah mentions for Yom Kippur , was to be strictly done as Commanded . The idea of one Korban being set as a sin offering and the other sent to ' Azazel ' ( Az meaning strong and el meaning mighty ) and the idea of ' Azazel , ' is one of the Chukim of the Torah . It is interesting to note that the names of the two fallen angels in Noach's time that were linked with the Nephillim ( the Fallen Ones ) , that so lowered the spiritual level of the Earth at that time , were Shem-chazai ( Azai ) and Azael , and these two names fit into the word ' Azazel . ' Midrash Bereishis ) . The one sent to ' Azazel , ' was taken to a tall cliff , high peak in the Wilderness and by its Korban , atoned.
The Whole Yom Kippur Service is explained in detail in the Torah . HaShem Then Commands that from now on , that no one may make his own private altar , but must bring a Korban to the Altar of the Tabernacle . HaShem Cautions that it is totally forbidden to consume any blood and also that blood of an animal found or caught , is to be covered with earth .
HaShem Then , for the first of two times in the Torah , Strictly Forbids the Immorality of Forbidden Relationships , and we are cautioned as a people to not behave as the Canaanites did or others , but to remain pure and holy and modest in such matters and thus to be a Kingdom of Priests and a Holy Nation , As HaShem Requests of us . We are not to behave as the Canaanites did in the Holy Land for it is such a Holy Land close to HaShem , that it will disgorge any such impure immoral people . Israel is not to be a place like new york or paris or any of the other main city in the World . Israel is to be a total place of holiness . Immoral sexual acts cannot abide in this Holy Land . It is to be a Land where purity of marriage and union be kept . HaShem Lists the Forbidden Relationships , forbidding incest , bestiality and homosexual unions . We , as Jews are to be a holy people unto HaShem , and not bring these leud sexual practices to the Holy Land , which the nations before there , were thrown out for doing . An example of this were the four cities of Sodom , Amorah ( Gemorrah ) Admah and Tzeboyim . These cities were destroyed , being within the Holy Land ( The fifth city that was set for destruction Tzoar , was saved on account of Lot and his daughters having to run there ) . Israel is not to be like other lands , and will not tolerate any impurity within its borders and any lack of following Torah there . It must be a land where Torah is kept , and not become , Chas Ve Shalom , like other cities around the World that are secular and far away from HaShem's Commandments . Israel is very close to HaShem and HaShem's ' Eyes ' Are Always on this Land , and so , It is to be kept pure and Holy and Torah Following .
HaShem Gives us Laws , not just for the sake of it , but so that we can emulate Him . These forbidden relationships , are there to aid us in emulating HaShem . How so ? The true union between a Husband and Wife , is something that cannot be gotten with other forbidden relationships . It is at such a time , when the couple are truly one , As HaShem Commanded in the Beginning that a man shall leave his Father and his Mother and cling to his wife and they shall become one flesh , Bereishis 2:24 . It is at such a time , that they become one . HaShem Is One and so , as they become one , not just physically , but spiritually too , they thus emulate the Oneness of HaShem . It is a closeness to HaShem that is gotten in a beautiful way , unlike any other . So to turn away from this and seek forbidden relationships , is to turn away from that Holy Oneness and thus is a rebellion against HaShem Himself Chas Ve Shalom . HaShem Calls upon us to do a Kiddush HaShem and give up our lives on three occasions ,one is when forced to worship Avodah Zorah Idolatry , another is when asked to commit Murder and thirdly , Sexual Immorality . All these three , lead away from HaShem and it is very important not to transgress these sins .
The Torah Portion this week ends on this subject of not committing a forbidden relationship , with strict punishment ensuing and also not to give over our children to molech . This was a statue of a calf with a fire set in its stomach , carved out and two poles with fire and flames before it , between which parents were to pass their children through . A sick and disgusting cult and HaShem Cautioned that we are not to give over our children to molech . The Midrash Vayikra of Rabbi Weissman goes into details of how today , this is still a problem , not that this cult is worshiped today , but that our Jewish children are not to be given over to secular education without Torah Values , for their upbringing as Jews can be lost to the new ways of secular today . It is easy in this modern World for a young person's mind to be turned away from traditional values and sadly then , a Jew is lost Chas Ve Shalom . So easy is the pull of negative ways and the Yetzer Horah to be taken by these negative ways . Our people must get a proper Torah education and proper Jewish values and grow up in an atmosphere of holiness , with no pull of secular foreign and pagan ways . Not doing so , could lose Jewish people to the pull of false religions and idol worship , Chas Ve Shalom . Such is today's warning with molech .
The Parsha ends with HaShem Telling us to Safegurd His Charge thus keeping it Holy , not to do any of the abominable things that nations did before us , nor contaminate ourselves with them , with the Parsha ending with HaShem Telling us " I Am HaShem your G-D . " Thus , we are to put into place Laws that will keep us far away from transgressing the Torah Law , as Rabbi Akiva taught , to ' Put a Fence Around the Torah , ' to ensure that we don't even get close to breaking the Torah Law . In the case of Forbidden Relationships , our Rabbis instituted Yichud , to make sure , knowing that we each have a Yetzer Horah , that we are not alone with a person of the opposite gender where transgression , in the hands of the Yetzer Horah can be an easy target . The Laws of Yichud are far and wide , and though some might think they are outdated , our Rabbis teach us that the Yetzer Horah that is strongest in this area of forbidden relationships , keeps the pull toward this kind of transgression , the same as it was in Adam's time . HaShem In His Wisdom of Creation , Knows the human psyche and power of this area and Thus Wants us to be very careful in this subject . Safeguards are there for our protection , and as Yosef showed us , keeping away from immorality , brings us closer to the Shechinah of HaShem . The Haftorah for this Shabbos is 1Samuel 20: 18-42 starting out with the subject of the following day being Rosh Chodesh , and is read ( replacing the regular Haftorah for this portion ) because , the day after Shabbos is Rosh Chodesh Iyar .
HaShem Wants To Shower us with His Goodness and Blessings . HaShem Wants us close to Him . HaShem Wants the same relationship with us that we would have had , had we stayed in Gan Eiden , where Adam Ve Chava walked with HaShem in the Garden . Sadly , we are not on a level right now to do this, and the only way to get on that level is through HaShem's Torah . We need to work at it every day . The path back to Gan Eiden is only through HaShem's Laws and Tests . We are not ready , to stand before HaShem's Shechinah yet , even if some of us think we are . Nadav and Avihu also thought they were ready to stand before HaShem's Shechinah . They too , were not yet ready . Only when HaShem Decides , will we be ready . In the mean time , we have to prove ourselves every day and make ourselves ready every day , growing every day , with HaShem's Laws . There is no other way to HaShem , but by HaShem's Way . Every day we need to atone for the previous day and work at ourselves . The time will come , but it isn't right now . But it could be in the next minute . It all depends on us . It always has depended on us and our humility and obedience to HaShem . HaShem Is Waiting And Is Always Ready To Receive us . It is for us to make ourselves ready for HaShem . HaShem Awaits us . Gan Eiden awaits us . Shamaim awaits us . May we all get to the point where we ourselves think of nothing else , but that the real holy versions of us all , await us and that once and for all , nothing else but HaShem , is our destination . HaShem's Gift of Torah , is our Pathway , and HaShem's Eternal Love for us ,Is our Life . So guard the gift of life with honor , and live in the Arms of HaShem forever .
With Love to HaShem , I wish HaShem with Love , a Very Sweet and Beautiful Shabbos Kodesh and Chodesh Tov with Love , and to all my fellow Yidden , a very sweet and beautiful Shabbos Kodesh and Chodesh Tov with love .
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