Midrash. While hashem was handing over the tablets the bnai yisroel built the golden calf. hashem wanted to grab them back but moshe held on and wrested them away. Thay is what the torah means when it says in the last verse of the Torah ulcho hayad hachazaka. And for all the strong arm (of Moshe).
Question is asked didn't Moshe smash the tablets anyway an act which was applauded by hashem. if so why do we praise him for insisting on obtaining the luchos only to smash them.
Ohr Gedalyahu. They lost the body of the first luchos but retained the words as hashem later says he will write the words on the second tablets as they were on the first. Now it would be much more difficult to access but they would get there es hadvarim asher hayu.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Sunday, January 16, 2011
B'shalach 5771
17-25 And Moshe said eat it today for today is shabbos to Hashem.
The people left their extra portion over on shabbos then Moshe tells them eat it. Why wouldn't they eat it? Why does he have to tell them to eat it.
Ramban says that the first reaction of people when they saw there was no mon on Shabbos was to fear that the mon had stopped. Therefore they wanted to hold onto what they had. Moshe is telling them that they must express their trust in Hashem by eating what hashem had given them. If they held on to it they would be doubting Him.
The people left their extra portion over on shabbos then Moshe tells them eat it. Why wouldn't they eat it? Why does he have to tell them to eat it.
Ramban says that the first reaction of people when they saw there was no mon on Shabbos was to fear that the mon had stopped. Therefore they wanted to hold onto what they had. Moshe is telling them that they must express their trust in Hashem by eating what hashem had given them. If they held on to it they would be doubting Him.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Parshas Vayishlach delivered on Parshav Vayeshev 20 Kislev 2010 11/27/10
Based in part on concepts found in Ohr Gedalyahu by Rabbi Gedaliah Schorr zt"l
As we do so often in the Book of Genesis we return once again to the concept of Maaseh Avos Siman Labanim /. What the forefathers experience is a macro version of what their children will experience. Not only do the children repeat the experience but as the forefathers find their way through events they create the ability for their descendants to similarly find their way through those same events on a national basis.
As a nation we have contended with four foreign powers Babylon who destroyed the first Temple and exiled us, Persia who defeated the Babylonians and brought us the the Purim story, the Greeks who under Alexander wrested control of the world from the Persians and brought us the Chanukah story and the Romans who exiled us from Israel to our present state here in Atlanta. Jacob whose name is Israel, experiences four struggles in his life. The first stage of his life is preoccupied with his struggle agaisnt his brother Esav. Then he has to deal with his wily Uncle Lavan. Upon escaping Lavan and returning to Israel his daughter Dina is abducted and abused at the hands of Shechem the son of Chamor and lastly Joseph his dear son is sold into slavery which leaves Jacob mourning until the grave. Those four challenges are the same ones that his children will face. Which one parallels the Chanukah story? Our sages tell us Chanukah is the Dina episode. So to properly understand Chanukah we have to carefully examine the Dina episode.
Dina is abducted and raped by Shechem. Shechem says "in truth I love her and want to marry her". He so wants to marry her that he is willing to be circumcised and force his people to do likewise. What is his goal? Shechem and his Greek counterparts want to remove the sanctity that surrounds Israel particularly the daughter of Israel. They want her to to be cheap and accessible. They want to remove all differences between the peoples. "We will become circumcised as you are then we will freely intermarry. The brothers see it differently. "Shall our sister be turned into a @#!*% ? the brothers say to Jacob.
What action do the brothers take. They pick up swords and kill those who defiled their sister. So too the Chanukah story. Antiochus the Syrian Greek decreed that any Jewish girl who is to be married must first spend the night with the Greek Governor. What was the intention of such a decree?. Not just for the pleasure of the Governor but the idea was nefarious. Jewish women realizing they were to be defiled if they were to marry would just stop marrying. Then since they couldn't be married they would have to engage in pre marital affairs. Marriage as an institution would be breached and the sanctity of the Jewish family would be destroyed. They outlawed circumcision to erase the differences between the Jews and other people. How do the Jews react? Not by trickery as with Lavan or submission as with Esav. They picked up swords and went to war. This is an assault on the sanctity of the Jewish home and it must be dealt with in the most forthright manner. Our sister is not a @#!*% .
After the episode is resolved Hashem tells yaacov your name is Israel. We already know his name is Israel because the angel named him that after they struggled as recounted in the previous parsha. Now Hashem directly calls him Israel because now the family has acted like Israel. Yaacov is tricky and devious which is at times necessary. Yisrael is dominant and exalted as at times he must be. Yaacov then heads for Beis El to bring offerings to Hashem. Before he leaves he tells the family to throw out all foreign Gods that are in their midst. Do we actually believe that Yaacov children had idols in their possession. Rather there we items that were not idols but were associated with idolatry. There were acceptable before but now that the family has stood up to confront defilement they are no longer acceptable.
The core of the Chanukah story is that there was only one jug of pure oil but it burned for eight days. The law is that under those circumstances with most of the country defiled by war and killing pure oil was not required. Yet Hahsem decreed that miracle because Chanukah is the holiday of purity. We celebrate the exalted nature of Israel and the purity of the Jewish home. This year as we light our menorah and ponder the purity that is symbolizes let's look around and see if there is any impurity that doesn't belong in a Jewish home that can be removed . Stand up be a Maccabee be a Yisrael.
Good Shabbos.
As we do so often in the Book of Genesis we return once again to the concept of Maaseh Avos Siman Labanim /. What the forefathers experience is a macro version of what their children will experience. Not only do the children repeat the experience but as the forefathers find their way through events they create the ability for their descendants to similarly find their way through those same events on a national basis.
As a nation we have contended with four foreign powers Babylon who destroyed the first Temple and exiled us, Persia who defeated the Babylonians and brought us the the Purim story, the Greeks who under Alexander wrested control of the world from the Persians and brought us the Chanukah story and the Romans who exiled us from Israel to our present state here in Atlanta. Jacob whose name is Israel, experiences four struggles in his life. The first stage of his life is preoccupied with his struggle agaisnt his brother Esav. Then he has to deal with his wily Uncle Lavan. Upon escaping Lavan and returning to Israel his daughter Dina is abducted and abused at the hands of Shechem the son of Chamor and lastly Joseph his dear son is sold into slavery which leaves Jacob mourning until the grave. Those four challenges are the same ones that his children will face. Which one parallels the Chanukah story? Our sages tell us Chanukah is the Dina episode. So to properly understand Chanukah we have to carefully examine the Dina episode.
Dina is abducted and raped by Shechem. Shechem says "in truth I love her and want to marry her". He so wants to marry her that he is willing to be circumcised and force his people to do likewise. What is his goal? Shechem and his Greek counterparts want to remove the sanctity that surrounds Israel particularly the daughter of Israel. They want her to to be cheap and accessible. They want to remove all differences between the peoples. "We will become circumcised as you are then we will freely intermarry. The brothers see it differently. "Shall our sister be turned into a @#!*% ? the brothers say to Jacob.
What action do the brothers take. They pick up swords and kill those who defiled their sister. So too the Chanukah story. Antiochus the Syrian Greek decreed that any Jewish girl who is to be married must first spend the night with the Greek Governor. What was the intention of such a decree?. Not just for the pleasure of the Governor but the idea was nefarious. Jewish women realizing they were to be defiled if they were to marry would just stop marrying. Then since they couldn't be married they would have to engage in pre marital affairs. Marriage as an institution would be breached and the sanctity of the Jewish family would be destroyed. They outlawed circumcision to erase the differences between the Jews and other people. How do the Jews react? Not by trickery as with Lavan or submission as with Esav. They picked up swords and went to war. This is an assault on the sanctity of the Jewish home and it must be dealt with in the most forthright manner. Our sister is not a @#!*% .
After the episode is resolved Hashem tells yaacov your name is Israel. We already know his name is Israel because the angel named him that after they struggled as recounted in the previous parsha. Now Hashem directly calls him Israel because now the family has acted like Israel. Yaacov is tricky and devious which is at times necessary. Yisrael is dominant and exalted as at times he must be. Yaacov then heads for Beis El to bring offerings to Hashem. Before he leaves he tells the family to throw out all foreign Gods that are in their midst. Do we actually believe that Yaacov children had idols in their possession. Rather there we items that were not idols but were associated with idolatry. There were acceptable before but now that the family has stood up to confront defilement they are no longer acceptable.
The core of the Chanukah story is that there was only one jug of pure oil but it burned for eight days. The law is that under those circumstances with most of the country defiled by war and killing pure oil was not required. Yet Hahsem decreed that miracle because Chanukah is the holiday of purity. We celebrate the exalted nature of Israel and the purity of the Jewish home. This year as we light our menorah and ponder the purity that is symbolizes let's look around and see if there is any impurity that doesn't belong in a Jewish home that can be removed . Stand up be a Maccabee be a Yisrael.
Good Shabbos.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Parshas Chaye Sara 5771 Oct 30 2010
A perfect shabbos to talk about women. Abraham buries Sara then a wife is found for Isaac. We are celebrating the Bat Mitzva of Mai Dori and wishing tzeschem L'shalom to a contingent of our wives who will be joining the Atlanta Scholars Kollel womens mission to Israel.
The parsha spends much time on the search for the appropriate wife for Isaac. Why didn't Abraham just put out the word that he had an opening fordaughter in law. Iam sure the resumes would have come pouring in. This one can cook and this one can sew and this one can cook and sew and tap dance at the same time. Certainly agreat man like Isaac only needed a capale woman and he would direct her from there. However in truth it is just the opposite. I will follow in th tradition of many great Rabbis by quoting verbatum the words of Rabbi Moshe Schreiber popularly known by the title of his famous work Chasam Sofer. "From the Torahs narrative of the story of Rebbeca we are to learn and important lesson. Abraham was the greatest man in his generation Kings came to pay tribute to him.He was fantastically wealthy and Hashem blessed him with everything. He had one on who was very precious and to him e gave everything. yet how hard did he pray and endeavor to fnd the right mate for Isaac This teaches that the main factor in service of Hashem in this word and the next depends on the wife as is obvious to any intellegent understanding person".
I expounded on the verse And Isaac took he into the tent of Sarah his mother, and he took her, she became his wife, and he loved her, and Isaac was comforted after Sarah his mother. Gen 24-67
Before embarking on the mission to find Isaac a wife the Torah tells us that Hashem blessed Avraham with everything. What does that mean? I heard a new interpetation recently that is illustrated by a story. A lillte boy askd his big sister where he can see G-d. "You can't see G-d, He is way up in Heaven beyond our world" Not satisfied he asks his mother where he can go to see G-d. "G-d is not something phsical that you can see. G-d is everywhere but w can't really see Him." Sometime laterhe is walking with his grandfather. The Grandfather stops to appreciate the sunset. The little boy is affraid to ask the same question again but he really wants to see G-d so he asks the Grandfather "where can I see G-d?" The Grandfather responds "at my age I don't know where you can't see G-d". After all of the Grandfathers life experiences he has learned to see G-d everywhere. And Abraham was old he had come into his days and Hashem blessed Abraham with everything meaning the ability to see G-ds blessing in everything.
It is our bracha to Mai that she should live a life where she is able to see Hashems blessing in everything. This should not be hard because your parents live that way. To all of our womenfolk who depart Monday for isael we give you the bracha that you should be able to see Hashem everywhere. We know He is everywhere but certainly inthe Holy land. We ray that you return safe and sound and inspire to lead us all in our service of Hashem.
Good Shabbos.
The parsha spends much time on the search for the appropriate wife for Isaac. Why didn't Abraham just put out the word that he had an opening fordaughter in law. Iam sure the resumes would have come pouring in. This one can cook and this one can sew and this one can cook and sew and tap dance at the same time. Certainly agreat man like Isaac only needed a capale woman and he would direct her from there. However in truth it is just the opposite. I will follow in th tradition of many great Rabbis by quoting verbatum the words of Rabbi Moshe Schreiber popularly known by the title of his famous work Chasam Sofer. "From the Torahs narrative of the story of Rebbeca we are to learn and important lesson. Abraham was the greatest man in his generation Kings came to pay tribute to him.He was fantastically wealthy and Hashem blessed him with everything. He had one on who was very precious and to him e gave everything. yet how hard did he pray and endeavor to fnd the right mate for Isaac This teaches that the main factor in service of Hashem in this word and the next depends on the wife as is obvious to any intellegent understanding person".
I expounded on the verse And Isaac took he into the tent of Sarah his mother, and he took her, she became his wife, and he loved her, and Isaac was comforted after Sarah his mother. Gen 24-67
Before embarking on the mission to find Isaac a wife the Torah tells us that Hashem blessed Avraham with everything. What does that mean? I heard a new interpetation recently that is illustrated by a story. A lillte boy askd his big sister where he can see G-d. "You can't see G-d, He is way up in Heaven beyond our world" Not satisfied he asks his mother where he can go to see G-d. "G-d is not something phsical that you can see. G-d is everywhere but w can't really see Him." Sometime laterhe is walking with his grandfather. The Grandfather stops to appreciate the sunset. The little boy is affraid to ask the same question again but he really wants to see G-d so he asks the Grandfather "where can I see G-d?" The Grandfather responds "at my age I don't know where you can't see G-d". After all of the Grandfathers life experiences he has learned to see G-d everywhere. And Abraham was old he had come into his days and Hashem blessed Abraham with everything meaning the ability to see G-ds blessing in everything.
It is our bracha to Mai that she should live a life where she is able to see Hashems blessing in everything. This should not be hard because your parents live that way. To all of our womenfolk who depart Monday for isael we give you the bracha that you should be able to see Hashem everywhere. We know He is everywhere but certainly inthe Holy land. We ray that you return safe and sound and inspire to lead us all in our service of Hashem.
Good Shabbos.
Parshas Toldos 29 Chesvan 5771 Nov 6 2010
Who get's the blessings? - Who cares?
Jews are forever agonizing over how Jacobs could steal the blessings from Esau. I have a different question. Why did he even bother. Why did Rebecca make such a big deal? If Hahsem had already told her that destiny was with Jacob surely He could work it out no matter who Issac blessed. I don't understand Esau either. Why does he care if Jacob gets the blessing when his father thinks he gave them to Esav himself. It doesn't change their relationship. Furthermore if blessings are so important to Esav why did he sell the birthright.
While pondering this dilemma an answer came to me from an unexpected direction. Natan Sharansky former soviet dissident and current director of the Jewish Agency was in Atlanta yesterday. Temima H.S. arranged a meeting with him. In that meeting he told the girls that when someone is facing destruction it is not enough to believe that you will survive you must be committed to a greater goal beyond survival. Haring this from Sharansky did not surprise me one bit. As Natan Sharansky was about to be sentenced to years of labor in Siberia the court asked him if he wanted to make a statement. Sharansky said "to the court I have no statement. To Jews all around the world I say Next year in Jerusalem". Sharansky didn't simply want release from the Soviets he had omewhere to go and he wanted to bring the entire Jewish people with him. He still does. I contrast Sharansky with the brother in law of a friend. He was stricken with a serious illness. The treatments promised to be long and a cure was far from assured. This man said I will survive I will regain my health and when I recover I will walk the entire Appalachian trial. He did survive and true to his wordwhen he regained his health he walked the Appalachian trail. Now I hear that he is suffering from depression. His goal was shortsighted and self centered.
The Jewish people live a goal. This goal is expressed in Issacs blessing. They bring blessing to the world by making this world a Godly place. I have never seen one of the most amazing sights one can see in Dunwoody and I assume I never will. That is the sight one sees when driving down Tilly Mill on Shabbos as families are walking to or from shul. The viewer knows that they are walking because they are Jews and they believe in G-d who rested onthe Sabbath. This is what we must communicate to our children. We don't want our children to keep shabbos because they are 'supposed' to but because in doing so they take steps toward their goal. When one of our children walks down Tilly Mill on shabbos afternoon bouncing a basketball he accomplishes nothing. However if he is wearing a kippa dressed in shabbos clothes he is living the goal.
Losing sight of the mission is a problem facing the religious community all around the world. What are we striving for? Our children attend big beautiful day schools like GHA, TDSA or Webber. What is the goal? When I went to day school we were located in a converted bungalow. On Saturday nights we would change our clothers and go out to help at the day school rummage sale. If things went well tens of hours of manpower would net $400. That would pay for heat for a few months. What was our goal. To build big beautiful day schools like GHA, TDSA and WEBBER Now what. The same with Israel. What is our goal to build a Jewish nation. If I want to go to Israel tonight I spend $1200 and I am there. I drive on a modern highway to my air conditioned apartment. Of course I am minimizing the challenges. There are till a number of five star resturants that don't carry the hechsher I rely on.
Issac's and Rebecca, Jacob and Esav understood that the destiny of the world depends on them. They could not be content just to let things play out. They needed to be pro active and make a statement. "I want the mission. I want the responsibility". Esav doesn't want the world to go Jacobs way and Jacob doesn't want to go Esavs way. This mission invigorated their every living moment. We are Jacobs worthy heirs and we have to live this way also. The mission is far from complete. Everything that seems so secure and in place our gleaming day schools and our precious homeland are really tenuous. We all have a responsibility to advance the cause. If we don't we are just trying to survive. According to Natan Sharansky if you are just trying to survive you won't.
Good Shabbos.
Jews are forever agonizing over how Jacobs could steal the blessings from Esau. I have a different question. Why did he even bother. Why did Rebecca make such a big deal? If Hahsem had already told her that destiny was with Jacob surely He could work it out no matter who Issac blessed. I don't understand Esau either. Why does he care if Jacob gets the blessing when his father thinks he gave them to Esav himself. It doesn't change their relationship. Furthermore if blessings are so important to Esav why did he sell the birthright.
While pondering this dilemma an answer came to me from an unexpected direction. Natan Sharansky former soviet dissident and current director of the Jewish Agency was in Atlanta yesterday. Temima H.S. arranged a meeting with him. In that meeting he told the girls that when someone is facing destruction it is not enough to believe that you will survive you must be committed to a greater goal beyond survival. Haring this from Sharansky did not surprise me one bit. As Natan Sharansky was about to be sentenced to years of labor in Siberia the court asked him if he wanted to make a statement. Sharansky said "to the court I have no statement. To Jews all around the world I say Next year in Jerusalem". Sharansky didn't simply want release from the Soviets he had omewhere to go and he wanted to bring the entire Jewish people with him. He still does. I contrast Sharansky with the brother in law of a friend. He was stricken with a serious illness. The treatments promised to be long and a cure was far from assured. This man said I will survive I will regain my health and when I recover I will walk the entire Appalachian trial. He did survive and true to his wordwhen he regained his health he walked the Appalachian trail. Now I hear that he is suffering from depression. His goal was shortsighted and self centered.
The Jewish people live a goal. This goal is expressed in Issacs blessing. They bring blessing to the world by making this world a Godly place. I have never seen one of the most amazing sights one can see in Dunwoody and I assume I never will. That is the sight one sees when driving down Tilly Mill on Shabbos as families are walking to or from shul. The viewer knows that they are walking because they are Jews and they believe in G-d who rested onthe Sabbath. This is what we must communicate to our children. We don't want our children to keep shabbos because they are 'supposed' to but because in doing so they take steps toward their goal. When one of our children walks down Tilly Mill on shabbos afternoon bouncing a basketball he accomplishes nothing. However if he is wearing a kippa dressed in shabbos clothes he is living the goal.
Losing sight of the mission is a problem facing the religious community all around the world. What are we striving for? Our children attend big beautiful day schools like GHA, TDSA or Webber. What is the goal? When I went to day school we were located in a converted bungalow. On Saturday nights we would change our clothers and go out to help at the day school rummage sale. If things went well tens of hours of manpower would net $400. That would pay for heat for a few months. What was our goal. To build big beautiful day schools like GHA, TDSA and WEBBER Now what. The same with Israel. What is our goal to build a Jewish nation. If I want to go to Israel tonight I spend $1200 and I am there. I drive on a modern highway to my air conditioned apartment. Of course I am minimizing the challenges. There are till a number of five star resturants that don't carry the hechsher I rely on.
Issac's and Rebecca, Jacob and Esav understood that the destiny of the world depends on them. They could not be content just to let things play out. They needed to be pro active and make a statement. "I want the mission. I want the responsibility". Esav doesn't want the world to go Jacobs way and Jacob doesn't want to go Esavs way. This mission invigorated their every living moment. We are Jacobs worthy heirs and we have to live this way also. The mission is far from complete. Everything that seems so secure and in place our gleaming day schools and our precious homeland are really tenuous. We all have a responsibility to advance the cause. If we don't we are just trying to survive. According to Natan Sharansky if you are just trying to survive you won't.
Good Shabbos.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Parshas Noach Rosh Chodesh Mar Cheshvan 5771 10/8/10
Perhaps the most famous episode in the life of Avrohom is his miraculous salvation from the fiery furnace. If you know the story skip to the next paragraph. Avram is working in his fathers idol shop. One day Avram smashes all the idol except one. He places the hammer in the hand of the one remaining idol. Terach the father returns home to find all of his idols smashed. He turns to Avram. :"what happened" he asks. Avram points at the remaining idol. "he did it" says Avram. " You fool" Terach exclaims "idols can't move" "then why do you worship them" responds Avram. Terach complains to the King Nimrod about his sons attitude. Nimrod sensing a threat to the entrenched relegion demands that Avram recant his beliefs or be thrown into a fiery furnace. Avram refuses and is thrown into the furnace but miraculously emerges alive.
The story of the fiery furnace is usually the starting point of any discussion about Avram. The interesting thing is that the story is not told in the Torah. It is a midrash which is alluded to in the verse and haran died before terach his father Gen. 11 -28 see Rashi there. Such a major story and it doesn't even appear in the Torah. Now let me ask you another question. Do you think Avram did the right thing. If we find that are parents are not living the way we see fit should we smash up their house. If I go to a relatives house and see an xmas tree should i bring along my gas can and torch it. Whats next? Fire bombing pornography stores? Staking out abortion clinics with my high powered rifle? I don't think that that is considered an acceptable practice certainly not one I would endorse. As a matter of fact the Shelah Hakadosh Rabbi Isaiah Horovitz suggests that that is exactly why Avrams episode with the fiery furnace is not found in the Torah. Since Avram started it all by smashing the idols the Torah doesn't want to offer it as an example of appropriate behavior. It is a cardinal belief that if confronted with a situation that challenges my faith I must stand firm even to the extent of giving my life. However i am not allowed to precipitate the situation. If Hashem requires it I will do it but I don't look for opportunities for martyrdom.
That being the case we now have another question. So why did Avram make trouble? The Shalah Hakadosh feels that it was horaas shaah. Meaning Avram felt this was an exceptional situation. There are times that require unusual responses and Avram felt that this was one of them. Let's picture the situation. Avram was working in an idol shop. He is living a lie. 'Yes ma'am would you like me to gift wrap your idol?' 'Perhaps you would prefer the one with the bejeweled eyes?' In his heart he knew it was all false. What was he to do. Should he just pretend for the rest of his life or should he break out. Of course breaking out meant to risk everything. Certainly the establishment wouldn't tolerate his views. Generally we don't precipitate confrontation but there are times and you know yours and I know mine, that we have to risk it all for what we believe. Even though in the identical situation you may lay low I might have to stand up or vica versa. There are times that if we are not prepared to risk it all we will lose it all. The Torah didn't want to include the story in the written text because then it would become a hard and fast rule. It was therefore left to the oral teaching as a value that is supported by the Torah but whose application varies from person to person and situation to situation.
May Hashem help us to recognize our challenges and give us the enlightenment to make the appropriate responses.
The story of the fiery furnace is usually the starting point of any discussion about Avram. The interesting thing is that the story is not told in the Torah. It is a midrash which is alluded to in the verse and haran died before terach his father Gen. 11 -28 see Rashi there. Such a major story and it doesn't even appear in the Torah. Now let me ask you another question. Do you think Avram did the right thing. If we find that are parents are not living the way we see fit should we smash up their house. If I go to a relatives house and see an xmas tree should i bring along my gas can and torch it. Whats next? Fire bombing pornography stores? Staking out abortion clinics with my high powered rifle? I don't think that that is considered an acceptable practice certainly not one I would endorse. As a matter of fact the Shelah Hakadosh Rabbi Isaiah Horovitz suggests that that is exactly why Avrams episode with the fiery furnace is not found in the Torah. Since Avram started it all by smashing the idols the Torah doesn't want to offer it as an example of appropriate behavior. It is a cardinal belief that if confronted with a situation that challenges my faith I must stand firm even to the extent of giving my life. However i am not allowed to precipitate the situation. If Hashem requires it I will do it but I don't look for opportunities for martyrdom.
That being the case we now have another question. So why did Avram make trouble? The Shalah Hakadosh feels that it was horaas shaah. Meaning Avram felt this was an exceptional situation. There are times that require unusual responses and Avram felt that this was one of them. Let's picture the situation. Avram was working in an idol shop. He is living a lie. 'Yes ma'am would you like me to gift wrap your idol?' 'Perhaps you would prefer the one with the bejeweled eyes?' In his heart he knew it was all false. What was he to do. Should he just pretend for the rest of his life or should he break out. Of course breaking out meant to risk everything. Certainly the establishment wouldn't tolerate his views. Generally we don't precipitate confrontation but there are times and you know yours and I know mine, that we have to risk it all for what we believe. Even though in the identical situation you may lay low I might have to stand up or vica versa. There are times that if we are not prepared to risk it all we will lose it all. The Torah didn't want to include the story in the written text because then it would become a hard and fast rule. It was therefore left to the oral teaching as a value that is supported by the Torah but whose application varies from person to person and situation to situation.
May Hashem help us to recognize our challenges and give us the enlightenment to make the appropriate responses.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Shabbos Chazone July 17 2010
This is the part of the jewish calendar that most of us never really get into. Tisha B’av , tragedy, mourning. In the meantime it’s summer vacation, trips camp relaxation. How exciting is it to attend a program that might make you cry. Either out sadness or boredom. So we look for new angles and try to present the day in a new way but in truth the old message screams louder and louder.
Our sages tell us that the 2nd Temple was destroyed because of baseless hatred. Sinas Chinam. What does that mean. There was a rabbi named Naftali Tzvi Yehudah Berlin better know by is acronym the N.Tz.Y.V. The last name, Berlin in Hebrew begins with the letter Bais which is also read as the letter vais and makes the acronym work better (Netziv). Rabbi Berlin the Netziv wrote a commentarty to the five booksof the Torah called hamek Davar. In his introduction to the first Book, Braishis Genesis he notes that the Talmud refers to the Book of brasishis as Sefer Hayashar the book of the upright or the straights. This is a reference to our Patriarchs who were straight. Why charactarise them particularly as straight? Why not tzadikim , righteous or Chassidim pious or a host of other terms? Rabbi Berlin explains that ……
Our sages tell us that the 2nd Temple was destroyed because of baseless hatred. Sinas Chinam. What does that mean. There was a rabbi named Naftali Tzvi Yehudah Berlin better know by is acronym the N.Tz.Y.V. The last name, Berlin in Hebrew begins with the letter Bais which is also read as the letter vais and makes the acronym work better (Netziv). Rabbi Berlin the Netziv wrote a commentarty to the five booksof the Torah called hamek Davar. In his introduction to the first Book, Braishis Genesis he notes that the Talmud refers to the Book of brasishis as Sefer Hayashar the book of the upright or the straights. This is a reference to our Patriarchs who were straight. Why charactarise them particularly as straight? Why not tzadikim , righteous or Chassidim pious or a host of other terms? Rabbi Berlin explains that ……
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
