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קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
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פורסם בשלישי, 01 דצמבר 2020 14:23
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Portio Pinchas: Why Partyat the Temple
The latter part of the portion describes the Public National Sacrifies for Each Jewish Holiday.
An interesting insight is that the
People are told
(but not here)
to Visit Jerusalem during our holidays and bring their own
Personal Sacrifices ...
and bar.b.que - and share with friends and family!
The connection is clear ... that we should have our parties in a place of sanctity
With connectedness to ALL our people, public and private sacrifices TOGETHER
In a surrounding of majesty love and hope for our TOGETHER FUTURE.
In the seventies and in college I remember seeing a lot of dark-side strobe light revolutionary gatherings
- and also the bright side of gatherings in Synagogues.
While youth in the crazy world around us sometimes joins in anti-this-and-that-
and protest and revolt
There is nothing more spiritually uplifting FOR ALL AGES -
and life enhancing
than being connected to majesty with wisdom as where we celebrated - and celebrate TODAY AGAIN
the atmosphere of the HOLINESS in Jerusalem-
around our whole holiday cycle
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
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קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
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פורסם בשלישי, 01 דצמבר 2020 14:23
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Portion Balak -Talking Donkey, Red Herring (uh Heifer), Sink Holes and – Holiness?
What More could you ask for in a 40-year desert adventure?
This week the commentary Rashi (Rabbi and Vintner from 800-years-ago-France) tries to explain WHAT Bilam's talking donkey said – but not WHY the Torah put this story in here!
In the last few weeks' Torah Portions we hear of LARGER THAN LIFE miracles or events.
They are part of the FABRIC of our TORAH LIFE!
Whatever happened there in the desert happens to us all in different ways – and as King David Wrote so long ago "Hayeenu K cholmim" (we are like dreamers) –
Because Strange Reality happens all around us and even as we sleep!
There is life in every animal and a miracle in every sink hole (and pot hole) –
and if we remember that the Red Heifer Mitzva was given to us (last week's portion)
to "clean up our act (spiritually as well)
and here (this week's portion shows) evil Bilam is acting like a donkey …
And that there are pitfalls (even sink holes) in life but
if we don't complain about them
but turn them into flowers and almond trees –
what a healthy life the Torah is Teaching us to LIVE.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
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קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
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פורסם בשלישי, 01 דצמבר 2020 14:22
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Portion Chukat - "So you 3 had a pretty good run ...huh ... Moses Aron and Miriam..."
When Joshua is about to enter Israel the Almighty appears to him and says the
same words that Moshe Rabaynu used to Bless Joshua with Leadership of Israel -
"Chazak ... Chazak... Chazak ..." (said it 3 times) (Chazak means be strong)
MAYBE Joshua was in doubt of his ability to lead the cantankerous Israelites -
And maybe he wished he had a Miriam and an Aron to help out like Moses!
So he hears from the L-rd THREE blessings to BE STRONG !!! Strong like the THREE LEADERS!
We need to hear what the portion is telling us this week-
(and what the Almighty sends)
sanctify yourselves with the Red Heiffer ...(FAITH)
stear clear of death (a whole nother lecture)
honor those great leaders who came before you
(Aron and Miriam both pass on in this portion - and the Israelites wept)
Moses sends word to our cousins Edom - but they don't let us pass thru to Israel
then
THE ISRAELITES then send word to the other nations surrounding Canaan -
and they don't let us through-
So we the ISRAELITES defeat them in Jordan and the Golan Heights.
Gotta be Joshua the leader - still under guidance of Moshe Rabaynu ...
with the support of All the People of Israel
May we be blessed CHAZAK and may we protect the whole People of Israel
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
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קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
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פורסם בשלישי, 01 דצמבר 2020 14:22
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Portion SheLach - Why I Spy and Wind Up Dry
Who volunteered to go spy for Moses? And
What was their REAL plan? Did some of them plan to check things out,
and just STAY in Canaan if things looked GOOD to them - like Moses had described - and forget the rest of the nation?
What happened to them so that they came back and told everyone to stay in the desert?
There are many theories - but I have one which follows on the thoughts of my Master Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach.
He said " the spies just didn't see the REAL Israel, The REAL Potential, the TRUE Holiness"
(I always tell people to come to Israel NOT for the beautiful beaches but for the Holy Sweet people and the Torah...)
Maybe Moses sent Joshua with the others - his faithful second-in-command -
because he KNEW the others were NOT only interested in THE NATION OF ISRAEL-
but that JOSHUA had eyes SEEKING HOLINESS AND GOODNESS and the WELFARE OF THE NATION.
But despite the miracles of G-d saving them from Egypt
and despite the 10 Commandments and Sinai
and the Manna and Miriam's well-
MOST of the people forgot WHAT THEY THEMSELVES HAD SEEN-
and followed the lead of the 10 spies and decided NOT to go to Israel -
and so they died in the dry dry desert and never taste the clean spring waters of Israel!
Only Joshua and Calev say "
we saw the land is good - let's take our gift from the Almighty"-
and they lead our ancestors into Israel
and the Milk and Honey and the peace (whenever our ancestors followed the Rules of the Almighty).
So maybe we need more (all) Jews to visit Israel and see the beauty of the Holiness in Israel
and refresh themselves from our Israelite holy heritage.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
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קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
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פורסם בשלישי, 01 דצמבר 2020 14:21
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Portion Korach - Leaders Rebels Peace and Perfection
Are there any, REALLY? LEADERS rebels etc.
I once heard a lecture from a PhD psychologist about
"leadership" - which really was ridiculous
in my graduate studies I took courses in MANAGEMENT which
covered all the leadership research of 50 years -
and not one study or finding was mentioned by the person who gave
the "lecture"
In Yeshiva High School I had a Rock Band - it was under the
radar of the Rabbis -
so maybe I was a little rebel but I have ALWAYS prayed with a minyan - even in the afternoons
and even in SUMMERTIME .
Rebels also need to be part of their community or they are just crackpots.
And Leaders - true Leaders have to know who and where things a trending - or they will
lose their followings.
Rebels are not leaders - but they sometimes set trends.
Today there are danger signs in the world - that many of the world
leaders seem to be ignoring. So maybe they need to study this Tora Portion!
Moshe Rabaynu - Moses -
did not miss what was going on (trends) - not in Egypt and not in the desert -
and
not in Canaan - where Israel was to settle.
He led the Israelites from one hot spot (joke intended) to another and
through many hot issues.
His purpose in ending the Korach spiritual rebellion was
not to bring peace, and not to perfect the practice of Judaism
but to protect the MISSION of ISRAEL.
So here's a
Thought by Rabbi David Aron of Israelight (with my interpretation)
...
You can be a great leader or a regular person ...but
Everyone has his calling - his Mission in life...
but what is different is "who is Calling!"
Moses kept saying "All Israel's Mission is from the Almighty".
SO - Is our soul fully engaged in our life calling -
then it can be a calling from a HEAVENLY place!
And may the Almighty bless us all to be Part of the Almighty's "calling"
(Otherwise the calling is not going to bring call us to peace on this planet)
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קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
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פורסם בשלישי, 01 דצמבר 2020 14:21
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Portion BeHaahlotcha The Journey Begins
Rebbe Nachman taught that we are all on a
Lifelong journey with ups and downs -
and that The Almighty makes us resilient -
to learn to get up from the pitfalls of life
This portion is filled with pitfalls - and PULLUPS!
Directions for Exercises for the SOUL!
There are so many but let's look at a few...
The Torah in the ark in our Synagogues
represents the ark in the Tabernacle in the desert.
When the Israelites travelled Moses sang
(like WE do when we take out the Torah to read...)
But the Portion does not say Moses prayed
"Defeat our enemies"
But he sang
" Scatter your enemies" -
Please teach us also to know how
to Make them disappear - don't make us fight them (unless we sometimes HAVE to).
Rebbe Shlomo Carlebach always taught that our lifelong journey is
both to the insides of the insides of us
and also to outside and around us - to see what we really need
Like in the Portion Moshe Rabaynu recognizes that the people need
help in the desert - which he asks from his Father-in-Law Yitro
and more spiritual prophetic leaders - like Hashem sends
in the form of 70 elders ...
Inside us - we need to cleanse and Strive for Holiness
like the pallbearers who could not enjoy the Passover Seder
'There were Tamed men ... carrying the shevatim ....brothers of Joseph"
Who were Given 30 days to get past their ritual impurity
AND Miriam who was given 7 days to get back on course to holiness
after saying uncomplimentary things ...
ALL these lessons the Almighty gives us in this portion and more
A blueprint
And we must help each other follow it to Holiness
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
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קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
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פורסם בשלישי, 01 דצמבר 2020 14:20
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Just learn how to bring peace to to the world .....
Portion of Naso - be a President be a Priest? Hey - it's not such a tough job!
Rabbi Lord Jonathan Saks Chief Rabbi of England (and a pretty smart fellow ...)
suggested that all the topics in this portion attempt to give all persons of Israel
paths to connect with the Almighty in a non-conflicting non-competitive way
The answer lies in the last word of the priestly blessing: shalom, peace.
the 15th century Spanish Jewish commentator Rabbi Isaac Arama explains that shalom
means completeness, perfection, the harmonious working of a complex system, integrated diversity,
a state in which everything is in its proper place and all is at one with the physical and ethical laws governing the universe.
Similarly, Rabbi Isaac Abrabanel writes, "That is why God is called peace, because it is He who binds the world together and
orders all things ...
The various provisions of parshat Naso are all about bringing peace in this sense.
Between man and wife and between probable competitors
Rabban Johanan ben Zakkai after the destruction of the Second Temple, reminded us that some laws of this portion served as a
reminder as to how important domestic peace is in the Jewish scale of values.
Naso tells us that we have to go the extra mile in bringing peace between opposites
So does the Sabbath teach us a way to accomplish this.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
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קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
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פורסם בשלישי, 01 דצמבר 2020 14:19
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Portion Emor on Mothers Day Mourning and FESTIVALS
In this portion we are told that theKohain Priest
Can mourn close relatives when they
pass on
And the end of the portion reviews allthe joyous festivals
Of the Israelite peoples ( us )
This Sunday the holiday of Lag B Omerfalls out on Mothers Day
On Lag B Omer we celebrate -
not mourn - the day of Going to Heaven of
The Great Spiritual Master Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai.
While my own MOM passed away many years ago
And the yahrzeit of my DAD is coming up soon
I must remember with happiness all their good and help and love.
So too did the Great Masters leave us with great love and a Power of the Torah
We are ALL tied togetber on this earth
or by the negativiy that the evil in
the world uses to
Bring our spirits low
So learn from the portion that The Almighty grants us
the Closeness of our Moms and
the Festivals to raise our spirit
And share an extra measure of these
On Shabbat
On Lag B Omer and
Mothers Day
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
