Parashat Hashavua

Porton of AchRey and Kedoshim – and the Tooth Fairy

פרטים: קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua; פורסם בשלישי, 01 דצמבר 2020 13:57; נכתב על ידי Super User; כניסות: 870

Porton of AchRey and Kedoshim – and the Tooth Fairy

At a restaurant one time my big girl said "my mouth s bleeding" – she had lost a baby tooth

My little girl said "oh – blood!"

The double header this week starts with Sacrifices of Yom Kippur

sprinkling blood towards the Holy of Holies

and then the second porton

teaches ways to connect deeply with G-d thru many Mitzvos

Now - Why in the Temple sacrifices in Jerusalem did the Kohain have to sprinkle blood

And

If you had to go to a Mikva to cleanse body and soul,

before bringing sacrifices

why deal with a place where blood might surely stain your clothes?

And why does the tooth fairy come and leave gifts when my kids baby teeth fall out?

The deep question s-

What is real in this world (to YOU anyway)

Your car

Your job

Sorcery

Video games

Or vacations

Or - hopefully -

Or maybe your family

And living a positive life

If your Kid (or your Cat) scrapes a knee - what should you do? That's a part of life -

fix it and hold them to feel better/

If you need an operation do you go to a sorcerer to ask how it will turn out?

The Torah portion says - it will go against the truth and reality

The first portion comes to grips with

the Reality that trying to stay pure is he objective not always achieved

Blood sweat and tears- what a name for a BAND - why were they successful?

There was some DEEP MEANING in SOME of their music

The temple idea was to teach the reality of blood (and sweat) and tears

and that the Almighty wants us to face it all - and live a holy and productive life

not to sweat the small stuff

but to confront the blood and the tears and know that when we do so

it is the Almighty - not the tooth fairy or the sorcerer - who leaves us gifts under our pillow

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

Tazria Metzora - a Portion to Fix Loneliness and Illness

פרטים: קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua; פורסם בשלישי, 01 דצמבר 2020 13:53; נכתב על ידי Super User; כניסות: 958

Tazria Metzora - a Portion to Fix Loneliness and Illness

How many people visit the sick? Doctors? Family and Close Friends?

The Talmud tells the story of a scholar who wanted to meet Messiah and was told

"He is at the gates of Rome with the lepers ... you will know him by ..."

The Almighty visited Abraham after the Bris as he was aching-

But most people today do not visit the ill the confined or institutionalized (of many types)

as per the song "you get pneumonia ... he'll never phone ya..."

Once someone is ill these days - they are put somewhere - and the caretakers take care

It is a rare person that has the moral and emotional stamina to visit the sick

This week's portion

orders the Kohain - the Priest - to visit someone who may be leperous!

and to declare if yes or if no -

(IF YES - the person must be OUTSIDE THE CAMP - ALONE - BODED - how do you think they FEEL?)

AND the KOHAIN must go BACK TO CHECK to see whether and when there has been a HEALING

Loneliness is not sadness - but here you have illness - and loneliness added! Oiy how sad!

BUT the Torah in its wisdom gave a JOB to the KOHAIN to check on the illness!!!!

Illness can be physical or spiritual - and the Talmud teaches us

that the Torah requires us (not just the Priest - but to be holy as well)

To visit the sick

to end the loneliness

and to bring the time of Elijah and the Messiah by doing acts of kindness

Lots of Love and Gutt Shabbos

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

Portion Shemini: Why are Jewish Holidays SOOO Long ( 8 Days Long or 7 in Israel)

פרטים: קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua; פורסם בשלישי, 01 דצמבר 2020 13:51; נכתב על ידי Super User; כניסות: 1042

Portion Shemini: Why are Jewish Holidays SOOO Long ( 8 Days Long or 7 in Israel)

The guy on the radio said today "So everyone can take turns getting into the ZOO!"

(with their kids ... ho ho ho)

So Rabbi Lasri reminded us today that "When the Messiah comes

The Seder Night will be the beginning of 49 Days of Holiday!"

Okay - that brings us to the holiday of Shavuot - receiving the Torah.

The highlight of the Seder should be Bringing Holiness to our Table and Family - but sometimes it can be a little much ...

and the accent on food ...

Food - can be junk food - or can be Holy Kosher Food -

Making us Spiritually Strong like Lions!

So too in this portion we are taught about Moses and Aron setting up a HOLY SPACE -

the Tabernacle in the Desert - that lasted into about 400 years in Israel

And about HOLY FOOD - Kosher Laws that have lasted 3000 years - to today -

when you can even get KOSHER FISH that tastes like unkosher fish

and KOSHER BEEF FRY that tastes like (ugh - Bacon?) ...

So Rabbi Lasri taught - WE NEED TO INTERNALIZE the torah

the Seder

the Jewish Ways

- and that takes time - but can be

Very Nourishing and Very Pleasant as we are taught

"its ways are ways of PLEASANTNESS" - worth the effort ...

Love from Israel

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

Shabbat CholHaMoed - Blessings for 8 (or 7 in Israel) Days of Matza‏

פרטים: קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua; פורסם בשלישי, 01 דצמבר 2020 13:51; נכתב על ידי Super User; כניסות: 955

Shabbat CholHaMoed - Blessings for 8 (or 7 in Israel) Days of Matza‏

Almost Shabbat here in Israel - and I want to share these blessings that I heard from Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach

He reminded us that Matza is a healing - a simple food to take away all the complications of life.

I was at the Moshav (farm community) he founded yesterday -

for a day of music and dancing and seeing old friends from the US and Israel

(and their kids and grandchildren etc)

may sharing time with friends always be a blessing and a healing for us all.

Music is also a great healing - and may there be much music in all our lives.

I too want to bless us all we should know the greatness in each one of us -

that greatness that the Almighty sent with each of us to this earth when we were born

and I bless us all that our hearts and our minds not be separated in spirit or in action

and that we are able to act to do the right thing when we are confronted with the situations that test our resolve

Blessings of Shabbos and Matza and Music and healing

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

Portion Tzav ...a conversation with Moses

פרטים: קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua; פורסם בשלישי, 01 דצמבר 2020 13:50; נכתב על ידי Super User; כניסות: 1144

Portion Tzav ...a conversation with Moses

So Moses, what did you eat at the seder?

Well, the Almighty said we should have a roast, and everything the Almighty says works out well.

And what did you discuss at the table?

Well, we wanted to be prepared for the greatest event in history, our leaving Egypt, so we talked about our holy fathers and mothers starting from the trials of Abraham and Sarah right down to my own fights with Pharoah until the very moment ...

Rabbi Shlomo Carlebah always said - the Seder Night is the time to get above crass comments and just

FOCUS ON THE MOST MOMENTOUS EVENT IN WORLD HISTORY -

the Exodus from Egypt

the end to enduring tyranny

the beginning of a NATION that is CLOSE TO G-dliness

and he taught

Almighty wants "forever" from us and for us - not to be stuck in the old ways of the political correct but to

Speak words of holiness, and reach out to family - and you will feel the holiness forever

And about the portion of Tzav this shabbat ...

Really think now - to whom did Mosesspeak those forty years?

And Who does President Trump speak with

And Netanyahu ?

And what will YOU discus with family and friends this Shabbat -and at he Seder Table?

I was having breakfast in a restaurant a couple of years ago and the peaople at the table said

Over there is Netanyahu having breakfast with some guy!

One of my friends went over and said hello and Netanyahu smiled and said hello and went on

talking with his friend

In our portion Almighty says to Moses to talk to Aron and his sons about How to Run the Temple

Board meetings are great but the Temple functions with tons of work not everyone sees

OK it also says that Moses and the Almighty spoke face to face- about a lot of TORAH stuff

But was it a relationship?

At he end of this portion it is clear how DEAR Moses was to the Almighty -

after being appointed High Priest for a Week as the

Tabernacle was getting under way

I AM SURE there were a lot of people telling Moses "You are setting it up the wrong way"

and the same about your Passover seder... and how to run the Temple

The important thing is to - have a fun and HOLY seder - worthy of

a conversation "and how was the seder"

and maybe having Elijah the Prophet drop in for a sip...

And let it be a Holy Tool for Getting us Each out of our own little Egypts

Love and Blesings and Prayers for a

safe happy kosher Pasover

AND SHABBAT SHALOM

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

Portion vaYikra :Leave your baggage (and your chametz) behind

פרטים: קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua; פורסם בשלישי, 01 דצמבר 2020 13:50; נכתב על ידי Super User; כניסות: 958

Portion vaYikra :Leave your baggage (and your chametz) behind

Who wants to talk to a sour puss?

Sometimes I find myself after a year of dental work working hard to smile

But I try. So it was a JOY talking to my mechanic yesterday.

He heard that I was a student of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach and said:

I was in Russia during the end of Communist riule I heard about that Rabbi so I bought some tapes.

After hearing the tapes I heard he was going to Poland - so I decided I must drive to Poland to meet him!

It didn't work out but after 20 hours or so of listening to those tapes I decided I must go to Israel-

and here I am years later.

His smile brought me great smile.

The portion starts with the Almighty calling out to Moses -

And the Almighty calls out to each of us!

So let's make the effort to reach out back to G-d - and leave the chometz and the sour-ness and the silliness in the world behind!

Love and Shabos

Almost Passover!

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

Portion Vayakhel Pekudei Hachodesh

פרטים: קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua; פורסם בשלישי, 01 דצמבר 2020 13:49; נכתב על ידי Super User; כניסות: 1007

Portion Vayakhel Pekudei Hachodesh

This Shabbat we bless the month of Nisan - may it see the revival of the spirit of our people Israel

and a renewal of all the Goodness the world has ever seen - rolled up into a Blessing of Passover!

The Hebrew word for month is CHODESH from the root CHADASH meaning new.

Passover can mean "passing over" but you can look at the word to

PASS ON INTO A NEW OUTLOOK - on LIFE on PEOPLE -

as we can every day learn new things even from old friends and what looked yesterday

like "the same old thing" really is NOT - but may be seen in a whole NEW LIGHT

May we bless each other as we bless the month - and all the gifts we have from the Almighty

Shabbat Shalom from Lakewood NJ

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

Portion Keep tee Sah - The Challenge

פרטים: קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua; פורסם בשלישי, 01 דצמבר 2020 13:47; נכתב על ידי Super User; כניסות: 953

Portion Keep tee Sah - The Challenge

Why a Challenge?

Many years ago (I was 15) a friend of mine asked me to read this
Torah portion in two synagogues where he was employed as
Bal Koreh - the Torah Reader

I had read in public small portions but never one as long
and as diverse as this portion

I have to thank you Karl once again for throwing down
the gauntlet and challenging me with this portion

Moses the Master Teacher was challenged as well -

With All  the Goings On in this portion

AND WE ARE ALL TOO - that is, challenged by the events
and the opportunities in this portion

The Golden Calf - and we all have to deal with various
money issues

And the Sabbath - we are challenged to bring PEACE into
our   lives

And how did Moshe Rabeinu deal with

teaching and reaching  the hearts and souls of the people?


Rabbi Salomon Carlebach taught us that the Almighty gave us arms to be able to Reach Above our Limitations

And gave us Hearts to Reach out to Others

And we see in this portion that

Moshe and Aron were the Greatest Examples of these principles

And we are reminded of the rewards of the sweet smelling incense and the joy of Service

May we all realize the potential in the challenges we face

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

Portion Tetzaveh - Remember (Zachor) and PURIM - Jewish Time Travel ?

פרטים: קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua; פורסם בשלישי, 01 דצמבר 2020 13:40; נכתב על ידי Super User; כניסות: 1090

Portion Tetzaveh - Remember (Zachor) and PURIM - Jewish Time Travel

For 3000 years we Israelites are all Time Travelers – we are eternal -and we are told this Shabbat REMEMBER!

Remember the good – leaving Egypt is a part of us – and remember the scary –

Like being attacked by Amalek and the threat of Haman in the Megilla which we

will read Saturday night

There is SO MUCH that connects us through these generations and these themes this Shabbat! But here is one thought:

Installation of Aron as the High Priest forever for Israel –described at the end of the Portion where the ceremony is described that ordains

his children are to be priests forever; and bring sacrifice when they join the priestly ranks – and to offer incense …

So then the Torah says it will be like Yom KipuRIM … FOR YOUR generatons …

To make it short and sweet - here is the connection to today because

The end of the portion uses the phrase Kipurim – Ki Purim Meaniing "Like Purim") and says

the customs mentioned are "for the generations to remember" –

and like the Rabbis have taught

"the people fulfilled on Purim what they received at Sinai"

It reads like a prophecy that PURIM will happen –

and will be REMEMBERED by us FOR GENERATONS (the Almighty saving the Jews in a stream of hidden miracles)

So much will be with us forever – so much to celebrate this Shabbat and Purim right after!

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

Portion Teruma -Trump and the TaRaRump

פרטים: קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua; פורסם בשלישי, 01 דצמבר 2020 13:39; נכתב על ידי Super User; כניסות: 1095

Portion Teruma -Trump and the TaRaRump

NEXT WEEK IS PURIM and the sages teach WHAT WE HEARD AT MT SINAI WE UNDERSTOOD AFTER PURIM

In the megilla it says that messengers were sent to the Jews all over

to tell them that Esther had save them from Haman-

But that the messengers were "sad and confused"!

How is that related to this week's portion?

AND WHAT ABOUT TRUMP? (Huh?) so many so sad and so confused?

How come right after the spiritual and civil laws we heard at mount sinai in last weeks porttion -

Now the Almighty says they have to build a temple -

WHERE -in the desert? The Egyptians built great temples all over - using slaves -

but WE built everything BY VOLUNTEERS!

So what?

How they gonna take a building to israel? G-d promised them the promised land! Not the Sinai!

Who needs a building (except for Bar and Bat Mitzvas?)

And whats that got to do with Trump and Purim?

Okay so they got gold and vessels after 200 years of slavery from the egyptiams
But

Where did they get all that oil for the Menora for next 38 years in the desert?

Its all about Purim!

Sad and confused messengers - but doing the Will of the Almighty

Thats the story -

A temple in the desert? All new vessels crafted in the desert?

Why didn't they take some of the stuff from the Egyptian priests?

The Hebrews NEVER take any stuff from Idols or Idol Priests!

Haman wrote "kill the Jews and take their stuff!"

Mordechai and Esther wrote "No Taking STUFF" (like in the desert!)

Oil for the Lamps? Maybe They brought some with them -

and Maybe BOUGHT some from the desert tribes and

Maybe found some olive trees that Jacob planted along they way down to Egypt!

All these are Plans of the Almighty - NEVER BE SAD!

Get ready for a Happy Purrrrrim!

Gutt Shabbos...

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

מאמרים נוספים...

עמוד 35 מתוך 58

Nav view search

Navigation

Search

Parashat Hashavua

Porton of AchRey and Kedoshim – and the Tooth Fairy

Tazria Metzora - a Portion to Fix Loneliness and Illness

Portion Shemini: Why are Jewish Holidays SOOO Long ( 8 Days Long or 7 in Israel)

Shabbat CholHaMoed - Blessings for 8 (or 7 in Israel) Days of Matza‏

Portion Tzav ...a conversation with Moses

Portion vaYikra :Leave your baggage (and your chametz) behind

Portion Vayakhel Pekudei Hachodesh

Portion Keep tee Sah - The Challenge

Portion Tetzaveh - Remember (Zachor) and PURIM - Jewish Time Travel ?

Portion Teruma -Trump and the TaRaRump

מאמרים נוספים...

מונה

ברוכים הבאים לאתר השבת