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קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
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פורסם ברביעי, 25 נובמבר 2020 08:09
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Portion of Judgeships to set up...
Portion of Shoftim - Judges
The Portion says: Shoftim and shotrim you shall appoint …
The portion talks about wars and witchcraft, kings and cowardice, and righteousness in Jewish judgment.
Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach liked to tell a funny teaching about Jewish concept of Justice
(my interpretation here – where the emphasis is on HOW NOT OR YES TO JUDGE OTHERS)
Imagine you stop at a long red light and see the driver next to you and you
Talk to the next driver.
And the other driver pulls away quickly without saying hello even!
Later on you get a speeding ticket – and you're sure you're having a bad day when the police officer brings you to the local judge.
Well imagine if that judge is THAT OTHER DRIVER! And winks to you – and dismisses the ticket.
How can weever judge everyone?
The best thing is to look at everything as the Al-mighty giving US a chance to judge everything favorably – and to spread a little good will around.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
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קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
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פורסם ברביעי, 25 נובמבר 2020 08:08
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Portion of Re'eh – "See here now..." and HOW MANY TIMES YOU GOTTA TELL ME?"
This week's portion Re'eh says :
"Today - LOOK - I set before you a blessing – and a curse." TODAY! NOW
!
Israel is a blessing – researching and creating healing methods for the world –
And what do we see from Iraq and Hamas and the "Islamic State" and Iran
- everyone knows NOW what a curse is
!
the endangering and degeneration of the world
!
This portion also says about "flase prophets" - not just "don't follow them" but
love G-d ... listen to the VOICE (inner? outer?) the voice of G-d ... work for H-s plan
... and CLING to him"
... BUT WAIT
didn't it say thtat in LAST WEEK's portion
?
"fear the Al-mighty .. work for H-s plan ... CLING to H-m ...and sweAR only IN H-s NAME
?
is this a NUDGE
and
Do we really need to hear this again?
The Ibn Ezra medieval commentary on both these sentences explains
"CLING TO G-D" as IN YOUR HEART cling to the Almighty..
Maybe we all ned to hear this until the world focuses on bettering the world.
IF ONLY THOSE who are cursing the world with their murderous intent would only
OPEN THEIR HEARTS!
Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach would always say at his "teach ins"
"Now friends, OPEN YOUR HEARTS"
- because without an open heart we really can't learn.
If only the world would stop closing their hearts and following false prophets into chaos.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
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קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
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פורסם ברביעי, 25 נובמבר 2020 08:08
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Ekev - is this the end of the year - or a new beginning?
In Devarim chapter 11 (end of this week's portion) - verse 12 it says: G-d inquires about ... (nd) views Israel from the beginning of the year to the end of the year.
So what does that do for us?
If we look at verses 22-25 - it gives us a key:
"just do this Mitzva - follow in the Almighty's ways ... and LOVE G-d and
...
you'll inherit the LAND (Israel)
...
and the nations will FEAR you (Pachad) and be in dread (Morah) of you.
G-d is always looking at what is happening in Israel.
The world is always looking at what is happening in Israel.
G-d looks with love-
but the worldlooks with fear!
G-d loves Israel - and we should love G-d just for that!
But the more we love the Almighty - the more the world is in fear of us-
BECAUSE THEY JUST DON'T GET IT!
If only they realized that they should learn from us how to HAVE SOUL!
Below seems to be a quote from Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach :
When Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden the Almighty kept part of their souls-
which he gives back to those who keep the Sabbath! That's the
Neshama Yesayra - the "extra soul" of Shabbos!
If only we could teach the world to love shabbos
they would have MORE SOUL
and not need to fear Israel - but to join us in loving G-d for all the extra soul we get from the Almighty!
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
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קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
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פורסם ברביעי, 25 נובמבר 2020 08:06
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Portion of VaEtChaNan - The TEN Commandments AGAIN?
Why does this portion rREPEAT the 10 Commanments (Which first appears in Exodus)?
(Besides the fact that MUCH of the Fifth Book of the Five repeats most of the Mitzvot anyway ...)
This Shabbat is Shabat Nachamu (about healing) - the opposite of Purim's Shabbat Zachor (about evil Amalek)
Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach always taught us that to understand a Jewish holiday
the Great Rebbes would look at the holiday OPPOSITE (in the calendar) - SO WE LEARN FROM BOTH SIDES.
There - before the Purim miracle - Haman's hatred was SO STRONG he was willing to pay THOUSANDS IN SILVER to Achashverosh - for the "rights" to destroy the Jews (like Hamas - using every bit of money the residents of Gaza needed to build or buy weapons to destroy)...
So this portion with Moses' Farewell Teachings (WHICH ARE FOREVER) is saying
Here's the SHEMA - "Love the L-rd you G-d"
and
Here's the Ten Commandments AGAIN which say "Honor your Parents" and "Honor the Sabbath" etc.-
For NOW and forever - even after sins like the Golden Calf when the first 10 Commandments were broken
We should LOOK AT THE MIRACLES LIKE PURIM which can happen when
the Jewish People Pray Together- and rejoice together
like we're told to do on the 15 AV holiday - shabbat Nachamu - this shabbat -
to do G-d's will - to UNDO the opposite-
undo the Hatred of Haman-
and bring about love amongst our people(s)
FOREVER - whatever mistakes we may have made -
the Ten Commanments are and EASY START to come close to G-d's will on earth
Really - how often do you call or recall your Mother? your parents?
- remember their kindness - remember their struggles?
Moses says here "remember the Ten Commandments I taught you BEFORE the Golden Calf -
THEY ARE RELEVANT FOREVER - especially today -
AND GIVE US STRENGTH TOGETHER AS A PEOPLE
May it be so!
Love and Shabbos (from Israel)
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
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קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
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פורסם ברביעי, 25 נובמבר 2020 08:05
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Portion of Devarim - prophecies for TODAY on the Wars of the Jews
The Fifth Book of 5 - Devarim -
Starts with - Moses' review of Israel's previous 40 years -
and a HISTORY OF THE MIDDLE EAST!
READ IT - and see how one nation destroyed another nation and
the succession of Amorites and Horites etc - it is
SO CONFUSING -
UNLESS YOU THINK ABOUT THE MIDDLE EAST TODAY!
The portion is For Us TODAY
So what about US?
And ISRAEL?
The portion recounts the beginnings of the Wars for Israel
(which never seem to be over, right?).
BUT IN THE END OF THE PARSHA
MOSES TELLS JOSHUA NOT TO WORRY when he enters Israel !!!
Because it is G-d's hand - in ALL the history of the Middle East!
Moses says - Do Not Fear
Because G-d is MAKING THIS CONQUEST FOR ISRAEL
To destroy evil in nations in the world - it is G-d's Master Plan
We just have to do our part - TRUST IN HASHEM -
and teach the world to end the evil in their hearts.
Lots of Love and Shabbos from Israel
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
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קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
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פורסם ברביעי, 25 נובמבר 2020 08:04
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Portion of Matos – Tell the Leaders NOT to SWEAR – A Prophecy for Today
Moses (who usually transmitted the words of the Almighty) starts off by telling the leaders to keep their word, and then teaches about not making oaths, swearing, etc And then Israel has to go to war
And thank G-d none of our soldiers are killed.
Finally in the portion - 2 and a half tribes decide the Golan Heights is for them – and make a deal with Moses to stay in the army (with Joshua) until the rest of the tribes find their place in Canaan – Israel. It's a portion for us to read every day during the Gaza war.
Israeli boys are blowing up tunnels filled with explosives and armaments meant to kill
Our boys are destroying rocket launching pads aimed at families in Israel
Our people are trying to stop the constant rain of rockets sent against Israel by the Hamas terror government, voted into Gaza by a population that prefers suffering and hatred to making peace and growing prosperity.
That was the same as those who attacked the Israelites instead of saying "come on – we have lots of room for the Israelites and the Torah"
There's a lot of wars going on around here – Syria Egypt Libya Ukraine etc etc
Here's a quote from Rabbi Carlebach sent from my friend Rabbi Sholom Brodt of Jerusalem:
Reb Shlomo once said 'what's the difference between our soldiers and those of our enemies? When a Jewish soldier fires a bullet, deep inside he is praying that Moshiach should arrive quickly before the bullet reaches its target.'
Though we have no choice today but to fight for the safety of our people, deep inside we want Moshiach to come already.
May that dream be fulfilled
And may we have teachers and leaders who fulfill the words of the Torah
Love from Israel
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
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קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
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פורסם ברביעי, 25 נובמבר 2020 08:03
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Balak - The portion of blessings, rebellion, talking donkeys, and holy vengeance
It's a hot week in Israel - in many ways - and we read a Torah Portion I've never understood
Calls over the media for vengeance - coming from talking donkeys (Arab liars who also claimed the killing of a boy a few years ago - who got up and walked in a different video! - and was a libel case against French TV) -
and RAMADAN Riots in the name of Islam (which means "peace" supposedly) - how
fitting for the week of a Torah portion about someone who tries to curse Israel- and is reproached by his donkey
And who is forced by the Almighty to BLESS Israel instead !!
Sometimes what your mind doesn't understand - your heart can understand through music
So today on Israel radio they're playing Rabbi Carlebach's song from the Sabbath Zemirot
"to your Sanctuary return, and the Holy of Holies"
And my friend Rabbi Sholom Brodt of Yeshiva Sinchat Shlomo is explaining the part of the portion that says
"How Goodly are your Tents oh Jacob" (Bilam's blessing in resonse to Balak's request for curses)
teaching that some commentaries say it means the tents of the Israelites
but there is a view that it means the Tent of the Sanctuary in the desert
We sing to the Almighty on Shabbat to return to a state of Sanctuary
and we pray every morning "How goodly are your Tents oh Jacob" as we enter our Temples
And may we learn to forever sing of holiness
to avoid the potential curses and revenge
and to ever enter the tents of holiness - and the holiness of the Sabbath
and may the Balaks and the Bilams disappear - and the world be clear - of any evil
Shabbat Shalom from the land where everyone is TRYING to work out the issues of the world
Rabbi ANdy Eichenholz
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קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
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פורסם ברביעי, 25 נובמבר 2020 08:03
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Chukat - the great Mysteries of the World are never unlocked
That's part of what life is about
We know we're born, we can love, we can share, we can do things we never imagined we could accomplish -
and all these are a Gift from the Almighty
We can never KNOW WHY -
and Rebbe Nachman says - THERE'S NO POINT IN GUESSING - IT WASTES OUR ENERGY
But if we BELIEVE in the Almighty's GIFTS to us -
it becomes a starting point to life life on a more expansive level -
than to just be doubting everything.
In the portion of Chukat:
tHE WELL STOPS RUNNING;
the well stops running
Moses hits the rock instead of talking to it
and Israel is attacked for asking to be able to travel in peace ...
sounds familiar? the past is repeated and
Water in the desert - ISRAEL has created a modern miracle
Moses at age 120 got a little hot under the collar -
and (Based on Rabbi Moshe Neria) - is told he will some day bring all the souls of those who passed away in the desert into Israel- and look - NOW there are 6 million Jews is Israel
And if we believe the Messiah will come to fix and redeem the world-
it gives us more power to aim our efforts
first by following the laws and the mysteries of the Torah,
and then our every day lives.
Shabbat Shalom
Happy New Month of Tamiz
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
