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17 June 2021

The Incomprehensible Power of Teshuva (Rabbi Ephraim Sprecher)

 7 Tammuz 5781



 

 

 

 

 

 by Rabbi Ephraim Sprecher

Rashi in Parshat Chukat quotes a Midrash that explains that the Red Heifer is a tikun for the Sin of the Golden Calf. "To what can this be likened? To a maid that worked in the palace of the king. One day her child came and soiled the palace with his filth. The king said: 'Let the mother come and clean up her child's filth.'" This is the concept of atonement for the golden calf, for the Holy One said: "Let the red heifer come and atone for the golden calf."
 
The Midrash examines the concept of the Red Heifer and the Golden Calf, and finds many striking parallels and connections. For example: 
 
1.   Why must the heifer be red? Scripture likens sin to red because, when a person sins, he forfeits his blood: "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be like red crimson, they shall be white as wool" (Isaiah 1:18). Says the Holy One: Since Israel's sins are red, let the heifer also be red — and when it is burned, its ashes are white... thus the prophet assures his people in the Creator's name that God promises, "they shall be white as snow."
 
2.   In order for the heifer to be fit, it must never have carried a yoke. This is an allusion to Israel, who threw off the yoke of Heaven in insubordination when they worshiped the golden calf.
 
3.   Why must the heifer be given to Elazar, an assistant, and not the High Priest himself? Because Aaron oversaw the creation of the golden calf; and therefore, it would not seem proper for him to officiate with the heifer. There is a principle: "The same one who was prosecutor, cannot become defense attorney."
 
4.   The heifer is burned, an allusion to the calf that was burned: "And he took the calf which they had made, and burned it in the fire..." Ex 32:20.
 
5.   Three species are used: hyssop, cedar, and scarlet wool, which are reminiscent of the 3,000 who fell at the Sin of the Calf. And why these three? The cedar is the highest, and the hyssop is the lowest...and whoever is haughty (equal to the sin of idolatry) must become like a worm (from which the red dye is obtained) in his own eyes, as King David prayed: "I am a worm and not a man" (Psalm 22:7). If he will lower and humble himself, his sins will be atoned.
 
6.   Just as the Sin of the Golden Calf exerts its influence forever, as it states: "…on that day I will remember you and I will remember your sin…" (Ex 32:34), so too the Holy One commanded that the ashes of the red heifer be kept as a remembrance for all generations: "And they shall be for the congregation of the children of Israel a remembrance." And just as the golden calf rendered all those who participated in it impure — for idolatry causes impurity, as it is written: "You shall cast it away as a thing impure..." (Isaiah 30:22) — so the heifer renders all those who come into contact with it impure. And as Israel became pure when Moses burned the golden calf — fire being the symbol of purging sin — so Israel becomes pure through the burning of the red heifer.
 
Since we have received an explanation that the purification by the heifer's ashes is related to the Golden Calf episode, and from Rashi’s “they” who said, "Let the mother come and clean her child's filth" — then why is the ordinance of the red heifer still called a "chok"? Surely the element of mystery has abated; it is simply a matter of rectifying the Sin of the Golden Calf! Why did King Solomon state regarding the Red Heifer: "I said I will get wisdom, but it is beyond me" (Ecclesiastes).
 
Yes, even if it is granted that the secret mechanism which powers the cleansing of these ashes is the power of teshuva, this itself is above the realm of comprehension! For even the greatest wisdom and understanding cannot fathom or explain the power of teshuva and how it works...only the Holy One Himself, in his Infinite Mercy, decreed that it should be so. Teshuva is the most mysterious Godly secret of all!

 ***

 

11 June 2021

Listen to Your Wife! (Rabbi Ephraim Sprecher)

 1 Tammuz 5781 (Rosh Hodesh B)



 
 
 
 
 
Listen to Your Wife!

by Rabbi Ephraim Sprecher | first published here
In his revolt against the authority of Moses and Aaron, Korach was supported by Dathan and Abiram and by On, the son of Peleth. The opening verse of this sidra is the only place where On ben Peleth is mentioned; and his name does not occur in the more detailed narrative that follows. Noting the absence of the name from the subsequent account, the Talmud states, that On, the son of Peleth, was saved from the consequences of his folly by the wisdom and sound common sense of his wife. She pointed out to him that he had nothing to gain from rebelling because whoever remained the leader, Moses or Korach, he would be simply a follower (Sanhedrin 109b). He took her advice, withdrew from the rebellion and was saved.
 
The Midrash finds allusions in his name to the initial involvement of On ben Peleth in Korach's mutiny. He is called On (connected with aninut, "mourning") because he did not cease from mourning for having sided with Korach; and he is named ben Pelet (connected with pele, "miracle") because he was rescued from destruction by a miracle. The Midrash also understands the words of Proverbs "The wise among the women build her house" (14:11) to refer to On's wife whose wisdom rescued her household from destruction, and it takes the continuation of the verse "But the foolish woman overthrows it with her own hands" to refer to Korach's wife who, in encouraging her husband to rebel, destroyed him and herself (Bemidbar Rabbah 18:15).
 
The good influence a Jewish woman can have is most effectively exerted in her home, the strongest fortress for moral values. As King David says in Psalms: "the glory of the King's daughter is in her home." From the earliest times in the history of Israel the honored place of the Jewish woman was first and foremost in her home because of the Jewish values she nurtures in her family.
 
The most vital areas of a Jew's life are entrusted to women's care and attention. Thus, the Mishna in Tractate Shabbat mentions three mitzvot specifically highlighting the woman's powerful and central role in Judaism: niddah (laws of family purity), challah (sanctifying a portion of baked bread), and hadlakat nerot (lighting candles). Niddah governs sexual relations and procreation; challah symbolizes sanctity and kashrut in the home, and candles are a symbol of the Sabbath and the Festivals, that we are able to sanctify time.
 
The Torah states that G-d created Eve from Adam's rib in order that she should be a helpmate for him (Genesis 2:18) – ezer kenegdo. The Hebrew phrase is somewhat contradictory. Ezer is "a help", and kenegdo is "against him". In the Talmud (Yevamot 63a) Rabbi Elazar solved the difficulty by saying that if her husband is worthy she is to help him, but if he is not worthy she is against him. Perhaps, however, she sometimes helps him by being against him. If she smooths his rough edges , corrects his faults and points out when he is wrong, she helps him by not mirroring or reinforcing his shortcomings. Sometimes only a wife can appropriately correct her husband. A man is often a poor judge of his own character and cannot see himself objectively. Thus, the gematriya (numerical value) of אשה (wife) in Hebrew equals מוסר (rebuke), because only a wife can properly reprove and correct her husband. Musar (rebuke) also in gematriya equals דבש (honey). For rebuke to be effective, it must be given in a sweet and pleasant manner.
 
***
 
 

 
I bring this here because Rav Eliyahu, זצוק"ל, used to live in my neighborhood before he passed, and one of his sons is the rabbi of one of the batei knesset  here. I am also happy that he did so much good for Jonathan and Esther.
 
Of course, we also know that Jonathan listens to his wife and keeps her close — the point of this post!

H/t Devash.
 
***
 
Also read: Crunch Time: The Last Trimester of the Final 9 Months (may it be so, or even sooner!)
 
Hodesh tov uShabbath Shalom! 

Pray Tehillim for Mashiah to win the war.

1 Tammuz 5781 (Rosh Hodesh B)


Sefer Tehillim, The Rashi Edition. Here are a lot of versions of Tehillim covers.


A call has gone out from at least one rabbi I am aware of, R' Yekutiel Fish (more specific information about the reason for this post was found here*), for prayer for Mashiah because he needs the help of every single Jew in order to win his wars. There may be more, but I don't know who they are.

It doesn't matter whether it's Mashiah ben Yosef or Mashiah ben David, and it doesn't matter whether we know who each of them really is at this point in time, as long as they are the real deal and as long as they remain hidden from us; but in any case, I have begun participating in prayer with that intention.

According to the article linked above, righteous hidden tzaddikim have been praying for him for a number of years now, using a set of selected chapters comprising the following 10 Tehillim. 

All Jews are welcome to participate. If you decide to, you may choose your preference below: Hebrew alone, English alone, or both. 

And many thanks in advance!

Selected Chapters | פרקים נבחרים

Hebrew Numerals (right to left, Hebrew) | (מספרי עבריים (ימין עד שמאל, עברית

סח ס לו לה לא
קט פט פח פג פ

Arabic Numerals (left to right, English)

31 35 36 60 68
80 83 88 89 109

Combined Translation (listed right to left)

סח 68
ס 60
לו 36
לה 35
לא 31
קט 109
פט 89
פח 88
פג 83
פ 80 
 


NOTE: Trying to be practical, the order of the perakim/chapters are designed to accommodate several different styles used by Tehillim readers, and to make it easier for people who aren't as experienced (like me!) at reading Tehillim as others, or who like to read them in English, whether alone or with the Hebrew. Links are to Sefaria's version of Tehillim

Or, you can download a PDF of them.

Other language speakers may want to either use Hebrew or translate to your language, to the right on the sidebar. →→ 

Or, just use your own Sefer Tehillim and be guided by the numbers here. 😇

Whatever you can do, it all counts!

Hodesh Tov uMevorach!

***

*thanks to SG.


Also read: Crunch Time: The Last Trimester of the Final 9 Months (may it be so, or even sooner!)

03 June 2021

23rd of Sivan - A day of special prayers

 23 Sivan 5781


From R' Alon Anava (first published here):

Special prayer for the 23rd of Sivan


On the 23rd of the month of Sivan (כג׳ סיון) the decree of Haman (At the time of Mordechai and Esther) to annihilate the Jewish nation was nullified. The holy books teach us that this day is a very powerful day for prayers to nullify decrees and anything bad, evil and horrible against us. The same way that from that day and on the situation of the Jewish nation changed and became good, and “Mordecai left the king’s presence with royal raiment” (Esther 8/15) … “and the city of Shushan shouted and rejoiced” … and as a result the Megila says… “The Jews had light and joy, and gladness and honor” – The holy books teach us that this day (Sivan 23) is a powerful day to revoke and nullify any decree against you (Sickness, death, poverty, infertile, etc.)

Therefore on this powerful day there are a few things you want to do:

  1. Light two (2) candles for Esther and Mordechai
  2. Give three (3) coins to charity. The coins should be held with both hands at the same time when placing in the charity box
  3. Read chapters 22, 83, 130, 142 of Tehilm – Find text below*
  4. Read chapter 8 from the Megila of Esther – Find text below*
  5. Read Avinu Malkeinu (Without a blessing, just the text)- Find text below*
  6. Pray from your heart with your words anything you want and need – Ask from Hashem
  7. Recite the short prayer – Find text below*
  8.  Take on yourself a good decision to add a Mitzvah to your daily schedule

IMPORTANT NOTE: Make sure all the above is done and read on the 23rd of Sivan during the day from dawn till sundown!

 

* To "Find text below" — go to this link: 23rd of Sivan Special Prayer. - HDG

 


 

 May we merit Geulah Shlemah speedily in our days!