12 Moses said to יהוה, “See, You say to me, ‘Lead this people forward,’ but You have not made known to me whom You will send with me. Further, You have said, ‘I have singled you out by name, and you have, indeed, gained My favor.’
13 Now, if I have truly gained Your favor, pray let me know Your ways, that I may know You and continue in Your favor. Consider, too, that this nation is Your people.”
16 For how shall it be known that Your people have gained Your favor unless You go with us, so that we may be distinguished, Your people and I, from every people on the face of the earth?”
17 And יהוה said to Moses, “I will also do this thing that you have asked; for you have truly gained My favor and I have singled you out by name.”
***
My comment: Moshe Rabbenu received the commandment back towards the beginning of this book to free the people and bring them to the Land haShem promised them. In the above passage, He was so angry with our ancestors for worshiping the golden statue of a calf that He threatened to wipe them out and start all over again with Moshe. It shows Moshe's derekh eretz that he remembered what his mission was, and that he convinced haShem to stick with it, rather than abandon the people altogether. After all, how did he know that his descendants wouldn't do the same thing? And how long would this process go on; hasn't this gone on long enough? We are coming up to Am Yisrael's 3,335th birthday — see HERE - HDG
***
OH, GOD, if YOU gave and continue to give the Jewish People the favor YOU promised Moshe Rabbenu in the above passage, PLEASE SEND and REVEAL MASHIAH NOW!!!
***
Next year there will be two months of Adar! and be"H we will live and be well to see them with him!
Just remember that those who followed Moshe out of the darkness of Egypt/Mitzrayim got to have the chance to go to the Land they were promised! And not everyone made it here...
Blogger's note: First of all, I should warn my gentle readers (and my not-so-gentle ones too😉) that what follows may seem, or even be, what I'm terming "religiously politically incorrect" for some of you. Nevertheless, I write with the hope that we all seek the truth, whether it be PC or not.
I do not imagine that only Jews read this blog. Perhaps most readers are, but not all.
And away we go...
***
According to a well-known law, or principle of Scripture, the Law of First Mention, one must find the first place where the question is answered. It will be the "simplest, most understandable reference from which the others build." (source)
The context of this verse is a chapter where the Lord is commanding Moshe Rabbenu (Moses our Teacher) to go to Par'oh and speak with him about the matter of freeing the nation of Israel to go and worship Him in the midbar (wilderness. The specific detail of the celebration of G-d in the wilderness occurs in 5:1.).
A breakdown of the translation of the last three words in the Hebrew: The
noun "b'chori" means "my firstborn," which is masculine, referring to
"b'ni, "my son." "Is" is understood, and Israel is the object of the
noun phrase, which in English is rendered "my firstborn son."
Does this mean that Jacob, who attained the name Israel in Bereshith (Genesis) 32:25-30, is G-d's firstborn son?
No. The first thing we learn from the principle of the firstborn son of HQB"H is that it refers to a nation and not to a particular person from within that nation (or a person from within any other nation, for that matter).
I repeat: Israel, as presented in the context of the ending of Egyptian slavery, does not refer to Ya'aqov (Jacob), but to his progeny, the nation of Yisrael.
There are no two ways about it, and no other way to interpret it. Israel — the Jewish People — is named by G-d as His firstborn son.
My search for the law of first mention brought only Christian sites. I know that Chabad teaches this too (my mom went to Chabad events for quite some time, and she taught it to me); and I imagine that this is common-sense enough that others would do the same as well, and have come up with it on their own. This would especially apply to those who believe in the infallibility of the Word of G-d in its original language.
(Anyone who can clarify this for me, please feel free to use the comment section. Thanks in advance!)
The main point to remember here is that we do not deviate from
what is learned in the first mention. We may learn more details and
elaborations on it, but we may not turn away from what it essentially
means and make it something else.
Those who seek to use this tool properly need to be sure it does not lead in a direction that may not
be warranted. It would probably be best to use more than one Scriptural
reference, to make sure there is no conflict. I am about to present one here, that Christians bring upon themselves because, for them, all roads lead to Otoh haIsh (Yoshke/the J man).
The source above, which I'm linking again here, gives an example in the first mention of blood, Hevel's (Abel's) blood at the hands of Kayin (Cain) in Bereshith (Genesis) 4:10, and ends up with the one we call Otoh haIsh (Yoshke/J). The path they took completely missed the verse we're discussing here, thus coming to conflicting conclusions, creating more questions than answers.
This constitutes a violation of the law of first mention because it basically wipes out a whole lot of Scripture that explains the concept of the son of G-d, as explained above and, I'm sure, elsewhere. Not to mention that their whole understanding of sacrifice is skewed, and the unmistakably human sacrifice of Yoshke "for the sins of the world" is expressly forbidden.
As my rabbi from the States told me many years ago, long before I made aliyah: It took haShem close to 2,000 years to wipe out the human sacrifice of ancient times, and Xianity brought it back.
Who knew?
***
R' Shimon Kessin firmly believes that both Christianity and Islam are above us today because we are still in violation of our obligation to love our fellow Jews. Listen here to the one on Christianity:
Official Israel proved this once again regarding a recent event in Dubai. A Jerusalem pavilion was created there, separate from the Israel pavilion — which presented Israel as a nondescript country, nothing particularly special — and labeled as belonging to "Palestine." Meaning, that Islam basically owns Jerusalem.
Did our Ministry of Foreign Affairs do or say anything about it? The big question I have is...
Is this an accident, or is it a secret policy of our government to allow our ownership and responsibility for Jerusalem, our ancient capital, to be disavowed?
This question needs to be answered openly, publicly and honestly. We need to know the state of our governance, whether the system we live under can still serve us or not, on many levels and many issues besides this one. Basically, we cannot allow this desecration of our name and reputation to continue. Not only that, but we must be sure that we are ruled by those who have our best interest as a nation at heart.
Will we serve G-d or not?
We must do teshuva.
Avi Abelow introduced the following video:
Israel’s Foreign Ministry paid over $20 million to have a
pavilion at the global expo in Dubai that is expecting 25 million
visitors from around the world. Yet, instead of inspiring and exciting
expo visitors with what makes the Jewish state of Israel unique and
enticing to all of humanity, Israel’s foreign experts dropped the ball,
big time.
What bothers me more than the missed
opportunity is the missing appreciation for their own heritage and
homeland, that actually is what so many people around the world are so
starving to experience on a visit to Israel.
“See,
G‑d has proclaimed Bezalel by name…he filled him with G‑dly spirit,
with wisdom, insight, and understanding.” (Shmot 35:30-31)
Bezalel,
the master architect of the Mishkan, was endowed with exceptional
wisdom and knowledge necessary to make a dwelling place for G‑d’s
Shechinah. Midrash Tanchuma comments that Bezalel already had possessed
great wisdom before he was appointed to this monumental position. This
is because G‑d grants wisdom only to one who already has wisdom, as the
verse in Daniel 2 states, “He gives wisdom to the wise.”
The
Midrash relates that a Roman matron once asked Rav Yosi about the logic
of this verse in Daniel. Why does G‑d give wisdom to the wise? Wouldn’t
it make more sense to give it to fools who need the wisdom, she asked.
Rav Yosi answered her, like a Jew always does, with another question: if
a rich man and a pauper would approach you for a loan, to whom would
you lend money?
“To
the rich man, of course” the matron replied, “because I am more assured
of getting back my money from him. The pauper may default on the loan
and have nothing with which to repay me.”
This
is the answer to your question, Rav Yosi replied to the matron. G‑d
gives wisdom to the wise because they know how to use the wisdom to
repay G‑d. The fools will take the wisdom and waste it on nonsense,
thereby default on the wisdom they were given.
Where
does the original wisdom of the wise come from? Shlomo Hamelech
answered this when he said, “The beginning of wisdom is to acquire
wisdom.” (Mishlai 4:7) A person must have a desire to acquire wisdom and
demonstrate that it is the most precious commodity in life for him.
Then G‑d will grant him this unique gift. Bezalel was such a person. He
was someone whose heart inspired him to approach the work and to do it.
(Shmot 36:2)
A
person may have an extremely high IQ, but that does not make him wise.
He must desire to use this special intelligence for the right purpose.
There was a landmark study done a number of years ago which showed that
some of the most evil people in recent history had exceptionally high
IQ’s. Yet this did not prevent them from committing some of the worst
crimes.
What
is the message for us today in our personal lives? Rav Pam stated that
any Torah teacher can testify that success in Torah learning is not
necessarily dependent on intellectual ability. What is needed is a
strong desire to succeed, to review and to patiently grow. What’s more,
one has to treasure every bit of Torah knowledge that one acquires. That
is the key to success!
The
Torah states, in Shemot 34:30, “Aaron and all the children of Israel saw
Moshe and WOW! The skin of his face had become radiant and shiny, and
they were afraid to approach him.”
When
Moshe came down from Har Sinai after his final 40-day stay in Heaven,
he brought the second Luchot with him. His face had a holy, supernatural
shine to it. Rashi says that this was the result of Hashem’s divine
hand which had protected Moshe when Hashem showed him a glimpse of His
glory as stated in Shemot 33:22.
Or
Hachayim quotes another source for this radiant shine on Moshe’s face.
The Midrash Shemot Rabba 47 says that when Moshe completed the writing
of the Torah, a bit of ink remained in his pen, which Moshe smeared on
his forehead, and this resulted in his unique radiance. Why was there a
drop of ink left over?
Or
Hachayim says that it was due to Moshe’s outstanding humility. When he
was commanded by G-d to write the words “Moshe was exceedingly humble,
more than any person on the face of the earth” (Bamidbar 12:3), he could
not bring himself to write the word עינו (humble), with it’s proper
spelling, and therefore spelled the word ענו without the yud. It was
from this extra drop of ink from the missing yud that Moshe merited the
radiant shine on his face.
Rav
Pam would always say that true greatness in Torah goes hand in hand
with true humility. Thus, because Moshe was the greatest ענו therefore
he was also the greatest in Torah knowledge.
Can Rabbi Akiva’s Seder of almost 2,000 years ago help us to cope with Coronavirus in the year 2020?
The
Pesach Haggada states, that five Sages, Rabbi Akiva and his colleagues,
were telling of the Exodus from Egypt all night at the Seder, until
their disciples came and said to them, "Our Rabbis, the time for the
recital of the morning Shema has arrived."
The
Seder is all about both parents telling their children about the Exodus
story. So where were the wives and children of these great Rabbis?
Judaism does not condone a MEN’S-ONLY SEDER.
The
Aruch HaShulchan in his commentary on the Haggada, states that this
Seder in Bnei Brak took place after the destruction of the Second Temple
and during the Hadrianic persecutions. This was one of the most tragic
and despairing eras in Jewish History. The Bar Kochba uprising had
proven to be a failure to recapture sovereignty over the Land of Israel.
The collective soul of Israel was crushed as Jewish Rabbinic leaders
(10 Martyrs) were being tortured to death.
A
long and bitter exile loomed on the horizon for the Jewish People. And
then came the Yom Tov of Pesach. How could the Jews possibly celebrate a
Pesach Seder of freedom in the midst of persecution, terror and
despair? The families of these great Rabbis were Quarantined in
Isolation perhaps due to the fear of being discovered by the Roman
soldiers, or being infected by some plague (like Coronavirus). During
this period of dashed hopes and failed expectations, there was no
greater person of faith among the Jewish people than Rabbi Akiva.
Everything about him suggested a spirit of incomparable optimism.
Despite the fact that he had been the main spiritual inspiration for the
failed Bar Kochba rebellion, he never surrendered to despair.
We need Rabbi Akiva NOW to help us deal with our fear and despair of the Coronavirus.
In
one amazing incident in the Talmud (Makot 24), R' Gamliel, R' Akiva, R'
Elazar ben Azaria, and R' Yehoshua (3 of these 4 Sages having also been
at the Seder in Bnei Brak), were walking on Mt. Scopus, when they
spotted a fox emerging from the place of the Holy of Holies on the
Temple Mount. The other Rabbis began to cry, but R' Akiva laughed. When
they asked him to explain the reason for his laughter, R' Akiva
explained that since the presence of the foxes confirmed the truth of
the prophecy of destruction, the prophecy of the future redemption of
Israel will certainly come true.
R'
Akiva is the figure who represents total faith in Hashem, and total
faith in the future destiny of the Jewish People. His own death full of
suffering, serves as one of the most spiritually powerful moments in our
tragic history. R' Akiva was sentenced to death for refusing to obey
the Hadrianic laws that prohibited the teaching of Torah.
The
Talmud states, "When R' Akiva was taken out for execution, it was the
hour for the recital of the Shema. And while the Romans tore his flesh
with iron combs, he accepted upon himself the Kingship of Heaven. His
disciples were amazed, they cried, "'Rebbe, even on to this point?'
Dying, his body tortured, R' Akiva explained that until then he had
never had the opportunity of fulfilling the Mitzva to love Hashem with
all your soul. Now that I have that chance, shall I not fulfill it?"
(B'rachot 61).
The
Shema is our testimony to our belief in the Final Redemption. "Hear
Israel, Hashem who is now only accepted by us as our G‑D, will
eventually be accepted by the UN and the EU as the One and Only true
G‑D." This is the meaning of the Shema as explained by the Talmud. With
his dying breath, this is the final legacy of faith and optimism which
R' Akiva left to all future generations.
Thus, we invite Rabbi Akiva to inspire our own Pesach Seder each and every year.
Because Rabbi Akiva is our role model in Coping with Corona by teaching
us NEVER DESPAIR, HANG IN THERE. Judaism is all about Hope and Eternal
Optimism!
21 Iyyar 5779 / a little late for La"G ba'Omer ;-(
Fire Safety for Lag BaOmer - Hidabroot (read the source! Great for years to come...)
[Note RE: the first paragraph: R' Sprecher told me today that he was told that Robbie Krieger of the former Doors had visited Israel and Diaspora Yeshiva in the late 1960s, several years before the Rav had himself arrived. I could find no independent corroboration on line or anywhere else (wouldn't it have been cool to have a link?). Please let me know if you met him here, or heard about it, at my blog email or as a comment below. -HDG]
by Rabbi Ephraim Sprecher | links to sources by HDG
The Doors had a number
one hit song called "Light My Fire" in 1967. This song was written by
band member Robby Krieger who visited Diaspora Yeshiva in the 1960s. Perhaps
Krieger was inspired by the Lag B’Omer fires that he saw in Israel. Why does
everyone in Israel get so "fired up" on Lag B’Omer?
There are two main
historical events connected to Lag B’Omer. First, the Talmud Yevamot 62[b] states
that during the time of Rabbi Akiva, 24,000 of his students died from a
Divinely sent plague during the days of the counting of the Omer between Pesach
and Shavuot.
The Talmud goes on
to say that this was a punishment because Rabbi Akiva's disciples did not show
love and respect to each other. They were jealous and begrudged each other's
spiritual levels and achievements.
We celebrate Lag B’Omer
as the traditional day that this plague was suspended and Rabbi Akiva's
students stopped dying.
The Zohar gives
another reason for Lag B’Omer. It recounts that the great sage, Rabbi Shimon
Bar Yochai died late in the day on Lag B’Omer, and the sun miraculously did not
set until he died, when a Heavenly Pillar of Fire appeared over his body. Thus,
there is the Kabbalistic tradition of lighting candles and bonfires on Lag B’Omer.
Also, customs of mourning for Rabbi Akiva's disciples, held during the days
from Pesach till Shavuot, are suspended and stopped on Lag B’Omer.
But what does Lag B’Omer
mean today? What is the message for us in our daily lives?
Perhaps these two
ideas, the mourning for Rabbi Akiva's students and the lighting of bonfires for
Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai's Yahrzeit are connected.
Think of a camp
fire or a bonfire. It provides a warm glow. You can roast marshmallows and
hotdogs around the camp fire, gather around and bond with other people.
Everyone is attracted to a fire. Throughout the Torah, G-D always appears to
human beings in a fire. For example, G-D appeared to Moshe as a flame in the
Burning Bush and to the entire Jewish People as a Devouring Fire on top of
Mount Sinai (Shemot 24). Thus, a bonfire or campfire bonds and brings people
together.
The idea of Lag B’Omer
and the lighting of fires is to bring us together. Rabbi Akiva's disciples grew
apart, the bonfires of Lag B’Omer are supposed to bring us together. We should
illuminate each other with the Light of Torah and perform our Mitzvot with fiery
enthusiasm. Our goal as Jews is to kindle each other’s Eternal Flame.
It's strange, but
in today's age, although we are more connected to each other than ever before
thanks to technology, we seem to be more disconnected from the people around
us. We see people sitting together but instead of talking to each other, each one
is engrossed in texting someone else through their smart phone and WhatsApp.
So on Lag B’Omer,
for one night a year, we should put away our smart phones and dumb phones and
show respect and love for each other by reconnecting to those close to us.
This can be the
Tikkun for Rabbi Akiva's disciples, who had no respect and love for each other.
***
NOTE: The municipality of Jerusalem did not allowing fires to be lit on La"G ba'Omer because of the hot, dry summer-like weather - readers may be aware that there were fires, not only from the bonfires, but from our "cousins" as well. -HDG
Every time I try to put a post together for the past month or so, I find I'm not ready soon enough, so I keep deleting idea after idea and post after post.
Too much is going on for my slow-working mind to grasp quickly enough to be timely. That's why this blog will never carry "breaking news" unless the timing happens to be just right. Or, maybe I'll be ahead by too much.
I'm more of an analyst - who knows, maybe I'm here to correct part of the Sin of the Spies. After all, the spies were the tribal leaders of the then-new nation of Israel when they discouraged the people from going up to the Land because "the land eats its inhabitants" among other reasons.
Rabbi Ephraim Sprecher says this is because they analyzed the situation, rather than trusting their Creator's word, and came to the wrong conclusion, thus bringing death and disaster upon us before we would be ready to ascend.
R' Sprecher explained to us yesterday that the two parashioth Yitro (Exodus chapters 18-20 / שמות פרקי י"ח-כ) and Sh'lah Lekha (Numbers chapters 13-15 / במדבר פרקי י"ג-ט"ו) are in chronological order as I listed them here, even though they are not thus in the Torah, because Yitro, the great former religious leader of Midian and then-new convert to Judaism, influenced the tribal leaders to believe that one didn't have to live in Eretz Yisrael in order to be a good Jew. So, next thing you know, the tribal leaders — all except for Yehoshua and Kalev — found reasons to discourage the people from coming up here. This is compared with the great-grandmother of Mashiah, the Midianitess convert Ruth, who said, "Wherever you go, I will go...wherever you lodge, I will lodge..."
The Rav went on to suggest that this is why Jewish families name their daughters Ruth, while we don't name our sons Yitro (or Jethro). (The video is at the end of this post.)
Some hidden-in-plain-sight news follows:
1) US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman "fires back at the NY Times" for criticizing him for stating that Israel is on the side of G-d.
“So where am I off in saying that God is on
the side of Israel?” Friedman asked. “The fact that God has fulfilled
his prophecies and delivered the people of Israel to their land is
demonstrably true.”
It is as much a great miracle that Ambassador Friedman actually included HQB"H in his original comment as it is for him to defend it to the Times! May there be more like this!
Maj. Gen. (Res.) Amos Gilad, former head of the Defense Ministry's security-policy headquarters said on Army Radio that "Hamas is quieting the demonstrators so that Eurovision will pass calmly."
I can't believe it myself, since I'm against the great hillul haShem this represents and I'm proud that the highly popular Israeli band Shalva quit early on because they didn't want to perform on Shabbat.
Also, the link just above goes to the notice that Chief Rabbi of Israel David Lau calls us to stop work at least 10 minutes before Shabbat and 10 minutes after the end of Shabbat.
"This Shabbat will be a mass desecration of Shabbat," he said.
"Unfortunately, this is not the first time but this time it will be
before the eyes of the entire world."
Despite this, could it mean that our collective merit is, or will be, greater than our demerit?
Is that even possible?!?!?!?! As remote as the possibility might be, or even if not, G-d forbid, THANK YOU, HaQADOSH BARUCH HU for Your tender mercies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
La Toilette d'Esther, originally Théodore Chassériau, 1841. I found it here.
by Rabbi Ephraim Sprecher
When Esther sent the Sages her
request, "Write my story for future generations," they responded,
"Forget it, you are arousing jealousy between us and the United Nations"
(Talmud Megilla 6).
The Sages’ response is puzzling.
Since when do we censor TANACH because of what the UN and the EU will say?
As the Torah states, "What
nation is so great that they have such righteous rules and laws?" (Devarim
4). G-D set us apart through His Torah and Mitzvot, thus highlighting our moral
superiority over all the nations. Would we ever consider hiding our Torah so as
not to arouse jealousy among the nations? What then was the debate between
Esther and the Sages?
We can understand the Sages’
response according to their time. When they lived, new books were still being
added to TANACH, and Esther was asking that her scroll, as well, should be
included in the Bible. It is very interesting that in the Dead Sea Scrolls all
of the Books of TANACH are there, except the Scroll of Esther. Our Sages had
their own yard stick for what should or should not be included in TANACH.
As the Talmud in Megilla 14 states,
"May prophets arose in Israel, twice as many as the number of Jews who
left Egypt. Yet, only prophecies needed for all future generations were
included in TANACH, and those not needed were excluded." The debate
between Esther and the Sages was - Is or Is not Megillat Esther relevant to all
future generations?
According to the Sages, the Purim
story could not be classified as "needed for future generations",
because until Haman, there was no precedent for genocide. Thus, the Purim story
seemed to be a one-time event such that no one could ever imagine it recurring.
It is true that the Jewish People
had known persecutions and suffering, for example Pharaoh in Egypt, who
decreed, "Every boy who was born must be cast into the Nile" (Shemot
1). Then there was Amalek who terrorized Israel in the desert, Nebuchadnezzar
who destroyed the Holy Temple, and all the other enemies of Israel.
Yet, such an "insane"
decree as Haman's, "to destroy and exterminate all Jews, both young and
old, women and children, in one day" (Esther 3), the Jews of Esther's day
had never known such a decree of genocide. The Sages, based on their past
experience, viewed this genocidal plot as an insane one-time event that would
never repeat itself. Therefore, they held that the Bible should not include
Megillat Esther. For the Sages, it was a prophecy irrelevant for future
generations of Israel.
However, Esther was one of the 7
prophetesses who prophesied to Israel (Talmud Megilla 14). Prophecy is not
based on past historical events. Prophecy looks to the future, transcending the
limits of time and place.
Esther, with her prophecy, looked
into the future of the Jewish People, and knew that the Purim story would NOT
be a one-time event. Rather, Haman's evil plot would tragically repeat itself
many times throughout the bitter and sad history of the Jewish People.
Through her prophecy, Esther knew
that a long and harsh exile awaited us among the nations, an exile whose end
could not be seen on the horizon. It was an exile in which the Jews would face
terror, persecutions, unimaginable suffering, and the Holocaust.
We would see ourselves as drowning
in an endless sea of sorrow and persecution, and in desperate need of a
life-raft.
Such a life-raft is Megillat
Esther, for it teaches us that even when Israel reaches a situation of the
Holocaust, even then we should not despair because the Jewish Nation is eternal.
The greatest proof of this truth is that just 3 years after the Holocaust, the
amazing State of Israel arose like a Phoenix out of the Ashes of Auschwitz.
Throughout Jewish History, there
never was a prophecy so vital for all generations as Megillat Esther, to
inspire us with hope for a better and brighter future.
“This month shall be for you the beginning of all the months.” (Shemot 12:2) This verse contains the very first Mitzva that Klal Yisrael received as we were about to become a free and independent nation, right before the Exodus from Egypt.
Seforno explains that this Mitzva of Rosh Chodesh was presented first because its essence – that we Jews are masters over our time – is the central concept and definition of being a free individual. Because as slaves in Egypt, we had no time to call our own, as we were totally dependent on the will of our Egyptian task masters.
Thus, as Israel was about to leave Egyptian bondage forever, we were presented with the Mitzva whose essence is the concept of the gift of freedom of time.
It is Beth Din’s task to declare when Rosh Chodesh will take place, by one of two methods. Number one, through RE’IAH – the actual sighting of the New Moon by two valid witnesses, or number two, by CHESHBON – calculation, where Beth Din determines through a mathematical formula when it was probable to see the New Moon.
What is the lesson for us today when we have no Beth Din to determine when the New Moon is? Rav Pam ZT”L explains that there are 2 distinct ways in which a person can utilize his time in this world. Number 1, through RE’IAH or number 2, with a CHESHBON. For many people, time is spent through RE’IAH, how they see fit to waste time. These foolish people do with time whatever they want, failing to realize that the passing of time on Facebook and Smart Phones is a tragic loss never to be re-gained.
However, the intelligent, thoughtful person uses time with a CHESHBON. He is careful to calculate and fulfill his days and hours with Torah and Mitzvot.
We must strive to the best of our ability to use life’s most precious gift wisely, by not killing time or wasting time.
Thus, the Hebrew word for time is ZMAN, which means preparation. G-d gives us time in this world to prepare ourselves for OLAM HABA – Eternal Life in the World To Come.
*not a literal translation of the Hebrew! Rather, a suggested explanation of the spirit of the beginning of the time of joy for the Jewish People. You may have noticed that, every year around this time, our enemies plan horrible events to squash this spirit in order to cause us to feel mournful and desolate. They started early this year with the desecration of Torah scrolls in the Siach Yisrael synagogue in the Kiryat Yovel neighborhood of Yerushalayim. May there be no more of this or worse!
Yitro, Moshe's father-in-law, is the name of the Parsha in which we read the account of the most important event in Jewish and World history, the Giving of the Torah. It is remarkable that this Parsha has as its title, the name of someone who was not even born a Jew. Yitro was a pagan idol worshipper, but only later in life abandoned his paganism and recognized the One True G-d.
Why was Yitro the GER chosen to have the Parsha of MATAN TORAH named after him? It is because Yitro is the greatest illustration of what the Torah is meant to accomplish. The Torah's goal is to transform idolaters into believers and pagans into the worshippers of the One True G-d.
Judaism is not a restrictive club for born Jews only. Any non-Jew who sincerely desires to embrace Torah true Judaism is welcome. In fact, the most repeated Mitzva in the Torah is to love the GER. The Sefer HaChinuch in Mitzva 63 quotes the Talmud in Baba Mitzia that 24 out of 613 Mitzvot discuss loving and not mistreating a GER.
When the Jewish People stood at Mount Sinai and were prepared to accept the Torah, G-d defined our mission by telling us, "If you will listen to My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own, special treasure from among all nations. For all the Earth is Mine, and you shall be to Me a Kingdom of Kohanim and a Holy Nation" (Shemot 19).
Yehudah Halevi wonders about the phrase MAMLECHET KOHANIM (A Kingdom of Kohanim). Surely the Jewish People will not all be Kohanim. The 12 Tribes were divided into Kohanim, Levi’im and Israelites. Most Jews are simply Israelites. So why does G-d say that the Jewish People in its entirety will become a "Kingdom of Kohanim"?
Yehudah Halevi answers that just as the Kohanim were to be the teachers and leaders for the rest of the Jewish People, so too we Jews have to become the leaders and teachers of the rest of the world. That is the meaning of "… You shall be My own special treasure from among all nations…" (Shemot 19).
We are to be the Kohanim, who will insure that all nations eventually will acknowledge the One True G-d. That's why G-d says "…for all the earth is Mine"(Shmot 19).
We Jews perform our G-d given task in 2 ways – Judaism for Jews and those who want to sincerely convert to Judaism, and the Torah's 7 Noahide Laws for the gentiles. Our motto to non-Jews is "Keep the 7 and go to Heaven!”
Rambam in Sefer HaMitzvot states that teaching the 7 Mitzvot of Bnei Noach to non-Jews is part of the Mitzva to love HASHEM.
This Divine Plan is used by the Talmud to explain why Jews throughout history have been exiled around the globe. The Talmud offers the rationale that the punishment of our exile may have a totally different purpose. "G-d did not exile Israel among the nations but only so converts might join them, as is written, 'And I, (G-d), will plant her for Me in the land'… (Hoshea 2:25). "Surely a man plants a SEAH (a biblical measure) in order to harvest many KOR" (an even greater measure). (Pesachim 87b).
Our mission as Jews is to spread the knowledge of the One True G-d, as the prophet Yeshayahu says, "We are to be a light unto the nations". But before we can be a light unto the nations, we must first be a light to each other.
This article will be found in the next OU Center Torah Tidbits (Parashath Bo). Watch for it!
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The Exodus and Moshe’s Donkey
by Rabbi Ephraim Sprecher
When G-d sent Moshe to Egypt to free Israel, the Torah states, “And Moshe took his wife and sons and mounted them on the donkey” (Shmot 4:20). Rashi makes a strange comment on this verse, “the Donkey that Moshiach will utilize to usher in the Final Redemption”. How do we understand this odd comment of Rashi’s? Can a donkey live for thousands of years? And why will Moshiach not drive a Lexus or a Volvo? What’s up with the Moshiach and the Donkey?
The explanation is that Rashi is speaking metaphorically. Rashi means that when G-d appointed Moshe to be the Redeemer of Israel, He set those cosmic forces in motion that will culminate and climax with the coming of Moshiach.
Also, the pattern of the Exodus and the Final Redemption is the way a donkey walks, two steps forward and one step back. The road to Redemption in the Exodus and Moshiach’s Coming is not straight forward. There will be setbacks as it was in Egypt. But the Redemption Process is moving forward and CANNOT BE STOPPED.
As the prophet Michah states (7:16), “As in the days of your leaving Egypt, I (G-d) shall show them marvelous wonders.” The prophet’s words imply that the Exodus from Egypt is the precedent for the Final Redemption.
The Midrash Tanchuma states, “Just as in Egypt, I (G-d) shall redeem you in the Messianic future and shall perform miracles for you.”
Indeed, gradual, phased redemption is already found in Egypt, as in the 4 redemption expressions with which G-d addresses Moshe, “Therefore tell Israel that I am G-d. 1. and I will remove you from the suffering of Egypt, 2. and I will save you from your enslavement. 3. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm. 4. and I will take you to Me as a people … I will be for you G-d.” (Shemot 6:6,7).
These verses refer to the 4 stages of redemption. The 1st stage constituted a lightening of Israel’s physical hardship, although they continued to be Pharaoh’s slaves.
The 2nd stage constituted the total cessation of their enslavement. Even so, Israel was not yet free but still under the control of the Egyptian King.
With the final plague of the killing of the firstborn came the 3rd stage, in which Israel was redeemed totally with great miracles and great judgements.
Yet Israel was still mired in the 49 levels of impurity. Finally, came the 4th stage, in which we were taken to be G-d’s Chosen People.
At the time of the redemption Israel was not worthy of it, and yet G-d still redeemed us. This is stated in the Midrash Shemot Rabba, “G-d said, ‘If I consider Israel’s deeds, they will never be redeemed. Whom shall I then consider? The merit of and the promise to their righteous and holy Avot.’ ”
It is Israel’s lack of merit which delays redemption. Therefore, before introducing the 4 expressions of redemption, G-d says, “Therefore tell Israel that I am G-d.” On this verse the Midrash Hagadol comments, “I(G-d) know that Israel will constantly rebel against Me and anger Me. Even so, I (G-d) shall redeem them for the sake of My Holy Name. “
The redemption comes when Israel recognizes Hashem as our G-d, as occurred during Stage 4 of the redemption process which was at the Sinai Revelation.
Yet the Torah goes on and brings a 5th expression of redemption: “And I will bring you to the land which I swore that I will give to Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov. I will give it to you as an inheritance, for I am G-d.” (Shemot:6:8).
From the redemption from Egypt we learn that complete redemption consists of the freedom of Israel (“I will redeem you.”) and living in Eretz Yisrael, (“I will bring you to the land.”) and belief in G-d and fulfillment of His Mitzvot (“I will be for you G-d”) (Shemot:6:8)
The Final Redemption will reach completion by a gradual process, like the Exodus from Egypt. Thus, the Zohar states that the Exodus from Egypt is the Road Map and the Long and Winding Road to the Final Redemption. ***
