Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Light Insight with the Jewish Alphabet


Rosh Chodesh Adar!
Get excited because today we start the new month of Adar. Every month of the Jewish calendar has a different energy that resonates within it. This month, Adar, has a nature connected to laughter and happiness. Moreover, every Jewish month corresponds with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Adar corresponds to the Hebrew letter Koof. Chazal teach us that the letter Koof symbolizes kedusha, which means separation. To attain kedusha, one must learn to set him self apart from the ‘material world of his physical desires,’ essentially, rule over his body. Hashem is on the highest level of kedusha because He is completely set a part from the physical world and in absolute control of the entire Creation of the universe at every single moment in time.
Furthermore, each letter of the Hebrew alphabet also has a Kabbalistic meaning and influence behind it. Koof, which is made up of two other Hebrew letters, Rash and Zeon, together spells out the word Raz. In Hebrew, Raz means secret. To comprehend the secret and most hidden aspect of ourselves, our neshama, we must be in control of our lives and physicality to the highest degree possible. Once we attain this control, tranquility and happiness will resonate deeply within our neshamas.
From all this we can deduce the symbolism behind the month of Adar. The goal of this month is to attain the kedusha within ourselves, to set ourselves a part from the rest of the world and have control over ourselves. Only then can we rejoice in the true inner peace and tranquility within to enjoy the happiness this month has to offer.

The continuous gift of Torah--


In this week’s parsha, Hashem calls out and praises His Torah. He tells us,

“Torah is an unsurpassed commodity. It possesses qualities which cannot be claimed by any other type of merchandise.”

In life, things we strive to accomplish may never physically manifest. For example, working towards a degree, starting a business, making investments, etc., are all areas in which we may not succeed in, no matter the effort we put in. However, a person who studies Torah will always succeed. Every step a person takes in learning Torah is an accomplishment in itself. Every word that is learned elevates a person towards an infinite journey.
            With this in mind, we should all note that no matter how overwhelming the vastness of the Torah may seem, we should never get discouraged. Since there is no final goal in Torah learning, every step we take in learning makes us that much greater and accomplished. Hashem has privileged us to be a part of this everlasting journey and we should strive to take advantage of every free minute to elevate ourselves to levels we never thought possible.

The Gift of Giving


 The tzedaka a person gives throughout his life precedes him in olam haba- the world to come- and will give him a highly regarded reputation.  The tzedaka he gives also has a protective nature (protects him from punishment). In this week’s parsha, the Midrash speaks of three different types of tzedaka, which can be compared to gold, silver, and copper (all different materials used to build the Mishkan in order to atone for sin). When a person is happy and healthy in his life, the tzedaka he gives is comparable to gold. This type of tzedaka has the most powerful effect in Heaven. The person has no present reason for giving it; however, the donor is giving it in order to protect himself from possible future occurrences.
The second kind of tzedaka is comparable to silver. When a person gives tzedaka when he has a minor illness, his tzedeka is comparable to silver; however, this type of tzedaka is less effective since it was given in time of personal need.
Moreover, if a person is seriously ill, the value of his tzedaka is compared to copper, because he only gave tzedaka in times of true despair. Nonetheless, his tzedaka is still of worth. 
            In all, from this we can see how crucial it is for a person to give tzedaka, for the merit he gets in this world and the next. Rather than waiting for troublesome times to push us to give, we should all be motivated to give tzedaka all the time, even more so when Hashem gives us health and happiness.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT


When was the last time you went to temple?
In this week’s parsha, Teruma, Bnai Israel is given the details on how to construct the Mishkan- the desert Tabernacle (a.k.a temple in the desert).  Mishkan, or sanctuary is the “dwelling place” where Hashem and the Jewish people unite. Hashem relays to Bnai Israel that the Mishkan is the place “Where I shall meet with you, [and] where I will speak to you.” In other words, this is referring to Hashem transmitting the Torah in this “dwelling” where the Jewish people can learn Torah in order to create a closer relationship with Him.
            The Torah provides us with endless opportunities to elevate ourselves. By separating ourselves from the secular world and coming to the ‘dwelling place of Hashem,’ we can feel the joy of being in Hashem’s presence and focus on transcending towards Hashem spiritually. Moreover, the insights from this week’s parsha should give us to incentive to get ourselves to shul to strengthen our relationship with Hashem and the Jewish community.

Mishkan construction: in depth

Before Bnai Israel built the Mishkan, Hashem commanded that the aron- ark- be build first. The aron- ark- symbolizes Torah wisdom and the Talmud chacham- Torah scholar.  Since the Torah was created before the Creation of the universe, Hashem commanded that the aron be created first, essentially portraying that the universe stands on the Torah first and foremost.           
Hashem gave elaborate orders on how the aron should be built. The aron was to be built with three chests, the innermost chest made of gold, the second chest made of wood, and the outer most chest made of gold. The aron was covered with gold inside and out.
The outer most chest had a decorative golden rim which covered the aron like a crown. The aron symbolized the Torah and the golden rims symbolized the Crown of Torah study.
The three ‘Crowns’ Hashem presents Bnai Israel with symbolize different positions of greatness:
1.     The Crown of Torah (aron-ark)
2.     The Crown of Kehuna- priesthood (mizbayach- alter)
3.     The Crown of Malchus- monarchy (shulchan- table)
One could only attain the Crown of Kehuna or Malchus by having priestly or royal lineage. However, any person could attain the Crown of Torah, which was the highest rank of all three. Every Jew is given the opportunity to become a great Torah scholar. When Hashem commanded the construction of the aron- ark- He said, “And they shall make it.” By using the plural they Hashem is making a point to say that all of the Jewish people have a share in the Crown of Torah. However, when Hashem commands for the menorah-candelabra- and shulchan-table- to be built, He says, “And you shall make them,” implying the singular you, since those duties are restricted to the kehuna- priesthood.
From this we can see how every Jew has a specialized role in Jewish society. Not every Jew is meant to be a priest or a monarch; however, every Jew does have the capability to become a great scholar. The implications behind this idea are grand indeed. Each person has the potential to unlock the secrets and the wisdom of the Torah. One should not be get discouraged that just because he does not have the lineage of a scholar he cannot become great. . He should recognize that the doors to Torah learning are always open to him, as long as he makes room for it in his heart and soul. In Judaism, it doesn’t matter where you have come from, a religious or irreligious family, if you are rich or poor, healthy or sick, holding status or not, etc. all that matters is where you are going.

DID YOU KNOW?


What is a Shulchan-Table?
In this week’s parsha, one of the many items Hashem commands the Jewish people to build for the Mishkan is a shulchan-table.  The shulchan represents a blessing of nourishment that should flow to the entire world; therefore, Hashem commands that the table should never be empty because His blessings can only rests on“substantial matter.” This week’s parsha gives us the source of why we leave a bit of bread on the table after we eat our Shabbot meal. When we say birkat hamozon- Grace after meals- our table should never be empty because Hashem’s blessings cannot rest on an empty table. Moreover, next time we recite Grace after meals, we should have in mind the blessings Hashem brings down to our table, so that we continue to be nourished and satisfied with out lot each and every week.

DID YOU KNOW?


What are the Badim- Bars of the Aron?
Hashem commanded that Bnai Israel build bars that would hold up the aron-ark. The bars were to be covered in gold and consisted of four rings that were never removed. The four rings symbolized:
1.     Torah study
2.     Mitzvot
3.     Good deeds
4.     Modesty
These four facets are features that distinguish a Torah scholar. The symbolism of the four rings embodies what we should all strive to attain in this world. Moreover, we should never lose sight of how important these factors are to our survival as a Jewish nation.

DID YOU KNOW?



“For the mitzvah is a lamp and the Torah is light” (Mishlai 6:23)

In the Mishkan, Bnai Israel was also instructed to build an elaborate menorah. Torah wisdom symbolizes light. By lighting the Menorah, the light of Torah would shine through the flames and be a guide for the Jewish people throughout their journey in life.  Moreover, Hashem commanded that the menorah be made with pure gold. In the times of the Bat Hamikdash, King Shlomo purified the gold for the menorah one thousand times, in order for the gold to reach it’s highest purification. Symbolically, just as King Shlomo purified the gold one thousand times to attain the purest gold possible, we too should reexamine our lives and the mitzvot we do and don’t do. By assessing where our faults lie and what areas we could work on developing more, we are in the process of purifying the light that radiates within our souls.

The Mishkan and it’s Symbolisms in a nutshell:



The Midrash says, the Mishkan was created on earth as a “reflection of Hashem’s Heavenly Mishkan Above. Every detail of its plan contributed to its similarity to Hashem’s dwelling place in Heaven.” The Mishkan was a microcosm of the entire universe. Its creation was considered as significant as the Creation of the universe.

Parallels between the construction of the Mishkan and the Creation of the universe:
1.     The upper and lower curtains are similar to heaven and earth
2.     The water of the kiyor are compatible with the water on the earth
3.     The mizbach haola- alter where animals were sacrificed- symbolize animals of the world
4.     The menorah-candelabra- represents the sun and the moon
5.     The seven lamps of the menorah relate to the constellations of the seven stars which portray the course of all natural events in the universe

The Mishkan and the Human Body


The Mishkan personifies the human body and its functions, which all correspond to the human organs in order to “arouse an awareness that every Jew who sanctifies himself in Torah becomes a Mishkan- dwelling place- for the shechina.”

1.     The aron- ark where the Torah scrolls are kept- correspond to the heart. Just as the heart is vital for human survival, the aron had the luchot- the commandments- in the aron, which are vital to Jewish survival and the heart of the Mishkan.
2.     The k’ruvin-angel like statues- had their wings spread over the aron, which corresponds to the lungs spread over the heart.
3.     The shulchan-table- corresponds to the stomach, which nourishes the body
4.     The kitores has its parallel in smell.
5.     The kiyor-laver- symbolizes the liquid in the human body.
6.     The curtains of goats skin relates to human skin.
7.     The beams, which support the Mishkan are similar to the ribs.