Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Parshat Beshalach

                             

                              




Insights to Parshat Beshalach:

פרק טו-פסוק-ד: ומבחר שלשיו טבעו בים סוף His elite officers were sunk in the Reed Sea

The roots of the word טבעו to drown or to sink is ט ב ע, the Hebrew word for nature. This is in order to remind us that G-d performs his miracles in a way that uses the natural world of which G-d is the master.
This week we celebrate טו בשבט, the holiday that celebrates a new year for the trees and the corresponding glory of nature. As we start to move into the spring, and begin to see tree buds blooming and twigs extending to welcome the new season, take a moment and think about the power behind them that continually regenerates them and makes them grow.

עלו בני ישראל מארץ מצריםAnd the children of Israel went up from the land of Egypt (13:18)

It should say that they יצאו מארץ מצרים , that they exited from Egypt (the book, of course, is called Exodus!) The specificity of the verb went up (as opposed to simply exiting) is to teach us that, with this exodus, the Israelites elevated themselves spiritually from the impurity by which they were surrounded in Egypt.

Lesson: We live in the Western Culture with the new fashion and the latest technology. Do we ever stop and think and ask ourselves do I really need this? Is this skirt to tight... to short? Do I look like the daughter of Hashem or do I look like Americas next big thing? We need to represent ourselves as the Jewish nation. Look around you we are being hated simply because we are Jewish. Don't let that stop you from preserving Judaism it should make you embrace it even more.

פרק טו- פסוק כג: ויבאו מרתה ולא יכלו לשתות מים ממרה כי מרים הםThey came to Marah but they could not drink the water for they were bitter. Therefore, it was called Marah (15:23).

The Hebrew word for bitter, מר, in Gematriya (the numerical values of the letters) is equal to 240. The name of Amalek עמלק, the nation that attacks the Children of Israel in this Parsha, in Gemtriya is also equal to 240. The numerical equivalence of these two words is to teach that when we are bitter or when we have doubt in G-d and in ourselves, it is then that Amalek comes to fight us.
This attack is described in chapter 17 where we see that, immediately following the Israelites testing of G-d, Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim:
(17:8) פרק יז - פסוק ח: ויבא עמלק וילחם עם ישראל ברפידים
However, as Moses, Joshua and the people fight against Amalek in this scene, they believe in G-d and achieve victory. It is only when we overcome our inner Amalek, our inner evil inclinations and manifestations of doubt that we can be victorious.

Lesson: Who is Amalek? Amalek is the evil inclination within us who allows us to doubt in Hashems greatness and who pushes us away from Hashem. Amalek is the being who no matter what miracle Hashem preforms in his eyes its apart of nature.

This Shabbat meditate on Hashems greatness and praise Him!

Thursday, January 1, 2015

Parshat Vayechi


Question & Answer on Parshat Vayechi
"Let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth." (48:16)
QuestionJacob blessed them to multiply as the fish of the ocean (Rashi). What was his motive in comparing them to fish?
Answer: Once the Roman government issued a decree forbidding Torah study. Papus ben Yehudah saw Rabbi Akiva conducting Torah classes and asked him, "Do you not fear punishment by law?" Rabbi Akiva answered with a parable: A fox was strolling along the riverbank and noticed fish swimming swiftly from place to place. He asked, "Why are you running?" They replied, "We are afraid of the net that people set up to catch us." The fox slyly said, "Perhaps it would be wise to ascend to the shore and live together with me as my parents lived with your parents." The fish responded, "You speak foolishly; if we are afraid in our native habitat, our fear will be even greater on land, where death will be certain." Similarly, Torah is our source of life and may save us. Without it we will definitely perish.1
Jacob was instructing his children to always remember that just as a fish cannot live without water, so a Jew cannot exist without Torah; and he blessed them to "swim like a fish" in the ocean of Torah study.
***
The life of a fish depends in a large measure on its vitality and ability to swim upstream. If it permits itself to be swept along by the current of the rapids or the tide it will be scuttled and squashed. It is only because the Creator has endowed the fish with the precious instinct of self-preservation, whereby it is able to swim upstream against the forces of the billowing waves, that it can thrive and survive.
Jacob blessed his children to be capable and willing to swim upstream and resist the temptation of running with the herd and swimming with the tide.
"He blessed Joseph saying... 'The angel who redeemed me from all evil should bless the lads [Menasseh and Ephraim].' " (48:15-16)
Question: The verse begins with Jacob's blessing to Joseph and ends saying that he blessed Menasseh and Ephraim. What was the blessing for Joseph?
Answer: Jacob's blessing to Joseph was that his children, Ephraim and Menasseh should be righteous. When children conduct themselves in a proper way, the parents pleasure is the greatest blessing they can wish for.
"And he blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them." (49:28)
Question: Superficially, the words of Jacob to ReubenShimon and Levi are rebukes rather than blessings?
Answer: Man is mortal and thus subject to failure. He must work to overcome personal imperfection. Often, a person does not realize, or refuses to acknowledge, his shortcomings, and therefore there is no striving for change or transformation. The greatest blessing is knowledge of personal weaknesses.
Jacob made his children aware of their flaws and encouraged correction, so his admonishment was indeed a great blessing.
"And Pharaoh said, 'Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear.' " (50:6)
Question: The famed commenter Rashi explains that Pharaoh told Joseph, "Were it not for the promise, I would not have permitted you to go." However, Pharaoh did not tell Joseph to violate his promise because he was afraid that Joseph might tell him that he would also break the promise he made to him (not to reveal that he knew the language of Hebrew and Pharaoh did not). Pharaoh knew Joseph was a G-d fearing man; why did he fear that if he forced Joseph to break one promise, Joseph would also break another?
Answer: There was a law in Egypt that a king had to know all languages. When Pharaoh met Joseph, he became frightened, because Joseph, in addition to knowing all the languages, also knew Hebrew, which Pharaoh did not know. Pharaoh made Joseph promise that he would not reveal to anyone that he knewLashon Hakodesh and in return, he would appoint him to the position of viceroy, though he was once a slave.
Pharaoh was hesitant to tell Joseph to break his promise, because he feared that Joseph might say to him, "If I have to break a promise, I would rather break my promise to you, and thus, I will become king. As king I will no longer need your permission to be able to fulfill my promise to my father."

(exterted from chabad.org)