Chayei Sarah

              Eiyshet Chayil was the famous poem said in Sarah Emeynu’s eulogy by Avraham Avinu. The midrash goes through the entire chapter in Misheli (Proverbs), ascribing each verse to different attributes that Sarah Emeynu represented. “Darshah tzemer ufishtim..(she seeks out wool and linen)” was when Sarah Emeynu separated Yitzchak and Yishmael. Just like wool and linen are polar opposites, unable to be worn together, Sarah Emeynu knew that Yitzchak and Yishmael could not stay together. Sarah Emeynu separated good from bad by sending Yishmael away from her son Yitzchak. Yishmael acquired good and bad attributes. Yishmael, was also the son of Avraham who also had a brit mila at the age of thirteen so therefore there was good in Yishmael. However, there was plenty of evil within him as well. It is not easy to recognize this admixture in another person, and it was Sarah Emeynu who was able to do so. She had the wisdom and perception to see that the evil part of such a person will ultimately corrupt the good in him. When Sarah Emeynu took the intuitive to untangle good and evil she became the tikkun (correction) for Chava- Eve. Rivkah too, continued the tikkun by separating her sons Yaakov and Eisav. We learn from Sarah Emenynu that all women have this power of discernment.  The Torah teaches us, that women in general are more spiritually oriented and less affected by physical passions and drives. Throughout Jewish history, in Egypt, our Chachamim-Sages point out that it is the women who have been the guiding force in pushing towards the positive and steering away from the negative. That is their job: to separate, to detect the evil and the good. This is the nature of a woman, to the extent that the Sages say that a woman has deeper insights into a guest’s character- all the more so, Rabbi Feldman points out, into her husband’s character. That is why there should be openness between husband and wife in all aspects of life, both physical and spiritual; they should work together closely, because the wife has the ability to give her husband tremendous insight into himself. Avraham and Sarah together could rectify the sin of Adam and Chava. Chava introduced the good and evil into the world while Sarah separated between good and evil. Adam listened to Chava who gave him bad advice from eating from the tree, Avraham Avinu was told by Hashem "kol asher tomar eilecha Sarahh shema bekolah"- "everything Sarah will say to you- listen to her." Avraham, listened to Sarah and because of this he benefited of the development of his family. Rabbi Moshe Wolfson mentions that under the chuppah (marriage canopy) we mention Adam Harishon in the blessing "asher yatzar es ha'adam betzalmo" "who created man in His image" because every couple has the ability to rectify the sin of Adam and Chavah by following Avraham Avinu and Sarah Emeynus ways of partnership. We each possess the tools within us. By working together as one, each doing our own unique part, we can help to create a world where there is discernment between good and evil. (Shira Smiles, 2010)

Lech Lecha- Leave Your Negative Ways

In last week’s parsha it begins with G-ds commandment and promise to Abram. "Go for yourself from your land, from your relatives, and from your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation; I will bless you, and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who curses you I will curse; and all the families of the earth shall bless themselves by you." (12:1-12:3)
Abrams first test was to leave his father’s home in order for him to be able to build a true home where Hashems presence can dwell. Abram and his wife Sarai couldn't have children for many years. However, Hashem promised Abram that he will make of him a great nation, but how can he become a great nation if he doesn't have a child. Abram saw through astrology that he wouldn't have children. Hashem lifted Abram above the stars and showed him that the Jewish nation has no mazal (luck). The Jewish nation is above nature, they can change their fate. Hashem changed Abrams name to Abraham and Sari’s name to Sarah after their names were changed so too, were their mazals changed.
We learn from this parsha a very important lesson, we should never say that we won't be able to change our ways. The best way a person can change their destiny is to change their ways in the positive, to get closer to Hashem. When a person who wasn't religious becomes religious automatically they change their destiny. What once was is no longer the same when they get closer to Hashem.

Parshat Noach- What Can We Do?

"Noach was a tzadik in his generation". In the times of Noach there was a lot of immorality and cheating. The generation of his time was so corrupt that Hashem decided to destroy the world with a flood. Hashem commanded Noach to build in ark for 120 years. Why couldn't G-d make an ark for Noach and save him and his family? Hashem wanted Noach to build the ark himself so people will be curious and ask Noach and then Noach will tell them what Hashems plan is and maybe hopefully they will do teshuva. Noach didn't try to stop them from sinning only when they would ask what e is building an ark for. Nowadays, we have the same situation. We say to ourselves and to others as long as I keep Shabbat I'm fine. No! You are not. The Jewish nation is connected to one another. Every sin/mitzvah we do is connected to another Jew. Without knowing we can hurt someone or help them spiritually. In our generation it is our job to save as many precious souls as we can to return to Hashem, our father, our king. It says in the Gemara that when someone saves one person it's as if they saved the entire world. Don't be embarrassed about approaching someone that what they are doing is not allowed according to the Torah. Of course you need to say it with love and understanding. Each and every one of us has the potential to be a tzadik/tzadeket in our generation however, don't forget about the people of  our generation.

The Power of Speech

In Parshat Bereishit it starts with G-d creating the world. He created the world with ten utterances. With each holy command, our universe was formed. G-d gave man the gift of speech, which means out of all creatures of the world only humans are endowed with the ability to verbally communicate intelligently. Since, G-d created the world through speech we should be mindful that we too, have the power to create through the words that we speak. King Solomon tells us, "Death and life are in the tongue." We must be very careful with what comes out of our mouths. 

Let us try to work on our speech towards the people we interact with on a constant basis.

Shabbat Shalom

A New Beginning

       Rosh hashana and Yom Kippur just passed by within a blink of an eye. The year before we did things to help us get closer to G-d and did things that pushed us away from G-d. G-d gave us another year to live, another year to show ourselves that we really want a relationship with our father, our king. If Gd sees potential in us to become great then why do we lose faith in ourselves and just give up? In order for each and every one of us to utilize our fullest potential we need to ask ourselves two very important questions. What can I offer the Jewish nation/ world that no one else can? What makes me special that G-d gave me another chance to show myself and Him that there is a good reason I am still here? The last day of sukkot which is Hoshana Raba are fate is sealed so before it's sealed let us all think of two things we want to improve on this year to prove to ourselves and G-d that there was a good reason that He kept us for another year.

Workshop:

Write down five positive traits about yourself that have to do with Judaism:

Examples: keep Shabbat, kosher ..

Write down five negative traits about yourself that have to so with Judaism:

Examples: don't keep Shabbat, kosher

Last step, take two things out of the five negative traits that you want to improve on this month/year in order to connect yourself closer to Hashem.

By: Esther Shamayev

Spiritual Blockage In Your Own Homes- All For The Best

 

In parshat ve'etchan it says" וראה בעיניך"

"And see with your eyes "

It would have been enough to write and see. Why was it necessary to write with your eyes?

This is a hint that Moses received רוח הקודש (Divine Spirit) or Prophecy that allowed him to see the entire history and future of the land of Israel. Another explanation is that it comes to teach us that while we cannot always change the reality of a situation, we can change our perception and reaction to it.

In life, when something happens to us our Rabbis teach us that whatever happens is for our best. How can it be for our best that the Beit Hamikdash was destroyed? 

We don't necessarily see the good in what Hashem does for us. For us it seems bad because we don't see the full picture. However, Hashem had mercy on us, instead of destroying the entire Jewish nation He destroyed His home. So how is this good? During the times of the Beit Hamikdash only the Cohanim were allowed to enter now we can allow Hashem in our mini-beit hamikdash, our homes. Every Jewish family has the ability to allow Hashem's presnece rest in their homes or not.

Kedusha can't tolerate tumah (impurity) that's why there is a spiritual  blockage, the light of the שכינה (Hashems presence) isn't there to shine on us therefore Hashems שכינה (presence) doesn't rest there. 

The way to apply this concept in our homes today is by understanding that your home is a mini בית המקדש (beit hamikdash) and the wife/mother is a כהן (cohen) her table is the שולחן (shulchan) her שבת (shabbat) candles are the מנורה (candelabra). Since A wife/mother is a כהן (cohen) in her home she has to make sure that there is no spiritual blockage in the home. That Hashem can rest his שכינה (presence) there without having to leave. Some of these blockages are:

Television, video games, non Jewish music, magazines etc..

Every challenge and situation that Hashem gives us is an opportunity for us to see our growth and strength towards the challenge. There are many challenges brought to our homes. A wife-mother needs to protect her Beit Hamikdash from all the garbage the yetzer hara has to offer. This world is known as "olam deshikra" a world of lies. Meaning, that thru our eyes it seems terrible but when we go to shamayim after 120 years we will understand why everything happened to us and it will all be 100% clear. The wife/mother is the foundation of the home. If she has the right perspective on how to accept the challenges that Hashem gives her and she accepts it with love she is raising a family with the correct attitude towards Hashem.

Cry No More

Parsha Devarim- Fast of Ninth of Av

 

How can I bear alone your weight, and your burden and your contentiousness?

In his use of the word איכה (How,) Moses hinted to them that their future generations will read מגילת איכה (the book of Ecclesiastes, which we read in the eve of ט באב, the ninth of Av. As the Rambam comments on the first verse of Numbers 14, in the name of רבי יוחנן (Rabbi Yochanan), where it is written,

ותשא כל העדה ויתנו את קולם ויבכו העם בלילה ההוא

The entire community raised a loud cry and the people wept that night.

That night was the ninth of Av. G-d told the Children of Israel, Because you wept for no cause, I will designate this day to be a day of mourning for future generations. The first Temple and the Second Temple were both destroyed on the ninth of Av.

Another explanation is the word איכה can be read א-יכה or Where are you? To teach us that a person must always look inside to find himself as Rav Kook said, the best תשובה (repentance) a person can to is לשוב אל עצמו, to return to himself." (Parsha Devarim)

What can we do this Tisha B'Av differently? 

What is it that we can do to bring the redemption?

Why are we fasting?

What are we lacking?

In Messilat Yesharim, Ramchal writes that " A person should be careful with his actions and with what path he takes. If you don't pay attention to what you are doing you are leaving your soul open to spiritual destruction. A person who doesn't examine his actions will most likely be killed". One of the ways of the yetzer hara is that he keeps you  busy to the point that you don't have time to think of what you are doing with your life. To better understand this, we can look at how Pharoh worked the men in Mitzrayim.  He wanted to work the men so hard that they had no time to plan against him. This is a tactic of the Yetzer Hara. A fast day is supposed to be a time where we stop and think, "Why are we fasting?" What did we lose that we need to regain? When a person doesn't eat, their body is lacking its physical nutrients  it needs for that day. So too, as we fast for our Beit Hamikdash, we have to try to understand what we are lacking in our own spiritual life that is preventing the Biet Hamikdash from being rebuilt. When a person is distracted with materialistic things he is depriving his neshema from realizing what he needs to work on spiritually. These modern day distractions are unlike the ones in the past where even with  washing machines and microwaves which help get errands done quicker, we are still finding ourselves distracted and deprived. Due to the fact that we have many television programs and all types of electronics that take up our time, it prevents us from realizing what is missing within us. Fun Fact: Apple iPods, iPhones, Mac etc. all have the symbol of a bitten apple. This bitten apple is a symbol which I'm sure no one has ever noticed to be a symbol of the sin with Adam, Chava and the snake. This apple represents the modern day yetzer hara-technology and materialism which is a struggle very hard to overcome. Lets use this fast day as an opportunity to focus and stop depriving ourselves of the spiritual nutrients due to the"bitten apple". Let's move aside our technology and give a day to sincerely cry out to Hashem that we NEED Mashiach now! Amen

Hope everyone has an easy and meaningful fast!