Laws of Chanukkah

This year Chanukah begins on Wednesday night, the 27th of November, and continues through the 5th of December.

Below are some basic laws concerning the lighting of the Menorah.

 On the first night, 3 blessings are recited before the lighting:

שהחיינו )3 and שעשה ניסים )2 להדליק נר חנוכה )1

 On all other nights, only the first two blessings are recited. If one forgot to recite the 3rd blessing on the first night, he may recite it within a half hour of lighting the candles. Otherwise, the blessing may be recited on the 2nd night or on any one of the following nights of Chanukah.

 The Sephardic custom is that only 1 person in each household lights with the blessings. Anyone else in the

family that wants to

light must do so without

reciting the blessings. HaRav Ovadia Yossef warns that the one reciting the blessings

should light before anyone over the age of “chinuch” (approximately 7 yrs. old with knowledge about Mitzvot).

 The preferred practice is to light the candles by a window facing the public domain, or by the door post opposite the Mezuzah. Nevertheless, lighting on the dining room table would also suffice.

 One must provide enough oil or use long enough candles to sustain a flame for 30 minutes and must only light the candles in a location where they will not be blown out by the wind.

When Chanukah falls out on a Friday, such as in December,

Chanukah

should be lit right before lighting the Shabbat candles.

Parshat Vayeshev- Fight That Challenge

                                                  

          This weeks parsha discusses the hard life that Yosef had. His brothers were jealous of him and through him into an empty pit filled with snakes and scorprions. The brothers ended selling Yosef to a caravan of Ishmaelites. Yosef had been brought down to Egypt. Potiphar, bought Yosef to work for him and saw that G-d was with Yosef so Potiphar found favor in Yosefs eyes and appointed him master over his household. Yosef was a very handsome man. Potiphars wife saw Yosef and wanted to lay with him. She saw through astrology that Yosef would have offspring from her however, it wasn't from her but from her daughter Osnat. Since Yosef didn't want to lay with her she got upset and told Potiphar that the hebrew slave you brought to us wanted to lie with me. Potiphar put Yosef in jail, he was imprisoned for thirteen years. Yosef had the desire to be with Potiphars wife, he too saw through the holy spirits -Ruach Hakodesh that he will have children from her. However, he wasn't sure if it was the proper act to do. Then his father, Yaakov appeared to him and Yaakov was all about Emet so once he saw his father face he knew that this act would not be the proper thing to do so he ran. We learn a very important lesson in this weeks parsha, sometimes in life we don't know what the right thing for us to do is. We are confused. We live in a world filled with darkness, filled with confusion and falsehood. We might think we are doing something good but in reality we are not. So how can we know whats the truth and whats false? We need to ask ourselves and truly be honest with ourselves if our Avodat Hashem, if our Service of G-d is Emet? Are we doing a Cheshbon Hanefesh, calculating the soul- working on oneself. Are we making sure that every step we take, every action that we do and every word that we say is a Kiddush Hashem. Even though, when times are tough in are life remember that it is all coming from one source, its coming from Hakadosh Baruch Hu, our Father, our King who loves us and adores us. We just need to find it in our hearts to accept the challenges that come our way and find the best way to overcome the battles in the times of darkness that we live in. Life is full of challenges we just need to be aware of its existence and be ready for battle with the yezter hara- evil inclination. The best way to overcome the challenge is to realize that you are put in a challenge and that you will find the ability to overcome the challenge just like Yosef Hatzadik did.
Shabbat Shalom,
Esther Shamayev

Parshat Vayishlach

Parshat Vayishlach describes the prelude to what seems an inevitable and deadly battle between two brothers Yaakov and Eisav. Yaakov Avinu readies himself for this fight in three ways: by sending gifts, by praying and by preparing for war. Nowadays, we too continue this fight between the Jews and the Goyim. The struggle for our generation is the struggle of self hood is a battle that we fight every day. We really do not know who we are. We direct our energies in many directions and whichever one captivates us at the moment defines us. However, according to Rabbi Kagan, the true self is one and unified, just as G-d is one and unified. This is a consequence created betzelem Elokim- a part of G-d Himself. How do we access this oneness in ourselves? First we must understand what makes us unique among the rest of creation. What constitutes the soul of a human being? FREE CHOICE. This is what distinguishes the human being from the animal. Animals are reactive, their actions entirely are a product of environmental stimuli. To be a person means not to react, but to act. That is what responsibility is about, the ability to choose a response, the ability to make choices while understanding the consequences of those choices. When one chooses, one owns ones self. If one is reactive one is not using one's free choice and will be unable to develop one's self and individuality. Our experiences in life are not what make us who we are, but rather opportunities to make ourselves into who we can be. Hashem provides the background for our choices; He leaves it up to us to choose, to create ourselves. Our task is to discover who we are as a person. In order for this discovery to take place one needs to be aware of the choices he makes as to the way he acts and speaks. These are the two main things that can help a person discover himself. Once you have discovered yourself, you are now aware of the battle that you are facing and Bezrat Hashem you will be able to overcome all the challenges Hashem gives you. Amen!
Shabbat Shalom

Parshat Vayetzei- "Reach Your Potential"

        In this weeks parsha, it speaks about Yaakov's dream and in the dream he sees a ladder set up on earth, and the top of it reached to heaven; and behold the angels of G-d ascending and descending on it (28:12).  Why are angels going up and down the ladder? We learn that a ladder is the only object that when a person goes down the person will still look up. Hashem was trying to tell Yaakov that life won't be great anymore, no matter how life is you'll always look up. During our hard times in life we can always "lean" towards Hashem just like when a person is climbing the ladder and is stuck he leans on the ladder for protection. A person needs to have Simchat HaChayim- happiness of life, even though at times things may be rocky and hard we should never stop to think who is in control-Hashem! When things aren't going your way and you get upset then you haven't yet understood that Hashem is in control. It says in the Gemara, that if a person gets angry its as if he is serving Avoda Zara- idolatry. Why? The Gemara is teaching us that even if we didn't plan it to be this way and it looks terrible we should understand that it's coming from Hashem and He knows what He is doing, so we should accept it with happiness and not get angry. Anger comes from lack of Emunah- Faith. When a person is struggling or in pain one should turn to Hashem, look up to the heavens and pray. In order to overcome the anger one must find it within their heart that Hashem is in control and Hashem knows whats best for His children. So, when we are put in difficult challenges that we cannot understand remember Hashem loves you and wants the best for you so don't get angry at the situation rather try to understand why this is happening to you? Try to understand how you can better your service of G-d.
Another interesting reason why the angels were going up and down the ladder is when a person uses a ladder he uses his entire body whereas when a person uses the stairs he just uses his legs. When we are serving Hashem the proper way to serve Him is we need to be dedicated with a full heart and dedication. We need to work on serving Hashem with all the body parts that He gave us. Guarding our tongue, guarding our eyes and guarding our ears etc. We need to make sure that every mitzvah we do is for us to get closer to Hashem.


Actions arouse the heart, a person is influenced by his actions and his emotions and all his thoughts always follow the actions in which he is involved in. Meaning to say, that even actions which are carried out without intention nevertheless exert an influence over our hearts.

The best way to serve Hashem is with HAPPINESS -"Ivdu et Hashem B'Simcha".
We need to devote our entire body and neshama to the Holy One, Blessed His Name.

Parshat Toldot- "For Heavens Sake?!?"

            During the event where Yitzchak intended to give Eisav the blessing instead of Yaakov. "It was when Yotzchak became old and his eyes weakened, he called Eisav his older son and he said to him, 'My son..go out to the field and hunt for me game. And prepare for me delicacies like I love and bring them to me and I will eat so that my soul shall bless you before I die." Rivkah Emeynu was listening in on this conversation and she immediatlly rushed to tell her son Yaakov. She told him to dress up like Eisav and she prepared delicacies for him to bring to his father Yitzchak. Yaakov enters his fathers tent saying "Here I am, please bless me."
          This blessing was the ice breaker as to which son will be the father of the chosen nation. How could the righteous Yitzchak be so adamant about choosing Eisav over Yaakov? Why did Rivkah resort to such a blatant deception in order to secure the blessings for Yaakov? And how could Yaakov Avinu agree to lie to his father? Rivka Emeynu, Yitzchak Avinu and Yaakov Avinu were out of character. The only person who was doing what he was told to do was Eisav. Eisav at the end of the story didn't win but he did what he was told to do while Yitzchak, Rivka and Yaakov, on the other hand, whose behaviors seem at best questionable and deffinantely out of character, benefit at the end of the day. Why are these three successful in achieving their goals when their tactics seem problematic?
           The way we will understand the above circumstance is to understand an essential foundation in Judaism which is to succeed in life, we must grow beyond our nature. This is best accomplished when we are tested. Eisav wasn't being tested however, the other three were all put to a test fundamental to developing a high level of service-avodat Hashem, Yitzchak, Rivka and Yaakov were pushed beyond their nature. Hashem administers this kind of test to see if a persons actions are the result of his will or God's will. Sometimes, in life we are so used to acting in a positive way filled with emunah-faith in Hashem until we are put to a test to see if we really have faith or not. However, if we do what God wants from us even when it requires us to step out of our comfort zones, to do something out of character then it becomes 100% clear that we have real self control and that our service, of our avodat Hashem is true service.
        Each individual needs to sit down and think why s/he is doing this for the sake of Hashem or for the sake to please someone. One must be completely honest with himself in order for him to be able to spiritually grow higher. Take this oppurtunity to evaluate yourself, see how far you have reached spiritually. Examine your good deeds and bad deeds. Try to prefect yourself and really understand if what you are doing is for the sake of heaven or for the sake of convenience.
By: Esther Shamayev

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.