- פרטים
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קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
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פורסם בשלישי, 01 דצמבר 2020 18:56
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נכתב על ידי Super User
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כניסות: 1545
Portion VaYayShev - Dreams and Dislocation
So whose dreams are discussed intros portion?
Joseph and the Butler and the Baker - but
Why was Joseph dreaming about wheat and about stars?
That's easy - he FED the world, and he became a superstar!
Butler - okay wine, Baker - okay bread.
But what's the connection between the three mean for us?
So think about this: Joseph gets stuck still - in jail - after he interprets the dreams of the other guys.
The commentators say it was because he asked the butler for help and didn't trust the Almightyenough.
I say - from a perspective of today 3000 years later - maybe it was PARTLY because -
(not a criticism - but a learning for today)
WE needed to learn from JOSEPH some more tricks for TODAY!
He didn't SAVE the Baker?
He didn't stay FRIENDS with the butler?
He didn't involve the Prison Warden who trusted him implicitly?
WE CAN LEARN SO SO MUCH from JOSEPH's story.
But after the years of holocaust and the new threats against Israel -
WE NEED TO LEARN THE JOSEPH STORY IN A WAY TO BRING US TO WHAT RABBI CARLEBACH SANG
Peace in every home
Peace in Yerushalayim
Peace in the Holy Land
Peace - TRUE PEACE- among the peoples who
like the BDS-liars the terrorists'-apologists - and the anti-semites who allow others to hurt our people
like we read in a few weeks - of those "who don't remember Joseph"-
Who forget all the GREAT things the Jewish People do for the world!
Let's wake up the world with stories of Joseph and getting the brothers to a higher spiritual place!
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
- פרטים
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קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
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פורסם בשלישי, 01 דצמבר 2020 18:56
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נכתב על ידי Super User
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כניסות: 1643
Portion Vayishlach : Nothing to fear? But fear itself?
That was the line touted by president Roosevelt in WW II. Wasn't he off a little bit?
The Torah states clearly that one should " Fear your Almighty - Yareita may Elokecha ".
In last week's portion Jacob said "Pachad Yitzchak" - saved him from Lavan's treachery-
the " L-rd who
Is the Awe who protected Isaac" his father
And thus protected Jacob from Lavan!
So in this portion...
It sounds like Jacob was SO so afraid of Esau? And
did he not Trust in the Almighty?
What in Torah does Awe mean?
Why did Jacob need it?
What does it mean for US?
What is fear? Yirah it says in these portion so...
Is it fear of esau?
Awe of the Power of Hashem ....
Awe of the Miracles wrought by Hashem
Fear of losing our Connection to Hashem
Fear of not doing " the Right Thing " that
Hashem is directing Each of Us to grapple with
The Breslav songs say Low Lu Fached Klal
- be Fearless -
After learning to appreciate all those
" trials by fire of our forefathers and mothers" that the Torah teaches us in Every Portion
But use everthing in those portions
To increase Yirah and Pachad of Hashem in the world.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
- פרטים
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קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
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פורסם בשלישי, 01 דצמבר 2020 18:55
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נכתב על ידי Super User
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כניסות: 1596
Portion Va Yay Tzay - Oiy what a Wedding!
Jacob is sent to find a wife in the household of Lavan - and there is a big BIG wedding - everyone in town is invited.
And (question from Rav Neriya - with my interpretation) - So why such a big wedding?
Well, Lavan switches daughters on him - and I think maybe Lavan has in mind to embarass Jacob - when he wakes up and sees it's the wrong girl!
I am sure Lavan got the whole town LAUGHING at this joke!
But the teaching from this portion is not about Lavan - it is about Jacob.
He is not dismayed by the tricks of Lavan - but he learns to outwit that scoundrel!
And in the end - he gets out of the "(wifes') parent trap" quite a rich man!
How ?
So here's the news from this week - a Synagogue from the third century has been excavated in the Golan Heights - JUST ABOUT
where Jacob and Lavan parted ways when Jacob and the family escaped back to Israel 3000 years ago!
The existence of a mosaic floor shows the wealth of the Jews who lived there! So Too (probably) Jacob -
who herded his flocks of sheep there! It was clearly a place to support a large population in comfort!
And spiritually - maybe it was because Jacob maintained his honesty and civility despite having to deal with a Lavan who couldn't even
maintain an agreement to let his younger dauguter Marry Jabob - and
So the Almighty "paid back" Jacob for teaching that lesson to "the world" - that you can be wealthy honestly!.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
- פרטים
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קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
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פורסם בשלישי, 01 דצמבר 2020 18:55
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נכתב על ידי Super User
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כניסות: 1553
Portion Toldot - Did the Ancient Kings - or our Forefathers and Mothers celebrate Thanklsgiving?
The Torah DOES tell us Abraham hob nobbed with Pharoah and the Philistine kings.
And he DEFEATED 4 warring Kings! Was Abraham also a Jewish King? He had followers frirends and an army!
And it tells us The King of Jerusalem came - to say THANKS to Abraham - and did some giving (mostly BREAD)
And Isaac too hung out with the PHilistine king - was Isaac then a king?
I'm this portion Jacob is born ... And runs away from a brother - Esau - who wants to kill him -
He is certainly NOT a KING! He was BROKE for a long while!
But his son Joseph is ALMOST a KING!
But WHO were the EARLY JEWISH KINGS?
Moses - the Shepherd was like a king - and his assistant Joshua was LIKE him … but Not Quite a King!
David the Shepherd of Israel IS A KING … and all his decendants!
Rabbi Carlebach said we are all like kings-
and should make our meals (ESPECIALLY ON SHABBAT) like KINGS and QUEENS - no fast foods! No Rushing!
Let's celebrate the ALMOST KINGS and be like REAL KINGS this SHABBAT
And THANK the Almighty for GIVING us
ALL the stories of our fathers and mothers - from Abraham on down!
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
- פרטים
-
קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
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פורסם בשלישי, 01 דצמבר 2020 18:55
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נכתב על ידי Super User
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כניסות: 1644
Portion Chayei Sarah about the Rabbi and the 4.AM Skunk
This week we find Rebecca , or actually Eliezer -finds Rebecca -
But not for himself - but to marry Isaac
So what kind of story is that?
and so what kind of learning can we glean from this chapter in our "Jewish Family history?"
We no Longer arrange marriages long distance or do we?
We will pass on that for now
And who remembers that great heroine Rebecca?
But here we have a story hidden in the middle of the portion
As I thought about that skunk...
Just this morning at four AM I was walking to the bus to go to a class and then pray
when I guess I startled a skunk slinking through the garbage waiting to be picked up by the city
Who was more worried by who?
I walked away quickly and he ran off in the opposite direction
But in the Rebecca story we chance upon a REAL smelly character
It says Lavan tries to kill that match made in heaven AND
In the meantime Lavan probably kills his father who was FOR it
( - or was it heart attack? I think murder...)
Read between the lines and this is a story of greed
( Because Abraham knows his relatives And sends gifts
But knows their treachery
And sends his army captain Eliezer to make sure there is no hanky panky ... See the war two weeks ago)
Who was more of a skunk than Lavan? But he and Rebecca were siblings and
They grew up in the same house!
So lesson 1 seems to be
Teach All your kids Kindness not greed
And lesson 2 that in the Greater World we need to
Teach Everyone that Treachery will Not be Allowed
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
- פרטים
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קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
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פורסם בשלישי, 01 דצמבר 2020 18:52
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נכתב על ידי Super User
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כניסות: 1352
Portion HaAHZEENU AND SUKKOT
Before the final blessings in the final Torah portion
The HaAhZeeNu portion is mostly a song but with overtones of potential punishment.
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It is fearful for the Israelites - a whole nation who are NOW moving out into a new life
- and into war
But the warnings of Moses are tempered by the blessings we read on Simchat Torah
And all our connection to the nation s on Sukkot!I
SO
What blessings befall all Israel every moment?
Right now a young Breslaver is singing and playing guitar on our 630 AM bus to yerushalayim ... With more to come the next 8 days!
So
Stay connected to G-d
As we connect the four species with the Lluulav!
And
remind yourselves that
In todays Talmud page it says
The Kohain and Levite Guards of the Temple
Made a special blessing at times:
That peace should emanate from
The Holy Temple
And so may it emanate from us and our holy places
Happy Sukkot
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
