Parashat Hashavua

The - last shabbat of the year - how to make it the greatest

This week I saw a number of Rabbis wrote how the Kabbala teaches "there last Shabbos of the year can "fix" everything-

everything you did or didn't do the whole year through!

But no one gave the FORMULA!

Part of it

is in the beginning of the portion which says:

"You are all here before me..." the Almighty and Moses say

the great ones and the common people ....

So ....

The Greatest Shabbos on Earth - the Last Shabbat of this Jewish Year Cycle

loved Fiday night singing and dancing at

Rabbi Carlebach's shul - and so did everyone I brought there!I

The Rabbi always had a deep and meaningful and Jewish-excitement around him - and around his talks.

After the services- Some people would ask me "What did he MEAN?"

Others would ask me "What did he SAY?" It took me a lot of time to learn to interpret –

but that was the fun part of being there!

One week Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach would say "let this upcoming Shabbos be the greatest Shabbat you ever had!"

The next week Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach would say "let THIS upcoming Shabbos be the greatest Shabbat you ever had!"

How could he say that every week? And mean it yet!

Well, just because that's the way it SHOULD BE! And it CAN be so!

With just a little effort we can make every Shabbos better than the one before! And make every day better than the one before!

The Talmud talks about it – but doesn't always make it feel close to you.

Soooo....

I have to talk about skipping out of Yeshiva on one Friday night to help a friend.

What can a young Rabbinical Student in Jerusalem really know?

You learn to make the blessings – but you don't really learn to Make the Shabbos.

That is – you can only learn to make a GREAT Shabbos from the ones who have learned from the Greatest.

So I learned that night on an ancient street in Jerusalem to want to learn - how the others learned from the greatest!

My friend had to run back to America for a few weeks - so he asked me to teach his class once a week.

My students – mostly California sixties people who had invited me for Shabbat – were getting ready for a community meal one Shabbat and invited me to join them.

So I agreed and didn't stay in the Yeshiva for prayers.

About 20 of us were

there at this old house for prayers

The idea was afterwards to share a simple vegetarian meal.

By the end of the Shabbos prayers and dancing and song there must have been over 60 people with us.

We danced singing Lecha Dodi for over an hour.

To tell you the truth, I was sincerely worried that there was not going to be enough enough food,

and I thought I would just go back to my yeshiva and have some of my stash of cookies and chocolate and call it a night.

I was not a Carlebach Chasid, just had been asked to teach this group while the leader (who studied with me in yeshiva) was away in America.

There may have been almost a hundred people by the kiddish

I was about to go, but one of my guys said "Chanoch you sit over here" and so as not to insult my hosts I plopped down on a big pillow.

It was a beautiful Shabbat night on Teverya Street in Sharei Chesed Jerusalem so long ago for me.

They blessed the grape juice and people began washing for the meal.

A number of great big Challah Breads appeared so I figured I would stay and have some bread before leaving.

I felt a little guilty because every few minutes more people came.

But then again - every few minutes a new and delicious course was passed around.

As it turned out everyone brought a little something to the dinner!

So I stayed and we sang and enjoyed the plenty which had appeared for this poor group

as each person had brought a few dishes or items which were turned into a dinner fit for kings or paupers or angels.

I have never since left that Shabbos. That evening is with me almost every Shabbat.

Reb Shlomo was not there but

the people were there

and the spirit that he brought out in everyone was there that night.

May we all be blessed with the greatest Shabbats every week in the coming year

Shabbat Shalom -

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

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Shabbat

Portion Key TayTzay - Oh what a war!

Yesterday at the Jerusalem Talmud class I attend

one of the Sephardic students (we are all retirement age)

questioned a measurement the Talmud talks about in dealing with Meal Offerings in the Temple

(May it be rebuilt soon).

He quoted the great Ben Ish Chai who lived in Iraq in the last Century.

The Rabbi-teacher said "you don't think I study the works of the Ben Ish Chai? My Friday Torah study

on my computer

is ALWAYS SET TO START WITH THE BEN ISH CHAI

(so we discussed the importance of HONESTY IN BUSINESS

which the Ben Ish Chai starts off with...

Honesty is Holiness!

I wanted to write this week about the importance of

Internalizing Holiness as the focal point of Israel's purpose in this world.

I mention here an idea from the Yeshivat Simchat Shlomo in Jerusalem which

continues the work of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach

The portion starts off with the realities of war and captives.

Then it ends with the need to destroy Amalek (Haman and Evil) in the world

Rabbi Carlebach said there are two levels of struggle -

there is the struggle withing us

and the struggle without

We need to come to grips within us that there is a G-d that G-d is the Almighty

and there is a plan the Almighty has put in place in this world.

Only then can we struggle successfully with the outside issues

and may we all be successful in achieving the ends of both kids of stuggle - and

get ready for a Great and Holy High Holiday Season

Shabbat Shalom from Israel

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

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Portion Key TayTzay

War, warnings, warrior priests and Portion Shoftim

This week a new Torah Scroll joined our

synagogue in Israel - a donation to the local youth group.

The procession from a donor house to

the synagogue was accompanied by hundreds - half of them the

teens from the youth group - and most everyone dancing to

the Torah Songs.

I was proud to dance with them - the

future guardians and defenders of Israel.

Soon they will be in the army.

When I am sometimes asked to pray with them or

teach a bit I try to be a part of this spirited group and

maybe add just a little to their spiritual strength.

The portion this week teaches that when Israel has to go to war

they first hear words and warnings from the Warrier Priest.

"Your camp must be holy" the Torah says.

"He who is weak in spirit need not

fight for Israel" says the Warrier Priest ,

who in the Talmud is linked to the High Priesthood.

I often think what a difficult job it was.

To accompany Joshua in battle to conquer Canaan from the wicked Canaanites

"who burn their children" ( in pagan worship ).

To accompany David in battle against the Philistine invaders from Crete.

And in Second Temple times? ALL THE MACCABBEES WERE KOHANIM - PRIESTS!

And today ... to make a holy army to protect civilians

from rockets and baloon bombs fuelled by oil given to power gaza hospitals!

It is NOT EASY!

Praise the Almighty we have an army trained in morality, doing its best!

The Torah is not a reason to battle - IT IS THE ANTIDOTE TO WAR AND SUFFERING

May the world see it as a guiding light!

Love and Shabbos

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

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Portion Shoftim

Portion RuhAey - the Revealed or the Concealed‏

The portion begins "See I have put before you the Blessing and the Curse"

What? Curses? Oiy Vey or Go Away?

R Sholom Brodt of Yeshiva Simchat Shlomo explained an idea of the Lubavitcher Rebbe

That Blessings are clear - they are the outside of the Almighty's gifts -

but when seeing curses - we need to see they are a Blessing that is Hidden deep inside -

and we need to make sense of those!

The Real Power of the human is to Reveal the Concealed secrets of Life-

to discover (in the ATOM? in the MIND? in the Power of Photosynthesis?)

IN EVERYTHING the inner meaning and the inner power - the Gifts of G-d -

Of Life - and Your Purpose in Being ...

Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach quotes Hassidic Insight -

the portion begins:

Ruh aiy (SEE) - which is singular

and

Lifnaychem (BEFORE YOU) is plural - meaning for All and Everyone

The portion shows that the Self with out israel - is really not special AND

Israel with out yourSELF - cannot really exist

The Blessing and Unraveling the Secrets of the Curse -

Bracha ...and ... Klalah

To challenge to go and do the Almighty's Work - needs Each of us and All Israel!

So the Portion continues ///

They (the world) burns their kids ..

and then right after talks about

the False Prophets who prophecize? SO TYPICAL IN THE OUTSIDE WORLD!

We ISRAEL have to Teach our Children BETTER ...shinanatam l' vanecha

about - Holiness!

and The divine spirit

To fix the world

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

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Portion RuhAy

Portion AYkev : What do you WANT from me G-d?

Getting ready for Rosh Hashono yet? 6 weeks to go to HIGH HOLIDAYS -

and may we ALL be blesed with a Holy High and Beautiful Holiday Season!

It's probably a GOOD TIME to reflect on the past year and hope for the New Year -

so let's think about this:

At Different Times in their lives Some people ask G-d - or themselves -

What do you WANT from me G-d?

But really - who and what are they saying (usually to themselves)?

Who knows how to separate the ME from the Everything from the "Blame G-d for it" syndrome?

According to the Torah - It really doesn't matter!

We just have a LOAD of GOOD WAYS to bring us

to a Holy High and Beautiful SELF - and Holiday Season!

Rebbi Nachman would say: Come to Uman and celebrate and LIFT YOU UP:

Sing Dance and Pray with my thousands .:. Not only for selves - but

For all Israel and

For spirits of all the murdered souls buried there wirh no one thinking of them (Jews and Gentiles)

To bring the lowest spirits in the world - some of the Ukrainians (look up Chmielnitzki)

To the highest spiritual place ... the Jerusalem of on High!

Many from there have converted and are holy in Israel today - and trying to uplift the world!

Lithuanian Jews would say to just pray and fast - and do Teshuva - Return to G-d

I Just had great few days with the swetest Litvaks and their kids ..."bein hazmanim vacation" time

And they get their spirit from prayer meditation and sharing

Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach would say...(did say) ...

What can we do? Limited in doing mitzvas as we are ?

.just dance before the L-rd! Give the Almighty a smile!

The Torah in our portion says

What the Almiggty wants from us Israelites is:

Yirah - the fear of being estranged of Hashem and

the Derech - Going in the way of the Almighty

And

To Love the L-rd so you can save the World

Looking Forward to following the Ways of Hashem

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

Also:

Based on a beautiful Idea from Shlomo Ressler Quoting England's Chief Rabbi :about the SHMA part in this week's portion:
Shma? It means

many things: to hear, to listen, to pay attention, to

understand, to internalize and to respond. How do we DO THAT?

Rabbi Sacks explains that Judaism is not about obeying laws,

but about hearing them.
G-d wants us not just to hear with

our ears, but to listen with our minds.

(Rabbi Carlebach would always add "with our Neshama - souls).

The Almighty is
beseeching us to really listen, not just to His

laws, but to others as well.

Listening to G-d is easy,

it’s listening to another human being that takes courage,

a comfort in our self and defying our own vulnerabilities.

Listening is the greatest gift we

can give to another human being, but it’s also the

greatest gift we can give ourselves.

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Portion AYkev

Portion of Devarim:

So here is a little explanation from the Vishnitzer Rebbe as mentioned by Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach (clarifications in the parentheses are mine):

"You see, what is Parshas (Portion of) Devarim (the beginning of the Fifth Book of the 5 of the Torah)?

Moshe Rabbeinu (by reviewing in the Fifth Book much of the First 4 Books of the Torah) is telling Yidden back everything they did (in the 40 years since leaving Egypt – even though it was certainly) wrong

(problematical - see the beginning of the portion)

but the way Moshe is telling it, it comes out so sweet that you don’t even hear the bad things that took place!"

We Jews don't re-write history (like some people).

We just always try to Follow our Mandate - to fix the things that were made or done wrong!

If only the world would see ....

This Shabbat's Portion of Va Et Cha Nan

So here Moses REPEATS the 10 Commandments.

Maybe until now we didn't get it right. Parents and Children. The Sabbath. Not being jealous of what others have. MAYBE NOT EVEN BELIEVING ENOUGH IN THE ALMIGHTY!...

10 TOUGH COMMANDMENTS!

So Moses the Teacher REPEATS them in this portion – 40 years after the First Time.

And for us also.

May it be the best time for us to review our Ten Commandments and pick a couple to start improving on …

and just as in the time of Moshe Rabeinu – speaking to the Israelites before entering Israel (Canaan still then) –

let the commandments help bring us ALL to fulfill the Israel on Earth and the Israel in Heaven

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

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Portion Devarim

Portion Matos-Masei: Killers and Soldiers and Daughters and Saints - and Israel and Ireland

This double Portion at the end of the Fourth Book (of the 5) has a prophetic message-

for Israel (keep trying) and Ireland (the country that voted this week to ban part of Israel)

and for Hamas (and Iran and Hezbolah) who continue to make war on the Reality of Israel.

As the Israelites prepare to cross the Jordan – And to

finish clearing out the Enemies of the East who attacked them (see the previous portions)

The Almighty helps Moses and Joshua and Elazar (new High Priest son of the deceased Aron)

To Lead the People and settle Canaan, home of Abraham Isaac and Jacob who lived PEACE-

and Live in Peace ( more or less for the next 400 years –

until the peace and security during the kingdoms of David and Solomon) .

The warriors who ALL returned SAFELY -are to PURIFY THEMSELVES and EVERY ITEM

They are to SET ASIDE PLACES for exile of people who may have Killed by Accident;

The people of Reuvain Gad and Menasheh chose where they settle – in the Golan to build a better life for their families thanthey had in Egypt - but

(but must help the other tribes if the Canaanites chose to fight the Israelites).

Rebbe Noson of Breslav wrote: the leadership of Israel is Chosen – to teach RENEWAL-

Israel means Belief in Renewal - the chance for a Better World!

The world must stop its many hatreds– years of slaughter – for years in Syria, last year in Iraq, just before then in Crimea-Ukraine – Turkey Cambodia Africa Ecuador and Peru etc

Evil haters of Israel – it is TIME! Ireland and Europe and Russia and Iran and ALL MOSLEMS-

Wake up and admit how much Israel and the Jews contribute to the world! Haiti knows Japan knows Thailand knows -

We give the whole world the concepts of peace, purification, ways to forgive and to grow –

And to Rest – the Sabbath – the Holy Shabbos which is for ALL – not just the rich!

And the Joy of the Holy Weddings of the Daughters of Zelafchad - that all Israel were at!

Let's a pray this Shabbat that the world learns these lessons and we can all grow in spirit!

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

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Portion of Matos

Portion Pinchas – the Torah in a Nutshell!

The portion is Filled with All the Goodness of G-d!

So-

On a simple level the portion explains Judaism soup to nuts:

The Almighty (up front in the portion)

tells Moses to Count the People - BECAUSE EVERYBODY COUNTS!

Something UNHEARD OF SO LONG AGO-

and sadly still unheard of in many places in the world!

(Never put anyone down - because you never know who secretly is doing Big Mitzvas!)

Then - the last portions- give us rules of

CELEBRATING - through the TEMPLE- for

All the holidays – that make up a Whole Year

All the People are holy- and every day of the year is holy.

But is there a deeper message hidden in the middle?

The five daughters of Zelophchad confront Moses and say-

"We want a piece of Israel when everyone gets land - not just the guys!"

And Moshe - who never thought to confront the Almighty - has to ask-

And the answer is - YES!

Israel is for everyone -

and then we learn the rules of Celebrating Every Day in the Temple.... all year round ...

EVEN IN THE SUMMER! So ... Welcome to Jewish Adulthood you great bar-mitzva kids

and Welcome to Jerusalem the Heart of Israel my birthright students!

Shabbat Shalom - and Mazel Tov to Everyone!

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

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Portion of Pinchas

Portion Balak - the Gentiles and the Donkey - and the Ohr Hachaim's Yahrzeit

This portion has three unanswered questions I would like to take on!

The ideas are only my thoughts and please do not blame any other rabbis or the Almighty or anyone if my ideas don't fit anyone's intellectual or religious system.

Why is this portion named after a heathen sorcerer - and what does that mean for Jews in 2018?

Why was a heathen prophet riding on a donkey - 40 years after Pharoah watched his hundreds of HORSES drown at the Red Sea?
Or didn't he own a camel?

What are we to learn from the anniversary of the Holy Chaim Ibn Atar's passing - which was this week?

First number three!

And it has to do with leaving messages in the cracks of the Holy Western Wall in Jerusalem!

The story is told that "the CHIDA" (student of Rabbi Chaim ibn Atar - and later the Genius Rabbi of Bagdad) was walking in Jerusalem when an old Kabbalist stopped him.

"You know there is a shining light about you!"
"No, what?" he answered.

The kabbalist asked him what he had done different that day.

A little embarassed, Chida said "I did my Rabbi's wishes - but a little late."

"How so ?" asked the older man.

"My Rabbi asked me some time ago to leave a note that he wrote in one of the cracks of the Western Wall - and I didn't do it. Maybe I thought it wasn't important? But

My teacher and Rabbi just passed away - so I hurried today to do it."

The kabbalist asked the Chida to walk him to the Wall and show him the note - and they opened it and the note said:

"Holy Spirit, please ask for mercy before the Almighty for my student Chida - Chaim Yosef - among the leaders of Israel"

From that time on - after people heard that one of the Holy Rabbi Chaim Ben Atar's last acts

was to write a prayer and leave it at The Wall - people started leaving those kinds of messages.

Today hundreds of such notes are left at The Wall - the Kotel- for the Holy Spirit -

and who knows when the Almighty hears those prayers? Maybe always!

We just know when the Almighty listened to the curses of Balak and Bilam - and MADE THEM BLESS THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL?

For Number TWO - many Torah commentators discuss Bilam's relationship with his donkey! That's not my question.

King Balak offers this Bilam-the-evil-prophet MILLIONS to come to the "Moav White House"

and curse the Israelites -
wouldn't you think he'd take a limousine? Or a chariot like Pharoah had?

So many commentators focus on the funny part - with the Talkiing Donkey -

who gets beaten 3 times by the greedy Gentile Prophet -
but Still seems he Gives the Rider Good Advice (which Bilam never followed).

I think the donkey is really ALWAYS talking to Bilam-the wierd-prophet!
There are lots of donkeys out there - but this one

Always sees things that Bilam doesn't! And Bilam obviously NEEDS the donkey -

or thinks he does! But Never Listens!

The whole portion is filled with BAD ADVICE (not from the donkey)-

and stubborn greed and hatred and mean spirits.

We all need to get real and listen to holy good advice - like in the Torah -
and avoid greed and meanness and hatred (like Bilam's and Balak's)

and not listen to greedy prophets and not need spiritual donkeys

AND THE FIRST QUESTION...

At the end of the portion finally

Moses is mentioned - but he is CRYING at the entrance to the Tabernacle because the people again just didn't get it!

This is a week too a Democratic Party member (Cortez) who criticizes Israel

won a NYS primamry against an incumbent not known for speaking against Israel.

Is she a heathen sorcerer - or just playing into hatred sponsored by terror organizations

eating at the moral fabric of America? Either way we need to watch out! The Torah warns us!

The world has a lot of liars in high places, often blaming the Jews for surviving and not disappearing.

We neeed to stay away from heathens and sorcerers and public liars like king Balak and advisor Bilam!

Yes in 2018 there are still people trying to curse the light of the Israelite -

so let's read the portion and look for our own answers to today's issues
and turn bad-vibes into BLESSINGS.

Shabbat Shalom

Love from Israel

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

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Portion of Balak

Portion Shelach – what did you really see?

This week's portion starts with the spies sent by Moshe to

scout out Israel (Canaan)

before the Israelites entered the land.

Rabbi Carlebach always said "You have to look at Israel with

Moshiach Eyes

" – eyes of hope love and togetherness!

Somehow the spies missed seeing the beauty there.

The Zohar and Kabbala look at the portion as an attempt by some

"leaders"

to keep Israelites focused in the desert – and in the end

that's what happened – but

with all the generation passing away BEFORE they could enter

Israel with their children.

Rabbi Silver of Yeshiva Simchat Shlomo (the Sholom Brodt Yeshiva) in Jerusalem

Tied the failure of the spies to their

despair of their children succeding to enter the land of Israel.

But don't we know today that the potential of our children -

and everyone's children -

is NEAR LIMITLESS?

Never give up on children - or anyone!

And if you don't have kids-

Learn how to optimize your own inner child too!

As best we can we should look at each person and each situation - and help

MAKE THE BEST OF THEM!

That is also why Shabbos is such a great gift -

it gives us a time and a way to reflect to understand - and to bring people together to try

to bring out the Best of the World.

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

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Portion of Shelach

עמוד 33 מתוך 60