Parashat Hashavua
Portion BO - 10 Whacks or 10 Smacks? (I mean kisses)
Two Parts or Ten? Last week's portion told of the first 7 plagues in Egypt
while this week we read of the "last Three the Alighty sent to "fix" Egypt!
So this week we will have a two-part ten-part single message from the Torah
10 Whacks or 10 Smacks? (I mean kisses)
Rabbi Eliezer Melamed wrote this week quoting the Zohar (Kabala)
based on a prophecy in the Book of Tzefania) that
the 10 plagues were a Punishment to Egypt (for corrupting G-d's world)
but a HEALING for Israel (who had gotten too used to Egyptian ways!
So why break the 10 down into 7 and 3?
A quick answer is that 7 is the way the Almighty created and loved the world-
hence the Shabbat is the seventh -
and so many other things G-d loves.
Most of the Israelites got in tune with the Almighty by the seventh plague!
Even SOME Egyptians yelled at Pharoah
The three (as it says in Ecclesiastes by King Solomon)
"three together doesn't unwind" -
and the last three MIGHTY plagues
were a lasting reminder to Egypt - and even Pharoah "got it" - for a while
Whacks to the Wicked and Smacks (kisses) to the Israelites!
The second part of this week's message was sent me from Dr. "Mo Rothkopf"
(the holiest eye doctor in the universe)
and I quote a bit of it here:
The definition of a slave is that even his time belongs to his master.
The first mitzva that HaShem gives the Jews (in Egypt) is
"Hachodesh hazeh lochem",
that you are now becoming masters over time ...
so that when you declare the new moon
even the bais din shel maaleh the heavenly courts
abide by your decision as is seen Rosh Hashana...
May we all use our power over time to utilize it for good and to be free from the constraints of time, amen.
The parsha goes on to tell us the laws ...
"Guard the matza, it means watching it to make sure that it doesn't become chametz and...don't read matzos but mitzva
so when a mitzva comes to your hand, do it right away and don't let it become chametz....
The Torah alludes to this by preceding the laws of Pesach by the plague of darkness.
The darkness was so thick that a man could not see his friend.
Galus (exile) is when there is no sensitivity to our friends needs. That is darkness.
(Redemption) The Geula comes about by opening our hearts and hands to the need of others. ...
May HaShem bless all klal Yisroel (the people of Israel)
with abundant wealth on the level of matza,
to appreciate our freedom is based on the freedom to act on behalf of others
knowing there will always be enough matza to perform our own needs. Shabbat shalom
Love from Israel
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
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VA aiy Rah on Moses the Magic Man?
Why so much Moss and Aron in the Second Book of the Five Torah Books?
RABBI CARLEBACH TAUGHT
We need to fix the Cain and Able problem - OIY was that bad! Oiy what a world!
So the Torah teaches us:
Moses and ARON taught us how to be non-jealous and non-argument!
So what about the Eve thing?
Miriam their sister is a fixing - but only partial.
Because later on the GOSSIP thing happened.
She helped save Moshe but maybe didn't like his wife?
So what? But there are vibes when we tell tales -
BUT THE TORAH teaches us:
Rachel and Leah are a fixing - no bad talk no arguments -
But Adam and Eve - how to fix the loss of respect?
SO later on Joshua and Rachav - had so much respect
SO later on Joshua and Rachav - had so much respect
That the WHOLE NATION KEPT AT PEACE FOR 14 YEARS BECAUSE OF THEM.
The Torah teaches: There is a fixing for everything.
The Israelites had no strength to listen to Moshe - they were slaves!
But when the Almighty appears and says:
I MYSELF - A DOE- NAi THE G-D OF MERCY
EH-LOH-KEEM - THE JUDGE OF THE WORLD
WILL BE MERCIFUL AND GET YOU OUTA HERE
and judge the those who abused you
and then in MERCY - ah Doe nai - will
BRING YOU TO THE LAND I PROMISED YOUR FATHERS (AND MOTHERS)
SO Pharohs magicians were dismissed
Moses and Aron channelled down the plagues on Egypt
(not magic - but Divine Acts
and the Egyptians we will see what happened to the non-believers - and how some who believed were able to survive
May we ALL see the mercy and the divine in this Shabbat of the New Month Shevat
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
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Moses Where are Your Feet?
The Almighty knows our hearts are true to our souls – but what about our feet?.
Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach often said at concerts "Chevrah (my friends)" I know your heads are in the right place – but WHERE ARE YOUR FEET – GET UP AND DANCE!"
Moses in Egypt let his feet go along with his soul – and went out to "see his brothers".
Everyone KNEW there was a JEW (Israelite) in the White House – oops – in the castle of Pharoah – but only a couple of advisors sought to get rid of him –
Until he protected another Israelite from a beating.
What really got Pharoah mad was – when a DIFFERENT Israelite ratted on Moses – which meant to Pharoah that he had lost control of his slaves and even the privileged ones!
So Moses let his FEET take him to MIDIAN where he saved a few women from abuse – and ended up marrying one of them! Who later in this portion SAVED HIM! What a gal!
The Medrash says Moses was elected GENERAL of Midian – and then KING –
But he gave it up when the Almighty called him back to EGYPT – ON THE ROAD AGAIN-
AS WE ARE ALL ON THE ROAD TO PROTECT OUR BRETHREN AND FREE THE SLAVES
And show the world that there is a burning bush out there where you are traveling –
with a flame and a MESSAGE that you can't run away from!
The world needed Moses and the world needs the Israelite feet –
To take us to Synagogue
To bring us to Israel the Holy Land
To DANCE with JOY that the ALMIGHTY gave us the Sabbath (with a little help from Moses…)
Love and Shabbos from Israel
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
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Portion VaYeeGash - or Love and Listening
If Joseph loved his father why did he not contact him when he became Viceroy in Egypt?
If Joseph loved his brothers why did he arrest them and not tell them who he was until this portion?
The WORLD could learn a lot about LOVE from Joseph - and from Maimonides!
How close are you really to those you love?
Did Adam love Eve?
How about Noah and the Mrs?
In this portion we see the love of Joseph for his brothers- despite everyrhing they did years before.
And we see the love of Jacob for Joseph - so that even an old father took the dangerous trip to Egypt to see him.
And in next weeks portion the love of Joseph for his two boys
And last week Jacob revealed his great love for his wife Rachel
So where is the Torah going with all this?
Maimonides wrote so much - including "The Book of Love!" It has many chapters but in a nutshell
Just by the Headings of the Sections we learn (I extrapolate from them):
Reciting Shema - love is listening
Holy Writing like Tefilin Mezuzas and Torahs- writing a little note can bring us close to a loved one
(Years ago I should have fired an employee but I found work for him ...
which gave him confidence to eventually get a better job and get married ...
and years later I bumped into him and he gave me a big hug to thank me - and told me how his wife would write little love notes and put them in his lunch sandwich for when he went off to work! They were a happy loving couple!)
If you love someone you do sily things to make them happy.
If you love someone you are willing to experience pain that sometimes happens in life.
Etc from Maimonides
Joseph was the genius of his generation - and he saved the world.
Maimonides was the genius of his generation - and protected his people under the Egyptian Caliphate.
All the Mitzvot are to show the love between us and the Almighty
Joseph did everything to re-set the family love between the boys and the Dad (Jacob)
The Shabbos is the Mitzva that teaches us to take time off....
Love from Israel
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
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Portion Vayeshev and Chanuka : Jealousy Dementia Depravity Hatred and - the Technicolor ELEPHANTS?
Did Joseph have elephants in Egypt? Probably not.
But 8-900 years later the Syrian Greeks used elephants in the Chanuka Wars -
that the Maccabbees eventually won.
Those Syrian elephants were probably Asian elephants -
that Alexander the Great got FOR them in his wars in India-
because th Syrians were still at war with the Egyptians and probably could not get African elephants!
What's that got to do with the weekly portion and story of Joseph?
His hating jealous brothers sold him into slavery in Egypt.
Potiphar's wife tried to seduce him.
Judah had a tryst with his forMer daughter in law.
Jacob went crazy with sorrow for losing Joseph (he thought).
AND THE ELEPHANTS?
There's so much to write and study and be THANKFUL FOR THIS CHANUKA-
but in a nutshell
In Israel they caught an Arab Knesset member passing cell phones with terrorist links-
to iSRAELI-interred security prisoners this week - and he is now in jail. A MIRACLE
The US President Elect called the Egyptian President and got him to pull an anti-Israel motion out of the UN- another MIRACLE
Joseph and his brothers introduce us to the issues of Chanuka::
brothers fighting each other
A hateful crazy Syrian King bent on destroying Judaism
And who became the symbol of potential Israel victory?
Decorated elephants
who we thought were going to crash through our people-
who were tamed by the Maccabbees -
5 brothers who OVERCAME JEALOUSY and worked together
LIKE THE BROTHERS OF JOSEPH WHO LEARNED OVER TIME
NOT TO FEAR THEIR DREAMER BROTHER
Speaking of miracles:
Purim is the holiday of "upside down" -
but Chanuka is the holiday of "the light of Redemption"-
the kind that can HEAL THE WORLD-
and OUR PART IN SPREADING HOLY LIGHT!
Light some Shabbos Candles
Light some Chanuka candles
Spread some happiness to the homebound - and to ALL OUR PEOPLE
12 tribes dispersed thoughout the world
Love and Shabbos and Light from Israel
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
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Portion Vayishlach - A LITTLE evil anyone?
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What do this portion and Chanuka have in common? STAY AWAY even from a little evil -
Jacob sends gifts to his brother Esau hoping to calm down the guy who is after him with armed escort And it works and Esau (the Epitamy of Evil) says We can accompany you on the trip back to Dad and Mom - and still STAY FRIENDS
How bad can that be?
But Jacob says no thanks In a nutshell that was the Syrian Greeks in the Chanuka story
The Syrian Greeks wanted to be "friends" with the Judeans – because they were always at war with the Egyptian Greeks and wanted allies. And to suck the Jews into their wars!
A hundred years the Syrians and the Egyptians fought back and forth and finally the Syrian Greeks who paid for schools and sports and all sorts of things in Israel won– and many of the Judeans fell for it!
Friends and allies? NO! Not friends and not allies –But the Evil of culture Controls.
The Syrians outlawed SHABBOs and a lot of Jewish things – and it took the Maccabees many years to restore the Jewishness of Judea!
Esau wanted to accompany Jacob's cool kids – and get them to be part of the Esau Gang.
Jacob was wise and watched over the kids – well most of the kids most of the time – after all there were a LOT of kids …
These few portions which show the goofs are a MESSAGE to the JEWS forever –
Watch and teach the children well and forever the Almighty will protect you eternity – and celebrate the Chanuka – the re-birth of Jewish Freedom from Greek Syrian tyranny
Live and Learn from the trials and tribulations of Jacob and the Family of Israel.
ENJOY EVERY MITZVA YOU DO BECAUSE EVERY MITZVA MAKES THE WORLD BETTER
GET READY TO CELEBRATE CHANUKA!
Buy gifts from ISRAEL!
Visit with family and the congregation – sing a little – dance a lot – and make your Shabbat a Beautiful One!
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
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Portion Toledot - Friends Friends Friends
BASED ON A teaching of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach
The portion says it is the story of Isaac son of Abraham and t hat Abraham was progenitor of Isaac
Rabbi Shlomo taught that they were BEST FRIENDS
Really - who else in rhose days could be best friends with such firebrand monotheists? In a world of idols?
They had "BAALEI BRIT" - people in agrement or believers or supporters of "One G-d".
But who really wanted Abraham to fulfill his dream?
And who prayed harder than reality that Isaac would be the blessing to the world hat the Almighty had promised?
So Rabbi Shlomo tauht that to be REAL FRIENDS is to want what your friend wants as badly as they want!
So that your souls are traveling together, riding the same wave,
and inked in a bond that is higher than the highest wall separating people.
And that it is possible - we learn from he opening of the portion
"Abraham and Isaac" and "Isaac and Abraham" - with the same dream to be close to theAlmighty.
May we be blesed to have such friends and be such friends
Shabbat Shalom from Rainy (thank G d) Israel
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
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Portion of Chayei Sarah – the LIFE (force) from Sarah
The Torah said Abraham brought with him to Cannan/Israel (out of Iraq and out of Syria) a number of souls – attracted to monotheism.
The Medrash said Sarah was the main teacher of the women that came along with them.
Look at the pictures of the people in Syria and Iraq today – now imagine 3000 years ago, the abused and unappreciated women doing all the work at home and in the fields – and appreciate the inspiration Sarah sewed into their souls. She was the nurturing mother to all of them for 25 years in Israel before she had her own child!
At the end of this week's portion of Chayei Sarah it tells us that Isaac was praying in the evening. Then he saw his future bride riding towards him on a camel next to Eliezer's (Abraham's main servant's) camel welcomed Rebecca and brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother – and the candles re-lit themselves and from that time there was always light in that tent !
Our Masters teach that each of our forefathers and foremothers had something special they brought to our people.
Araham was the outside person and taught the world how to come close to the Almighty.
Rabbi ShlomoCarlebach taught that Isaac was the INSIDE – sunset prayer person – who gave hope to those who despaired that they had not accomplished what they wanted during the day. Just pray that tomorrow will be a day of fulfillment.
And Rebecca? She re-lit the hope and imagination and light that Sarah was able to instill in all the women hoping for closeness to the Almighty.
May we be inspired by them – and never lose that hope.
Love and Shabbos from Israel
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
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VYera the story of the fat chasid and the dancing chasid
Yes its nicer to say portly than fat - and to relate to people in a nice way.
So I saw a SHORT CHUNKY chasid at the cemetery yesterday. Huh?
And what about the the portion of the week?
Father Abraham sees these three lowlifes -
But its not nice to say low lifes so -
Lets call them street people that Abraham runs to
and says "My Masters come to me to rest up and to eat" - his MASTERS?
(It was well known that Abraham invited EVERYONE to eat by him) -
And in the end they turned out to be ANGELS direct from the Almighty - with GOOD NEWS for Abraham and Sarah.
Were there any portly chasidm in the time of Abraham?
Are there any street people today?
What do you think when you see a chosid dressed like the old days? Nice thoughts? Maybe ...
What do you think when you see street people?
A friend of mine used to take me to a restaurant in Boro Park he called "the Portly Chosid"
because a chunky chasid was the owner and greeted you at the door. The food was excellent -
like any child of Father Abraham should serve!
Yesterday was the Yahzeit of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach pasing 22 years ago
So as usual I went to he grave and as usual there were was a crowd of nearly 2000 there-
Hippies college kids Israelis Ameeicans and a few black hat and black coat chasidim
But as we sang he Rabbi's tunes and read King David's psalms one guy stood out in the crowd
He was dressed in blue and white striped hasidi jerusalem coat
He was fiftyish and looked like an extremist in a caftan and a very big round black hat
I watched as thecrowd danced hora like - but he did not
Until a couple of college kids grabed him and he danced with them!
I went over to him after and asked if and how he knew Rabbi Shlomo.
He said - "I was not religious but a friend invited me to go see Rabbi Carlebach "the singing Rabbi"
After the concert I went over to speak with him - like a hundred others did.
When he saw me he said
"Brother you need to spend Shabbos with my Chevra (group)"
Then we talked a few minutes - and he knew my soul inside out - you could tell he had a holy approach to everything!
and I started studying and eventuallybecame religious.
A young girl next to us yelled at him "Stop Talking! You are disturbing the ceremony!"
I never saw a chosid walk over to a young girl like he did so sweetly and said gently
"You know why I'm here? Do you know why you're here?
Because Rabbi Shlomo's soul had a spark of the Moshiach!
He touches your soul today like he touched my soul years ago.
You and all these kids here weren't even born when he passed on -
but here you are mourning - and celebrating that GREAT SOUL.
She then said "I'm sorry for yelling at you. You are right and
we all have a lot of things to FIX in this world-
and we learn from the Torah together how to do it.
And she ended with a perfect Yiddish -THANK YOU FOR TALKING TO ME!"
And we all left appreciating that it's not what you look like -
But it's how we relate to the ANGELS that the Almighty sends to us like he sent to Abraham and were welcomed by Sarah!
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
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Lech Lecha In Honor of Abraham and Sarah and Trump and Clinton
Really more in honor of our father Abraham and mother Sarah and Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach whose Yahrzeit is the next week
Vision is a rare and great thing which proves there is a G d and that we each have a soul
Rabbi Shlomo taught us and sang to us the vision of the Prophets
"We are all going to Jerusalem he sang
Let there be peace they said"
Abraham and Sarah left Iraq with Terah the father of Abraham but Terah died in Syria on the way and before reaching Canaan- the future Holy Land
Abraham and Sarah taught visions of Holiness from Iraq through Canaan and on into Egypt where beautiful Sarah helped save Abraham and their joint vision
Rabbi Shlomo reminded us of the vision of a Messianic time when there would b no mor war
And childten and parents could communicate
And inspired us to wotk and live towards those ends
And pumped into us the energy of Shabbos renewal
Let there be true peace in this world between opposing visions -
However G d decided to take us to the next level
Gutt Shabbos Tata Abraham and Moma Sarah and Rabbi Shlomo and all the people of the world
With visions of peace and caring for one another
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Andy Eochenholz
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