Parashat Hashavua

Portion Chukat - time to Weep or time to Move

פרטים: קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua; פורסם בשישי, 12 יולי 2024 11:02; נכתב על ידי Super User; כניסות: 894

Portion Chukat - time to Weep or time to Move

Rabbi Godscheider gave a talk this week in Jerusalem on the portion, and said (I paraphrase)

'how sad it is that Moses' brother and sister die in this portion,

and the the Almighty tells Moses he will not enter the Holy Land after leading the Israelites 40 years in the desert! How sad!"

But, the Rabbi agreed when I added "Yes, but this is a Portion of Tansition!

The 40 years' time in the desert is almost over - and at the end of the Portion -

the Israelites begin to conquer Israel!

Transitioning from Tribes of the Desert - to BEGIN the Almighty's job

of ridding the world of Idol Worship and Human Sacrifice.

And beginning 3000 (so far) of Educating the World to consider G-dliness"

From this portion, see also what

Reb Shlomo Carlebach taught about Parshas Chukas

"This Shabbos we are learning about the Para Aduma, ...

(Red Heifer) -

Let me ask you friends, when a person G-d forbid gets defiled by a dead body, how does he purify himself?

In a nutshell, death is when there is no one to receive what I want to give you...

Imagine you pour out your heart to somebody, you want to you say something so beautiful,

and you see after the whole thing is over, they didn’t hear what you said.

It’s like a feeling of death...

When someone says 'I need your advice', most of the time they mean

'have rachmanus, ( pity) and listen to me a little bit'. ...

So friends, do you know what happened at Mount Sinai? Moshe Rabbeinu brought down the Torah from heaven. ...and

the first person he gave the Torah over to was the high priest Ahron Hakohen....

(who had) ...

vessels to receive and give them over to someone else... both together.

Do you know how much purity this brings down to the world

I bless you and me that when you give over, there is always someone ready to receive it, and may it be received with such purity.

Good Shabbos!"

Yes there is a lot of work to do: like

yesterday coming home from Jerusalem I opened the door to see

A Wheelchair with a little paraplegic boy in it,

And my 2 daughters feeding and talking with him!

My older daughter does a lot of volunteering

And I have met this boy and his parents,

So I joined in a bit,

And let the girls carry on.

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

Portion Korach - Disputes versus Cookies

פרטים: קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua; פורסם בשישי, 05 יולי 2024 08:24; נכתב על ידי Super User; כניסות: 944

Portion Korach - Disputes versus Cookies

It's the quintessential dispute...who will be the boss?

In Parshat Korach

To quote Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach

Friends, it has to be clear to us that the whole story of Korach is mamesh the deepest depths.

Korach is someone who never did anything wrong in his whole life.

Until …he fought Aron over the high priest position

What was the whole thing with Korach? Open your hearts to the deepest depths.

Everybody wants to be the holy of holiest,

but maybe G-d doesn't want you to be the holy of holiest.

Maybe G-d needs you to be less holy and serve him on that

level. What do we know?

, Korach wanted to serve G-d but he mamesh wanted to be the holiest.

Aaron was ready to serve G-d even if he was the lowest,

and you know what? So therefore he was really the holiest

!!!…

You cannot be a high priest unless it doesn't matter to you who it is,

only that is done! So only then it could be you.

Good Shabbos

And from

Rabbi Goldscheider at the OU who

had another take on the dispute between Korach and Aron,

'where he quoted the father of Rav Kook – the Chief Rabbi

of Israel until his passing in 1935s

-in the portion the dispute is resolved by almonds!

Rabbi Kook said, one type is sweet on the tree but bitter when you eat them

Some are bitter on the tree

But sweeterwhen you eat them

and so too disputes that look valid at first

but after a while you know it wasnt right to fight

so wednesday morning I gave 3 chocolate chip cookies to aN

homeless fellow at 5AM on the way to the Jerusalem bus I take.

and listened to him for 2 minutes

and hopefully made his day a bit sweeter

sometimes its that easy

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

Portion Shlach - Trusting Leaders or media Influencers

פרטים: קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua; פורסם בשישי, 28 יוני 2024 12:30; נכתב על ידי Super User; כניסות: 951

Portion Shlach - Trusting Leaders or media Influencers

What did the 10 spies tell the Israelites?

"You cant beat the Canaanite nations"

So why did Moses send 10 spies to check out

The Promised Land, and then,

As an Australian friend of mine used to say

(He said that was an acceptable local phrase)

Uh Oh! Bad Day for the Abos!

He didnt know

It would

cause the Sociaĺ Media Influencers-

The 10 spies complaining about

The land of canaan

בא to adopt unhealthy views of G-d and themselves, and to breed insecurities, and encourage rebellion.

Oiy! Significant Dissonance with the Almighty!

And Moses and Joshua said

"Just dont rebel and G-d forgives other sins"

But they bought the whole "scared as a bunny rabbit" thing!

And they didnt get to Israel -

Only their CHILDREN!

See below pictuŕe:

Leah asked me to take that picture on her way to school.

That ISRAELI rabbit

That we see some mornings

is not afraid of anything!

Only of the Almighty.

As it Should Be.

Shaɓat Shalom

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

Portion BHa ah Lote cha- Coins from the Gallus revolt in Lod

פרטים: קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua; פורסם בשישי, 21 יוני 2024 09:10; נכתב על ידי Super User; כניסות: 966

Portion BHa ah Lote cha- and Coins from the Gallus revolt in Lod Why did Israel keep trying to get the Romans off their backs (until someone else conquerred Israel)?

This week's Portion highlites candle lighting, Shofar blowing, and respect for Moshe (who even shared his prophetic powers with the elders of the tribes - yet was still being gossiped about)!

The Jewish Temple and traditions are and always were always about celebrating Human. Connections to Holiness

All the other ancient civilizations were about
Conquest
Enslavement
And forced conversion - all anathema to Judaism

And today? Russia? China? Iran? North Korea?

Honest economics are not against Judaism. Jews have always faced challenges to surviving various attacks - even from socialism

So see the beĺow- coins hidden by the Jews of Lod, during a rebellion against Rome which sadly did not ŵork according to plan.

These coins displayed just this week - they treat us to a new insight into the constant Israelite struggle for holinèss to free itself from totalitarian mentalities and opression.

As it says in the Portion - The priests the sons of Aharon - have to learn to
SOUND THE SHOFAR CALL!

It's time for the world to get onto the program.

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

Portion Nasoh - relationships catapulting us to the forefront

פרטים: קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua; פורסם בשבת, 15 יוני 2024 18:40; נכתב על ידי Super User; כניסות: 954

Portion Nasoh - relationships catapulting us to the forefront

This Portion depicts relationships - on a national level

And interpersonal

And between the Jewish People and the commandments !

Husbañds and wivès somtimes suspect each other...

And have to work thñg out.

But the 12 Prresidents ofçþwhen giving offerings to the building of the Mishkan in the desert

Were not jealous of one another!

They each brought the exact equal gift!

And how do we relate to the 613 Commandments of Tòrah?

Rabbi Carlebach used to say:

Mamesh (MEANS : in Reality) the Rebbe of Chortkov hardly ate, hardly slept, but he mamesh when it came to Hagba ( the honor of lifting the Torah) he picked up the heaviest Torah with ease. So he said “ When is the Torah heavy ? Ŵhen you are carrying it, but when you let the Torah carry you, it's not heavy, it’s Mamash, light.
What a gevalt.
Good Shabbos

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

Portion BeChuKoTai - the antidote for ALL

פרטים: קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua; פורסם בשישי, 31 מאי 2024 09:13; נכתב על ידי Super User; כניסות: 856

Portion BeChuKoTai - the antidote for ALL

The portion contains curses and warninĝs

about what happens

When ego and greed get the better of us

And

also if we don't respect "the Land".

What does the Portion tell us?

That we "will be swallowed up in our exile."

What does that prophecy mean?

Look at the Jewish Exile

Why do we

1. ALWAYS PERSIST IN MAINTAINING OUR

DISTANÇES FROM TOO MUCH JEWISHNESS?

And

How is that a PART OF THE CURRENT ANTI ISRAEL Environment is from Jews?

What Does Their Hatred mean for the world?

Below Picture : Synagogue at Ben Gurion airport on my way to NY...

While I was waiting to pray

Before boarding my flight to the US,

And I was

Studying Talmud ...page 91 Baba Metzia -

Which Talks about who you have to feed,

And when workers can drink what they want as they make the wine....

You dont have to be a prophet

To understand

Some things that simply make sense

Basic human values are daily ignored

If there is no connection to

A G-dly plan

Or if you believe G-d created any people

To be used as target practice

Or to be targets of your home grown rage

Yes, the Portion tells us to walk in

G-dly paths

May we all focus at least a few minutes a day on finding

And leading the world

Towards G-dly paths

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

Portion Behar - Blow the Shofar? on Morris Katz...?

פרטים: קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua; פורסם בשישי, 24 מאי 2024 09:23; נכתב על ידי Super User; כניסות: 1177

Portion Behar - Blow the Shofar? on Morris Katz...?

One of my co workers has 2 sons in Gaza - reserve soldiers. - and One had a birthday this week.

See the picture below!

?What's written on the Liberty Bell in the US – and the COPY in Jerusalem's Liberty Bell Park

Isn't it insane for the 2024 "new world order"

to IGNORE the words from this Portion

"proclaim liberty throughout the land and to ALL…"

Yes it's

from this week's Portion! It doesn't say "except for Jews"! It doesn't say "kill the Jews".

CMON! Jews help EVERYONE.

Any Hunger IN GAZA is controlled by the Hamas Nazis stealing aid and selling food.

No army in history EVER fed their enemies who hide missiles in schools and hospitals, and weapons in cemeteries and "neutral? UN" buildings, and in children's bedrooms.

Much of the Portion Behar deals with protecting ALL the poor

and also maintaining ALL JEWS' land ownership in Israel –

not some make believe conglomeration of Arabs who settled IN ISRAEL just because

the JEWS made work for them ALL – and developed a 2000 year abandoned desert!

Arabs in Gaza had the last 25 years to DEVELOP – but instead they killed each other, and us

They frightened the world and took billions in hush money - and created HamasNaziLand.

But every year we read this Portion with laws to protect and help ALL others –

For the ETERNITY OF THE TORAH AND ITS PEOPLE AND ITS MESSAGES TO THE WORLD.

As an aside - about beating Hamas and Nazis

YIVO is doing a zoom session study on Jewish creativity

Focusing on the art of my old friend

Holocsust survivor Morris Katz (may his memory be blessed)

He once told me -

Andy, everyon comes here to my place, and leaves,

But you fixed the tiles and ceiling in the bathroom bdefore you left!

You are welcome to stay here any time!

Jews are often creative and often help - and sometimes fix things.

EVEN IN THE WORLD AT LARGE!

Sent with love hope and prayers from Jerusalem

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

Portion ACHAREI mote - after the Passing

פרטים: קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua; פורסם בחמישי, 02 מאי 2024 16:24; נכתב על ידי Super User; כניסות: 951

Portion ACHAREI mote - after the Passing

Passing? Like in

A game of political football?

This week's news is replete with

Anti Western Values , passing the buck,

And making evil demands.

Will Anti Semitism never end?

This week the Torah Portion is the SOURCE

Of Yom Kippur readings - and

National and Family values

Sacrifices were offered foe penance

Of the Priesthood and the nation, and rules are given for maintaining societal values.

And the spiritual side?

Rabbi Carlebach explained some of the

Yom Kippur readings according to

Kabbalistic Values.

He taught:

“Everybody's gonna jump for joy”

Reb Shlomo Carlebach On Parshas Acharei Mos

The Right Draws Close

Chazal say that on Yom Kippur, when the ... (lottery of the 'goat for G-d', ) came out in the High Priest's right hand, this was a good sign.

The heilige "High" Sochachover (Rebbe) says the Torah is teaching us here

how to bring people closer to G-d,

by (the saying in the Gemara)

"The left hand 'pushes away' and (but) the right hand 'draws close."

That's why the (positive lot) is in the right hand.

...

the Shem MiShmuel, tells us the deepest depths of the right drawing someone close:

When we show someone how good they can be, the bad automatically falls away...

(And) the Baal Shem Tov says, "Sur me'ra" ("Turn away from bad, and do good." Tehillim 34:15) means turn away from dealing every day with fighting the bad and just do good, with joy...

Joy is the greatest power to turn things to good!

Good Shabbos!"

I think

Sometimes even a cute picture creates joy.

I promised Leah this AM to take a picture for her

So see below the local wildlife walking around!

If only we could learn more from wildlife!

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

Portion Tazria- with Rav Shlomo Carlebach Comment on Women

פרטים: קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua; פורסם בשני, 15 אפריל 2024 18:25; נכתב על ידי Super User; כניסות: 896

Portion Tazria- with Rav Shlomo Carlebach Comment on Women

Laws pertaining to childbirth are featured in this Portion.

Now for the NEWS:

This week, Lily Ebert, a 100-year-old Auschwitz survivor, became a great-great-grandma.

_"I never expected to survive the Holocaust.

Now I have five beautiful generations. The Nazis did not win!"_

From near-death at Auschwitz to five generations of Jewish life. -

Is that what you can call-

Jewish Woman Power?

Cleaning for Passover. (ERNIE joke?)

Woman: it's almost Passover

Guy: It's not until next week!

Also Rabbi Neria commenting on the difference between

Men and Women - in the creation story:

The word used by Hashem for Creating Man is :

Va yotzer - a Creative Act

The word in the story about Creating Eve is the root

Banah

Building

And so the Talmud explains

Creativity creates man

But Wisdom to build a home and family is the

functionality of the woman

Reb Shlomo Carlebach

On Parsha Tazria

QUOTED

I want to share this with you on the deepest depths.

When a woman gives birth to a child ...

Everyone says, a woman when she gives birth to a baby, it's the highest experience in the world.

The most G-d like thing in the world is to bring a baby into the world.

...

Something else.

Now listen to this, this is the deepest depths.

The truth is, in the creation of the baby there are three partners, G-d the Father & the Mother.

In the birth itself there are only two partners, the mother & G-d.

Gevalt is that awesome.

Everybody is asking why is it that Yiddishkeit depends on the mother?

Because as much as the father is a partner in creating the baby,

mamash in giving birth it is only the mother & G-d.

So this is why the Jewishness of the baby depends on the mother.

I want to share something awesome with you. The truth is, there is nothing more close between two souls than a mother and her baby for nine months.

You can be very close to a human being but you can never be that close.

You see what it is? You can be very close but I am doing my breathing and you are doing your own breathing. I eat my food, you eat your food.

Can you imagine for 9 months I am so close to a little soul? They are mamash the same breath,the same food,the same everything.

And you know friends, A father can give over to a baby what to do, what to eat - it's all cute and sweet.

It doesn't compare to the teaching the mother gives over to the baby at the moment when the baby is born.  

So in the craziest deepest way, whenever a Jewish baby is born, at that very instant,

since the mother is ready to be impure for the baby, the baby is learning from the mother to have Mesirus Nefesh (self-sacrifice-selflessness) for G-d.

It's unbelievable, the deepest depths of the Torah of Mashiach

Let it be now!

Good Shabbos!

PS Rabbi Carlebach was very close with his Mom (of blessed memory, whom I knew)

And also with his two daughters.

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

Portion Shemini on Fire and Fire and Fire

פרטים: קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua; פורסם בשלישי, 09 אפריל 2024 12:17; נכתב על ידי Super User; כניסות: 949

Portion Shemini on Fire and Fire and Fire

The picture below was taken across from the school I walk my youngest daughter to

Cute rabbit, chicken, and a peacock that walk outside our zoo most mornings while I use the outdoor training machines.

"Friendly" fire?

This morning the army spokesperson explained about the night time convoy where aid workers were killed a few days ago in Gaza. It was a case of work not coordinated with our troops at night in the middle of a war zone.

He apologized.

But please make it clear:

we are still in the middle of a war to end bombings of our civilians by Hamas, who were voted into office by Gaza civilians,

who follow and approve their plans.

On the bus from Jerusalem Wednesday night I was chatting Torah - concepts ( thank you Tzvi and Yehoshua } -

I asked one 20 year old yeshiva Bucher what he thought about Maris ayin -

evoking an accusatory response when people question others' actions - and intentions?

He thought that "whatever everybody knows" is not MarisAyin. But how do you gage intent?

Am I being bad if I don't say hi to everyone on the long bus ride home?

Another thing that came up was about neutering cats. Is that suspect - in a country where the cat population doubles with increases of garbage?

I think the intent - Kavanah today (your own cat) - is not to confuse G-d's "concept of creation" - any more than the concept of having a PET is!

If you need to have a pet you need to consider the ramifications of a pet running wild in a developed city! Pets were not a regular occurance a thousand years ago!

One day at Mincha this week I studied Zohar - KABALA . The author of Zohar asked

Why does Hashem get Nachas from burnt sacrifices - korbanot (as per the Portion)?

And this Portion speaks how the 2 elder sons of Aron did not survive the inauguration of the Temple in the Sinai desert!

The Torah says they were consumed by the strange fire. They lit the incense with strange fire.

Moshe tells Aron "Bikrovai Ekadesh" that the tragedy was hinted at by the Almighty.

But where is the justice? Just ...

They made some mistakes ?

How many kinds of FIRE are there.

Ben , a neighbor, pointed out from the Talmud (Masechet Menachot ) : Tosefot (comments):

The Angel Michael - G-ds general minister -

Offers daily "in the temple in heaven - souls

Nishmot - of holy tzadikim (like Aron's sons?)

Or maybe like Behemot-animal sacrifices?

Which

Rabi Elimelech explains on our portion

... thats how to defeat our enemies! What's that?

The Holy tzadik lowers his seĺf concept - non Ego - To consider himself no better than like "behayma" - basically no higher than an animal -

And still to pray, and be merciful , and connect to a G-dliness design of our world!

Which is the "Jewish fire" way to defeat the

Inhumane lifestyle of Israel's enemies!

May we succeed soon!

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

מאמרים נוספים...

עמוד 6 מתוך 59

Nav view search

Navigation

Search

Parashat Hashavua

Portion Chukat - time to Weep or time to Move

Portion Korach - Disputes versus Cookies

Portion Shlach - Trusting Leaders or media Influencers

Portion BHa ah Lote cha- Coins from the Gallus revolt in Lod

Portion Nasoh - relationships catapulting us to the forefront

Rabbi Carlebach used to say:

Portion BeChuKoTai - the antidote for ALL

Portion Behar - Blow the Shofar? on Morris Katz...?

Portion ACHAREI mote - after the Passing

Portion Tazria- with Rav Shlomo Carlebach Comment on Women

Portion Shemini on Fire and Fire and Fire

מאמרים נוספים...

מונה

ברוכים הבאים לאתר השבת