Parashat Hashavua

Portion Jethro- Yitro- and the 7 Commandments (not 10?)

Portion Jethro- Yitro- and the 7 Commandments (not 10?)

What 7?  Not 10?

And what about the "613 the Rabbis keep talking about?"

Some Talmud study from this week : Talmud Snhedrin page. 57

1500 years ago that volume derived

 the 7 Commandments

(what – no Yul Brynner movie about that?

Actually the Lubavitchers give out cards with pictures of the Rebbe

In many languages – reminding the WORLD

That we are ALL children and descendants of ADAM AND EVE

Who need to follow - and even celebrate - the 7 Commandments

 HONESt Courts

Honoring parents

respeCt animal rights

no idol worshIP

Etc... and now

 

 From a former idol worshipper ?

How about learning cooperation?

Jethro visits Moshe - and our 
Whole court system evolved!
 
Levels of judiciary
 
And all the tough questions
Moshe is to bring to the Almighty!
 
And from Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach on Parshat Yitro (thank you Stu)
 
The Night Before
The night before we heard G-d's voice, it says that Moshe Rabbeinu went to every Jewish house and took them himself to Mt Sinai.
If we knew the schedule, why did Moshe Rabbeinu have to go to every house?  
 
The answer is from the holy Alexanderer. The Holy Rebbe of Alexander says that when you’re a pupil of Moshe Rabbeinu, you suddenly see how beautiful everyone else is.
...
You sèe
 there are mamesh holy people, holy free people. When you ask them for a favor they say 'I don't know if I can do it
 
 but who cares, I will do it'.
 
When G-d says to Moshe 'bring down the Torah from heaven', he didn't measure and calculate. Moshe Rabbeinu doesn't begin to check and see if he is capable of doing what G-d asked him to do 
 
because we were already out of Egypt, we were out of slavery.
This is the holiness of Moshe Rabbeinu, the hoiness of a leader who became free, and this was the last
 
 lesson he had to instill within us yiddelach before receving the Torah.
 
 Becoming free happens when I am free to think that everyone around me is kodesh kodashim (holy of holies), even myself, 
 
...
 
Moshe Rabbeinu had to knock on every door, telling every family 'you thought you are not wanted, you thought it is only everyone else who is on the level. 
 
Don't you see, these are the thoughts which mamesh bring you to Mount Sinai'.
 
Can you imagine what a holy community was standing at Mt Sinai? Everybody thinking somebody else is so good.
 
Someday, someday it will be like this again, hopefully.
What a world.
 
And Mashiach will whisper and say –
 
 ‘until you know you are part of the holiness, I can’t come and redeem you’.
 
Let it be now!
Good Shabbos!
Rabbi Shlomo
 
And we need to teach the world too!
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
 
 

Portion Be Shah Lach – Leaving Egypt (far behind) Today

Portion Be Shah Lach – Leaving Egypt (far behind) Today

Why are we still hearing almost daily about Israeli soldier deaths after the

Current lull in the war in Gaza (but not up north and not in Judea and Samaria)?

If we read in the prophets about the time of King Saul and King David (not the same in the reign of King Solomon)

"General Yoav killed General Avner who killed AzahEl etc.)

And that is besides the wars with Amalek (like in the end of THIS Portion Beshalach)

And with the PelishTeem

We can see HOW HARD THE ALMIGHTY IS WORKING DAILY

To fix the injustice that greedy mean "kings" and their henchmen "officers" have wrought almost since Cain and Able – which messes up the Heavenly Plans!

The Almighty's  miracles got Pharoah and the Egyptians to free the Israelites.

The Medrash teaches us that maybe not all the Israelites wanted to leave

The Portion says the Egyptians changed their minds and went to return the Israelites to slavery – but the Almighty turned the tables on them and a great Tsunami wiped out that danger to the Israelites

Will ALL THE TORAH BE ABLE TO RESET THE WORLD

 And to teach the world to end all the crimes of despots and hooligans?

Keep following the next few portions how Jethro and Moses work together

To keep petty infighting from destroying the newly minted freedons of the world! And

 may we also see the Almighty creating a safe world without abusers.

Shabbat Shalom to All

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
 
 
 
 
תשובהתשובה לכולםהעברה
 
אי אפשר להגיב באמוג'י לקבוצה גדולה

Portion Bo – Hostages Freed – by Whom?

Portion Bo – Hostages Freed – by Whom? For the last number of days we in Israel have felt some of the pains of those hostages released. And some of the not released. The pains were for most people here in their hearts – and so too the joys of reunions . I heard a talk about saying the blessing : She Heh Che Ya Nu – upon seeing each hostage released – because with each person returned alive we have joy – and the joy should release from our souls a blessing on the miracle of their survival from the Horrors of Hamas So what are we waiting for now? A few more live hostages – and for us to keep track of all the murderers released in payment for our people (hoping to prevent more murders)? Let's have a different perspective. From Reb Shlomo Carlebachon Parsha Bo (edited by AE for COA) “It was on that very day that all the legions of Hashem left the land of Egypt” (Shmos 12:41the portion says this)) I want you to open your hearts to the deepest depths. There’s a passage (by the prophet Isaiah) that says “Ba'asoscha Nora'os Lo Nekave” – Master of the World, I never dared to hope for the wonders you ended up doing for me (Yishayahu 64:2).). There are certain dreams I have which I hope will come true, but there is something even deeper. Deep down inside, I’m hoping for something to happen which I never even dreamt about. I simply don’t allow myself to dream it. Little me, what do I know what G-d wants to do? Do I know what kind of miracles G-d wants to perform?? So the Ishbitzer (Rebbe) says that when G-d set us free, it does not only mean that I’m no longer a slave. Freedom means my relationship to G-d is on the level of freedom. If I have plans for that which G-d will do for me, it’s sweet but I’m making G-d a slave, I’m telling G-d what to do. To be on the level of freedom with G-d means that I never need to know what G-d will end up doing.. You see what it is, while we were in Egypt we hoped we would be free, but the night we got out of Egypt something happened which we never dreamt about, something we never dared to dream about So this is what Ishbitzer says. If I wake up in the morning and I say “today is going to be a good day,” its sweet but it has to be more than that. When was the last time you woke up in the morning and you were literally ready for unbelievable miracles which you never even dared to dream of ............... the truth is that G-d has even better dreams for us. G-d's dreams are so much deeper, so much more beautiful - we have to pray that G-d should fulfill His dreams for us because they are so much more awesome!"!” Good Shabbos So what are we waiting for? Maybe 20 more releases? You can read in the news about Synagogue Targeted in Massive Bomb Plot; US Halts $50 Million in Funding Gaza Condoms; Trump’s filling up a cabinet? But may we also all dream of the Almighty creating a safe world without abusers. Shabbat Shalom to All Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

Portion VayehRah – It's About Inspiration and Vision and Cease Fires

 
Portion VayehRah – It's About Inspiration and Vision and Cease Fires
 
Did Moses  - our teacher from the time of his first visit to Sinai -

 

Lack Inspiration and Vision?

If you look at the end of last week's Portion , Moses tells the Almighty

"It looks like my return to Egypt has just made things worse 

r"

 Was it because Moses lacked vision?

Or

Do we ALL need to get onto the "Almighty form of Vision?"

So 

 then in this portion we start off with

The Almighty – still speaking to Moses –

 with those around him PROBABLY not hearing -

"

I will show everyone" and then it says

I shall take Israel out of Egypt... and bring them

 etc

all this was.  h

 - Needed to inspire Moshe

-And give him the VISION 

 He went on with this clear vision to lead Israel for the next 40 years

Through the harsh desert and many wars - etc -

To the Promised Land

So what vision and inspiration do we all need today 

Let's see 

Reb Shlomo Carlebach

On Parsha VaeiRa

We Can't Stand Exile 

You know my sweetest friends, when we read about 

leaving Mitzrayim (Egypt) the first thing G-d says is "Vehotzeisi Eschem Mitachas Sivlos Mitzrayim",

 I will take you out from being able to stand Egypt. 

"Sivlos Mitzrayim"... also means to be able to put up with,  tolerate...

 You see, the first thing about redemption, to get out of exile is that you have to 

 stop liking the exile. 

Imagine I am

in exile but I like it in exile, then nobody can take me out. 

At one time I told someone about the holiness and beauty of Yerushalayim, Jerusalem,

 they said to me listen, I'll tell you the truth, I like the Bronx. 

So what can you do with them? The Messiah will come and give them a free ticket to Israel but 

they like the Bronx. They will never move, there is nothing you can do.

...   

 Everybody talks about freedom,

but you know something?

 It's a very heavy thing to be free. 

So the first thing of redemption is that G-d will take you out from being able to stand being in exile, you won't like it anymore....

... 

See what happened when Moshe comes to the yidden, they suddenly couldn't stand it anymore. This was the first sign      first step of redemption.

I bless you and me that we should (have the vision to)hear the footsteps of the ultimate redemption and run towards them! 

 (from Rabbi Shlomo)Good Shabbos

Now,

In Israel there are people trying to understand this new cease-fire

And others are trying to understand October 7

Amd Many people are looking for who to blame

Where is their vision?

So I want to share something here from my daily Talmud 

Study

Tractate Sanhedrin – "The Ultimate Courts" 

Talmud Section... yerushah rules about - transfering inheritance-of a person who is ill to family or friends

the question is 

What are we,. You , all of us, leaving to the next 2 generations or more?

Inspiration?

 Vision?

Lets all get inspiredAnd 

All the Best

Shabbat Shalom 

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

Portion Shemote - after 230 days of reserve duty for a school principal?

 Portion Shemote - after 230 days of reserve duty for a school principal?
 
 
Portion Shemote
 
What do we know, what do we know?
That's what
My teacher Rebbe Shlomo Carlebach 
Used to often say.
And this week we understand that wisdom...
 
An agreement ?   15 months after the kidnapping (and murders)
There May be an Agreement to free others...
 
On the Portion of the
BEGINNING OF THE FREEING OF ISRAEL
From Egyptian slavery (SHEMOS)
 
WHO does understand?
 
Maybe
this father and husband who after 230 days of reerve duty  goes on his days home to visit former students in the army - serving RIGHT NOW 
OR
And the Nachal BRigade general- 
who went to all 18 funerals of his unit killed in Gaza during this war - who is still fighting to protect Israel?
 
I only understand here ñow at the BRIS and naming of a friend's first grandson - see below -
 
So I bring here what Reb Shlomo once said:
 
Reb Shlomo Carlebach taught on this Parsha Shemos - Holding on to Your Name
 
The whole story of our exile in Exodus is called Shemos, 'Names'. In order to go into exile and come out alive, you've got to hold on to your name... (it's so deep; very, very deep...
 )
 
What keeps us going in exile? What's the whole thing...
 (All rights, including copyrights, derived from the articles herein are reserved to the authors identified. For educational purposes only. )...
 
What this about exile? The whole world wants to tear us away from the Land God gave to us. How come Israel is called Eretz Yisrael? (The
Land of Israel) Because this is mamesh OUR name. ...
 
 Shabbos is only once a week. My connection to Eretz Yisrael is even deeper than Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur.
 
 You know something even stronger? It's even deeper than the Torah because the Torah - sometimes I'm learning,
sometimes I'm not learning. 
 
The holiness of Israel is it's so much connected to my name...
 
And what happens to us in exile? The whole world wants to tear us away from that holy name. You know friends, there is
tremendous evil going on in the WORLD.
 
Right now evil is concentrating more than ever before Mashiach is coming. The Baal Shem Tov says, that by the last
battle, evil wants mamesh really to tear us out once and for all. 
 
So first physically they want to tear us out. And now the new thing is
that the world doesn't talk against Jews, they talk against Zionists. They cover it up. 
 
Or they come to you and say listen, you can
go to here, you can be this, you can do that, you can belong to all other religions and you're still a Jew. ...You know what they mean? They want to tear out your NAME...
 
And then they say to us Jews, 'Listen, we have nothing against your religion, you just shouldn't live in Israel because Israel belongs to the Arabs.' Things like that.
 
Everything has to do with the name. At this moment the concentration is on the name, on the name, gevalt. And they
say Israel's name is not Israel, it's Palestine.
 
 That's the whole thing. They want to tear out the name from the Holy Land. Everything
is against the name. 
 
So right now how do you get over this? Everyone has to get for himself - my weapon is Divrei Torah ( Words of Torah) on the level of a name. You have to mamesh dig so deep and find holy words which are mamesh on the level of your name.
 
Maybe that's the profound meaning of Anti-Semitism.      Anti shem . . . Against the name.
 
Good Shabbos! - Am Yisrael Chai ??
 
(Unfortunately could have been written today, but it was written 1987)
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
 

Portion VaYeh Chee - and Holocaust Remembrance 10 Teves

Portion VaYeh Chee - and Holocaust Remembrance 10 Teves
ASPECIAL DAY
 
Jacob blesses his children
 
JOseph and the brothers are together
 
So
 
What day is TODAY?
 
Fast of 10 Teves?
 
Ordained by thd Rabbinate as Holocaust Remembrance Day?
 
Yet not all agree
To the Rabbinate designation
 
But the guy I heard on the radio
 
A DRUZE citizen of I srael who did agree
 
Spent 400 days in reserve duty SO FAR
 
Said to also remember how
 
Hezbollah bombed and killed 12 Druze kids
 
Playing soccer
 
A special day and portion
 
Shabat Shalom
 
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
 
 
 
 
 
 

Portion VaYeeGash

Portion VaYeeGash and

 

Those Darn Houtis missiles - woke up my little daughter 430 AM

 

All they do is call down more hell on their half of Yemen!

And prove what sickos they Iran and Turkey leaders are.

 

The Torah, however , is eternal

 

Portion VaYeeGash and proving Chanuka : Treasure Trove Of Hasmonean Era Coins Found On Chanukah In the Jordan valley. (See below link)

 

So a little story here (from Alon last night)

 

And a connection to Rabbi Bachya's explanations on the portion, who wrote that

 

On the way down to Egypt, Jacob sacrifices to the Almighty -

Elokei yitzchak - G-d of Isaac, his father

 

As Rabeinu bBachya ben Asher ( not the other one) says,

 

Not to the G-d of Avraham. ..

 

Because Jacob received the powers of Isaac

And the blessings of a return to Israel from various exiles-

From his father Isaac

 

Story:

 

Grandfather Father and little son are taken to Auschwitz

 

And father decides when he is liberated that

 he wants nothing more of Judaism

And brings up the little boy who also miraculously survived

With no religion

 

For the boy's 13th birthday they go shopping for a gift and in the store the boy sees a cheap old menorah,  the boy grabs it and asks his father what it is

Dad angrily grabs it away from him

And they fight over it

And naturally it falls and BREAKS ..  revealing some

Hebrew name on a piece of paper

Reading it out loud, the father says "I don't know if any one will survive this place –

but if anyone is still alive and finds this,

My name is Zecharia ben Asher and I hope that some Jewish person will Some Day

Say kaddish for me.

The Dad faints

It is HIS father's name

Of course it made a difference in their lives!

 

So let me ask...

Ðo Jews still listen to American News reports like that Monday about 1110 pm we all were attacked by another Houtie missile

and

That every day a fèw missiles are still shot out of hiding places in Gaza?

AND

Does anyone really believe the Chanuka story?

See the proof

https://vinnews.com/2024/12/29/treasure-trove-of-hasmonean-era-coins-found-on-chanukah-in-jordan-valley/

and

Does anyone believe that Joseph was the viceroy - king's second in command - in Egypt

 

I have trouble absorbing the miracle of Israel controlling all the former flash points in Syria (some of which I visited in the early 1970's)

See below

Soldiers playing in the snow this week

 

*לַחֲדָשׁוֹת שְׂמֵחוֹת*

chat.whatsapp.com/BZ0EoO7J2ozGTZrIseGnLT\

 

*English*

chat.whatsapp.com/HBYAwMBAaEBID2FGjTqS9h

 

We are being reminded of the miracle of being Jewish

But also the price we pay in soldiers lost

And children crying when the sirens go off at night – to protect us from falling debris.

 

We will need to rebuild what Iran has inspired their followers to destroy.

Together

And the portion begins "And Judah got close to Joseph to speak…"

 

 

Shabbat Shalom
 
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

Portion MeKaytz ; Chanuka - chickens and charisma -

Portion MeKaytz ; Chanuka - chickens and charisma
-
The first of our holy Jewish morning prayers celebrats chickens' gift from the Almighy!
 
What? Yes.
 
 We Bless the Almighty
"Who gives wisdom to chickens to know the diffrence between Day and Night".
 
All levels of wisdom are "from on High" - and
 
There are no "chickens" in Israel! Even the kids who are afraid - are in touch with reality -
and Israel is pretty safe.
 
Our armed forces (with the help of Almighty's miracles) are protecting us 
AND THE WORLD - from so many crazies - 
 
THEY are Chickens who NEVER see the LIGHT!
 
When I say a Kaddish each morning at prayers I remember the energy and especially their senses of humor - of COA - remember Burt?
 
It's 430 AM, the Houtie missile was shot down, and I have to make some tea and get ready for my 5AM Talmud study and prayers and work.
 
So here is a Chanuka Teaching from Reb Shlomo Carlebach
On Parsha Meikeitz & Shabbos Chanukah (thanksJudy)
 
On - Harmony
 
Sweetest friends, I want you to know that harmony is the greatest thing in the world. I always say that harmony is 
the one thing you can't do yourself.  You can sing a song by yourself,
 but harmony is always with others.
 I want to tell you something, friends.
 
 At the time when Yaakov Avinu (Jacob) sent his children back to Egypt,  ( Joseph)Yosef HaTzaddik was ruler of Egypt. 
 
So Yaakov told his sons to bring him some gifts. And the words he used are just so beautiful,
 
 "K'chu mizimras ha'artez." Bereishis 43:11, take from the spices of the land.
 
Reb Nachman says something so strong which is based on the Zohar HaKadosh(Likutei Moharan 2, Torah63) : Yaakov Avinu told his sons, "When you go down to Egypt, you have to sing him a song. Teach him only holy songs from the Holy Land, After this, how can he be so cruel to you?"
 
So listen to this most unbelievable thing. According to our tradition, the brothers of Yosef came to Egypt on a Friday That
Shabbos, Yosef HaTzaddik invited them for Sudah Shlishit, he invited them for the third meal of Shabbos.
 
 You know what the third meal of Shabbos is? It's when it's getting dark, but a different kind of darkness.
Can you imagine the way the holy tribes were singing, the way they were harmonizing? 
 
Now listen to this, it's mamaesh the saddest thing in the world. I'm sure Yosef Hatsaddik was singing to himself all the time, but he has not heard his brothers singing Shabbos melodies for so long. It had been the longest time since he had had some good harmony. 
 
At that moment he decided, "I can't go on like this, I have to tell them who I am." So early next morning the holy tribes left, but Yosef HaTzaddik brought them back and told them, "I am your brother." (Bereishes 45:4)
 
You know friends, there is a kind of darkness where you are afraid of the person sitting next to you.
 
 And there is a kind of holy darkness here you give your hand to a person sitting next to you. You don't even ask who it is. 
 
This is a holy kind of darkness, a darkness which is so full.
You see what it is, during the three days of darkness during the plague in Egypt, nobody saw each other. It was the same darkness, but for Israel it was light.
 
 So the ordinary meaning is that for Egypt it was dark, and for the Yiddelach there was light. But the real deeper meaning is, in Egypt it was dark. They didn't see anybody else. But us Yiddelach What do we do when it is dark?
 
We look for somebody else.
 
And here I want to tell you something so deep. When there is light you don't feel so lonesome. When it’s dark, you mamaesh need someone. 
 
What do we Yiddelach do when it's dark? We walk around looking for people who are lonesome, You know what the holiest thing is before Mashiach comes?
 It's a little bit dark , but suddenly we are aware - who knows? 
 
Maybe somebody else is in even more darkness.
 
Anyways, I just want to wish all of you that whenever you're living in a little bit of darkness, there should always be
someone sitting next to you, singing a holy niggun - a melody - to harmonize with (you )to take you out of darkness
Good Shabbos!/Happy Chanukah!/Good Chodesh!
 
 
Blessings of PEACE from Israel - also even for the almost chickens out there!
 
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

Portion VaYayShev : King of Joseph or King of Judah - see the Tel Dan Stele, oldest archaeological evidence of King David, at...

 Portion VaYayShev : King of Joseph or King of Judah - see the Tel Dan Stele, oldest archaeological evidence of King David, at...
 
It is typical
Aram's king kills jewish kings - descended from Joseph AND King David
 
 
Portion VaYayShev : King of Joseph or King of Judah - see address link above the Tel Dan Stele, oldest archaeological evidence of King David
 
And
 
The miracles of today - and yesterday.
 
I woke up to flashes outside - were they rockets? Or lightning. So I prayed for rain.
 
As per request of the Chief Rabbinate here...
 
And went outside to the local Shul to start the new Tractate of Talmud - Sanhedrin - HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE.
 
When I left it was raining ... and thundering
 
Our portion ends with Pharoah judging one minister to hang and another to be exonerated.
 
But our Talmud is the basis of FAIR JUDGEMENT AND JUSTICE.
 
Oh what history and what the world doesnt get!
 
Reb Shlomo said
 
The fixing is Chanukah
Good Shabbos!
Happy Chanukah 
Chanukah lighting begins next Wednesday night December 25

Portion VaYishLach - Peace of Jacob Peace of Esav

Portion VaYishLach - Peace of Jacob Peace of Esav
 
The last few pages of Talmud baba Basra that I have been studying (daily) deal with preventing frauds. (See attached cartoon).
 
We have also been warned to avoid nations of thieves and nations prone to kiilling.
 
 
Dr Moshe wrote this week about
Yakov (Father Jacob) the Ish Tam  ...the incorruptible,
Saying,
unfortunately we all have a little "Eisav " in us,
 so the Torah tells us here
how Yakov struggled through the long night to defeat Eisav (and his protector angel-tendency)
 
Jacob comes out victorious for all of us. 
And the Almighty changes Jacob's name to
ISRAEL
 
To teach:
Hang in there. We may have to struggle to teach morality
But
The morning is coming.
 
What a "middle east" week or two it has been!
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
 
And here's Reb Shlomo Carlebach (thanks, Stuie)
On Parsha Vayishlach - (very abridged here)
 
  I want to share an unbelievable Torah from the Holy Ziditchover(Reɓe)
 
Jacob and Esav meet up after 20 years.
Jacob says to his brother:
 “If it was just you and me, we could go (on) together. 
But it's also my children and your children. 
They are not ready, the world isn't ready yet.
 
Yakov-Jacob- says (in our portion) we arent all together
 
'Until I come to my Lord, at Mount Se’ir.’” 
Yakov promised Esav, “Someday I'll come to your mountain, and we will walk again together.” 
 
Shabbat Shalom (Rabbi Shlomo)