Parashat Hashavua

Portion of Chukat - The Torah of one who Passes AWAY in the Ohel (Tent)

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Portion of Chukat - The Torah of one who Passes AWAY in the Ohel (Tent)

Ritual impurity - staying away from the Holy Temple for a week - in respect to the Almighty who lost one of His Children

So This portion starts with laws of ritual impurity when someone passes away

and how with red heiffers and a week of purification you can restore the connection to the Almighty.

In the portion the siblings of Moshe (Moses' brother and sister) pass away - Miriam and Aron

Did Adon and Miriam give advice to their little brother Moshe?

Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach used to say

I try never to give advice

People have to ask me maybe a hundred times before I tell someone to do something

Really I believe that deep down inside everyone knows what they have to do

I just try to give them a little vitamin S -

That's vitamin Shabbos

And it is such a sweet vitamin pill it gives you strength for the whole week to do what you know is right.

Who is really close to you? Those who came before you; those you love and who love you

and - Holy open people?

Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach asked "Who is a Holy Person?" and answered himself:

"Someone who is always open to you and you can talk to - they are Holy!"

You can always talk to G-d and to holy people and those who love you - they are

"IN THE ALMIGHTY'S TENT AND TABERNACLE OF PEACE"

And if you can't - try sharing a little Vitamin S - the peace and love of a SHABBOS BREAK

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

Portion of Korach the Ad Man – Who was he and Who are We?

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Portion of Korach the Ad Man – Who was he and Who are We?

Rabbi Michoel Lasry has a radio program in Israel and to paraphrase him – "When you want to buy something, why don't you just buy it? Often you are not sure of things so you ask the salesperson. But some sales people can convince you to buy what you don't want!

You are not totally sure – and they KNOW because you ASKED them - so they confuse you with so many "facts " until you just give up and buy!"

An older fellow I know was contacted by his credit card company and they said he had so many "points" he could get a new TV – so he agreed. Six weeks later though the credit card bill was over $1000!!!! When he called they said over and over again "but you ordered it!"

Luckily his wife and his daughter yelled at him too, and he may get them to take it back next week.

Korach was a pretty holy guy – but "the Satan" got the better of him and he complained to people about Aron – and many Israelites wanted to "vote" him into the High Priesthood". Like Rabbi Lasry also said – elections are the extreme sales jobs – with everyone pitching their lines. Here – 250 "leaders" decided Korach was THEIR GUY – and picked a fight with Moses and Aron.

Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach said the problem was these "leaders" (and Rabbi Shlomo always warned us to "beware of LEADERS") did NOT see that Aron was always out there TO HELP SOMEONE ELSE – and even got into trouble (like at the Golden Calf) – but it was ALWAYS FOR THE PURPOSE OF HELPING OTHERS. That's a REAL HOLY PERSON.

My friend Rabbi Josh Hoffman wrote this week (quoting a couple of Torah Giants) that the Torah teaches us in the last few sections that we need to be strong about who we are. We were created A NATION OF PRIESTS ordered by the Almighty to teach HOLINESS to a world that is often full of people warring on others, stealing from others, politicians at the "United-hating- Israel- Nations" creating anti-semitism, etc.

We need to know who we are in order to not be swept into electing ourselves "priests of false priorities".

As one of Rabbi Carlebach's songs goes (and I think a guy named Lenny? helped him with the song in 1975 and performed it with him)

"Return to who you are

Return to what you are

Return to where you were born and reborn again …"

We are forever the Israelite Nation and our FOCUS should be fulfilling the reason the Almighty took us out of Egypt and has kept us alive – to make the world a holier place.

Shabbat Shalom and Love and wishes for a great summer

Sent from Israel (come visit and be comforted and excited about WHO YOU ARE and where you came from)

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

Portion of Shelach-Cast your .?.upon the water ... and Was the Water from the Rock Sweet or Polluted?

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Portion of Shelach-Cast your .?.upon the water ... and Was the Water from the Rock Sweet or Polluted?

Eureka ! (it's actually a town in northern California

Where I went to check out "sustainable technology - solar wind and water ....)

Yesterday I finally met someone who heard about it - and had been there!

His business is water purification using ponds and fish and certain vegetaion

and he works a lot in India and South America -but only a bit in the US

- and speaking about Moses and Aron - the rock-to-water-providing-duo (from a different portion)

In this week's portion Moses tells the spies to check out Israel -

but Moses says NOTHING about looking for WATER SOURCES!

He has to purify water, he has to provide water (with G-d's miracles) -so it's

Strange for a guy leading millions of complainers hanging out in a desert waiting for another miracle ...

NOT to say "look for water sources"!

Later in the Torah the Almighty says I give you "a land of rivers and waters ..."

- even the Almighty mentions its importance

Actually - the Spies went right to the River Eshkol

and cut a GIANT bunch of grapes-

and then came back to Moses and complained "the people were giants like the grapes"

and "we can't beat them"!

Maybe t's why Moses didn't want to mention the rivers -

knowing the spies would complain EVEN ABOUT THAT!

So me and Eli the water purification man discussed TRUTH (Emet) versus perfection (SHLAYMUT)

and how the pupose of man is to get closer to G-dliness and how

His company is cleaning water for Palestinians as well as Indians

and maybe for agriculture for some of my friends ...

And in this week's portionthe Almighty teaches us that

IF YOU'RE NOT SENT THERE TO LOOK FOR IT

THEN MOSES KNOWS IT's THERE -

AND STICK TO YOUR JOB-

Checking out Israel for the Israelites

and GETTING CLOSER TO G-DLINESS

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

(it's hot here in Israel today - I think I'll have a drink of spring water ...)

Portion of Naso in Israel (Bamidbar in the Exile) - Have a Heart, Boss!

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The first 2 portions of the Fourth Book of the Torah Five discuss a lot about the leadership of the Israelites - as we wrote last week.

In Naso there are sections dealing with the Priests Levites and the Presidents of the Tribes.

Rebetzin Jungreis (may she be blessed for long and healthy life) wrote recently reminding us that the Last letter of the Torah is Lamed and the First is Bet - spelling Lev - HEART!

We read the Torah in a cycle - starting afresh right away on Simchat Torah right after finishing the 5 books each year.

So the Rebetzin reminds us (my understanding) that the Torah IMPLIES - LEV - HEART -

good heart, big heart, sensitive heart - it's what makes the Torah go round - and the Yiddishkeit eternal.

All the commentaries point to the leaders of the tribes donating to the Mishkan - the Tabernacle in the desert -

with a FULL HEART.

May we all have a heart this Shabbat and this Yom Tov of Shavuot which starts right after shabbat

Love and Shabbos and all the best from Israel

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

Portion of Behar (read this week in the Diaspora) and Bechukotai (reading that THIS WEEK in Israel) – Couples Everywhere!

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Portion of Behar (read this week in the Diaspora) and Bechukotai (reading that THIS WEEK in Israel) – Couples Everywhere!

Rabbi Tzvi Y. Kook (zatza"l) my Rebbe often said "The Portions in the Torah have themes that come in pairs." He meant that EVEN the Torah was meant to be like life – best experienced in pairs, in harmony of couples.

Actually the Portions Behar (read last Shabbat in Israel but this wek in the Diaspora) and Bechukotai (reading that THIS WEEK in Israel – but next week in our Exile outside of Israel) are often read together.

In the Soncino Chumash – translation in English – footnote to Chapter 26 sentence 46 –tells us that Most of Bechukotai is the "subscription" (summation) of most of Leviticus – the whole Third book of the Torah-Five.

In a way the first Two Books of the Torah are a pair – the Story of Creation and the experience of Israelites from Abraham thru Exodus from Egypt.

It seems to be that the NEXT two BOOKS – Vayikra and Bamidbar – are BEYOND the story of "begetting a world of miracles" and are ACTUALLY "LIVING a WORLD of MIRACLES".

You could say this week we read the midpoint of the "HOW TO be close to the Almighty with soon to start the FOURTH BOOK of the Torah-Five

which is the Story of the Israelites WORKING OUT the DETAILS of becoming CLOSE to the Almighty.

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

Portions Emor and Behar – Go Tell it on the Mountain – Shabbos is Forever

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Portions Emor and Behar – Go Tell it on the Mountain – Shabbos is Forever

(The Torah we have and the Traditions we have (evolving even to this day

can bring a person and a community and a people and THE WORLD

to Spiritual Heights and greatness that can fix all the pettiness and foolishness – and even the anger in the world

if we only look into the portion each week to see how

So last Shabbat I was home in Israel - and now I'm this Shabbat in the exile

where we read the same portion (Emor) that I heard last week in Shul!

(But I still study the portion for ISRAEL (Behar

- and we find a PARALEL wording in the two portions!

Like a parallel universe –

Like a parallel teaching -

Leviticus (Vayikra) Chapter 23 (read in Israel LAST week –and this week in the Diaspora

is similar in some wording to Chapter 25 -this week's reading in Israel -when COUNTING up to 49 DAYS OR YEARS

to reach a holy purpose -

"seven days to the Sabbath-

Seven times seven days to the Sefirat HaOmer - and in years to the Yovel of freedom!

Just ONE DAY a week up to the Sabbath and PEACE - and it raises your spirit up

Also – EACH GOOD YEAR of a lifetime can add up to the Peace of Freedom of the Yovel 50th year

Lift your life up one day

One week

A year and a life of years - and your whole life can be

Like the Rabbi Shlomo song

L-rtd bring me higher – just with one song"

Just one prayer

"Just one word

Just one line" or a mitzvah

adding up seven days seven weeks seven years times seven years

A Yovel of freedom from a little Shabbos –

Sabbath peace –

to last a day – or a week or a lifetime

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

Portion of Emor (means speaking) - and speaking of Independence (Israel Style)

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Portion of Emor (means speaking) - and speaking of Independence (Israel Style)

This Shabbat we read the Portion of Emor in Israel - but outside in the Diaspora the reading is a week "behind"- what we read here last week - the portion of Kedoshim!

In Emor it says "Lo Yitamo" - do not defile -

a continued idea from the portion of Kedoshim ("be holy people")

The portion of Emor contains the commandments to celebrate the holidays -

A theme from the traditional holidays includes sacrifices -

for Israel and the world

One aspect of the sacrifices offered in the Great Temple was to

bless the nations - and Israel today continues -

with Israeli technology saveing many parts of the world from hunger!

The idea "do not defile" should be spread to the worldas well -

DO NOT DEFAME OR DEFILE AND DELEGITIMIZE THE ISRAEL THAT

IS THE ONLY COUNTRY TRULY OFFERING AID TO ALL

Israel celebrated with prayer and hope and Bible Study - and BBQ!

Let's all share a little of that spirit this shabbat

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

Portion of Kedoshim – Holy "Mitzvas" – Sabbaths and Idol Worship (today)

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Portion of Kedoshim – Holy "Mitzvas" – Sabbaths and Idol Worship (today)

What do celebrating Shabbat and refraining from Idol Worship have to do with each other (especially today).

"Kedoshim tihyu" the portion says – we are commanded to be holy. How?
Rabaynu Bachya (of Spain about 7 hundred years ago) wrote that

this portion relates those 2 issues: idol worship - the BASIC ANTITHESIS to G-dliness - to the concept of celebrating the Sabbath (Shabbat) – as the BASIC TENET of G-dliness.

Idol Worship (and money worship, or other addictions) do not leave us free to understand what the Almighty wants of us (whether for our own development, the good of our family, or people, or the world).

The Shabbat is the antidote - and the antithesis - of these addictions.

On the Sabbath we can breathe deeply, take time with our close ones (NOT JUST RUSH TO THE STORE, OR EVEN RUN TO THAT CAMPING TRIP in the great outdoors, that the Almighty created to inspire us and expand our conscious ness).

The Shabbat should give us time to think – and remember that we are here on this planet for a purpose –

so be a little Holy this week: celebrate the Shabbat, and be inspired by Israel Independence celebrations next week – celebrating the miracle of our coming back to re-build our homeland and our people and our faith in the G-d that promised it to us.

Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

Matza- Infinity or Real Numbers?

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Matza- Infinity or Real Numbers?

Four Questions and Four Children speaking up -

That is the Hagadda - and the Seder is the answer that works for 3000 years

Okay - so Passover can be a lot of work -

BUT YOUR CHILDREN WILL

ALWAYS REMEMBER

and APPRECIATE

WHAT YOU ALL PUT INTO IT-

(IF YOU DON'T COMPLAIN TOO LOUD ABOUT IT)

BECAUSE you know

THEY WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER THE LOOKS OF PAIN

AND THE COMPLAINTS about anything .... AND YOU DON'T WANT THAT!!!!

Matza is just Soul Food - enough to keep your soul alive in today's desert of ideas -

Matza is a part of the Big Plan we sometimes hide from -

The PLAN is to know when and how to do Jewish Mitzvas fast -

You learn to Bake Matzas in up tp 18 minutes - no more

18 stands for Chai - to live

Passover - and Matza - can pack a lot of SoulPower into 18 minutes

Love from Israel - and wishes for a happy and healthy Passover

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

Yes - Yizkor AND crossing the Red Sea- ending Pesach

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Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach used to say over a Hassidic story

About a Rebbe who came to the next world and went in search of his good friend -

(the allegory is we are ALWAYS searching for a GOOD FRIEND)

Tonight and tomorrow is the anniversary of the Israélite's crossing the Red Sea

(been there and crossed that - but not

the same way)

So too tomorrow is the day of saying Yizkor- do not forget!

When the Hassidic Rebbe found his holy friend by the sea

his friend said

"this is the sea

made of all the tears of Israel

and I pray for an end to the tears"

So remember to say Yizkor

ANd remember we

ALL have seas to cross

and there are sometimes tears at each

crossing - and wecan help each other end the tears

In the end the Almighty gets us ALL

to the Holy Land

A place and time to sing Halel songs and celebrate

Happy Pesach and Gutt Shabbos

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

celebrating in the Holy Land

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עמוד 34 מתוך 53

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Parashat Hashavua

Portion of Chukat - The Torah of one who Passes AWAY in the Ohel (Tent)

Portion of Korach the Ad Man – Who was he and Who are We?

Portion of Shelach-Cast your .?.upon the water ... and Was the Water from the Rock Sweet or Polluted?

Portion of Naso in Israel (Bamidbar in the Exile) - Have a Heart, Boss!

Portion of Behar (read this week in the Diaspora) and Bechukotai (reading that THIS WEEK in Israel) – Couples Everywhere!

Portions Emor and Behar – Go Tell it on the Mountain – Shabbos is Forever

Portion of Emor (means speaking) - and speaking of Independence (Israel Style)

Portion of Kedoshim – Holy "Mitzvas" – Sabbaths and Idol Worship (today)

Matza- Infinity or Real Numbers?

Yes - Yizkor AND crossing the Red Sea- ending Pesach

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