Parashat Hashavua
How can you do NOTHING - but Creatively
Ever watch children playing?
NOT video games - sadly that's not creative - but playing with toys or each other
It's really a miracle what they can do
In the Temple,
on top of the Box holding the 10 Commandments
there were 2 cherubim - angels in the form of CHILDREN
and
In building the Temple NO WORK was permitted on SHABBAT
because the CREATIVITY of SHABBAT (rest and meditation)
replaced and replenished and restored
the CREATIVITY of TEMPLE BUILDING and
building CONNECTIVITY to G-d nad G-dliness -
which Judaism teaches is the purpose of the whole world.
That's why the Torah says SHABBAT is the MOST CEATIVE thing - after CHILDREN and the TEMPLE that connects us all!
Adults - and children -
learn to GET BEYOND YOURSELF this shabbat-
- beyond the TV beyond the 4 walls of the house - connect to the YOUNG side of you!
Rebbe Nachman said
- never be "OLD" - ALWAYS
GIVE HEED TO THE child PART OF YOU!
Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach said of this teaching from this week's portion:
The Rabbi of Radomsk said the children on top of the Ark in Temple are there to remind us-
they must always be in the Holy of Holies of our thoughts - and we must protect them all -
and they will show us how to bring the world a time of MOshiach, of Holy of Holies - a redeemer from the world's faults.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
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Some people WORRY about getting ready FOR PASSOVER-
GOTTA SELL THE CHOMETZ
and it’s so HARD!
OIY – so much WORK
GOTTA HAVE GUESTS -
OR BE A GUEST
(THE ORIGINAL PASSOVER SACRIFICE HAD TO BE EATEN WITH GUESTS WHO WERE INVITED BEFORE HAND!!!)
CHAMETZ … MATZA - BITTER HERBS ... who can remember it all?
But – A LITTLE SEDER for Passover –
EVERYONE SHOULD GET THE MOST OUT OF IT ...
(we PRACTICED this week in my SHUL)
SO HERE'S A TIP:
THINGS Always seems harder BFORE you do it
You ARE always stronger AFTER you do it
AND REMEMBER -
IF you are DOING it, you don’t have time to think or worry
SO DON'T SWEAT THE PREPARATION - WHAT YOU DO WILL BE FINE -
JUST HAVE A SEDER which will BRING OUT THE BEST in you ALL
and - from this week's Portion - the RED HEFFER portion this shabbat remember-
quote from Rabbi Carlebach zt"zl
Reb Nosson (the main student of Rabbi Nahman of Breslov) says (quotes from the Torah)
that when Moshe Rabbenu built the Mishkan,
every Jew contributed half a shekel.
But (Reb Noson says the Torah MEANS is that) what every Jew brought was really his NeKUDaH TOVaH -- his one little point of goodness.
Every Jew has something very holy hidden inside which is especially his own.
This one point is beyond proportion in holiness. So every Jew brought his NeKUDaH TOVaH (to build up the Temple)
From me (with a little help from Rabbi Zev yesterday)
We read this week about the RED HEFFER which was burned (every 400-500 years) to PURIFY people who had been in contact with death - the most UNHOLY thing.
SOMETIMES WE DON'T SEE THE GOOD BECAUSE IT'S BLOCKED BY OTHER STUFF
So we "wash it away" with a Mikva and some Red Heffer ash -
and we can START OVER SPIRITUALLY.
Gutt Shabbos
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
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the PURIM Just before the dawn - literally and figuratively!
The REAL Purim story – it’s all about stories
Can you imagine – we REALLY don’t know each others’ stories
Even when we say “I’ve heard that before” – we really haven’t –
And (as Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach used to say) - we REALLY don’t know….
So when does the PURIM story – which we all know so well
Like the old joke
“they threaten the Jews, G-d saved us – let’s eat”
but really OPEN YOUR HEARTS please
PLEASE!
There is debauchery there is conflict there is EVIL -
But WHEN does it finally take a
TURN FOR THE BETTER?
Only when Mordechai and Esther “have it out”! and OPEN THEIR HEARTS to each other
And discuss their FEARS
“we’ll all be killed” he says
“I’m afraid to talk to my husband my king” she says
and Mordechai says “We only have G-d to save us and he WILL”
AND Esther says “then pray for ME to succeed”
So OPEN YOUR HEARTS this PURIM
Be glad that
“they (STILL) threaten the Jews, G-d saves us – so let’s eat”
But know – as the song goes “you know it don’t come easy ….”
And we’ll never know the WHOLE story…
Love from frozen New York
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
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Despite violence against Jews and Arabs and the PA Police horors -
and the anniversary on the first of the New Month (Sunday)
when 8 teens were murdered in Yeshivat Mercaz Harav
by a crazy Arab terrorist 5 years ago
(and all the other horrors in our not-so-perfect world)
WE MUST LEARN TO OVERCOME AND OVERPOWER EVIL
and Rabbi Carlebach gives us the key - as
R Shlomo speaking :
(In the Torah ) It says VEHOYU KI YITZAK ALEI VESHOMATI,
The Holy Modzitser (Rebbe) says, Vehoyu allways means Joy,
(and) when we cry with Joy Hashem will listen,….
(CRY and SCREAM to G-d - a daily scream is good for the lungs AND)
(its Kabbalistic meaning Meaning is) the depth is that when we are filled with joy,
even though we going through hard times
(we can get) with the strength of
we believe that Hashem will help us
this Gevalt joy brings the salvation,
(and now on the beginning of the new month ADAR – the month of PURIM, we see
that)
this also happened on Purim when the Yeshua (REDEMPTION) happened
at feast of wine,
so when it comes the month of Adar we are paving the way …
mamesh (TRULY) for the ultimate redemption
(by and) with being filled with joy and hope.
Please send me an updated list of names of people who need our prayers at this time.
And don’t forget – your prayers are way above mine – I’m just another channel from Jerusalem – where G-d likes to tune in for updates ….
May Hashem heal and bless all- with a complete and speedy recovery.
Love and Shabbos
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
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Jethro and the Jews
This week I read some beautiful thoughts on the portion of Jethro/Yitro - Moses' father-in-law -
who came from Midian and joined the Jewish people.
So - thank you "weekly dvar" email and David Aron from Isralight - and of course Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach zatz"l
So why did Yitro go BACK to Midian after convering to Judaism? He was so proud of it that he wanted to tell others how beautiful it was -
to have a concept of G-d and unity and world-holiness and Torah Scholarship within us.
And how did he get there? To that feeling?
He learned some mitzvahs - learned them WELL from Moses -
and mitzvahs,( plural — mitzvah, singular) do not really mean — commandments,
but Mitzvahreally comes from the Hebrew Tzavta -
a word that means “to connect” or “to unite.”
They are not demands
(threatening and self denying) but
an invitation to commune, and join, with the
Judaism and unifying and joyous and empowering G-d-
not the idols of those enslaved and controlled (by greedy leaders)
From Rabbi Carlebach
(on the statements at Mount Sinai):
The Torah says that the two tablets were like a heart, and the Ten Commandments were carved into them, not written on them.
Suppose someone says, "Why do you need to hear the ten Commandments on Har Sinai? ...
Hashem told us not to kill (or steal), didn't we know (it)?
The holy Izbitzer Rebbe says,
"How did Hashem carve into us not to kill?"
Hashem (just) opened gates for us, and then we know how precious life is. If you have any taste of how precious each and every life is, you can't kill."
When Hashem said, "Honor your father and mother," 'HE' showed us how special it is to bring children down to this world. Children realize, "My father and mother mamash brought me into this world."
(And) it reaches the deepest, highest place in your heart.
This is keeping (G-d and Sinai and) Shabbos.
GUTT SHABBOS
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
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for shabes and tu bishvat - what's the difference between an apple tree and a cucumber
based on rabbi shlomo carlebach ztz"l
what's in this torah portion ?
- the Israelites leave egypt - and then 3 days later are cornered again by Pharoah's approaching army army at the red sea !
"So they thought "redemption" means -
being saved from Egypt for 3 days and it's all over " (so SAD)
(but - here's the Tu Bishvat - arbor day - new year for the trees lesson)
another quote:
Ok, now here comes a really deep Izhbetzer (Rebbe) Torah.
What's the difference between a cute little vegetable and a tree?
How come a vegetable is dead when it's done?
You can't make anything forever out of a vegetable
A tree can live for hundreds of years. He
(The Ishbuitzer Rebbe) says the deepest Torah.
The tree prays to G-d, please make something out of me.
(According to our mystical masters EVERYTHING on earth has SOME soul)
You know what's praying the most?
How come one apple tree tastes so good and another one not?
When the apple seed
(and remember - OUR SOULS TOO are called "apple trees" in the Song of Songs by King Solomon)
is praying before G-d - the very last second before it’s completely disintegrated (germinate) - it's the prayer of the
deepest depths.
And if its prayer is not so deep...There you have (the difference between the taste of the apples of) two trees....
Gevaldt, it's (like) the very last prayer we say before we leave the world...
A vegetable prays a cute little prayer. A vegetable grows and then just stops...
But an apple seed (and tree), it prays so much.... It can't stop.
The apple seed's prayer is a "forever" prayer (like ours should be).
So the tree lives forever because this seed prayed so hard.
and Shvat is the Rosh HaShona L'Elanot, the new year-- the headquarters-- of the trees.
Do you know what the tree is crying out? (on its New Year) The tree is at is end, each year. Listen to this. The tree
when it reaches the end, mamash, all its prayers are rising up again. The tree prays all its prayers again. Awesome.
I want to tell you something very very deep. Imagine I need coffee. I say, "Please G-d, give me some coffee." And
G-d answers me, "Ok, I'll get you some coffee." But when I pray for something very deep, my prayer is all that there is.
The more I need something from G-d, the deeper the depths my prayer touches my neshama. And that prayer
touches all the prayers which I ever prayed in this lifetime and perhaps other lifetimes as well..."
HAPPY TU BISHVAT
READ THIS TORAH PORTION AND REMEMBER -
WE CAN ALL GET OUT OF OUR "EGYPTS" - NOT FOR 3 DAYS
BUT FOREVER
BY PRAYING LIKE THE ISRAELITES DID AT THE RED SEA - FOR A
FOREVER DELIVERANCE
LOVE AND SHABBOS FROM JERUSALEM
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
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vaera - why in the world would Maimonides choose to live to the end in Egypt
Okay - Vaera - in this week's tora portion G- d says
"I will take you out of bondage and Egypt ... like we read in the Passover Hagadda
but why do I write about Maimonides who lived 2600 years after the Exodus from Egypt?
The Jerusalem Talmud gives 3 sources for the Torah Prohibiting Jews from "going back to Egypt"
The theories behind the prohibition include:
1 the Israelites should not be a fraid in the desert and want to return
2 Israelites who set up their lives in Israel should never go back thinking the "grass is greener" there
3 no Jews should ever reside in that plae which (was? is?) the most debauched and inhuman of societies
4 - So why did Maimonides move there after being kicked out (with so many other Jews) of Spain, Moroco and maybe elsewhere?
Even without such a Law - after this week we read how special it is that G-d got us away from them?
So why pick the place G-d so strongly says in 4 different ways in this portion "I gotta get you outa here"?
Some say his rich brother convinced him and supported his study and writings
In my humble opinion
Maimonides was forced to.
Saladin was the ruler of much of the Middle East -
and when Maimonides went to Israel -
he probably needed protection from the constant war between Christian and Muslim armies -
so -
maybe Saladin heard about Maimonides
and accepted that only the best physician (a Jew) was what
he needed for the ruling class of Egypt
and he got Maimonides to stay there
(and write his masterpieces-
and spread the word of Hashem throughout the Jewish world).
AND MAYBE IF WE PRAY HARD ENOUGH THE WORLD WILL DO THE SAME NOW -
sponsor Jewish learning and healing
LOve and shabbos
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
In SNOWY AND BEAUTIFUL JERUSALEM
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Family for the Millenium? Cain and Able? Moses and Aron? Judah and Joseph?
I was asked by a teacher today " what "one-sentence" would be best to give out on a present to all the 15-year-old girls in her class?"
I thought of Rabbi Shlomo who always quoted the Ishbitzer Rebbe about how Moses and Aron's brotherly love was taught to the world to fix the jealousy and anger (and crime) of Cain and Able.
But this week's portion teaches us how Judah overcame his shame and redeemed himself for selling Joseph
and offered to become a slave in Egypt so his brother Benjamin would not be made a slave.
And Joseph forgave ALL his brothers because they showed remorse for their actions toward him.
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what language to Jaob speak? and what language did Joseph speak?
this Torah thought is based on (and quotes) from Rabbi Shlomo (zatza"l) and Rabbi Buchwald of NJOP
8th Day of Chanuka
In the darkest and scariest part of the torah - where our forefathers the 12 brothers are separated and our forefather Jacob lives in grief - yet our SPIRIT and connection to G-d and our Holy History gave us the light on the situation
to PREVAIL in a HOLY way!
Note: I'm sorry this didn't come before Shabbat - it was a VERY short day after my return to Israel from the Chanuka Concert in NY with Yisroel Juskowitz - so please enjoy this today ...
we were uplifted by the strength of our forebears as taught in the Torah.
.In the weekly portion - Reb Shlomo says- we learn - that
Yaakov didn’t just see that there is food in Eygpt (to send his boys to purchase during the famine),
(but) he had this highest vision that if Hashem made (it) so that
in the darkest place in the world (corrupt Egypt) should be (have) food for he whole world
there must be something deeper something much greater
a salvation for all Yidden,
The holy Grodzisker (who wrote) the Divrei Elimeilech says the deepest depth is
we learn from this that even in the darkest place in the world Hashem makes us miracles and a great light comes out,
even when its very dark we should be filled with joy for the light is round the corner, that’s why we kindle lights Chanuke in the darkest nights of the year,
also at the end of the months,
to show that we trust Hashem for great things to happen
even when we least expect,
may we all be blessed to see the light shining forever, Omein.
ANd from Rabbi Buchwald on HOW TO DO THE SAME
The story of Joseph is an affirmation of how to remain true to one's faith while still succeeding in non-Jewish society. (The Torah teaches us that) He spoke Egyptian without an accent and pretended not to understand Hebrew (which his family spoke).
He dressed in royal robes. ...
Joseph was so well disguised by his Egyptian identity that even his own brothers could not recognize him.
The story of Joseph is an affirmation of how to remain true to one's faith while still succeeding in non-Jewish society. (like today's world)
He spoke Egyptian without an accent and pretended not to understand Hebrew. He dressed in royal robes. and was ... disguised by his Egyptian identity ....
Throughout his stunning career, however, Joseph never forgot who he was. When Joseph finally revealed himself, he declared: ". . .for it was to preserve life that God sent me before you" (Genesis 45:5).
SO MAY WE ALL REMEMBER WHO WE ARE AND OUR PURPOSE IN THE WORLD
CHANUKA SAMAYACH
AE
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Chanuka in the eyes of - Rav Shlomo Carlebach
These are some words of inspiration from Rav Shlomo Carlebach zatza"l
Sweetest friends everybody knows that ... Hashem put in Yaakovs heart a special Love towards Yosef, so he will remember to be a holy Yiddele even in his darkest times of his life, (and) that’s why we kindle lights now Chanuke (lights) by the door (or opposite - so people see it when they walk in),
we are telling our holy children, even when you go out in the world remember the warm shining light that we add every day one more with so much love and joy,
please (children) remember the VoHavto es Hashem (LOVE G-d)
even when you are UvLechtechu Baderech (going OUTSIDE),
this (chanuka-love and ) light shines out even the darkest outside darkness ...
this is a light that fills the world with so much joy, paving the way for Moshiach."
wishing all a lot of light and joy and chanuka re-dedication
to shabbos
to Jewish holidays
to love of G-d and all...
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
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