Parashat Hashavua

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Portion Starts by saying "when you go to war"

 

Huh?

 

Whats a war? Checking the internet all the time for news?

Or

Talking with relatives and neighbors or their kids about who is  home on leave for a week?

Or

Explaining to kids about what they hear in school or on the radio?

 

Getting reports on helicopter crashes?

 

Inside Wars and Outside Wars

 

From

 

RABBI SHLOMO CARLEBACH  

Who always flew to Israel to perform for OUR GUYS!

 

On Parshat Ki Teitzie

 

So here the Torah says 

"when you go out to battle your enemies."

 

 When the Torah talks about someone going out to war, it writes it in singular. So let me ask you friends, how can one Jew go out and conquer the world? It's crazy.

 

I want you to know, there are two struggles going on in our lifetime. One struggle is going on mamesh inside,  deep inside.

 

 The struggle is when I don't even know if I want to be a Jew, I don't know if I should keep Shabbos. I don't know if I should be married to my wife or not.

 

 I already have grown up children, but I haven't decided yet if I should have had children.

 

 These are all real inside struggles. 

 

But then there is something else. It's when my inside is already fixed. It's mamesh clear to me in two million ways that I cannot move an inch away from the Torah... I just can't, even if I wanted to....

 

(SO WHAT ABOUT THE OUTSIDE?

WHAT JEWS KNOW THEY MUST DO)

 

 It's not even a question of choice. I look at my feet, they don't move... they don't move. 

 

You know why? What's the first sign if I make a covenant with G-d? - that there are certain things inside that I don't have to struggle about anymore.

 

 I'm a Yid. Inside, inside, I don't have to struggle anymore. 

 

Sure, it's hard. You have to make decisions every minute. G-d is testing you every second of your life. 

 

So what I'm doing is only fixing the outside. ...

 

But you know something, I have choice when I am sitting by my Shabbos (or HOLIDAY) table. 

I can sit there and eat a meal, or I can mamesh keep Shabbos in the deepest depths.

 

G-d created the world in six days and on Shabbos He rested. What a sad translation!

 

 On Shabbos G-d gave the world a soul. (NAFASH)

 

On Shabbos G-d created a world of souls, of depth, of tasting that which is most real.

 

Good Shabbos!

 (From Rabbi Carlebach)

 

Now Back to this war thing:

Rabbi Yaskil quotes the Talmud Sanhedrin page 98 - about when Mishiach will fìx the worĺd

 

And Rabbi Ginsburg explains the related Noam Elimelech

 

There are personal Mitzvot

 

And there are joint and public mitzvot!

The world Needs These, and

 

Reb Elimelech explains

 

 

That the Mitzva of Tzitzis is For Our Generation

 

Because it hints that the Mashiach could come even

 

Or maybe Especially

 

In the Middle of a War

 

Where some Jewish politicians are calling for strikes to bring down the Jewish government

So they can take over

 

And it seems the world is touting lies to allow the destruction of Father Abraham's people.

 

G-d please send us strength this Shabbos

 

(And strength for Ora to study for her test this week - on the Prophets - 

Who actually fortold all the above!)

 

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz