Eleh Hadevarim - AL"H

(Devarim 1:1) "Eleh hadevarim asher diber Moshe el kol Bnei Yisroel..." "These are the words that Moshe spoke to all of Israel"
The words Eleh as is mentioned above means 'these' in English. But what is it in the word eleh that Moshe has to specifically mention to everyone?

The Gemara Bava Metzia 156a says that "many people steal, some enter illicit relationships, but everyone speaks Avak Lashon Hara."

If one were to break up the first word of this weeks Parsha (Eleh) they would be left with three seperate hebrew letters. Aleph. Lamed. Hey. which stand for the words Avak Lashon Hara. Moshe is telling Klal Yisrael that Avak Lashon Hara is something that he has to speak to ALL of Bnei Yisrael about.

Bridge the Gap

*Courtesy of Aish.com

Sometimes we tend to ostracize the people closest to us, because of simple differences. We neglect the reality of the situation: we have more in common than we think...Thousands of years together and a shared goal.

The next time that you see one of your brethren on the street. Say hello or smile.

Bridge the gap

CAUGHT MY EYE: "Geirim/Converts Are Often More Meticulous In Mitzvos"

As I was perusing through my blog roll, a post that was written by R' Micha Golshevsky, relating to Geirim and misiras nefesh caught my eye.

Hat tip: DixieYid

The Greater Picture

It happens that sometimes we look at some of our friends who have been more successful than we have and we wonder, "how is it possible that they have attained so much, while I have attained so little?"

Rabbeinu Bachayei says in Chovevos HaLevavos that at this point one should introspect and come to the realization that just as I wish to serve the Ribbono Shel Olam so does my dear friend.

When it comes to situations like these we should realize that as we suffer though trials and tribulations, we are part of a greater nation that G-d loves.

Parshas Shemos - "We Are Just Different...Face It!

NOT SUCH A QUICKIE/Funfact : In this week's Parsha is the birth of Moshe Rabbeinu. From a very young age Moshe was protected and cosseted. The first time when this is displayed is when he is discovered by Pharaoh's daughter, Batya.

After Moshe is placed in a basket made of reeds and into the water's of the Nile River, Miriam tracks the basket all the way to the Kings palace. Immediately after Batya picked up the child, Miriam jumped into the picture and alerted Batya that Yocheved, Moshe's true mother, was available to nurse the child through his infancy.

It is dictated in the Shulchan Aruch, that Jewish babies may not be nursed by Gentile woman. The reason is, because their milk is bad for the "Heart and the Soul" of a Jew. The Vilna Gaon commenting on this Law mentions that the source of this is from Moshe Rabbeinu!

We can appropriately assume that Miriam took extra precautions because she understood the capabilities which were infused in Moshe, but not everyone is Moshe?!

Rav Yaakov Kaminetsky Tz"l answers that while educating children, it is of utmost importance to treat every child, like they are Moshe Rabbeinu. The potential of every Jewish child is great and it is our responsibility to guard them.

1:8 "Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who knew not Joseph."

The Medrish Rabba on this pasuk explains the reasoning for why the servitude of the "Jewish" people in Mitzraiyim officially started:

[As a mission to become accepted as part of Egyptian culture Klal Yisrael abstained from performing Bris Milah. They claimed, "If Mitzraiyim doesn't do it, then why should we". Once they stopped doing the Milah, the servitude started.]

A question arises however. Logically it does not make sense that the servitude started because of our assimilation. Wouldn't the Egyptian people feel empowered and flattered by our wanting to be more secular and like them?

Rav Shmuel Wagner Shlit"a of Yeshivas Ohr Yerushalayim answers, when Hashem chose Klal Yisrael to be his nation he dictated that there would always be a separation between the nations of the world and Am Yisrael. If we refuse to come to that realization ourselves then Hashem will intervene and bring it to our realization.

The Kuzari speaks of 4 categories of being:

Domem- Rocks

Tzemach- Plants

Chaim- Animals

Midaber- Mankind

Yehudi- the Jewish people

For this reason Hakodosh Baruch Hu put us in servitude. It was needed, to show us that we were different from the other nations of the world.

Check out the numbers: Jews ranked...
* Number 1 in providing medical advancements that saved American's lives in the last 100 years.
* Number 1 in authorship of both biographical and fictional materials.
* Number 1 in per capita income.
* Number 1 in the creative arts
* Number 1 as educators, (grade school through college level)
* Number 1 in the legal profession
* Number 1 in the banking/investment banking business.
* Number 1 in providing the most charity/philanthropy per capita.
* Number 1 in journalist/media participation.
* Number 9 in military service. (They made the top ten, out of 20 ranked ethnic groups)* Number 10 in athletics. The Jews squeaked into the last top spot with their participation in ice skating, tennis, track and baseball.
* Number 1 in the lowest incidents of anti-social behavior.
Jews commit the least amount of violent crime of any ethnic group. (The best neighbor to have is a Jew)
America has always honored Jews and that is why Jewish representation in Congress is at an all-time high and vastly exceeds their numbers in the population.

Hashem has different ways of showing us that we are different. But Boy o Boy are we ever!

HAVE A FANTASTIC SHABBOS!

This "Holiday" Season

Although the Jewish people celebrate the true festival of lights, often times we feel discriminated (to say the least) during X-mas and (of course) Kwanzaa season. The games,songs and presents of Chanuka which are definitely warm and familiar seem to be incomparable to the joyous and jubilant jingles of the uncircumcised. We feel demeaned and patronized and as a direct reaction we crave for the same artificial love and happiness that their holiday encompasses.

But should we really?

http://www.aish.com/jewlariousJtube/jewlariousJtubeDefault/Hebrew_Hammer1.asp

At first glance.....ABSOLUTELY! The puppy is adorable, the children are gleaming with joy, and the bikes are gnarly. Nevertheless we have to realize that there is more to life than attractive lights and a well decorated pine tree. This day will pass and their short lived vacation will be over. They will return to a creedless and meaningless existence while counting to their next vacation. While we on the other hand, continue talking to G-d 3 times a day and anxiously awaiting the coming of the Messiah. We carry with us a rich tradition as the Chosen People. In no way shape or form would we give that up for a few cups of eggnog, gingerbread cookies and an exhibit of lights

Now let me ask you, should we be jealous?

No, but the lights are still gorgeous!

The 10th of Teves - Lets Party!

Once again the 10^th of Teves is upon us and in our cyclical calendar we fast while experiencing the pain and anguish of a lost Temple.

In today’s day and age we have become desensitized to the loss of the Beis Hamikdash. For most, we cannot even minutely imagine a life with the Temple built in its full glory. We can’t picture the hordes of people coming from around the world to bring sacrifices to G-d three times a year.

Nevertheless, the (Gemara Sukka 51b) says, “Anyone who has not seen the Simchas Beis HaShoeva in his days has never seen happiness in his life.” The Gemara then continues to say, “Anyone who did not see the Beis Hamikdash while it was built has never seen an attractive building”.

While learning this Gemara, I was perplexed as to why the Gemara in Sukka juxtaposes these two statements next to each other. Granted the Simchas Beis Hashoeva was a happy occasion…and granted that as an architectural structure the Beis Hamikdash was a masterpiece, but what do they have to do with one another? I would assume that the reason why the event was filled with happiness had nothing to do with the beauty of the building that housed it.

It is written in Pirkei Avos that if “two people sit and proactively learn Torah together then the Shichina dwells among them”. This learning is not restricted to the learning of the texts themself but it is also when the Torah is being practiced. We are taught “Viahavta Lireacha Kamocha” “You shall love you friend like yourself”. Only when we love our friends like ourselves can the Shichina dwell amongst us.

The Gemara (Yoma 9b) says that the Beis Hamikdash was destroyed because of Sinas Chinam, baseless hatred. The Jewish people are one and we all share a common goal. Every person is worthy of respect regardless of their beliefs or level of observance. There is something to be learned from everyone.

I would like to suggest that the reason why the Beis Hamikdash was so beautiful was because of the Simchas Beis HaShoeva, this is why they are juxtaposed to one another in the Gemara Sukka. When Klal Yisrael was respectful to one another and treated each other with the utmost admiration, (like during the Simchas Beis Hashoeva) then there was no building that was more aesthetically and internally beautiful than the Beis Hamikdash. When they didn’t however, then the Shichina could no longer dwell amongst them.

The only way to fix our problem is to realize that we have a problem. The key to true happiness is in the way that we treat others. The only way for the Beis Hamikdash to exist is if we have “happy” events.

HAVE AN EASY AND MEANINGFUL FAST!

Kol Yisrael Areivim Zeh BaZeh