To Be Truly Free

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In the story of the Exodus, the Torah tells us how the Jewish people suffered under Egyptian bondage, "And they made their lives bitter... with mortar and bricks." 

The essential life of a Jew is not his or her physical life, but rather spiritual. And if the Torah tells us, "And they made their lives bitter... with mortar and bricks," which is completely physical, it would make sense that this would make their physical lives bitter, but how could it affect their spiritual lives? True, the hard labor would be time consuming and exhausting, and it wouldn't leave a lot of time for the spiritual, but it wouldn't make their spiritual lives "bitter." What does it even mean to make our spiritual lives bitter? 

When a Jewish person is so destitute that he sells himself into slavery, the law is that his master isn't allowed to make him do avodas perech, work that crushes the spirit. The Rambam explains this to means, "Work that has no end and no purpose." 

The Hagaas Maimoni explains, that this is learned from the servitude in Egypt. That means that the servitude in Egypt was, "Work that had no end and no purpose." This will help us understand how the crushing and bitter servitude, "With mortar and bricks," made their spiritual lives bitter. 

When we work in accordance with the Torah, it is work that has an end and a purpose, because the Torah gives us a limit, as to how much time and energy one may put into making a livelihood. Only what is necessary to make a vessel for Hashem's blessing. This also means that there is a limit as to which of his strengths he is to put into it, you should put in "the effort of your hands in order to eat," hands, meaning your lower faculties, but not the higher ones like the mind and heart. Of course you will need to use your heart and mind somewhat, but only the minimum amount necessary. Your heart and mind should be for serving Hashem. 

The time that one spends at work is also meant to be limited, set hours, leaving times for prayer and Torah study. 

When one does business in this manner, it has purpose. Because when you do business in the Torah way, you merit Hashem's blessing, "And Hashem your G-d will bless you in everything that you do." 

However, when a person puts his entire mind into making a livelihood, constantly thinking of ways to get ahead and making a little more profit, it becomes "Work that has no end and no purpose." 

It has no purpose, because the livelihood of a person comes from Hashem, and his constant thinking of how to get ahead, will not get him anywhere, if anything, it will only make things worse. 

It is also work that has no end. There is no end to his toil, at the end of the work day, when everyone else working for him has gone home, he is there thinking about how to get ahead. When he finally closes up the business, instead of having set times for Torah study, he is at work, in the rat race, either physically or in his mind, he is constantly thinking about it. And what kind of family life does he have, he comes home late, when he is eating dinner his head is in the business, when he is with his wife and children, he is distracted, ignoring them. Even when he finally goes to bed, he dreams about his business. He is in a self imposed servitude, that has no end. 

This is also true for some Torah scholars, ones that have false pride and a overblown ego. If someone G-d forbid slighted him, or even if he imagined that someone slighted him, he can't let it go. In his delusion of grandeur he thinks, "it is not me who was disrespected, but the Torah itself." He can't get it out of his mind, he has to stand up for the honor of the Torah. He becomes obsessed with revenge, he will have to show him. And because "The righteous are similar to their creator," he has to act like Hashem, and exact punishment measure for measure, if not double. He can't get past it, until he even dreams about it when he sleeps. 

When somebody thinks about taking care of his body, it usually has a limit. And there is nothing wrong with taking care of your body and being healthy, as the Rambam says, "that (maintaining) a healthy and complete body is following the ways of Hashem." Because in order to serve Hashem, you have to have a healthy body. 

The Alter Rebbe tells us, that Hashem Himself chose the bodies of the Jewish people. That means that our bodies are precious, and we have to take care of them. So taking care of your body has purpose. 

However, one who is obsessed with work or has delusions of grandeur, there is no limit to it. It is "Work that has no end and no purpose." 

Now we will understand how the crushing servitude, "And they made their lives bitter," made their spiritual lives bitter. 

Everything that Hashem created in the world is limited or finite. The only thing that is unlimited, "it has no end," and is truly altruistic, "it has no (selfish) purpose," is the neshama. The neshama is one with Hashem, and since He is infinite, our neshamas are too. It is from our neshamas that we have the ability to be unlimited. We also have the ability to serve Hashem in a way that "has no purpose," to serve Him lishma, totally for His sake, without personal gain. 

When one uses infinite power of the neshama for holy things, his spiritual life is sweet. However, when he uses it for the wrong thing, for the mundane, then it becomes "Work that has no end and no purpose," and his neshama suffers, his spiritual life becomes bitter. 

The spiritual life becoming bitter, can come in a more subtle way. In a case where he only uses his neshama for holy things. 

The evil inclination knows that it is futile to ask a Jewish person to do an outright sin, so he takes another tactic. He tries to get a person to do something other than what he is supposed to be doing. 

In general, Jewish people are divided into two categories. There is the businessman, and the Torah scholar. 

The businessman is busy during the day with work. His obligation to Hashem, aside for daily prayers and daily Torah study before and after work, is doing good deeds, and at the top of that list is giving Tzedakah. 

The Torah scholar's main occupation is the study of Torah. Of course he is also obligated to do good deeds, but that is not his main thing. 

The evil inclination convinces the businessman that he wants to be a scholar. All of a sudden, he doesn't have time to help another, because when he is supposed to be helping, he is busy studying and praying at length. When he is needed, he is not available, because he has become very holy, and then he has no time for another, because he has to run off to work. 

The same is with the Torah scholar who suddenly has no time to learn Torah, because he is busy doing good deeds. 

In these cases, their happiness trading places will be short lived, because they are not true to who they are, and their neshamas are bitter, because they are not fulfilling their purpose. To the evil inclination, this is a victory. 

This is also why we find, that the Exodus from Egypt came about through taking the lamb of the Passover sacrifice. The lamb was one of the deities of Egypt and Hashem wanted them to slaughter the deity of Egypt, right in front of the Egyptians. This was serving Hashem in a way of "no end," beyond understanding. And that set the Jewish people on a path of freedom, freeing their neshamas from the bonds of any physical constraints. Since we were freed spiritually, the physical redemption was automatic. 

May we merit to see the ultimate redemption, when we will be truly free, spiritually and physically, with the coming of Moshiach. May he come soon. 

On The Haftora Of Shabbos Hagadol: To Touch The Essence

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The Haftora for Shabbos Hagadol is from the book of Malachi, who lived at the beginning of the second Temple era. He foretells of the time of Moshiach, and rebukes the Jewish people for putting the wicked on a pedestal, for not serving Hashem and especially for not tithing, and it ends again with the redemption. 

Many communities including Chabad, read this Haftora only when Shabbos Hagadol falls on Erev Pesach. Others read it on Shabbos Hagadol, whether or not it falls on Erev Pesach. 

The reason we read this Haftora, is because it speaks of giving tithes, and on the Erev Pesach of the fourth and seventh years of the Sabbatical cycle, one is obligated to give whatever tithes are left in his possession. Another reason is that it tells about the future redemption, and being that Pesach is the holiday of the redemption and the most opportune time for the coming of Moshiach, we read about the redemption before it, especially since it tells of Eliyahu the prophet heralding Moshiach's coming. 

Both traditions could apply both reasons, but one applies more to one and the other applies more to the other. According to those who read it only on Erev Pesach, the reason of giving tithes takes precedence, but you can also say that Erev Pesach is before the holiday of redemption, and Eliyahu comes prior to the coming of Moshiach. According to those who read it on Shabbos Hagadol, regardless of whether or not it falls on Erev Pesach, the reason of Moshiach and Eliyahu heralding his coming takes precedence, but you can also say that it comes before or on Erev Pesach as a reminder to tithe. 

The Haftora begins, "(V'Arva) The offerings of Yehuda and Yerushalayim will be sweet to Hashem, (kimei olam) as in early days and the (shanim kadmonious) former years." Being that it begins with the word V'Arva, the Haftora is called V'Arva. 

"As in early days and the former years," seem to have the same meaning. Why the double expression? We have to say that they are two distinct things, and that is why the verse brings them both. What is the meaning of these two expressions? And how do they work together? 

The Midrash gives two answers. First that "In early days," refers to the days of Moshe, and "the former years," refers to the time of Shlomo. Second, that "In early days," refers to the days of Noach. 

The Tzemach Tzedek explains, that "kimei olam," which literally means the days of the world, refers to the world, spiritual and physical realms included. And shanim kadmonious, which literally means the years before, refers to before or beyond the world, beyond all of existence, spiritual and physical. 

The Tzemach Tzedek explains, that this connects to Shabbos Hagadol, as it says in the Haggadah, "We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt, and Hashem took us out." "We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt," refers to the world, and in the world, to the lowest place, and the lowest predicament, being slaves in exile, and "Hashem took us out," refers to the essence of Hashem, beyond existence, as we read in the Haggadah, "The King, King of kings, the Holy One Blessed Be He, in His glory and by Himself, revealed Himself to them and redeemed them." 

This is the meaning of, "The offerings of Yehuda and Yerushalayim will be sweet to Hashem, as in early days and the former years," Yehuda and Yerushalayim refer to the Jewish people, as all the Jewish people are called Yehudim, and they are called daughters of Yerushalayim. The offerings refer to the general idea of sacrifices, which is meant to bring us closer to Hashem. And in a more general sense, it refers to our service to Hashem through Torah and mitzvahs, which brings us closer to Hashem. And even more, our daily mundane actions that are done for the sake of Heaven. These offerings reach the highest levels of G-dliness, to the essence of Hashem beyond existence. And this is what is sweet to Hashem, our service is sweet and pleasurable to Him, it is the greatest pleasure, as the Sifri tells us, that Hashem says, "it is a pleasure before Me, because I said it and My will was done." 

And this service has both "In early days and the former years," it reaches beyond existence, and it affects the world by drawing G-dliness from beyond existence into even the lowest levels of existence, this physical world. And that is our purpose as Jews, to make this world into a home for Hashem, where His essence beyond existence could dwell openly in this physical world. And it is our service to Hashem through Torah, mitzvahs and our daily activities done for the sake of Heaven, that draws G-dliness from "shanim kadmonious," beyond existence, into "kimei olam," into the world, making a home for Hashem. 

And this is the meaning of, "We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt, and Hashem took us out." That the essence of Hashem beyond existence was drawn into the lowest part of creation, Egypt, and He Himself took us out. 

This is a deeper reason for reading this Haftora on Shabbos Hagadol. Shabbos represents the culmination of our service to Hashem all week. As the Alter Rebbe tells us, that the prayer time of every day, is considered the Shabbos of the day, that is the time that all of one's service to Hashem during the day ascend on high. Shabbos is the day that all the prayers of the week go up. Now Shabbos Hagadol is the great Shabbos, it represents our service to Hashem at the highest level. 

Why is it called Shabbos Hagadol? Because a great miracle happened on that day, "To smite Egypt with their firstborn." The Firstborn of Egypt went to war against Egypt on behalf of the Jewish people. This is the ultimate turn of events, when your enemy becomes your advocate, or as the Talmud puts it, "from the forest itself comes the handle of the ax." This is the highest level of service to Hashem, when the actual darkness is turned into light, and bitterness is turned sweet. And that is what Shabbos Hagadol is all about.

Why is it possible for the Jewish people to draw the highest levels of G-dliness into the lowest levels of the physical world? 

The Haftora continues, "For I Hashem have not changed, and you the children of Yaakov have not been destroyed." 

There are a few ways of understanding this verse. 

Some people phrase it like a question, "If I Hashem have not changed, then why haven't you, the children of Yaakov expired (of ecstasy)?" In other words, you realize and sense My greatness, why haven't your neshamas left your body's yearning to be with  Me? 

Others read it as a statement. "Because I Hashem have not changed, therefore you the children of Yaakov have not been destroyed." meaning, that Hashem's love for us has not changed, therefore, we are still here today. Even deeper, because we are one with Hashem, and He doesn't change, we don't either change, therefore, we are here today. And where are we one with Him? In His essence beyond existence, and therefore we have the ability to draw from there into the lowest part of creation. 

The idea of "For I Hashem have not changed," is seen primarily in nature, because miracles are by definition a change in nature. In truth, the greatest miracle of all, is nature itself, but we don't see it that way, because we are used to it. The fact that so much in nature is predictable, every day the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, we plant seeds and they grow, etc. etc., is where we see that Hashem doesn't change. 

We have to be like Hashem, we have to act and serve Hashem in a predictable way, in the Torah way, and being that we are and were consistent in the Torah way, therefore, "you the children of Yaakov have not been destroyed. It is our consistency that has kept us alive, while other nations that were bigger and stronger than us, are only found in history books and museums, the tiny nation of the Jewish people are here and we are making a difference. 

And now we will understand why the Haftora ends with, "Behold I will send you Eliyahu the prophet before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord, that he may turn the heart of the fathers back through the children, and the heart of the children back through their fathers..."  Because through our service to Hashem, especially in the way of Shabbos Hagadol, that we turn the darkness itself into light, we will merit the "great and awesome day," the coming of Moshiach. And then we will see the connection between us and Hashem openly. Father refers to Hashem beyond existence, and children refer to us within existence. We will see how he will "turn the heart of the fathers back through the children," this is us reaching above through our service, to the essence of Hashem beyond existence, "and the heart of the children back through their fathers," this is us drawing that great level of G-dliness into the world, making a home for Hashem. 

May we merit to see the prophecy of Malachi come true, the coming of Moshiach. May he come soon. 

Uncovering What Is Already There

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In this week's parsha, Tazria, we have the mitzvah of Bris, circumcision, "When a woman conceives and gives birth to a boy... And on the eighth day, the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised." 

There are two parts to the mitzvah of Bris. First that a boy should be circumcised, and that it should be done "on time," on the eighth day. And it would seem that if for some reason, the Bris could not be done "on time," for example, if he was sick and it would be dangerous to do it, when he finally has a Bris at a later time, the child would have the mitzvah of being circumcised, and we know that it is a mitzvah to have a Bris at a later time, because we say a blessing with Hashem's name, but the part about being "on time," would be lost. Even though it is in accordance with Torah law, because "saving a life pushes off (any obligation of) the whole Torah," It will help from now on, but it would seem that the time from the eighth day until the Bris is lost. 

The Rambam explains why we don't do a Bris on a sick baby. Because it puts his life in danger, and "When a life is in danger, it pushes off everything, and the circumcision could be done at a later time, and it is impossible (l'hachazir) to bring back one soul of Israel, ever." 

The Rambam gives two reasons not to do the Bris. First, "When a life is in danger, it pushes off everything," meaning, that even if it can't be done at a later time, because of the danger, it is okay, since saving a life takes precedence, Second, since "it could be done at a later time," which implies that it doesn't get pushed off at all, because it could be done at a later time. Meaning that if it's done at a later time, it will help for the time that passed and it would be considered on time. 

The only thing is that it won't be able to push off Shabbos, because our sages have a special teaching for that, it says, "On the (eighth) day, (meaning) even on Shabbos." Only when it's on the eighth day, does it push off Shabbos. 

This is difficult to understand, because: How can a Bris that is done in the future have an effect on the past? A physical act is done when it is done, it can't change the past. 

The only time the future can have an effect on the past, is when the act that is done in the future reveals or uncovers that it was truly that way all the time. Or when a deal is struck that is dependent on a future event, "if you do such and such next week, then it is yours from now." But when it comes to a Bris, it is done when it is done. An effect can't come before the cause. So how can a late Bris change the past, as if he had a Bris the whole time? And how can it be on time? 

Another question. The words of the Rambam, "And it is impossible (l'hachazir) to bring back one soul of Israel, ever," seem out of place. He places it after, "And the circumcision could be done at a later time," it would make more sense to put it after, "When a life is in danger, it pushes off everything." Why does the Rambam put it after "it could be done at a later time"? 

The Alter Rebbe explains that the mitzvah of Bris draws a light from Hashem that is greater than any that could be drawn through the service of people. It is bestowed from above. It is a light that is in our essence, but it can't be revealed until he has a Bris, it is always there, but it is blocked until he has a Bris. 

The same thing is with the entry of the neshama into the body, it happens when he has a Bris. This doesn't mean that he doesn't have a neshama, rather, that it is blocked from effecting the world in the way a Jew is meant to. His neshama doesn't shine to the world until the Bris. It is always there but it is not revealed until the Bris. 

Since it is always there, it is not a new physical thing that didn't exist before, rather the Bris reveals what was always there. Therefore it could affect the past. And therefore it is considered on time, because when it is revealed it shows that it was always there, and if it was always there, it is by definition, on time. 

And now we will understand why the Rambam put the statement, "And it is impossible (l'hachazir) to bring back one soul of Israel, ever," after "And it could be done at a later time." Because it adds a deeper layer of understanding. 

The simple meaning is that "When a life is in danger, it pushes off everything," because "it is impossible (l'hachazir) to bring back one soul of Israel, ever." 

But it could be understood in a different way. The word l'hachazir, which means to bring back, could also mean to go back or undo. 

As explained above, "And the circumcision could be done at a later time," means that when a boy has a Bris at a later time, it helps for the time that he wasn't able to have it, this is because he was really always connected to Hashem, as every Jewish person is always connected to Hashem. 

A Jew is actually one with Hashem. And it is the deepest part of the neshama that is one with Him. That is what is revealed with a Bris. This connection can never be undone, so the words of the Rambam could be understood as, "And it is impossible for a soul of Israel to go back (on his connection with Hashem), ever." 

And it works both ways, as the Talmud tells us that Hashem says, "Whatever may be, they are My children, and to trade them for another nation (G-d forbid) is impossible." 

Hashem truly loves each and every one of us, we are one with Him and He is one with us. It is through serving Him in a way that is beyond our understanding, which the mitzvah of Bris represents - because it is done when a boy is a baby and doesn't understand what is being done - that we reveal the essence of our neshama, and draw the highest levels of G-dly light into the world. It is not something new, it is always there, because that is who we are. 

May we reveal our essence through serving Hashem beyond our understanding, and fill the world with G-dly light, this will surely hasten the coming of Moshiach. May he come soon. 

Appreciating The Miracles In Our Lives

Dear friends, 

The Haftora for Tazria is hardly ever read, but it is connected to our parsha. Even though we won't be reading it this year, because of parshas Hachodesh, it is connected to the month of Nissan, and has meaningful lessons. It is a beautiful Haftora, I hope you enjoy it. 

Yitzi 

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The Haftora for parshas Tazria is not read often, because in most years Tazria  and Metzora are read together, and when that happens, the Haftora for Metzora is read. Even in a leap year, when Tazria is read by itself, it is often also parshas Hachodesh, and the Haftora for Hachodesh is read instead. 

The Haftora tells of two miracles of our prophet Elisha. 

In the first miracle, a man brought Elisha 20 bread rolls made of the barley flour that recently ripened. Elisha told his helper to give it to his students whom he supported. His helper asked him, "How can I give this to a hundred men? (It's simply not enough)." Elisha responded, "Give it to the people to eat, for Hashem said, 'They will eat and have left over.'" He gave it to them, they ate and there was leftover, just as Hashem said. 

The second miracle was how he cured Naaman from Tzaraas. Naaman was the commander of the king of Aram's army, he was very well respected, because Hashem gave him many victories, but now he couldn't go out to war because he was inflicted with Tzaraas. 

One of Aram's raiding parties captured a young girl from Israel, and she became a servant to Naaman's wife. She said to her mistress, "If my master's request will be brought before the prophet in Shomron (Elisha), then he will cure him of his Tzaraas." We see here, the power of a young Jewish girl's simple faith in the Tzadik of the time, that brought about such a beautiful miracle and positive geopolitical ramifications as well, as we will soon see. 

Naaman went and told the king what the young girl said. The king told him to go to the prophet, and that he would send a letter to the king of Israel, telling him to instruct the prophet to cure Naaman. 

Naaman took a tremendous amount of silver, gold and garments, as a gift for the prophet, and he brought the letter to the king of Israel. When the king read the letter he rend his garments, because he was afraid that it was a trick, and that the king of Aram was using this as a pretext to go to war. Aram was the superpower of the region at that time, so the mere thought of going to war with them was terrifying. 

When Elisha heard that the king rend his garments, he sent a message to him, "Why did you rend your garments? Let him come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel." 

Naaman came with a whole entourage to Elisha's house and stood at the door. Elisha didn't come out to meet him, he just sent a messenger to tell him to wash in the Jordan seven times, his skin will be restored and he will be ritually pure. 

Naaman got angry and left, he expected Elisha to honor him by coming out to greet him, call out to Hashem, wave his hand over the Tzaraas, and it would miraculously go away. But instead, he told him to bathe in the Jordan. He said that the rivers in Damascus are better than any of the waters in Israel, he often bathed in them, and it didn't help him. 

His servants approached him and respectfully suggested, that if the prophet would have told him to do something difficult, he would surely have listened to him, so now that he said to do something easy, shouldn't he try it? He took their advice and bathed in the Jordan seven times like Elisha said, and his skin became like that of a young boy. 

Naaman and his entourage returned to Elisha. Naaman stood before him and said, "Now I know that there isn't any G-d in the whole world other than in Israel, now, please accept a gift from your servant." But Elisha refused to take anything, he said, "By the Living G-d before Whom I stood (as a soul in the higher realms, before entering into the body), I can't accept (any gift)." Naaman begged him to take something, but he refused. Then he asked for two mule loads of earth from Israel, so that he could make it into an altar for Hashem, and he proclaimed, "For your servant will no longer offer burnt offerings or sacrifices to other gods, but only to Hashem!" 

Then he asked for forgiveness in advance, because he will have to go with his king when he goes to serve his idols, and he won't have a choice, but to bow with him. He said, "May Hashem please forgive your servant for this." And Elisha said to him, "Go in peace." From here we learn, that a gentile who accepted on himself to serve only Hashem, and to keep the Seven Laws that were given to the Children of Noah, is not obligated to sacrifice his life to sanctify Hashem. If he would be obligated, Elisha would have told him so, and that he could not bow. Instead he just told him to "go in peace." 

This, of course, was a great geo-political victory for the Jewish people, because now Naaman, the commander of the most powerful army in the region, became an ally to Israel. Also, I am sure that the story of the miracle reverberated throughout the region, and was a great sanctification of Hashem's name. 

The second miracle seems to connect well with the parsha. Parshas Tazria talks mostly about the laws of the Metzora, and the miracle was how Elisha cured Naaman, a Metzora, from Tzaraas. But how does the first miracle, about the loaves of bread, connect to our parsha? 

Rashi and the Radak provide the explanation. Rashi says that it was "During Pesach, when grain ripens." The Radak says, "It was from the first barley that was harvested, it was the time of the barley harvest." The Ralbag, Metzudas David and Metzudas Tzion say similar things. In this instance, the Haftora is also connected with the time of year. 

Whenever Tazria is read by itself, it is in the month of Nissan, before Pesach, or on the Shabbos before, when we bless the month of Nissan. The month of Nissan is a time of miracles, the time when the barley ripens and is harvested, and on Pesach the Omer offering, which was from barley, was brought in the Temple. The first miracle is about barley in the month of Nissan. 

This also adds more meaning to the second miracle, because Tazria doesn't have anything to do with open miracles. So how does the miracle aspect connect to the parsha? It doesn't necessarily, rather, it is connected to the time of year, Nissan, a time of miracles. 

I use the term "open miracles," because, of course, Tazria speaks about pregnancy and birth, which are miracles, but they are the kind of miracles that Hashem put into nature. Also, Tzaraas was not a natural ailment, it was not leprosy, it was a spiritual condition, that came because of spiritual reasons. So in a way, it was a miracle as well. But  being that it was more common, it was not like an open miracle. However, though these kind of miracles are more common, they are still miracles, and perhaps the Haftora is highlighting the point of miracles, to let us know, that we should see and value the miracles in nature and the more common miracles we experience every day. 

We are left with a question. Why did Elisha refuse Naaman's gift? We have rules about when one may accept tzedakah from an idol worshipper, generally we shouldn't, but there are certain situations where we can accept it secretly, and in certain dire situations, one is permitted to take it openly. However, Naaman wasn't an idol worshipper, he proclaimed openly that he will only serve Hashem. The Rambam says that from this kind of person, you can accept tzedakah and distribute it even to Jewish needy. So why didn't he accept it? 

From the Rambam's words, "If... He gave, we accept it," we understand that only after the fact do we accept it, but to begin with we don't. The Rambam also says there, "If he wants to do a mitzvah... in order to receive merit, we don't stop him." Again, we don't stop him, but to begin with, if he wants to make it a regular thing, we would not allow it, because it is as if he is creating a new religion and the Rambam says, that this is not allowed. 

And perhaps, the miracle and the whole experience was all the more powerful, and a greater sanctification of Hashem's name, because he didn't take the gift. And therefore, it had a greater effect on Naaman and all that heard what transpired. 

May we experience and value the miracles in our daily lives. And may we merit to experience the greatest miracle of all, the coming of Moshiach. May he come soon. 

The Eighth Day The Light Of Moshiach

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In this week's parsha, Shemini, on the first verse, "And it was on the eighth day," the Kli Yakar asks: Why is the day after the seven days of installation called the eighth day? There were only seven days of installation, as the verse says, "for He will install you for seven days." These seven days were the days that they inaugurated the altar, and the day after was separate, it was the inauguration of Aaron and his sons. But it calls it the eighth day, as if it was connected. Why? 

The Kli Yakar answers, that this day was special, as it says further, "for on this day Hashem will show Himself to you." Why specifically on this day and not on the previous seven? Because it was the eighth, and it has an extra holiness to it, since "Every number seven is mundane and the number eight is holy." And that is the reason that we do a Bris on Shabbos, because a Bris is on the eighth day and Shabbos is on the seventh day, and "The spiritual pushes off the physical." 

This is not to say that Shabbos isn't holy, it is definitely holy, but since it is one of the seven days of creation, it is part of creation, which is mundane compared to the number eight which is above creation, so compared to the eighth day, Shabbos is called mundane. 

As the Kli Yakar continues to explain, that the lyre of the time of Moshiach will have eight strings (it will have an eighth note), because in the era of Moshiach the light of the eighth day will shine bright. In the Temple the lyre had seven strings and it was obviously holy, but compared to the lyre of the time of Moshiach it is mundane. 

The same is true about the study of Torah now, of course it is holy, but compared to the level of Torah study that Moshiach will reveal, it is called nothing. 

The answer of the Kli Yakar is difficult to understand, because it doesn't appear to answer the question, if anything, it seems to make his question stronger. His answer is that the eighth day is completely higher than the seven days of installation, that it is in a league of its own, the seven days of installation are connected to the seven days of creation, and the eighth is above creation. Whenever you say eighth, it means that it is a continuation of the seven that come before it, but here it is totally separate. It begs the question: Why would it be called the eighth day? 

The explanation. The revelation in the time of Moshiach will come as a result of our service to Hashem in the exile, even though it will be infinitely greater than the service that we do. We do the best we can and Hashem then bestows His revelation from above, which is beyond anything we can attain on our own. However it must be prefaced by our effort. Even though it is totally separate, and beyond us, it is still connected to our effort, so it is considered as if it is from our service. 

The same is true about the eighth day. Even though it was in a league of its own, it was totally separate above the seven days of installation, as it says, "for on this day Hashem will show Himself to you," it could only come as a result of the effort of the seven days of installation that preceded it, it is therefore called the eighth day. 

Similarly, the day of Shabbos itself has these two ideas. On one hand, it is part of the week of creation, which is connected to the mundane, its holiness is therefore within creation. It is the day that comes in conjunction with the six work days, and it's a product of our effort, as it says, "to make the Shabbos." On the other hand, Shabbos is a taste of the world to come, the time of Moshiach, which is called, "The day that is totally Shabbos." It is a gift from Hashem, beyond anything we can achieve on our own, as the Talmud tells us, that Hashem says, "I have a good gift in My treasury and it is called Shabbos." This level of Shabbos is a gift from above. 

Although it is a gift from above, and beyond anything we can achieve on our own, it comes only after we put in our effort, as our sages say, "The one who toils on Erev Shabbos, will eat on Shabbos." We have to do something to merit the gift, as our sages say about gift giving, "If he didn't do anything to cause me pleasure, I wouldn't have given him a gift." A gift is not payment, it is above and beyond payment. Our effort is miniscule compared to the great gift of Shabbos that is bestowed upon us from above, but if not for our effort, we would not be getting the gift. 

You may ask: If Shabbos is so holy, how can a Bris push it off? Because even the gift level of Shabbos is only a "taste" of the world to come, and not the full thing, it doesn't compare to an eighth day, which Bris is. Therefore Bris pushes off Shabbos. 

The same is true about the eighth day. It is obvious that the effort of the seven days of installation wasn't enough to receive the gift of the eighth day, "for on this day Hashem will show Himself to you," but it was only after the service of the seven days of installation was completed, that the revelation of the eighth day could be bestowed upon them. And that is why it is called the eighth day, because it comes only after the service of the seven days before it. 

May we complete our effort in the exile and merit the ultimate level of the eighth day, which Hashem will bestow upon us with the coming of Moshiach. May he come soon. 

The Jewish Woman, Bringing Blessing To The Home

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All Vayikra Articles

This week's parsha, Vayikra, is the beginning of the book of Vayikra, which tells us about the sacrificial offerings that were offered in the Mishkan and later in the Temple. The sacrificial offerings were the primary service done in the Mishkan and Temple.

The Torah is eternal, meaning that we can and should take a practical lesson from every law and story found therein, and that applies for every person, in every place and at every time.

This is especially true about the details of the service in the Mishkan and Temple, because that is what Hashem wants most, to reside in us, that we should make ourselves, our homes and our place in the world, into a Mikdash, a holy place for Hashem to be. Even though the Temple was destroyed, its teachings are pertinent and relevant to us, and maybe more so than ever.

As mentioned above, the sacrificial offerings were the primary service in the Temple. The main offering in the Temple was the Tamid offering. It was a daily offering brought once in the morning, before all the other sacrifices, and once again in the afternoon, after all the other sacrifices.

What are some of the lessons that we are meant to learn from the Tamid offering?

The Tamid was offered twice daily, but it wasn't an obligation for every Jew to bring one, rather it was one offering that included all of the Jewish people. It was also a small offering, that consisted of a lamb, a bit of wine and oil, some flour and salt. How was everyone included in the Tamid offering? It was purchased from the half shekel that was given annually. When you divide it over a year, you realize that the part that everybody had in a Tamid was small, if not miniscule, yet this brought blessing to the Jewish people throughout the year, no matter where they were.

The lesson here is that Hashem doesn't want us to give away all of our possessions to Him, rather, He wants a little, but it is how that little bit is given that matters. Hashem wants you to do it with your whole heart, meaning with passion and joy. It is not how much you give, but how you give it, that matters to Hashem. That is why the Tamid was so powerful, because the people gave to it with their whole heart. When you give to Hashem with all of your heart, with passion and joy, then your life and home are filled with blessings, just as it was when the Tamid was brought.

Another lesson from the Tamid, is that although it was only brought in the morning and evening, it was called Tamid, which means constant. If it was only brought twice a day, why was it called constant? Because although it was only brought twice a day, its effect was constant, it affects lasted all day long, so it was constant. It was the foundation for all the offerings that came after it, it influenced and affected them.

The same is true for our day. Our day consists of a number of events and tasks, physical and spiritual and we don't always see the G-dly light in them. Even the time that one spends on soul matters are flawed, because it is done from a human perspective, which is commonly wrong, and at times, could lead one astray.

What we have to do, is give ourselves over to Hashem first thing in the morning, before anything else. And that is what we do when we say, "Modeh ani lefanecha melech... I give thanks before You King..." as soon as we wake up. This is thanking Hashem for returning our neshamas, and we call Him "King," a king is one who you give yourself completely over to, your body and even your life. It is proclaiming Hashem your King and giving yourself completely over to Him.

When one brought a sacrifice, the main things that were offered, was the blood that was sprayed on the altar, and the fat that was burned on the altar. The blood is the life force of the body, it represents the life and the passion of the person. The fat is the good stuff, it represents pleasure. What Hashem wants, is that we should give our pleasure and the our passion to Him, that we should make what He wants, our passion and our pleasure.

When you start your day with Modeh ani, all the chores of the daily grind are influenced by this proclamation, your passion and pleasure is for Hashem. It's in effect, the Tamid offering of your day, and it brings blessing to you, your home and your family.

A third lesson from the Tamid. The Midrash says, that the Tamid was an atonement for sins committed prior to its offering. In other words, Hashem gives a person the opportunity to return to Him, if he or she happened to have a moral failing.

Our lives are difficult, every one of us are put to the test regularly, and it is possible for one to fail the test. This is not a reason to give up, rather you should bring a Tamid offering, say Modeh ani, which is the same idea as the Tamid. If you say Modeh ani with your whole heart and soul, with a true resolve to give yourself completely over to Hashem, it is like offering a Tamid, and He will surely forgive you.

A Jew should never give up on himself, but he should take the opportunity to return to Hashem with all of his or her heart, repair what needs repairing, mend what needs mending, and hopefully Hashem will accept his teshuva.

This teshuva, in the way of Modeh ani, is making the decision with your whole heart, with a strong resolve to put your passion, joy and pleasure in holy things. And when you do teshuva in the way of the Tamid offering, you are forgiven by Hashem and you are given the blessings, for you, your home and your family.

This is especially important for women, who are the backbone of their homes and their families. When they set up their homes to have a Tamid atmosphere, it brings Hashem's blessing to their homes.

The blessings of the home will surely have a ripple effect, it will spread to all of the Jewish people, and it will hasten the coming of Moshiach, when we will once again see the Tamid being offered. May it happen soon.

Dedicated to my wife Dina who is the backbone of our home and a true aishes chayil, beautiful inside and out. 

Completing The Redemption, Making A Home For Hashem

In honor of mine and my father's birthdays. 

Dedicated to all those involved in the Tefillin for Yitzi campaign, and the Shabbat Candles for Yitzi campaign, and to all who did a mitzvah, put on Teffillin, or lit Shabbat candles in my merit. Thank you so much, it is the best gift. 

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This week's parsha, Pekudei, gives an account of all the donations to the construction of the Mishkan and how they were used, it tells us about the making of the priestly garments that the Kohanim were to wear when they were to do the service. The anointing of the vessels and how they began the service. And finally, "The glory of Hashem filled the Mishkan." 

Nothing in the Torah is arbitrary, not even the division of our parshas or their names. One shouldn't think, that in order to complete the Torah within a year, they had no choice but to divide it this way, rather the Zohar says, that there are "53 sedros of the Torah," meaning that there are 53 different themes, that the parshas represent. And the Shaloh Hakadosh tells us, that the parsha of the week is connected to the time of the year that it falls. 

This is the final parsha of the book of Shemos, which our sages call, the book of "The Geula," which means redemption, and the world therefore calls it Exodus. That means that parshas Pekudei represents the culmination of redemption, in which we see the ultimate purpose of the Exodus from Egypt, and it is a lesson for the final redemption, which we are waiting for. 

Most years Vayakhel and Pekudei are read together, nevertheless they have two unique themes, two important messages, however being that in most years Vayakhel and Pekudei are read together, and we have a rule that "we follow the majority," even in a year that they are separate, we must learn a lesson from the two themes coming together. In other words, even though there are two weeks, in a way, we see it as one long week. 

What are the themes of Vayakhel and Pekudei? What is the idea of them together? And what is the connection to the time of the year? 

Vayakhel tells us how Moshe gathered all the Jewish people, told them the commandment of building the Mishkan and how they donated to and built the Mishkan and its vessels. Its theme is the effort of the Jewish people in the service of Hashem, as the people served Hashem with everything they had, their money, their bodies and their souls. Their money, as everyone donated gold, silver, copper, etc., their bodies, as the men and women toiled to do everything necessary to build it, and their souls, as they all gave from their hearts, and used their talents, which are from the soul, to build a home for Hashem's Presence. 

The message to us, is that we should use all that we have - our money, body and soul - to build our personal Mishkan - our bodies, our homes, our place in the world and our synagogues - into a home for Hashem. 

Pekudei talks about the finalization of the Mishkan, which became complete with the anointing of the vessels and doing the service with them. And of course, that brought to the main point, that "The glory of Hashem filled the Mishkan." The theme is that when we complete our work, Hashem's Presence dwells with us, and it is infinitely greater than all the work we put in. 

Although the work in parshas Vayakhel, making everything for the Mishkan, also drew G-dliness, as all service to Hashem draws G-dliness, however you can't compare what is drawn by the work of people, who are extremely limited, to the completion of the Mishkan, when Hashem of His own will, filled the Mishkan, which is infinite. 

So the four parshas that speak about the Mishkan, Teruma, Tetzaveh, Vayakhel and Pekudei are in the order of how the Divine Presence is drawn into the world. Teruma and Tetzaveh is the command from Hashem that gives us the ability to make a home for Him in the physical. Teruma teaches us about the vessels of the Mishkan, and Tetzaveh teaches us about the garments of the Kohanim, which they wore when they did the service in the Mishkan. Vayakhel is us putting in the effort to make a home for Hashem, the way He wants it. And Pekudei is Hashem's Presence filling our Mishkan. 

First there is the enabling from above, then there is our effort, doing what we can below, and when our work is complete, then Hashem's infinite Presence, beyond anything that we could achieve on our own, fills our Mishkan, it is a true home for Hashem. 

You may ask: Parshas Pekudei speaks about how they made the garments of the Kohanim, isn't that part of making the Mishkan? 

According to the Rambam, it isn't a mitzvah to make the garments and it is possible that wearing them is also not a mitzvah. It is only that in order to do the service in the Mishkan, the Kohanim had to wear the proper vestments, it is a requirement for a mitzvah, not a mitzvah in itself. In other words, it is not part of making the Mishkan, but part of finalizing it and allowing for the Divine Presence to dwell there. That is the theme of Pekudei, so it fits in perfectly. 

Vayakhel is our work within the confines of nature and Pekudei is Hashem's infinite Presence filling our Mishkan, it is experiencing beyond nature. When Vayakhel and Pekudei come together, it is the ultimate Jewish experience, where nature and beyond nature, infinite and finite, come together. 

And that is what the Mishkan is all about, Hashem, Who is infinite, dwelling in the Mishkan, which is finite. And that is the idea of the redemption, Hashem, Who is beyond the natural, dwelling openly in this physical world. 

Usually Vayakhel and Pekudei are read in month of Adar. Adar is the month of Purim, which is always on a regular weekday, the epitome of finite, but at the same time, we are meant to reach the state of, "ad d'lo yada," which is beyond the natural. 

Since this Shabbos is my birthday, and they are doing a Tefillin and Shabbos candle lighting campaign in honor of my birthday, I will connect the ideas of a birthday, Tefillin and Shabbos candles, to parshas Pekudei. 

On a birthday you celebrate the day you were born, which is the day that Hashem gave you life. It is the day that your mission began, to bring redemption to your part of the world, to make it into a home for Hashem. 

Pekudei tells us, that Moshe took an exact accounting of everything that went into the Mishkan and how it was used. In other words, in order to be able to accomplish the mission, in order to have Hashem dwell in the Mishkan, there must be an accounting. 

On your birthday, you should take an account of where you stand in your mission. Have you given your money, body, i.e. your effort, and soul, i.e. your heart and talents, to make a Mishkan, a home for Hashem? Have you studied Torah, done mitzvahs, treated others properly and used your talents, possessions and time for Hashem? 

Tefillin go on the arm next to the heart and on the head over the brain. They are tied, symbolizing the self subjugation of our hearts and minds to Hashem. And when we do that, Hashem dwells upon us, as it says, "And all the nations of the land will see that the name of Hashem is called upon you and they will be afraid of you." And our sages say, that this refers to the Tefillin that goes on the head. This is akin to "The glory of Hashem filled the Mishkan." 

Shabbos and Yom Tov candles are lit after the entire effort of the mundane week and after all the preparations, shopping, cooking, cleaning, etc. And when everything is complete, women and girls light the candles, filling the home with Hashem's light and blessing. They complete their home into a home for Hashem. This is probably the closest we come to "The glory of Hashem filled the Mishkan." 

May we merit to see the third Temple, and the glory of Hashem fill it. Then we will see how it was our efforts that made it all possible, and Moshiach will be here. May it happen soon. The time has come.