Parshas Tazria-Dvar Torah

wishing you all a wonderful week!!

Dvar Torah -Parshas Metzorah

wishing you all a wonderful week!!

wishing you all a wonderful Shabbos!!

its been a hectic few months when I was unable to post much. hopefully will be able to get back to posting in the near future

Feeling the pain of the people of our nation suffering through a painful experience is a great mitzvah & unites us as One

we do not understand alot of what transpires-Hashem knows whats best for us but at the same time He desires us to be compassionate & filled with empathy when suffering comes upon ay of His children-whether we know them personally or not

We pray for families who are going through pain. whether its lives lost in shootings in shuls or through car/bike accidents or though illness or whether its lives in turmoil such as having an ill family member or a brother/sister that has physical or mental or emotional challenges. We may not be able to solve their problems  ​& in many case we cant even alleviate their pain-but all of us-every single one of us -has the ability to feel empathy & deep compassion for these suffering families & pray to Hashem for their well-being  & as Him to comfort & protect & bless them among all of our brothers & sisters all over the world 

We don't understand why certain events & situations occur-we have no right to be judgemental or harsh in our thought process about these matters.  Hashem is not interested in our "psak din" for anything that He does-He want us to unite-to be One with all of His children-to cry tears of happiness in thier joy & to cry tears of pain in thier suffering-* to pray for all His precious children

This takes little effort-to at the very least, feel compassion for the suffering of our people & to pray for them-this is the least we can do...

Shmiittah has relevance in every year & in every moment , because the crux of this mitzvah is to emphasize the point that Hashem runs & owns the world. This is not a repressive thought but a liberating one when we realize that it is Hashem that gives us constantly all the goodness that we have in this world-our humanness, our faculties, our food,-everything come from Hashem who is Good & bestows Good to all.

its brought down that when you buy a sefer & you want to claim ownership on it you should write your name but not to write "this sefer is mine-signed by ------" , Perhaps this too is to indicate that true ownership is Hashem's-this sefer & everything else is a loan from Hashem. When you write your name , this indicates that you have a calling-a shlichus-from Hashem. He has given you this sefer as a kind gifted loan-to appreciate it & to serve Hashem with joy through it.

when you walk down the streets -realize that it is Hashem's streets you are walking on.-He is the King-the Owner of the world-this thought give us joy & awe in recognizing that you are privileged to be a subject of the King of Kings (who is also a Kind Father!!)

your body is a loan from Hashem too . He gifted to us many pleasures connected to your body such as eating , drinking, & using our five senses in a healthy way. & in married life,intimacy with one's wife & husband, the physical, emotional & spiritual pleasure connected with it comes from our King-& we tell Him ( by conducting ourselves in this area according to His will ) that we do not take this gift for granted. This adds a deeper joy to the experience.He is the one that placed this person in your life & in your arms-no one else.

Here we barely touched the surface of this vast subject that has so may practical applications. We can grow exponentially, enjoying life more & also make our lives so much more meaningful when we recognize the Source of Good when we experience this goodness.

Not that life isn't devoid of pain & suffering & how to cope with that is a subject that is very important & should be studied & discussed on a practical level. But this concept, of recognizing that nothing is random & God is in total control with our ultimate good in mind-helps us alleviate the suffering & increase our joy in life which is a crucial aspect in living our lives in a healthy & productive way

"Im BechuKosai Tailaychu  If "you "walk" in My "statutes"-the first words of this sedrah-teaches us a valuable lesson in life

A Chok refers to commandments that are beyond comprehension -when to the human mind it makes little or sense-when we fail to see any logical benefit  from doing these commandments (example-why is meat ok, & milk ok, but meat+milk-not ok?)

Yet , we "walk" with these mitzvos ,we don't walk with our minds but with our feet-we do these mitzvos with faith -emunah-not because its comprehended in the mind or emotionally felt in the heart. We simply have emunah that Hashem wants us to do these mitzvos & we do them. This is a crux & key to serve Hashem-with pure faith.

For example, we must appreciate the value of praying to Hashem 3 times a day (by men, & by women at least once a day). Of course it would be wonderful to be excited & motivated & enthusiastic about each & every prayer of each & every day.But when one goes to shul, prays every day, 3 times a day, even when he is not in the "mood" , even when he is not inspired, even when he struggles to concentrate-that is a sign of a true Eved Hashem. your showing Hashem the commitment -eventually He will give you the gift of enjoying it-but eve when its not there-or especially when its not there-it is a very precious thing that Hashem values & loves you for

Same applies by a family Shabbos Seudah. Sometimes, its uninspiring, everyone's tired,some are irritable, even saying kiddush or singing zemiros feels like a drag. But ultimately, you say kiddush & sing zemiros anyhow & try your best. you are honoring Hashem with Shabbos. would it be nice to feel it? of course it would. but dont think these rituals are meaningless. In a sense , they have even more valued than in those times that you are inspired.  

Same is true with marriage. At times it feels wonderful, when husband & wife are extremely close & attuned to each other. Then, there are times, may times, even in the very most best of marriages when the relationship feels stagnant, where the connection is not strongly felt, when either stress or boredom (2 opposite causes) . When the sexual intimate aspect also feels unexciting or unfulfilling. Of course , with time & patience & prayer & mutually working together, a husband & wife can renew & strengthen their physical & emotional relationship. But one must realize the beauty & importance & act of love & kindness it is to behave in accordance to the commitement & loyalty towards ones wife or husband even if you don't feel it . This is the mark of a true love. the emotions, the warm feeling, the physical desire, the fiery exciting -no one is saying its not important-because it is.. but in life, Hashem created many moments & situations & time spans when these are hidden, & He wants to see how you act when you dont feel these things which make it easy for you to be a loving husband or wife.& when you behave with love even when you dont feel in love. 

All blessings come from "walking" in His "statutes"-He will ultimately give you all the gifts of renewal & excitement & love but He wants us to serve Him by walking, by the feet, by the action, by simply serving Him purely & sincerely.

The Degalim-is a gift each one of us have -even today

Every tribe-& every individual is connected to a Degel-a unique path to Hashem through your unique soul. 

Even today, we have the Degel-we have the ability to delve deep in our soul & discern our path as well as the path of our brother's & sisters.

This is true Unity-Oneness-Hashem doesn't want all of us to be the same-He wants us to be ourselves=each different from one another & yet serving One God as One people.

For example, though we all keep Shabbos, are bound by the same laws in keeping it ( though there are halachic differences & customs between groups & communities -the basic concepts are the same for all), nevertheless every soul experiences Shabbos in a very special unique way.

Every man & women in our nation is connected in a special way, in the root of our soul to Hashem-the root of all souls. 

He connects with each one of us individually & we can connect with Him each of us in our unique special way

We all heard Hashem talk to us directly at Mount Sinai-every one of us!!

That voice is still resounding deep within us-& we can again reveal that voice & make it real & tangible in our lives

each of us can take the light of shevuous & have it shine across the summer months coming up, all the way to Rosh Hashana & beyond.

It is a time when many go on summer vacations, travel, or in other ways change thier lifestyles

& there is nothing wrong with resting the body & mind & refresh oneself for one's physical & emotional health

yet , there is a great opportunity for many to infuse the summer months with meaning & with growing closer to Hashem, to your husband/wife, to your children, friends & to your own inner self.

in the warm months of summer , there is more of a challenge with guarding one's eyes, & the borders between men & women are often weakened.

& yet, the summer months are & have a beautiful opportunity to grow, to elevate yourself, to strengthen your marriage ,to enjoy the healthy & kosher outlets in life with can be very satisfying & very enjoyable.

while it is true that forbidden fruits are tempting by the very nature of their being forbidden, people neglect the gift of using the permitted physical & emotional pleasures in life to grow & thrive.  

in marriage this is true as well. with investing energy & time , despite the responsibility that comes with being married & building a family, there is great gifts of enjoying alot of pleasures in married life-but people neglect it or don't value it or don't invest time & energy towards it.  whether sexually, or in friendship, or in love-many marriages that feel dry & stagnant can thrive. 

remember this as the summer months come along. you can enjoy life-even physical pleasures-in permitted & healthy ways & even grow spiritually from the experience. staying away from forbidden fruits can be temporarily painful-no one is denying that, But the gifts of turning your minds away from it & focusing on utilizing healthy permitted pleasure can transform your life-& you will actually enjoy hose physical pleasures too.... 

We all in our own way like Aharon-we too light the Menorah of 7 lights to kindle the spirit of our Nation & elevate it

There are 7 different ways-7 paths in serving Hashem (in certain aspects, there are 12 paths-one per tribe -but in a basic fundamental way, we have 7 distinct paths corresponding to the 7 middos as we express them in the days of sefirah)

each one of us have the ability to kindle the light of the soul of another Jew-to elevate him or her to the point where the other Jew can be illuminated on their own

There are also 7 ways to kindle the lights-to inspire & teach others. However the one primary method to do so is the path of Aharon-to kindle another through chessed & ahavah-through kindness & love

Paradoxically, when you focus on elevating & inspiring your brothers & sisters , you end up inspiring yourself. Why? because in truth, all our souls are connected.we are in essence one-so when we genuinely try to help others-we end up helping ourselves as well.

Chazal praise the consistency of Aharon-that his service never changed

1) it was always done with the same fervor & enthusiasm & with the same fiery love for his people-he always -each & every day-renewed himself & inspired others with his love & compassion

2)He never deviated from the structure of the mitzvah. There is a powerful lesson in this. Hashem appreciates our creativity & fiery love for our people but at the same time He desires for us to channel this creativity in a healthy structure-like a fire contained in a fireplace-to value the gifts of that fire but to also create borders so that the fire doesn't spread & destroy. This is one of the challenges in life-to value creativity & healthy expansive expression & at the very same time express it within the borders that Hashem designed us to have for our benefit.

Divrei Torah Kedoshim thru Bahaaloscha (had trouble posting this before)



wishing you a wonderful weekend!!

Parshas Shelach-Dvar Torah

wishing you all a wonderful week!!

1-Rashi explains the connection between the story of Miriam & the Spies in that the spies should have learned from what happened to Miriam & refrained from speak loshon hora. From here we see a very important concept in life. Everything we see & hear, everything we experience are lessons to be learned on how to behave-it's Hashem that gives us these experiences to learn from -this is Hashem "talking" to us on a constant basis.We can pray to Hashem to allow us to have the wisdom to see these signs & events & to interpret them properly so that we can know what Hashem wants from us.

2-Challah is the idea of taking the "first"-the "beginning "-& giving that to Hashem. Modeh Ani in the morning in expression if this challah concept.Using our first thought & words to Hashem to express our gratitude to Him & acknowledging that He is the source of our life. Its the blessing we make before a mitzvah or before we eat food or drink water. -that too is the challah concept-praising Hashem & thanking Him right before we take an action or experience pleasure. & though there are no formal blessings recited before engaging in marital intimacy,, we can still thank Hashem & express out gratitude to Him for gifting us our spouse & for giving us this experience. Same applies with every kindness Hashem gives us. By giving first to Hashem our experience in this kindness becomes a very rich & powerful experience

The Shem Mishmuel (pinchas) asked why Moshe didn't pray for Korach & his followers so they can have a change of heart so that they can be saved. Moshe as the compassionate leader prayed for the Jews when they complained, when they served the  Calf, when the spies messed up & in so many other cases when Moshe prayed for people who sinned & erred. So why couldn't he pray for compassion towards Korach?? 

He answers with a profound thought. He says that all prayers -even for individuals-are connected with the Klall-with the entire nation. For example, when praying for an ill person, we say " besoch klall yisroel"-among all of the Jewish people. -all the tefillos in the shemona esrai are in plural form-even if you have in mind just for yourself or a particular individual-we include the individual with the totality of our nation-uniting us as a Whole.

& because  of Korach's divisiveness -his creating a machlokos that divided the klall-He lost the power of the Klall-& thus Moshe did not have the ability to pray for him. Its not that he didn't want to-its that he couldn't-because Korach had separated himself from the Klall

He therefore explains that leaders of out people can help each individual of our nation only if the nation is united-otherwise the leader's prayers loses its power. Why? because the leader is like a general who appoints troops & soldiers to various tasks to win a war. He can only do so if his entire army are serving for the same purpose. Otherwise, they will not succeed. . Same is true with a tzaddik, a leader of a generation-his prayers take effect if every one in the nation is united in serving Hashem. It's Ok & even important to have different tasks as long as those tasks are for a united & pure purpose with the love of our Creator & the love we have for each other

so when we pray for ourselves or for particular individuals-lets first pray for unity-fill our hearts with love for each individual in our nation, hoping that they too will turn their  hearts to unite as one- & then our prayers have so much more power. Hashem listens to us more when we have the love for each of His children in our hearts

Dvar Torah-Parshas Korach

https://guardyoureyes.com/media/kunena/attachments/2149/korach-5779.pdf

please see page 122 of yechida's reflections for a perspective of july 4th

in regard to the strange mitzvah of para aduma-how a mixture derived from ashes of a red cow can purify the impure & at the same time contaminate the pure-is a "chok"-beyond intellect & reason

it's like a mother who tells her 3 year old child that he has to do something & the child asks "why"? and the response is " i'm your mommy, your my child, your going to listen because I say so".   

& while a 3 year old child will one day have the intelligence equal to his mother, we will always be like a 3 year old child to Hashem. some things are simply beyond our comprehension , &  even when moshiach comes & the secret of parah adumah will be revealed to us-it will be as a gift to us-not because our brains had the intrinsic ability to grasp it

 by keeping a "chok" we attached to the essence to Hashem by the essence of our soul

why? because we are obeying something that is beyond our logic-Im doing this because my mommy said so-Im doing this because my Creator told me to do it-period.

even logical mitzvos, on the deepest level, should be kept as a "chok". I'm not just holding back from stealing or murder because its logically & morally wrong-I'm holding back because my Creator instructed me to hold back

it's not contradiction to the fact that Hashem wants us to delve into Torah & seek the meaning behind the mitzvos. True, He desires us to develop a deep understanding & Kavannah but at the same time on the deepest level He wants you to do the mitzvah simply because He , the King of Kings instructed you to do so.

In the same vein, Ahavas Yisroel is not only when you find in your fellow Jew a beautiful quality that logically gives you a reason to love him. Ahavas Yisroel is even when you don't find a logical basis to love him but rather you love him because he or she is one with you in essence-he or she is part of you, part of the Jewish people & that is why you love him or her-period-as Hashem's child

Even with non-jews , there can be a healthy connectivity (ie we have to be separate from non-jews in culture & behavior and at the same time be concerned about their welfare on a basic human level)  from the simple fact that Hashem blew into every human being -a Tzelem Elokim-unfortunately it can be lost in a sea of wickedness but still its redeemable & can be accessed by many.  it is because of this the lubavitcher rebbe once asked of a politician of a district that had a large chinese population to concern himself with the financial welfare of the chinese people saying they are generally very hardworking & decent & need to benefit from what ever services the district requires. what is a Jewish leader doing focusing on chinese people? It's the connection via the Tzelem Elokim-it's a chok -it's the way it is

This concept of "chok" may seem restrictive to some but when it being the connecting of our essence to Hashem's Essence-there can be nothing more liberating & powerful as that!!