Thursday, February 25, 2016

Square, Not Round

Now it came to pass when he drew closer to the camp and saw the calf and the dances, that Moses' anger was kindled, and he flung the tablets from his hands, shattering them at the foot of the mountain. [Ki Tisa 32:19]

According to the Talmud, the Tablets were each 6 x 6 tefachim in size, and together they filled the Ark, leaving no space [Bava Basra 14a].  From this we see that the Tablets were square in shape.

Furthermore, there is a halachic principle that the vessels of the Temple are only valid if they are "intact and full". Thus, it was a legal imperative that the Tablets filled the Ark completely leaving no space.  Obviously, ths would preclude them from being rounded in shape.

The concept of tablets with rounded tops is actually non-Jewish in origin, being derived from Roman tradition (the nation that destroyed our holy Temple).  Nevertheless, the image found its way into our books due to the non-Jewish censorship of printing spanning many centuries.  As a result, today there are even religious Jews who depict the tablets as being round on the top, contrary to the Talmud.

It is a mitzvah to publicize at every opportunity that, according to Jewish sources, the Tablets are square in shape.

[Based on Sichas Shabbos Parshas Ki Tisa 5741 - Lubavitcher Rebbe]

Monday, February 22, 2016

BDE : Erlauer Rebbe zt''l


A very special soul has passed from this world.

''B’tzaar Ra’av we regret to report the passing of the Erlauer Rebbe, Harav Yochonon Sofer zt”l. He was 92 years old. 

Harav Yochanan Sofer, the Erlau Rebbe, was born in Erlau, Hungary, in Teves 5683/1923. His father, Harav Moshe Sofer, great-grandson and namesake of the Chasam Sofer, zt”l, was the son of the Rav of Erlau, Harav Shimon Sofer, known for his sefer Hisorerus Teshuvah.

In his later years, Harav Shimon appointed his son, Harav Moshe, to serve as Rav of Erlau alongside him.''

More at Hamodia

Purim Katan: The Rebbe Explains

According to the Jewish calendar, a second month of Adar is added in a leap-year. While Purim is usually celebrated in Adar, during a leap-year it is postponed until the second Adar, and we mark Purim Katan - “the small Purim” in the first month.

 

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Moshiach's Arrival: How Do We Know It's Imminent

I ''accidentally'' stumbled upon this shiur, while I was looking for something else.  It is one of the best shiurim I've heard.   It was given a couple of years ago, but is timeless - absolutely brilliant

Rabbi Shimon Kessin speaking at KSY, Kehillas Shivtei Yeshurun, in Ramat Beit Shemesh, Israel in 2013.

 

Pride

Art by Ben Goosens

Text by Rabbi David Hanania Pinto Shlita 

Pride is a type of currency that the Supreme King has declared null and condemned in the Torah: “Beware lest you forget the L-RD your G-d, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt.” In fact, the man of pride forgets his Creator, as it is written: “Your cattle and sheep increase, and you increase silver and gold for yourselves … and you may say in your heart, ‘My strength and the might of my hand made me all this wealth!’ Then you shall remember the L-RD your G-d, that it was He Who gave you strength to make wealth.” The king himself is also warned, “so that his heart not become haughty over his brothers.” If the Torah judged it necessary to make this recommendation to the king, how much more so is it essential for ordinary people, in order that they not lord it over one another!

A person can act arrogantly with his ears, by not listening to the cries of the poor, or by his nose, if he is disgusted by standing near the poor or going to their homes because of the smell. One can also be arrogant by one’s words, by making haughty and brazen remarks against the upright. Pride can be recognized by eating and dressing habits, with the man who wears pretentious clothing. The Torah warns us concerning this: “Do not follow the ways of the nations.” Arrogant men are abysmal in G-d’s eyes – “All haughty hearts are loathsome to G-d.” These people will be delivered to their desires because G-d, Who loathes them, will not come to their aid. And even if a man does not demonstrate his arrogance to others by his actions or his words, but rather keeps it in his heart, he is called “loathsome,” for it is written: “All haughty hearts are loathsome to G-d” – even if his pride is only in his heart.

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

The Power of Charity

Rabbi Alon Anava: The Power of Charity: Parts One and Two
Learn all about the great Mitzvah of giving Charity and its spiritual powers




Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Rav Kanievsky: Moshiach is at the door

Rabbi Chananya Chollak, the founder and international chairman of Ezer Mizion, visited Rav Chaim Kanievsky today.

During the course of their conversation, Rabbi Chollak mentioned the horrific, tragic crash on Highway 1 on Sunday that claimed six Yiddishe neshamos.

“Moshiach is on his way,” Rav Chaim told Rabbi Chollak.

“But what’s going to be with the rash of tragedies we have been experiencing?” asked Rabbi Chollak.

Rav Chaim responded, “Moshiach is not just on the way. He is at the very door.”

Source: David Steger – Matzav.com Israel

A Hint of Moshe Rabbeinu


"And you will command the Children of Israel" [Tetzaveh 27:20]

The Vilna Gaon asks why the verse begins with Hashem instructing Moshe "And you will command..." without first stating the standard opening "Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying..."

The answer, said the Gaon, is as follows:

The day of Moshe Rabbeinu's passing [and day of his birth] was the seventh of Adar. In most years, this day falls out during the week in which Parshas Tetzaveh is read. Now, in the entire Parshas Tetzaveh, Moshe's name is not mentioned, even once. This alludes to the fact that Moshe's demise took place during this week.

However, continued the Gaon, even though Moshe's name is not mentioned explicitly in Tetzaveh, it is nevertheless there in a hint:

There are 101 verses in the Parsha. If the letters that comprise the name "Moshe" - משׁה -are spelled out in their entirety, we would have the following:

מ the letters comprising Mem are מ מ -

שׁ the letters comprising Shin are שׁ י ן -

ה the letters compring Hey are ה א -

Total numerical value: 446

If we add up the numerical value of all these letters, and then subtract the numerical value of משׁה [Moshe: 345] - we will be left with the number 101 - the exact number of verses in the parsha.

Source: Rabbi Y. Bronstein