Why the Entire World is being Attacked by CoronaVirus

 I'm re-listening to this shiur, which was given in March 2020 by Rabbi Anava who has been unwell and hopefully will return to the video scene very shortly.  Anyway, I found that the re-listening one year later was quite interesting.

Pray for Others

 

Pray for Yourself

 

The Melave Malka and Moshiach Connection

 by Rabbi Benjy Simons

In this week’s Parsha [Yisro] we have the seminal section of the Ten Commandments together with the Sinai revelation. As last week we delved into the concept of the third meal on Shabbos, I thought it would be prudent to share some insights regarding the final meal associated with Shabbos and done after Havdalah known as the Melava Malka. According to the Rambam (Laws of Shabbos 29:1) the 4th Commandment of Remembering the Shabbos includes marking Shabbos both as it enters (which we do through Kiddush on Friday night) and when it concludes (which we do through Havdalah when Shabbos ends). 

We thus create a sense of balance of beginning the Shabbos with Kiddush with an associated meal and conclude the Shabbos with Havdalah and a light dinner. Interestingly, at both meals it is customary to wear our Shabbos clothes, light candles and even recite Shir HaMalos in Birchas HaMazon. In doing this we are symbolically honouring an important dignitary (i.e. the Shabbos) as he enters and leaves our home every Shabbos (Rashi). 

The Talmud (Shabbos 119b) mentions that having hot bread or hot water has medicinal purposes when consumed at the Melava Malka as well as long term benefits of sustaining a certain bone in the body (Luz) which is instrumental for the final resurrection. It is also encouraged to have meat at this meal, though many are lenient like the third meal on Shabbos to simply have a cooked dish or fruit together with a hot drink. 

Traditionally this meal is associated with King David as he used to make a celebratory meal each week following Shabbos. The Gemara (Shabbos 30a-b) mentions that King David implored Hashem to know when he would pass away (see Psalms 39:5 and Pesachim 54b). Although he was denied this request, he was told that he would pass away on a Shabbos and hence each Motzei Shabbos he was relieved and confident that he was protected for a following week. 

An additional reason of why this meal is connected to King David, is also connected to the Messianic redemption to which the Gemara (Eruvin 43b) mentions that Moshiach (a descendant of King David) can’t come on Shabbos and hence after Shabbos we fervently pray for the possibility that Moshiach come. It is therefore customary to sing songs associated with Eliyahu HaNavi and share stories about our righteous ancestors in the hope and merit that we should be able to usher in the final redemption, may it happen speedily in our days.

Why Tzaddikim Atone for Us All

 by Rabbi Elchanan Lewis

Question: How can the death of a Tzaddik become a Kapparah [atonement]?

Answer: The Tzadik is not a personal individual that has an impact only on himself, he is a public figure who impacts on all those around him; the loss of a Tzadik is therefore a public loss, not an individual or family one. The Tzadikim are here not for themselves, rather for others - that is how they live their lives and that is how they also die; Just as the death serves as atonement to the deceased himself, so the departure of a Tzadik does to his community.

BDE

 

What a sad day for Klal Yisrael.

Shabbat Shira Customs

 

QUESTION: What is the reason for the custom to put out food for the birds on Erev Shabbat Shirah? (Chabad) 

ANSWER: On Shabbat Shirah, when we read about the manna that Hashem provided for the Jewish people, it is customary to put out food for the birds on Erev Shabbat as a reward for the Kiddush Hashem they brought about. (ר' מאיר מפרימישלאן זצ"ל)

 * * *

Alternatively, the Maharal of Prague would instruct the teachers of young children to gather their students in the shul yard on Shabbat Shira and relate to them the story of Kriat Yam Suf — the splitting of the sea. They were also to tell the children that at that time Hashem performed a miracle and trees with beautiful fruit grew in the sea (see Midrash Rabbah 22:1). When the Jews sang the Shirah, the birds sang and danced. The Jewish children picked fruits from the trees and fed the birds. To commemorate this event, we put out food for the birds Erev Shabbat Shirah. 

* * * 

The teachers would give them kasha (buckwheat) to throw to the birds. And afterward the Maharal would bless the children and also the parents that they should merit to see their children embark on Torah, marriage and good deeds. (ספר השיחות תש"ב ע' 73 - לקוטי שיחות ח"ב ע' 522)

* * * 

Some have the custom to feed wheat to the birds on Shabbat Shirah. 

 (מגן אברהם שכ"ד, ז' וספר תוספת שבת מר' רפאל ז"ל מייזליש) 

It is the custom of Chabad to eat kasha on Shabbat Shirah. (היום יום י"ז שבט) This custom is based on the pasuk: “Hasam gevuleich shalom cheilev chitim yasbi’eich” — “He has made peace within your borders; He satiated you with the finest of wheat” (Psalms 147:14). Thus, on Shabbat Shirah, when we read that Hashem emancipated the Jewish people from Egyptian bondage and prepared them to be in their own geographical boundaries and also the boundaries of Torah, it is customary to eat wheat (buckwheat). 

The word “beshalach” (בשלח) is an acronym for the words "בשבת שירה לאכל חטים" — “On Shabbat Shirah to eat wheat (buckwheat).” (עוללות אפרים)

Source

The Essence of Tu B'Shvat

Rabbi Mendel Kessin, new audio

The Essence of Tu b'Shvat  click here to listen

Another interesting link at Daf Yomi Review  Torah Numerology The Final Frontier