Huge prayer rally!
A positive commandment from the Torah
To cry and shout about any calamity that comes upon the public [Rambam Hilchot Ta’anit, Chap. I; and Mishna Brura #5076]
In these crazy days when the degree of judgment [Midat Hadin] is overstretched and a sword hangs over us from without, when they sow fear among us and there is not one moment without harm, and when our troubles increase day by day, and we have no power except for prayer.
Therefore, at the order of the great leaders of our generation [Gdolei Hador] it is a holy obligation for every man and woman to gather and stand together for the sake of our souls, in prayer.
Erev Ta’anit Esther, Tuesday evening, March 22nd
The day when we say “v’Nahafoch hu” [things are turned upside down] and on which the primary miracle occurred and the hour of salvation and mercy occur at midnight, [we will gather].
At the graves of our holy fathers
At the Cave of Machpelah in Hevron
To recite Tehillim and Slichot and to accept the Yoke of Gd with a great audience and unity to sanctify Gd’s name with repentance and love for Israel.
Buses at low cost will be dispatched from all over the country.
Generous amounts of refreshments and drinks will be available until dawn.
National information number: 077-229-2222
Volunteers are needed to help publicize and distribute this information in their places of residence: 052-713-0094
Many classic sources tell us that Purim
represents a special opportunity for one’s prayers to be answered.
The Sefer Kav HaYosher says the following: Taanis Esther is a day that is very auspicious for one’s prayers to be answered in the merit of Mordechai and Esther. Whoever needs mercy for any particular needs should put aside time for themselves and do the following: First, recite Chapter 22 in Tehilim. Then, pour out your heart to Hashem and ask for all your needs and mention the merit of Mordechai and Esther [whose merits saved us from Haman]. The Gates of Mercy will be opened and your prayers will be accepted beratzon.
The Ritv”a in his commentary to Megillah 7a quotes the Talmud Yerushalmi which explains regarding the fulfillment of the obligation to give matanos la’evyonim [gifts to the poor] on Purim, that kol ha’posheit yado leetol yitnu lo - we give to anyone who extends his hand to receive”. This is to say that on this festive day we give money to everyone who asks, without first checking to see if they truly are poor and worthy of receiving tzedakah funds.
The Chasam Sofer writes that just as we are not particular if the people to whom we give charity on Purim are truly deserving, and whoever extends his hand gets helped, so, too, does G-d listen to all our prayers on this special day, and kol ha’posheit yado leetol yitnu lo – He gives to anyone who extends his hand to receive.
Source: Ben Ish Hai Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord.[Malachi 3:23]
Elijah comes... only to distance those who were drawn near... and to draw near those who have become distanced...[Eduyot 8:7]
Nowadays, most of the world adheres to falsehood and its accompanying wickedness; "all mankind is deceitful" [Psalms 116:11].
In the future, Elijah will change that. He will distance falsehood - שׁקר - [whose letters are close together] and expel it from the world; and he will draw truth -אמת - [whose letters are far apart] near so that the entire world will adhere to it.
by Rabbi Yisrael Bronstein וַיִּקְרָא"Vayikra - He called" [Vayikra 1:1]
Why is the word "Vayikra" written with a small alef? asked R' Simchah Bunim of P'shischa.
The verse comes to teach us, answered the rebbe, about the extraordinary humility of Moshe Rabbeinu. Even when he was engaged in conversation with Hashem, the King of the entire world, Moshe remained the most humble of men.
To what can this be compared? asked the rebbe. To a man who had scaled an enormous mountain and looking about, he could get the impression that he towers over all those around him. However, if he is a wise man, he will realize that he is not tall at all, nor does his elevated position point to any personal greatness. For it is the mountain upon which he is standing that is tall. He knows that he has not grown any taller and that he is still small compared to all the mountains around him.
This is the secret to Moshe Rabbeinu's humility, explained the rebbe. For even though he had achieved great heights, so much so that Hashem was calling him in order to speak with him, he nonetheless remained humble, as he did not attribute any of his greatness to his own personal strengths.
There is a commonly asked question regarding the wordוַיִּקְרָא in this parshah: Why is it spelled with a small alef?
The word Vayikra begins the sefer that deals with sacrificial offerings. The main purpose of bringing sacrifices is to bring atonement to a person who sinned. But that is only accomplished if the person regrets his previous misdeeds and repents wholeheartedly for what he has done.
The mussar masters have taught us that the trait of haughtiness lies at the root of all sin. A humble and subdued person does not sin easily, but one whose heart is filled with pride and arrogance pays little heed to rebuke, so he will inevitably succumb to sin.
The letter alef stands for the word ani - I. "Vayikra" is spelled here with a small alef to teach us that if we make our ani small - if we make ourselves small and act with humility - then we will avoid sins and we will have no need to bring sacrificial offerings.
Please forward this blog post to anyone you know who is in this situation. It could literally save their life !
There are, unfortunately, a lot of Jews out there who have divorced under the civil law, but not according to Jewish law - that is, with the husband writing out a gett[Jewish bill of divorce] for his wife. Actually, he doesn't write it, the rabbi does, but he has to hand the document to her. The original ketubah [marriage certificate] is then torn up, and the couple are formally divorced. If this hasn't happened... then they are still married, both according to Jewish law and according to Heaven, and all the laws of a married couple are still applicable.
Jews who divorce without agettcause themselves a multitude of problems: not the least of which can be a rapid descent into poverty for them both or singly, or even severe illness. This is because they are still married under Heaven's eyes, and their living arrangements as "divorcees" are not in accordance with their halachically "married" status. Every day they continue in this manner, they are bringing more and more judgments upon themselves.
The following is written by Rabbi J. Forsythe (c) 2002
When a Jewish married couple decides that they are no longer able to live together as husband and wife, Jewish law requires that they separate from each other promptly and, in a reasonable period of time, terminate the marriage with a document of divorce, called in Hebrew, a "get." This applies whenever a Jewish man and Jewish woman have entered into marriage with each other.
Some people do not realize that their marriage remains fully intact as long as there is no get. A get is mandatory and inescapable to end a Jewish marriage. The Torah makes very clear that once a Jewish marriage has been created, only a kosher get, executed by a kosher bais din [Torah court], can undo it. The Torah refers to the get as the husband giving a "document of cutting off." The choice of words teaches 1. that the marriage is not at all terminated until this document is given by the man to the woman as the conclusion of the divorce procedure and 2. by the Torah's not using the literal name of the document ["get"], we should strive to refrain from ending a marriage [i.e. avoid coming to a get, just as the Torah avoids saying the word "get"] and we should consider it painfully sad when a marriage has to die and divorce has to come.
This is something which is not affected at all by a person's religious affiliation, philosophy, observance-level or marital-strife level. A civil divorce or agreement to be unmarried is not enough. Without a kosher get, executed by an authorized bais din, there has been no removal at all of the marriage status.
If a woman is separated from her husband, or has a secularly legal divorce, she might MISTAKENLY consider herself free to have a relationship with a man other than the husband with whom she had a Jewish marriage. However, THIS WOMAN IS NO DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER WOMAN MARRIED UNDER JEWISH LAW and her involvement on any level with any other man is adulterous. She may not be alone with another man, may not have physical contact with him, may not be without her body covered thoroughly by modest clothing or without her hair covered when in his presence, and she certainly may NOT have any intimate relations. A child born from such a union is a "momzer" which is an uncorrectable taint and distortion (on the soul of the child born from this union), which will be continued and passed on in all offspring through all generations. A "momzer" may not marry a "regular Jew," and his or her descendants will never be able to marry a "regular Jew" till the end of time.
If you know someone whose religious commitment is not strong, or who is not religious; whose marriage is essentially over but the couple is without a get, it is crucial that you bring to bear any influence or assistance to have the couple execute a KOSHER GET FROM AN AUTHORIZED ORTHODOX BAIS DIN WHICH IS UNIVERSALLY ACCEPTED BY TORAH LAW AUTHORITIES. Generations are at stake - not just the couple. A Jewish marriage is holy and is in "rumos shel olam (the heights of creation)." Its violation; no matter how antagonistic or alienated the relationship is; is serious and treasonous trampling on the sacrosanct, is punished by premature death and is, in many ways, "playing with fire."
This is just a small extract; the entire article can be found here: Shalom Bayis Issues
And if a [poor] person brings a meal offering to the Lord, his offering shall be of fine flour. He shall pour oil over it and place frankincense upon it. Vayikra 2:1
Unlike a wealthy person, who is able to give voluntary offerings in the Temple from expensive animals and birds, the poor man is only able to offer flour. Nevertheless, the Torah attributes more significance to the poor man's offering, as Rashi writes "I consider it as if he has sacrificed his very soul!"
This is because the wealthy man's offering is inevitably connected with a certain amount of self-satisfaction, at the thought of bringing one of the most expensive and impressive sacrifices. The poor man, however, could not possibly be proud of his meagre offering, so his is the most genuine offering of all, dedicated to G-d amidst feelings of humility. Thus, to him, G-d says ''It is as if he has sacrificed his very soul!"
Digital Photo by David Pasillas ''You shall be holy'' [ Kedoshim 19:2 ] There is a principle in Chassidic thought t...
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"But I don't want to go among mad people," Alice remarked. "Oh, you can't help that," said the Cat: "we're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad." "How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice. "You must be," said the Cat, "or you wouldn't have come here."
