The Lesson of the Tachash

 

by Rabbi David Hanania Pinto

"Tachash skins, acacia wood" [Terumah 25:5]

Chazal say (Shabbat 28b) that the tachash was a beautiful, multi-colored animal that was created for the purpose of building the Mishkan and then disappeared and is no longer found. So the entire reason for its creation was only for a specific time. The question is, why did Hashem create a special creature at the time of the building the Mishkan and then conceal it? Seemingly He could have made it a permanent creation so that it would be ready for its use in the Mishkan. And if the goal was that it should be a rare, unique creature that would be sighted only at the time of building the Mishkan, Hashem could have hidden it away in the distant forests and revealed it only when it was needed for the Mishkan. What lies behind this special act of creation specifically for the sake of the Mishkan? 

It seems that one can derive the following lesson from the creation of the tachash. Hashem wished to teach us that just as the Mishkan required a specific item, the skin of the tachash which was unavailable in the world, and therefore Hashem fashioned a special creation, so too man who is comparable to the Mishkan, (his mind is compared to the Aron HaBrit, his eyes to the Menorah, his mouth to the Shulchan etc.), must create and form within himself renewed strength to elevate himself in his service of Hashem. Even if his strength is waning, he should not give up but should toil with his last remaining strength, as it says in Mishlei (2:4-5), "If you seek it as [if it were] silver, if you search for it as [if it were] hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of Hashem, and discover the knowledge of G-d". This implies that if a person wants to understand the extent to which he must toil to acquire Yirat Shamayim and understanding of the Torah and what strengths he possesses for this, he should try to create a visual picture of the strength he would invest to search for silver and hidden treasures. 

Let us picture an extremely tired man who is long bereft of strength and since he is overcome with tiredness he leaves everything and lays his head down to rest somewhat. It is quite clear to all that if this person would suddenly receive a phone call announcing that he had won the lottery, he would immediately jump up like a lion, forget his tiredness and run to claim his prize because he is afraid of missing the chance. How sad it is that there are people who run after money and work the entire day but when the time comes for them to immerse themselves in Torah study, suddenly their tiredness overwhelms them and they cannot keep their eyes open to learn. 

This requires much work on one's middot, to create renewed strength for the sake of studying Torah which is more precious than gold and pearls. Since Hashem wanted to teach man that he must create new strengths when it comes to Torah study, even in a situation when it seems like a truly new creation of something from nothing, He therefore, did not create the tachash during the Six Days of Creation but singled out its creation for the time of the building of the Mishkan. Man, who is like a miniature Mishkan, should know that he must cleave to Hashem's ways and renew his strength when it comes to studying the Torah and fulfilling its mitzvot.

The Battle of the Last War....

 ...are you programmed

New shiur from Rabbi Alon Anava whose videos can now be found at Vimeo.com

Wonderful lecture, everything is explained here, highly recommend this shiur.

The battle of the last war - Are you Programmed? from Rabbi Alon Anava on Vimeo.

Egypt as the Model for Redemption

Rabbi Mendel Kessin, audio - this lecture was given in October 2020 

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

Miriam's Tambourine

"Miriam's Tambourine" - Michoel Muchnik

Miriam, the prophetess, Aaron's sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women came out after her with tambourines and with dances [Beshalach 15:20]

The righteous women did not delegate their responsibilities to their leader, Miriam the prophetess. Rather, each and every woman made for herself a tambourine, in a personal effort to trust in G-d's redemption and rejoice in it when it comes.

There is always a temptation to leave the responsibility of inspiring the people to Jewish leaders. However, we can learn from the righteous women in Egypt that it is every single person's obligation to inspire his or herself and all of the people that he or she comes into contact with.

Source: Sichas Shabbos Parshas Beshalach 5752, Lubavitcher Rebbe

The Stages of the Geulah and The Pandemic

Two new audios from Rabbi Mendel Kessin given 8/10/2020

The Stages of the Geulah

The Pandemic

Parshat HaMon

Art: Heidi Malott

Rebbe Menachem Mendel of Riminov [1745-1815], a disciple of the Holy Rebbe Elimelech of Lizhensk, instructed everyone to read "Parshat HaMann" specifically on the Yom Shlishi [Tuesday] of Parshat Beshalach in the "Shnayim Mikra v'Echad Targum" format, i.e. reading the Hebrew verses twice and the Aramaic translation of Onkelos once.   This year it will occur today Tuesday 26 January.

Not to be confused with the evil villain of the Purim story, Parshat haMann [The Chapter of the Manna] is found in the 16th Chapter of the Book of Exodus: verses 4-36. This Chapter details the episode of the miraculous "Manna" [bread from heaven] that sustained the Children of Israel during their 40-year journey in the desert.

Rav Yosef Caaro, the "mechaber" [compiler] of the monumental Halachic text, the Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 1:5, instructs us to recite it daily. Other giants of Halacha also point to the importance of reciting it daily: The Tur 1; Aruch Hashulchan 1:22; Shulchan Aruch HaRav 1:9.

By so doing, every Jew acknowledges that his/her livelihood comes from only from Hashem. Reciting the Parshat HaMann daily strengthens one's Emuna and Bitachon [belief and trust] in HASHEM, and is a "Segula for Parnassa" [auspicious for having a healthy income].

To read Parshat haMann in Hebrew [with the Aramaic translation of Onkelos], please visit: Tefillos.com

English version here: Ou.org

Read more at: Zchus Avos and Why Parshas Hamon is recited on Tuesday

Trust in Hashem

It's a relief that all the waiting is over now.  Now we can get back to the normality of trusting Hashem above all else.  And in that vein, this new video from Rabbi Zitron seems appropriate: "What Happens if you trust in people vs Hashem".  I guess this is what it's all about.  We cannot put our faith in one person.  Not that we abandoned Hashem, chas v'shalom, we just thought Hashem was using Trump to get to a certain place.  Seems we got it wrong.  What happens next.... I do not know.  Speak your mind in the comments if you need to vent some steam.

The Last Generation Before Moshiach Part 2

 Rabbi Shimon Kessin  [Part 1 can be seen here]

The Difficulty Hidden in Moshe's Name

Art: Lucy Campbell

"HaCHodesh Hazeh Lachem - הַחֹ֧דֶשׁ הַזֶּ֛ה לָכֶ֖ם - This new month is for you..."[Bo 12:2]. Rashi tells us the pasuk uses the word Zeh because Moshe could not properly grasp Kiddush HaChodesh, so Hashem showed it to him, using the word Zeh. We find the words Zeh two other times where Chazal says the same thing. Moshe could not grasp the inner depth of the Shekalim or the Menorah.

The Vilna Gaon says that these three Mitzvot are hidden in the name Moshe twice. If you take the Roshei Teivot [first letters] of the words Menorah, Shekalim, and HaChodesh, it spells Moshe. "Also," says the Gra, "if you take the last letters of those same words they also spell Moshe."

Source: Revach.net

World Wide Moshiach Event

On 21 February there will be a World Wide prayer to bring Moshiach. Thanks to Leah for sending me the info.

 

The Italian Connection

 HT: Rahel

The World of Lies

George Orwell's 1984 has surged to the top of the list of Best Selling Books. [Source]

“Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered. And the process is continuing day by day and minute by minute. History has stopped. Nothing exists except an endless present in which the Party is always right.” — GEORGE ORWELL, “1984”