Weekly Sidra: Nasoh (Lift up)
Torah Portion: Bamidbar / Numbers 4:21-7:89
Haftorah: Shofetim / Judges 13:2-13:25

“There was a certain man from Zorah, of the stock of Dan, whose name was Manoah. His wife was barren and had borne no children. An angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, "You are barren and have borne no children; but you shall conceive and bear a son. Now be careful not to drink wine or other intoxicant, or to eat anything unclean. For you are going to conceive and bear a son; let no razor touch his head, for the boy is to be a nazirite to God from the womb on. He shall be the first to deliver Israel from the Philistines." (Judges 13:2-5)

This week’s Parashat means to lift up. Among the many topics it deals with is that of the Nazarite vow. The Haftarah portion deals with the birth of Sampson (Shimshon) who was to be a Nazarite from birth. A Nazarite or Nazirite (Nazir in Hebrew) was a Jew who took an ascetic vow as described in Numbers 6:1-21.

The term Nazarite comes from the Hebrew word nazir meaning "consecrated" or "separated." The Nazarite is "holy unto the Lord" (Numbers 6:8) and must keep himself from becoming ritually unclean. The regulations which apply to him actually agree with those for the High Priest and for the priests during worship, as described in Leviticus and in Ezekiel. This vow required the man (and in the Hellenistic period the woman too) to observe the following:

• Abstain from wine, vinegar (which was made from wine), grapes, raisins, and all intoxicants;
• Refrain from cutting one’s hair and beard;
• To avoid corpses, even those of a family member.

The vow was usually for a fixed period of time—30, 90 or even 100 days. At that time, the man would make a sacrifice that included a lamb, a ewe, a ram, and a basket of bread and cakes. There are cases where a parent would make this vow for her or his child, which the child would observe for his entire life.

The question is why a parent would invoke this vow on their children? The simple answer is that Hashem said so, so we do it. Here is the application for us today. Even though Hashem may seem to impose things on us he does so for our good.

Shimshon was given great strength as a result of his obedience to Hashem and he did many mighty acts for Hashem. However, as with anything, we have a choice and in the end Shimshon lost his power due to his lust for women like Delilah. When we go off the path Hashem has given us we can lose many blessings and opportunities.

Shimshon became the laughing stock of the Philistines once they found out the secret of his strength.

There is a silver lining to this dark cloud as we see later on in Judges.

“28 Shimshon called to ADONAI, "Adonai ELOHIM, just this once, please, think of me, and please, give me strength, so that I can take revenge on the P’lishtim for at least one of my two eyes." 29 Shimshon got a good hold on the two middle columns supporting the building and leaned on them, on one with his right hand and on the other with his left. 30 Then, crying, "Let me die with the P’lishtim!" he pushed with all his might; and the building collapsed on the chiefs and on all the people inside. So he killed more at his death than he had killed during his life. (Shofetim 16:28-30)

The ultimate encouragement is that Hashem can still use us for His good despite our sin. Proverbs 16:24 states: ” for though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again, but the wicked are brought down by calamity.”

If we are righteous we may fall from time to time, but we must remember that Hashem allows us to rise again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwV7O7-4Y74

This is a double parsha, made up of parshas Behar and Bechukotai. The seven aliyot of this week’s reading are indicated by special aliyah markings within those two parshas in the Chumash. Parshiyot Behar and Bechukotai are power-packed doubleheaders, this one emphasizing the connection between the Jew and Eretz Yisrael.

The lunisolar Hebrew calendar contains up to 55 weeks, the exact number varying between 50 in common years and 54 or 55 in leap years. In leap years, parshah Bechukotai is read separately. In common years, parshah Bechukotai is combined with the previous parshah, Behar, to help achieve the needed number of weekly readings.

Behar: The thirty-second reading from the Torah and second-to-last reading from the book of Leviticus is called Behar (בהר), which means “On the Mountain.” The name comes from the first words of the first verse of the reading, which could be literally translated to read, “HaShem then spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai” (Leviticus 25:1). This portion from the Torah introduces the laws of the sabbatical years, the jubilee and laws concerning redemption. In most years, synagogues read Behar together with the following portion, Bechukotai.

Bechukotai: The last reading from the book of Leviticus is called Bechukotai (בחקותי), which means “In My Statutes.” The name comes from the first verse of the reading, which begins with the words “If you walk in My statutes …” (Leviticus 26:3). This last reading from Leviticus promises blessings and rewards for Israel if they will keep the Torah, but punishment and curses if they break the commandments of the Torah. The last chapter discusses laws pertaining to vows, valuations and tithes. In most years, synagogues read Bechukotai together with the preceding portion, Behar.

Note: On the Shabbat the Torah Reading is divided into 7 sections. Each section is called an Aliya [literally: Go up] since for each Aliya, one person "goes up" to make a bracha [blessing] on the Torah Reading. Here are this week`s aliyot:

1st Aliya: Parshas BeHar begins with the laws of Shemitah (Sabbatical Year)and Yovel (Jubilee). The land lay fallow every 7th year, and after the 49th year, (7×7) it lay fallow a 2nd year for the 50th as well.

2nd Aliya: Hashem (God) promises (25:21-22) that He will provide for the nation, regardless of the land being fallow. No one will go hungry. The return, at Yovel, of all hereditary lands to their original owners is commanded.

3rd Aliya: The difference between the sale of a property in a walled city vs. an unwalled city is established. Continuing the theme of providing and dependency, we are commanded to provide for our impoverished brethren. Just as Hashem provides for us, we must provide for each other.

4th Aliya: The freeing of all Jewish slaves at the Yovel is detailed. The Torah discusses redeeming a Jewish slave from a non-Jewish owner, and the formula for how much to pay the non-Jewish master. We begin reading Bechukotai. The opening verses describe the wondrous successes awaiting the nation, so long as they follow Hashem’s Mitzvot (commadments).

5th Aliya: This Aliya is called the Tochecha (the rebuke). It is a lengthy description of the terrible punishments awaiting the nation, if they do not follow the Torah. It is customary for the Baal Koreh (Reader) to have this Aliya, and to read it faster and more quietly than the rest of the Parsha.

6th Aliya: The established prices for endowments of individual worth, or that of an animal, are listed.

7th Aliya: The final portion deals with endowments of property to the Bait Hamikdash (Temple).

This is the conclusion of Sefer Vayikra, which began with parshas Vayikra several weeks ago. In that parsha God called Moshe to the Mishkan for the first time after it was built and began the installation of the priests and the laws of their service in the Mishkan. This book of the Torah is also known as Torat Kohanim (Law of the Kohanim) because most of the laws that we’ve seen over the last few weeks have been about the Kohanim either directly or indirectly.

Now Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu each took his fire pan, put fire in it, and laid incense on it; and they offered before HaShem alien fire, which He had not enjoined upon them. 2 And fire came forth from HaShem and consumed them; thus they died at the instance of HaShem. [Vayikra 10:1-3]

This weeks Torah reading deals in part with the death of Aaron’s two sons Nadab & Abihu after they disobeyed the commandment of HaShem and offered a strange fire to Him.  It also deals with the Laws of Kashrut, this is which animals were and were not to be eaten.

The Torah is truth and the fact is Hashem wants us to obey all of his commandments (Mitzvot).  What does one have to do with the other?

We can see that God was so angry at Aaron’s sons that He killed them. Why?  This is because they were in a position of Leadership. When one is in a position of leadership one is expected to follow God.  Think about this if the leaders were not taking HaShem seriously why would anyone else.

This leads me to another point Vayikra Chapter 11:1-8 begins the dietary laws “HaShem spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying to them: Speak to the Israelite people thus: These are the creatures that you may eat from among all the land animals: any animal that has true hoofs, with clefts through the hoofs, and that chews the cud — such you may eat. The following, however, of those that either chew the cud or have true hoofs, you shall not eat: the camel — although it chews the cud, it has no true hoofs: it is unclean for you; the daman — although it chews the cud, it has no true hoofs: it is unclean for you; the hare — although it chews the cud, it has no true hoofs: it is unclean for you; and the swine — although it has true hoofs, with the hoofs cleft through, it does not chew the cud: it is unclean for you. You shall not eat of their flesh or touch their carcasses; they are unclean for you.” [Emphasis Mine]

As I said before HaShem wants us to obey all mitzvot (commandments) because He loves us and has our best interests at heart.  This is for everyone including leaders. 

So when I hear someone say that they can eat Pork or worship on Sunday, the fact is you cannot do so without breaking the mitzvot of Hashem. 

People think they can get away with picking and choosing which parts of the Torah to keep, or worse they feel they can offer strange fire to HaShem by eating whatever they want or by violating the Shabbat (Sabbath).

Remember the old saying if you play with fire you’re going to get burned.

Korban Pesach (Hebrew: קרבן פסח "sacrifice of Passover") also known as the "Paschal Lamb" is the sacrifice that the Torah mandates to be brought on the eve of Passover, and eaten on the first night of the holiday with bitter herbs and matzo. According to the Torah, it was first offered on the night of the Israelites’ Exodus from Egypt. Although practiced by Jews in ancient times, the ritual is no longer performed today.

The blood of this sacrifice sprinkled on the door-posts of the Israelites was to be a sign to the angel of death, when passing through the land to slay the first-born of the Egyptians that night, that he should pass by the houses of the Israelites.[1] This is called in the Mishnah the "Egyptian Passover sacrifice" ("Pesaḥ Miẓrayim"; Pes. ix. 5). It was ordained, furthermore (Ex. xii. 24-27), that this observance should be repeated annually for all time once the Israelites entered into their promised land. Ex. xii. 25 "It will come to pass when you come to the land which the Lord will give you, just as He promised, that you shall keep this service (NKJV). This so-called "Pesaḥ Dorot," the Passover of succeeding generations (Pes. l.c.), differs in many respects from the Pesaḥ Miẓrayim. In the pre-exilic period, however, Pesaḥ was rarely sacrificed in accordance with the legal prescriptions (comp. II Chron. xxxv. 18). According to Rashi, only once during their forty years of wandering in the wilderness, one year after the Exodus, was the sacrifice offered.

For the next 39 years there was no offering, according to Rashi, as God stipulated that it could only be offered after the Children of Israel had entered the Land of Israel. In fact, the bringing of the Pesach sacrifice resumed only after the Israelites had taken possession of the land, and then the sacrifice was made annually until during the times when Solomon’s Temple and the Second Temple stood and functioned. During this time there was a definite ritual for the offering, in addition to the regulations prescribed by the Law.

The following is a brief summary of the principal ordinances and of the ritual accompanying the sacrifice.

The sacrificial animal, which was either a lamb or kid, was necessarily a male, one year old, and without blemish. Each family or society offered one animal together, which did not require the "semikah" (laying on of hands), although it was obligatory to determine who were to take part in the sacrifice that the killing might take place with the proper intentions. Only those who were circumcised and clean before the Law might participate, and they were forbidden to have leavened food in their possession during the act of killing the paschal lamb. The animal was slain on the eve of the Passover, on the afternoon of the 14th of Nisan, after the Tamid sacrifice had been killed, i.e., at three o’clock, or, in case the eve of the Passover fell on Friday, at two.

The killing took place in the court of the Temple at Jerusalem, and might be performed by a layman, although the blood had to be caught by a priest, and rows of priests with gold or silver cups in their hands stood in line from the Temple court to the altar, where the blood was sprinkled. These cups were rounded on the bottom, so that they could not be set down; for in that case the blood might coagulate. The priest who caught the blood as it dropped from the victim then handed the cup to the priest next to him, receiving from him an empty one, and the full cup was passed along the line until it reached the last priest, who sprinkled its contents on the altar. The lamb was then hung upon special hooks or sticks and skinned; but if the eve of the Passover fell on a Sabbath, the skin was removed down to the breast only. The abdomen was then cut open, and the fatty portions intended for the altar were taken out, placed in a vessel, salted, and offered by the priest on the altar, while the remaining entrails likewise were taken out and cleansed.

While the required quorum for most activities requiring a quorum is usually ten, the Korban Pesach must be offered before a quorum of 30. (It must be performed in front of kahal adat yisrael, the assembly of the congregation of Israel. Ten are needed for the assembly, ten for the congregation, and ten for Israel.) According to some Talmudic authorities, women counted in the minyan for offering the Korban Pesach.

Even if the eve of the Passover fell on a Sabbath, the paschal lamb was killed in the manner described above, the blood was sprinkled on the altar, the entrails removed and cleansed, and the fat offered on the altar; for these four ceremonies in the case of the paschal lamb, and these alone, were exempt from the prohibition against working on the Sabbath. This regulation, that the Sabbath yielded the precedence to the Passover, was not definitely determined until the time of Hillel, who established it as a law and was in return elevated to the dignity of nasi by the Bene Bathyra.

The people taking part in the sacrifice were divided into three groups. The first of these filled the court of the Temple, so that the gates had to be closed, and while they were killing and offering their paschal lambs the Levites on the platform ("dukan") recited the "Hallel" (Psalms 113-118), accompanied by instruments of brass. If the Levites finished their recitation before the priests had completed the sacrifice, they repeated the "Hallel," although it never happened that they had to repeat it twice. As soon as the first group had offered their sacrifice, the gates were opened to let them out, and their places were taken by the second and third groups successively.

All three groups offered their sacrifice in the manner described, while the "Hallel" was recited; but the third group was so small that it had always finished before the Levites reached Psalm 116. It was called the "group of the lazy" because it came last. Even if the majority of the people were ritually unclean on the eve of the Passover, the sacrifice was offered on the 14th of Nisan. Other sacrifices, on the contrary, called "ḥagigah," which were offered together with the paschal lamb, were omitted if the eve of the Passover fell on a Sabbath, or if the sacrifice was offered in a state of uncleanness, or if the number of participants was so small that they could not consume all the meat. When the sacrifice was completed and the animal was ready for roasting, each one present carried his lamb home, except when the eve of the Passover fell on a Sabbath, in which case it might not be taken away.

The first group stationed itself on the mount of the Temple in Jerusalem, the second group in the "ḥel," the space between the Temple wall and the Temple hall, while the third group remained in the Temple court, thus awaiting the evening, when they took their lambs home and roasted them on a spit of pomegranate-wood. No bones might be broken either during the cooking or during the eating. The lamb was set on the table at the evening banquet (see Passover Seder), and was eaten by the assembled company after all had satisfied their appetites with the ḥagigah or other food. The sacrifice had to be consumed entirely that same evening, nothing being allowed to remain overnight. While eating it, the entire company of those who partook was obliged to remain together, and every participant had to take a piece of the lamb at least as large as an olive. Women and girls also might take part in the banquet and eat of the sacrifice. The following benediction was pronounced before eating the lamb: "Blessed be Thou, the Eternal, our God, the King of the world, who hast sanctified us by Thy commands, and hast ordained that we should eat the Passover." The "Hallel" was recited during the meal, and when the lamb had been eaten the meaning of the custom was explained, and the story of the Exodus was told.

The paschal sacrifice belongs to the "shelamim," thus forming one of the sacrifices in which the meal is the principal part and indicates the community between God and man. It is really a house or family sacrifice, and each household is regarded as constituting a small community in itself, not only because the lamb is eaten at home, but also because every member of the family is obliged to partake of the meal, on pain of karet (ritual excommunication), although each man must be circumcised and all must be ritually clean. The fact that the paschal lamb might be killed only at the central sanctuary of Jerusalem, on the other hand, implies that each household was but a member of the larger community; this is indicated also by the national character of the sacrifice, which kept alive in the memory of the nation the preservation and liberation of the entire people.

In 2007, a group of rabbis led by Adin Steinsalz and supported by the Temple Mount Faithful and the New Sanhedrin Council identified a Kohen who was a butcher, made plans for conducting a passover sacrifice on the Temple Mount, and petitioned the Israeli High Court of Justice for permission. The Court sided with the government and rejected the request, holding that such an event would inflame religious tensions and would threaten security. The incident was a successor to a series of earlier attempts by various groups to perform such a sacrifice, either openly or by subterfuge.

In 2008 animal rights group Tnoo Lachayot Lichyot ("Let the Animals Live") sued the Temple Institute, claiming its conduct of a practice passover sacrifice demonstration would constitute animal cruelty. An Israeli court rejected the claim.

This last week we had a double Parashat, with the ending of the book of Shemot or Exodus, bringing to us the idea about giving and participating in community with the building of the Mishkan, bringing Kehal Israel as one where together we would do according to their own giftedness in the areas in which God has endowed us. To do so we all first need to check ourselves and be right with Him — this means to be right with our fellow man.

The word “love” in Hebrew, ahava, is a word of action. It is not the Hollywood mushy, sappy love with beautiful, flourishing phrases for someone; it is a decision we make to participate in the person’s life, to help them to grow, practicing these things on a daily basis. In a community, we play an important part in each other’s lives, interdependent with each other where there are no lone rangers. To love one another in community is to decide to be there for each other in good times and in bad. Rabbi Shaul (Paul) speaks of the body where every part is equally important. Usually the externals are given more importance, yet we can live without an arm or hand or even an ear, but we can’t live without a heart or liver, internal organs, which cannot be seen. As the spiritual leader of the community, I am not more important than any of the rest of the people. Each of us is given specific gifts and roles by God, none more important than the other. Our God cares about us and has given us rules by which to live so that we can care about each other. When we disobey these rules, there are consequences. We may cry out, God, why did you do this to me? But in actuality, it is our own fault. For example, there are rules about taking care of our bodies. When we break the rules, we get sick; there is no one to blame but ourselves.

Two keywords in this portion are Kahal (assembly) and Adat (congregation). The assembly was to meet and congregate in order to listen to what God had to tell us. The next subject immediately spoken about is the Shabbat. Why is this so important that it is repeated over and over? Many people think that Shabbat needs to be observed for God’s sake. Actually it is quite the opposite. God doesn’t need us; man needs God. When he tells us that it is for our benefit to live better, it is because he wants us to be whole. God wants our well-being and has given us six days to do all our work and only one day on which to have complete rest; it is not a day to talk about business. We need rest especially as our bodies are getting old; not because we feel it on the inside but because we can see it when we look in the mirror. We are reaching zero entropy and this body needs to be transformed. We believe in the afterlife and that gives us hope. There are many people who have lost hope. If you don’t belong to a community and you are alone, you need to deal with things alone. However, in community, we help each other, like a good friend. One of the most important aspects of having a good friend is that the friend tells you the truth. The proverbs say, “Better the wounds of a friend than the kisses of an enemy.”Society doesn’t allow us to be transparent. We always have to put on a front so that people don’t know how we really feel. In the same way religion has made hypocrisy of virtue. When we tell someone the truth, we are accused of judging others. We have learned to hide, to cover up and that appearances are more important.

When you give your word to be part of a community, such as this, you make an investment with your life, your time, and your finances. Here, we are learning to approach God in the right way, without dogmas or doctrines. Many of us put on makeup, cosmetics, in order to approach God. We do things to gain his favor. Don’t you think that he knows us inside out? Last week, I spoke of how God’s Presence enveloped the sin of the Golden calf. When the people returned, they acknowledged their sin, and God forgave them. They still suffer the consequences, but God’s Presence never left them. We too need to acknowledge who we are before God. There is no worse fool than the one who does not want to see. The only one who could change our way of looking at life is God’s Presence in us.

Over and over in this portion, we read about bringing gifts with a "willing heart" in order to build the tent of meeting. The word for heart in Hebrew is "lev” and it needs to be understood according to the times in which it was written, not today. At the time the Torah was given, the heart was the seat of the intellect, or thought. The word lev is repeated10 times in this portion….chakham lev (wise heart) – חֲכַם-לֵב nedib lev (willing heart, generous heart) – נְדִיב לֵב The Torah says that the heart is deceitful, who can know it? God is the one who weighs the heart. We constantly need to be checking our compass and to be willing to change gears and return to Him.

God gives us the will and the wisdom to serve Him completely. He filled Betzallel and Ahololiab with the gifts and the ability and the desire to do what they were called to do. I believe by their names that these were not just two literal men but that they represented all the men who were called to build the tent of meeting. They were already born with these qualities but God turned them into master craftsmen. What are the areas of service to which God has called you? Don’t compare yourself with anyone else. This is really important. If you are going to compare yourself with anyone, compare yourself with God. In this way, you will see how we all fall short. It is often the unsung heroes, those who are not seen in the front, who do the most for God.

In a community, everyone has a gift, given to us so that we may serve the larger community. In an organization, the opposite is true. The organization is there to serve the people. People come here and ask me, what programs do you have for us? My reply is, perhaps, this is not the place for you. We are not here to provide programs of entertainment; we are not a social club. God’s community is not a social club. God’s community is to serve those on the outside as well as on the inside. Our job is to be a light to the nations, or l’goyim אור לגויים. Each of us needs to learn to give before we can receive. We need to get out of our self-centeredness and selfishness; when we get out of ourselves, we flourish. God is the center of the universe, not us.

In the same way that a hand, when it is cut off from the body, will wither and die, when we are alone and cut off from community, we die spiritually. Together in community, we are strong and we can build a strong foundation. After the sin of the Golden Calf, the people of Israel felt such remorse and such a tremendous relief to see that God’s Presence had not abandoned them, that they brought so much of their belongings to build the Tent of Meeting that finally Moshe had to tell them to stop bringing. May we in this community, sense God’s Presence in us and know how He has forgiven us. We need to build our community and this is a call for you to bring all that you can from a willing heart into this tent so that I will have to tell you to stop bringing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAfvGbbj7gY

Weekly Sidra: Ki Tisa (when you lift up)
Torah Portion: Shemot / Exodus 30:1-34:35
Haftorah: Melachim Alef / I Kings 18:20-18:39

This parashah, Ki Tisa begins with the giving of the half shekel by every man over 20 years, equally rich and poor alike as an offering to make atonement for their souls.  This takes place after the golden calf incident showing us that we cannot take this book chronologically but according to the stories and pictures it is telling us. We have become so caught up in the idea that only the shedding of blood can bring atonement and forgiveness for our sins.  Here is another paradigm shift where the focus is not on the subject but on the One who brings true atonement or forgiveness.  Forgiveness can only come from God; it does not lie in the ransom money or in the animal sacrifices.  The more we read about Moshe, the more we can see the picture that God is painting for us about our Messiah.

God’s Torah brings principles to those who need it in order for us to live a better life.  It is important not to get caught up in the details, but to look for the teachings which he brings to us by his revelation in pictures.  Unfortunately, we have changed the direction, where we think the teachings are further God’s sake instead of our own; "I am doing this to honor God", not because it is good for me as the recipient of a wealth of God’s blessings.  We need to move beyond mere obedience and understand that what God is trying to teach us is to have a better life.  The fault began with the translation of the Hebrew into Greek known as the Septuagint.  The word for Torah was translated as "nomos" which literally means law.  There was no Greek concept for Torah.  This has created a completely different understanding of how God deals with his people right up until today.  Most people think that God rejoices in making our lives miserable, pointing a finger when we fail, and thus making him into something that he is not.  Ha Satan is the accuser, not God. We cross lines and say things without even thinking about it and we remove the Kvod- the Glory of God. Most people do not want to look at principles but prefer rules and regulations.  Each of us is responsible for our own behavior. 

God speaks through pictures and the Hebrew language is a pictorial language which contains descriptions more than cognitive knowledge. We are entering the area of the picture God is giving us. Why the ochel moed? Why does the sanctuary envelop the golden calf? Exodus chapter 31:18 picks up where Ex 24:12-15 leaves off. Then chapters Ex. 25 – 31 continues with the instructions about the Mishkan and the narration of the golden calf in chapters 32 through 34; falls in between this two sections of the Sanctuary; which ended with the chapters 35 – 40 building of the Sanctuary.  The elements of the Sanctuary are described in chapters 25-31 and the building in chapters 35-40; these envelop the central story of the golden calf. This gives us a beautiful picture of the centrality of the Sanctuary in the midst of Israel and refers to the atonement or forgiveness of Israel for their sin. In other words, the golden calf incident is surrounded by the building of the mishkan where the Presence of God would dwell. It represents a covering of their sin. We can see that God is teaching us that He is the one who forgives us and covers our sins.

Chapter 32:7-14 are crucial passages for us to understand. The people thought that Moshe was not coming back and they had no leader. They cried out to Aharon, “make us "elohim".  The people brought their gold which Aaron melted down and “out jumped the golden calf. God tells Moshe to hurry down because as He said ‘your’ people are getting into trouble. It then becomes a ping pong game between God and Moshe both saying “your” people. He hurries down and we know what happens next. Ninety percent of our sages blame the Erev Rav, mixed multitude who left Egypt with the Israelites. Our sages say that we were pushed and deceived by them and that the ones who really needed to be punished were the mixed multitude. They say that this was an act of idolatry of pagan origin which followed the Israelites exit from Egypt; that they were amazed at what God was doing and the only reason they followed was because of the miracles.  The Israelites really believed in God while the mixed multitude perceived this manifestation but did not have a fundamental idea of the roots of this God. I disagree with that line of thinking. We constantly try to blame others and make extra effort to justify our actions. God is teaching us that we need to accept our own actions and to be responsible for what we ourselves do. We cannot blame others, our neighbor for what we do. God told Moshe when they go to other lands, don’t mix with the other people for they would follow their ways of living and would be taken out of living God’s principles. We too need to learn to choose our friends who are going to influence us.  This influence might not be good. God is teaching us and giving us this information so we can learn from our own mistakes and the only way to go back to God is through teshuva…to return to Him. We need to ACKNOWLEGE what we have done; we need to come clean before God and say I did it; there is no other way. That’s when we can truly be set free.  Another important teaching which we can draw from 32:13 where it says, "remember Abraham, Isaac and Israel your servants …: the Hebrew does not say Yaakov, but ISRAEL. The Commonwealth of Israel includes the mixed multitude, those foreigners who joined with us desiring to follow the God of Israel.  They are one with us; as Rabbi Shaul spoke about in the grafting of the wild branches into the true tree. 

Another important aspect to understand about this expression “remember Abraham, Isaac and Israel”…in Judaism is that when we say “zechut avot” (in the merits of our fathers) we are asking God to remember what He promised to our ancestors. When the Scriptures are translated as saying “in the name of so and so” it actually means we have a right to approach God due to the merits of what our forefathers have done.  When we pray in the name of Messiah Yeshua, we are really saying, “zechut shel Mashiach Yeshua”, in the merits of Messiah Yeshua.  His name doesn’t hold magic powers but due to what he did for us, in his merits we are able to approach our heavenly Father.

Back to Chapter 32: 7-14. God said to Moshe, go down to “your” people, who “you” brought out of Egypt, for they are a stiff-necked people and I will destroy them and make a great nation out of you.  It looks like Moshe had to calm God down and finally was able to get God to change His mind. It seems that Moses won an argument with God. This is not possible and it is not the case.  Can we change God’s mind? God is speaking to Moshe and we need to understand relation with God and Moshe who until this time was a reluctant leader.  Moshe never wanted the job and never regarded these people as his own even though he fought and killed an Egyptian trying to defend an Israelite so many years before. He still had not appropriated his role; he still considered himself the hired hand.  Here God is using “reverse psychology” on Moshe as a parent does when he or she tries to get a child to do something they want the child to do. The better and actual translation from the Hebrew for וַיִּנָּחֶם   vayinachem from the Hebrew root "mercy or comfort’ where we can derive ‘to console’. Until this time, Moshe had simply been the intermediary, always saying to God- Your People. Now God was showing His mercy to Moshe and coaxing him to appropriate the position for which he had been chosen. 

The next subject discussed right after the golden calf is the Shabbat. What does it mean that if we do not keep Shabbat, we will die?  Little by little we become disconnected from God’s presence and we die a spiritual death, when we do not keep the Shabbat. Spiritual death is the worst thing that can happen to a human being.  Without God we are only mere human beings; the only thing we are living for is what we have and how long we can live.  We are almost agitated and have a great fear of death looking to prolong our life as long as we can.  The truth of the matter is that God is giving us everything, the best and the best always comes after death because we are returning to God – the best vacation of all!

In Chapter 34:6&7 we read the Shalosh Esrei Midot עשרה מדותשלש the 13 principles of Biblical Judaism.

1. The Lord is merciful
2. God is not only merciful but ready to receive our teshuva, to come back to him
3. God almighty is rightful judge
4. God is compassionate (Rachum), merciful to poor and downtrodden
5. God is gracious (V’chanun)  and generous even to the undeserving
6. God is slow to anger, Erech Apayim  patient waiting for our repentance
7. God is abundant in kindness, V’Rab Chesed to both the righteous and wicked
8. God is truthful (V’Emet) and faithful to His promises
9. God is showing kindness (Notzer Chesed La’alafim) for a thousand generations
10. God forgives iniquity (Nosei Avon), even committed with premeditation, when we come back when did you do today in school and make restitution; we need to pay for what you did; we are forgiven but there are still consequences for our actions
11. God forgives transgression,( V’Fesha) wrong doing with a rebellious spirit
12. God forgives sin,(V’chata’at), those wrongfully deeds, done without knowing
13. God will cancel (V’Nakeh), all punishment for those who are truly repentant
14. From the beginning, God knew that we were going to get out of the ways He set down for us. From the beginning He was willing to help us find true forgiveness; the way is teshuva, by returning and coming back to Him.  One of the most beautiful parables that Messiah Yeshua taught us is the Prodigal son.  We all in a certain way are a type of prodigal son. We all have to go back to God.  But we cannot return to God without being included as part of the community of Israel.  I pray this community will grow to be a light and a blessing to all those people who are still to come in. we need to open our arms to anyone who wants to do teshuvah to come back to God.  We are here to receive each other and accept each other.  We don’t differentiate between people, in regards to class, or race because we all despite the difference in language or culture are part of the kingdom of God.

May God add blessings to His Word

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGvamaSof1A

Ta’anit Esther / תענית אסתר
Torah Portion: Exodus 32:11 – 34:10

Listen to the Megillat Esther (Scroll of Esther) according the Marroqui traditional tune.

On the 13th of Adar, the Fast of Esther is observed in memory of the Fast observed by Mordechai and Esther and all Israel. On that very day, the enemies of the Jews had planned to subjugate and destroy them. ‘The opposite, however, occurred and the Jews ruled over their enemies. The practice of fasting was observed by the people of Israel whenever they were faced by war. Thus Moshe Rabenu also fasted when he came to wage war against Amalek. The aim of the fast was to affirm that a man does not prevail by physical or military strength, but only by lifting his eyes heavenward in prayer so that Divine Mercy might give him the strength to prevail in battle. This then was the purpose of the fast observed by Israel at the time of Haman, when they gathered to defend themselves against those who sought to destroy them. And in memory of that Fast, a yearly Fast was fixed for generations on the same day. We are to recall thereby that God accepts each person’s prayer and penitence in the hour of his trouble.

The acceptance of this Fast of the 13th of Adar on the, part of Israel for later generations, is alluded to in the Scroll of Esther: “And as they accepted upon themselves and upon their children, the matters of their fastings and their cry” (Esther 9).

The Fast is called by the name of Esther because it was she who first requested the observance of a fast, of Mordechai: ‘Go and gather all the Jews who are found in Shushan and fast over me, and do not eat and do not drink three days, night and day; and I and my maidens will also fast thus (9:4)

The fast which we observe is nevertheless not observed for a three-day period, as was the case with the original Fast, nor is it observed on the same date. Originally the Fast was observed by Esther and the entire people of Israel on the 14th, 15th and 16th of Nisan, immediately after Mordechai was informed of Haman’s decree and of the letter of annihilation which Haman wrote on the 13th of Nisan. Our Fast however, is observed on the 13th of Adar, in memory of the Fast observed by Israel on the day of their mobilization for war against the enemies. The Fast is nevertheless called by the name of Esther since it was she who first proposed its observance.

Others hold the view, that even our Fast is also primarily a memorial to the original three-day fast observed by the Jews when the decree was announced. But since the Fast could not be permanently fixed for later years in its proper time (because fasting is not permitted during Nisan), the Sages therefore fixed it for the 13th of Adar – which was also a Fast day for the Jews, who then gathered to wage war against their enemies. And although the Fast of Esther is therefore a memorial to the original three days of fasting, the Rabbis were nevertheless lenient in fixing it for only one day.

In deference to this view, there are some who fast an additional three days; on Monday, Thursday and Monday after Purim. Others voluntarily fast the night as well as the day on the 13th of Adar, since the original three-day Fast was observed night and day.

Some Laws of the Fast of Esther

Since the Fast of Esther is not one of the four Fast days which are specifically mentioned in the Prophetic Writings, it is observed with greater leniency than the other Fast days. Pregnant women, nursing mothers, as well as others of generally weak health, (who would suffer by fasting) do not fast therein. The additional penitential prayers, and the Torah Reading, which are prescribed for the other Fast days are also required for the Fast of Esther.

If the 13th of Adar falls on Shabbat, the Fast is observed the preceding Thursday which is the eleventh of Adar. Because of Purim, the Fast is not postponed to the following day, nor is it observed Erev Shabbat: Since it is no longer observed in any event in its proper time, it was not fixed for Erev Shabbat, in deference to the honour of Shabbat. (A Fast whose prescribed date can fall on Erev Shabbat such as the 10th of Tevet, is neither postponed nor observed earlier, but it is observed on its fixed day).Tachanun is not said during minchah of the Fast of Esther.

The Half Shekel

On the 13th of Adar during minchah, it is customary to give three halves of the coin which is the basis of the local currency. The money is given to the poor to do with it as they wish. This contribution is made in memory of the half-shekel given by Israel when the Beit Hamikdash still stood; and whose forthcoming collection was announced on Rosh Chodesh Adar.

This memorial act is performed before the Reading of the Megilah, because all Israel gathers for the Megilah Reading in the Beit HaMidrash (House of Study). It is proper to give the half-shekel before minchah, since ‘the diligent perform mitzvot earlier.’ Those who live in ‘open-cities’ give the half-shekel before the Megilah Reading on the night of the 14th, whereas the inhabitants of Yerushalayim give the half-shekel before their Reading of the Megilah — the night of the 15th.

In a place which has no coin that is designated a ‘half’ coin, it is customary for the gabaim to bring three halves of silver coins which are issued elsewhere, and to give these coins in exchange, to anyone who makes his contribution in the coins available to him. After performing the mitzvah, he returns the three ‘halves’ to the gabaim, so that others might also be able to observe the custom properly.

Those who seek to observe mitzvot with hidur (enhancement) give the half-shekel for each of the members of the household including minors, and in the case of an expectant mother, for the unborn child as well. Once a father has begun to give a half-shekel for a minor child, he is required to continue to do so each year.

The reason for the giving of three ‘halves’ is that the term trumah (contribution) is mentioned three times in the portion of Ki Tisa, in the account of the mitzvah of the half shekel. The established practice is to consider the giving of the half-shekel as not freeing one from the mitzvah of giving charity to the poor, which is specifically prescribed for Purim.

Day of Nikanor

The 13th of Adar is also mentioned in the Talmud as the day on which vengeance was executed (during the time of the Hasmoneans) against a tyrant who oppressed the land of Yehudah cruelly and arrogantly blasphemed the city of God. The name of the tyrant was Nikanor and he fell by the hand of Yehudah, the son of Matityahu, on the 13th of Adar, which was hence celebrated as a festive day.

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLE82DF63C51F6B35F

Weekly Sidra: Terumah (Gift)
Torah Portion: Shemot / Exodus 25:1-27:19
Haftorah: Yeshayahu / Isaiah 66:1-24

The word terumah comes from the root רום “room” which means to elevate. God is allowing Israel to build a predetermined place, a sanctuary, the tent of meetings, the mishkan, all interchangeable terms, where He would manifest His Presence. They would have the experience that He was with them. What was God doing with Israel? This was a young nation coming out from another nation replete with superstitions, rituals, and idolatry. Israel needed to be purged from these ideas. A sanctuary such as this was not unknown to Israel; in fact Egypt had many grandiose temples to their gods. The pagan gods were demanding beings, which could be human, animal or part of nature. They demanded total subservience and the behavior of their followers were not important; they demanded allegiance and needed to have their wrath placated, often through blood sacrifice. The God of Israel would be progressively weaning His people from these ideas. He was not giving the people something totally new but he was giving them something much better. God was telling them that they needed to change their mentality and this was not a simple task. Without realizing it, many of our own beliefs are based upon superstition, doctrines and dogmas which we have learned over time and not on God’s word. When we come to know God, he doesn’t change us overnight. He does it slowly so that we can process it.

Many people do not truly understand the word "love". Some say that it is something upon which we can meditate and contemplate. In actuality it is an action word. In a true relationship with God, He is asking us to be close with him and to be part of His creation, we are to serve Him within community. God doesn’t need anything from you or me. We have the tendency to place people on a pedestal thinking that God can only accomplish something through special people. We may think that the onus is upon us or our behavior whether God punishes or blesses us. When you love truly someone, you have the desire to give freely and willingly to them. Love cannot be demanded; it is freely given like respect.

In the first 8 verses of chapter 25 of Exodus, God is asking the people to bring terumah, offerings, contributions, or elevations in order for us to build a special place where He could meet them. There were several types of elements to be offered: gold, silver or bronze; tapestries, and materials, animal skins; oil, spices, incense and various stones. I don’t want to discuss the elements since there are already so much written both by our sages and the Christian commentators. If we were to try to build this tabernacle according to the instructions given here, it would be impossible. It was left up to the ability of the imagination of the people who were chosen to do it. The idea is simply that God was giving us a place where He would meet us. The offerings which they were to take to God had a lot of value for the people. Although they had been given to the Israelites by the Egyptians, the cost was years of slavery and they would not be easy to replace while living in the barren desert. Yet God asked for those who had a willing heart to give. Obviously there were many who wanted to hold onto these treasures. In order to approach God, He would need to elevate (terumah) them, helping them to let go of the things that were holding them back. How many of us are allowing things to hold us down here on earth, keeping us from a higher relationship with God? According to Judaism, the heart is the seat of our will, intention and action. It is not the center of feelings or mushy, gushy love.

In the Sermon of the Mount: Matthew 6: 19 ‘Do not store up treasures for yourselves on earth, where moth and woodworm destroy them and thieves can break in and steal. 20 But store up treasures for yourselves in heaven, where neither moth nor woodworm destroys them and thieves cannot break in and steal. 21 For wherever your treasure is, there will your heart be too. 22 ‘The lamp of the body is the eye,it follows that if your eye is clear, your whole body will be filled with light. 23 But if your eye is diseased, your whole body will be darkness. If then, the light inside you is darkened, what darkness that will be! 24 ‘No one can be the slave of two masters: he will either hate the first and love the second, or be attached to the first and despise the second. You cannot be the slave both of God and of money.
Yeshua speaks of the good eye and the bad eye. He was speaking of being generous and stingy. He said that it is impossible to love both God and mammon. There is an important principle to be learned here: in order to belong completely to God, we need to detach ourselves from our possessions.

In Exodus 25:8, God said, "and let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in them.” The word used for among them is betocham, בתוכם. Our sages say that if God wanted to say “He would dwell in it”, He would have used the word betocho בתוכו. Another principle for us to gather from this, is that God is not interested in externals in the way we are. Physical things do not mean anything to God. What is important to him is what is in us. We are “souls covered with flesh” and we would be the sanctuary for Him to dwell in. Rabbi Shaul (Paul) brought us this idea concerning the Presence of God dwelling within us; we would be the Temple containing His Presence. Rav Shaul brought us closer to the true meaning of Torah but sadly enough he has been so misinterpreted and misunderstood. He never started a new religion; in fact he was doing what our Messiah Yeshua did in trying bringing us back to the true essence of Torah. In the same way, I am trying to help us to remove the gods of religion from our thoughts in order that we may have a relationship with the living God. Religion limits God and makes Him according to our own likeness and image and ideas. God made us in His image, not with physical characteristics but spiritual ones.

If I were to ask you, “Who is your God?” if you come from a Catholic, Jewish or Muslim backgrounds you might begin to describe elements of your religion. I am not asking about religion but about God. We can only deal with God in a spiritual way, in His essence, not in our way. We need to open our hearts, willingly to God. It is a paradox that in order to elevate ourselves to be closer to God, we need to humble ourselves. There is an expression which we use at Yom Kippur, and that is "to afflict our souls.”… and ye shall afflict your souls וְעִנִּיתֶם, אֶת-נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם The idea has changed over time to mean fasting or self-flagellation but the true meaning is as Yeshua said, "Happy are the poor in spirit, for they shall inherit the earth." The idea is to humble ourselves before our God and then He is the One who elevates us. Religion on the other hand, places the merit upon the person while relationship with God gives Him the merit.

How many of us like to think that we are better than the others; because we don’t do what they do. In society we have learned to play the game of hypocrisy where façade is King. We are more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks. Yet as Yeshua said, we need to worry about the One who can take our lives. In 1 Samuel 16: 7 But the LORD said to Samuel: ‘Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him; for it is not as man sees: for man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.’

When our prophet Samuel was sent to the house of Jesse to look for a King, his last choice was the simple shepherd boy named David. God looks at the heart while man looks at the externals. Our prophet Jeremiah 17: 9 ‘the heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceeding weak–who can know it? 10 I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings’… God weighs the heart of man and the heart of man is deceitful, who can know it? We are good at lying to ourselves and believing our own lies. I pray that we will be able to disengage from our religiosity and e able to return to God openly, willingly, without anything holding us down to earth. We don’t need religion; we need a relationship with God. God speaks to us when we are open to him. Don’t elevate people for King Shlomo says, Qohelet 7:20 For there is not a righteous man upon earth, that does good, and does not sins. There is no one righteous, no one is perfect and without him, we are nothing. God is asking us to offer/bring everything to him, to trust him. He is asking us to build Him a place – ourselves where He can dwell within us.

May God add blessings to his word.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fmlblU5PKA

Weekly Sidra: Yitro (Jetro)
Torah Portion: Shemot / Exodus 21:1-24:18
Haftorah: Yermiyahu / Jeremiah 34:8-22, 23:25-26

These are the rules that you shall set before them: 2 when you acquire a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years; in the seventh year he shall go free, without payment. (Shemot 21:1-2)

This week’s reading deals with many rulings including how to treat a slave. The seventh year was called the Shemita (Hebrew: שמיטה ‎, literally "release"), also called the Sabbatical Year. An aspect of Shemita concerns debts and loans. When the Shemita year ends, personal debts which are due during that year are considered nullified and forgiven.

Many people do not find much relevance to this passage because we cannot relate to slavery in our modern day concept.  I think it is important to note that slavery in biblical times was not the same as the slavery that many equate with the slavery which led to the American Civil War.

However, I think that this passage has a message which we need to hear.  Many of us have slaves in our lives that we need to set free.  In Haftarah portion we read that “Everyone, officials and people, who had entered into the covenant, agreed to set their male and female slaves free and not keep them enslaved any longer; they complied and let them go. 11 But afterward they turned about and brought back the men and women they had set free, and forced them into slavery again.” (Yeremiyahu 34:10-11)  Afterwards, God tells them that because they sinned God would release them “to the sword, to pestilence, and to famine; and I will make you a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth.” (17b)

How does this relate to us today?  In Yochanan (John) 8:34 Yeshua answered them, "Yes, indeed! I tell you that everyone who practices sin is a slave of sin.

Let me use a simple example to illustrate my point.  Somehow, your neighbour wrecks your car.  You get an estimate for the damage from a repair shop for $500 dollars.  Your neighbour apologizes and pays you the money to get it fixed.

Afterwards, you find it will cost you another $500 extra.  Do you go back to your neighbour?  He has already paid the debt that he owes.  By going back we are constantly holding him accountable for everything wrong with the car.  Thereby, we are enslaving him always for whatever is wrong with the car.

We too can become slaves to bitterness, anger and resentment.  This is especially true by not letting go of things that happened to us long ago.   Do you have unresolved anger towards someone?  Are you still enslaving someone for past sins?  Are you enslaving yourself with guilt or bitterness?

It is time for us to for us to stop enslaving ourselves and others.  It is time for us to proclaim a Shemita year of release.

In Parashat Beshalach we reach the climax of the exodus from the Egyptian exile―the parting of theRed Sea and the song the Children of Israel sang at the sea.

HaShem led the people away from the sea, into the desert. Soon, however, the bitter reality of their journey in the wilderness eventually caused the people to complain to Moshe. After three days without finding water, the Israelites finally arrived at Marah ("bitter"), a place where the water was undrinkable. The people complained and Moshe asked HaShem for help. HaShem then showed Moshe a tree which he was to throw in the bitter waters to make them "sweet" (i.e., suitable for drinking). There HaShem told Israel He would be their Healer.

"If you will diligently listen to the voice of HaShem your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his mitzvot and keep all his decrees, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am HaShem, your healer" (Exod. 15:26).

A person must always know that no matter what his source of help seems to be – whether a doctor, a lawyer, a judge – it is all actually the Hand of HaShem in disguise. Even when one takes medicine, he must put his total trust in HaShem Who is the true healer and not in the medicine. He must realize that it is only because HaShem wants it so, that the medicine can actually cure. A doctor must always realize that he is only G-d’s messenger – no different than a malach sent by HaShem to effect a cure. He is only the messenger through whom HaShem sends His blessings. A person who is able to help another person must always realize that the success of his mission lies only in the Hands of G-d! He can take no credit for himself.

The important lesson is that even when making hishtadlut (human efforts), one must be careful not to do it in such a manner that HaShem’s real power is denied in any way.

By pleading for HaShem to cure the sick, we demonstrate our belief that medications and treatments are merely a vehicle through which HaShem delivers His remedy. When we go to the internist, specialist or physical therapists or take pills, medications or shots, we do so with this in mind.

HaShem Rofecha. “I am HaShem, your Healer”. (Exodus 1:26) You hear many people complaining they can’t find a good doctor. HaShem is the only doctor; medical professionals are simply his agents.

The Story

Yaakov had been terribly ill for weeks. He finally decided to ask R. Mordechai of Neshchiz for advice. “Rebbe,” he sobbed, “please help me. I am extremely sick. I have gone to every doctor in town, but none of them has a cure for me.”

“It seems that you haven’t gone to the right doctor,” replied R. Mordechai. “Go immediately to Anipoli and talk to the specialist there. Then you will be cured.”

Yaakov thanked the Rebbe for his advice, hired a wagon, and set out for Anipoli. When he arrived there, he rushed over to the first person he saw and asked, “Please, tell me where the great specialist lives. I am very ill and must see him right away.”

The person was puzzled. “You came to Anipoli for a specialist?! This is such a small village, we don’t even have a doctor here.”

“You must be mistaken,” Yaakov insisted. “R. Mordechai of Neshchiz explicitly told me to go to Anipoli and see the specialist here. You must tell me—where does he live?”

“But there is no doctor here,” the man repeated.

Yaakov went to everyone in town, asking each the same question: “Where is the specialist? I must see the specialist right away.” And everyone gave him the same answer: “There is no specialist in Anipoli. There is not even a doctor.”

Disappointed and frustrated, Yaakov returned to R. Mordechai of Neshchiz. “Rebbe,” he said, “I don’t understand. You sent me to Anipoli, but the people told me that not only is there no specialist there, there is not even a doctor.”

“Hmm. They don’t even have a doctor?” questioned the Rebbe. “So did you ask the people what they do when some­one is sick?”

“I did,” Yaakov replied. “They told me that when someone is sick, they pray to God and rely on Him to cure them.”

“Now do you understand?” R. Mordechai explained. “The people in Anipoli go to the greatest specialist in the world. They pray to God. He is the one Who cures us all.”

From A Treasury of Chassidic Tales, op. cit. (Author’s Note: Of course one must do everything he or she can to find the best doctors suitable for one’s ailment. However, we must realize that it is God working through that doctor that effects a person’s healing.)

The Talmud teaches that there are two forms of “refu’ah” – “healing”, the healing of sickness and the healing that follows Teshuva, as is stated in the verse “veshav verafa lo” – “and he will repent and he will be healed”. It is generally understood that this form of healing addresses the healing for the damage to our souls which is caused by the sins that we perform. However, this healing can also be understood as the healing that HaShem affords us after Teshuva, to remove those underlying forces which created our propensity to act in a sinful manner.

At any critical state (or not, like simple cold), a person should have complete confidence that HaShem has the power to effect healing, as the Talmud says that even if a sharp sword rests upon one’s neck, one should never give up hope of Divine salvation (Brachot 10a).

“Heal us, HaShem – then we will be healed; save us – then we will be saved, for You are our praise. Bring complete recovery for all our ailments, for You are G-d, King, the faithful and compassionate Healer. Blessed are You, HaShem, Who heals the sick of His people Israel.”

Ask HaShem in the merit of the Tzadik, our Rabbi, Maran Yeshua for healing today!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-A_E5AUXbmI

Weekly Sidra: Bo (Go)
Torah Portion: Shemot / Exodus 10:1-13:16
Haftorah: Yermiyahu / Jeremiah 46:13-28

There are many challenges, trials, stress and tension in this world, in our homes and in our lives, and sometimes we have difficulty differentiating spiritual oppression from physical. It feels like we are walking in darkness. I can assure you there is more spiritual oppression then we realize. In this portion, Bo פרשת בא, we see the last three plagues, all of which have something in common – they all take place in darkness. This gives us a glimpse of what God was doing. Most of us think that the plagues were to demonstrate to Pharaoh that the God of Israel was the only God. However, I believe He did it more for the sake of the new nation, Israel. We always look for someone outside ourselves to save us. Israel had been slaves for over 200 years. Their self-esteem had been completely eroded. They had lost any notion that they had been created to be a special people. The Pharaoh who knew Joseph was gone and this new Pharaoh was a nationalist who had developed a meticulous religious setting with many gods and many temples, setting himself up as God. The people of Israel looked to him as their sole provider and protector. The God of Israel was about to change their focus.

If we look at the last three plagues, locusts, thick darkness and death of the firstborn, in the spiritual sense, we see that darkness represents being void of light, where light is equal to God. God is always there – even in the darkness. When we go through difficult times, we can be assured that there is always light at the end of the tunnel. However, we often place our trust in everything else but God, but God as the good Shepherd will always go that extra mile to bring us back. As Yeshua stated, a good shepherd will leave the 99 sheep to go out and look for the one who is lost and bring him back. Whenever one sheep is missing, the community suffers. It is the opposite in humanism where the individual is enthroned above God. Human philosophy places man above Torah and today we are saturated with man’s religion. People will say, "but religion is good" and “I will try to ‘convert’ people to my way of thinking”… using apologetics as an excellent way to prove that they are right and as a means of bringing in funds… in the end open debates are forums in which no one is listening, each is simply trying to prove his own point.

In the last three plagues, God plays an important role where we see that after darkness shines the light. He is specifically demonstrating to an unbelieving people that he is their God. He is not trying to convince them with fancy words but He is about to show them why He is God. At the same time, he is showing the Egyptians that there is no other God, killing two birds with one stone.

God speaks to us through progressive revelation with beautiful pictures. Each of the plagues is the build up to the final one, the climax being the death of the firstborn including Pharaoh’s son. The first nine plagues affected only the Egyptians; however the last one was for everyone and only affected the firstborn son. Pharaoh had tried to kill the first born sons of Israel when Moshe was born and now he would receive the same. This parashah ended with the pidyon ha ben or the redemption of the firstborn son as a sign (L’ot לְאוֹת Ex 13:12-16). In Exodus 4:21, before any of the plagues, God had already told Moses that He would harden Pharaoh’s heart so that he would not let the people go. Moshe would confront Pharaoh and tell him, to “let my first born son go that he may serve Me”. It is important to understand God’s Word in the right way. What does the death of the firstborn mean? Let’s look at the idea of God’s firstborn. The firstborn son inherited a double portion but in Torah his position was always changed beginning with the two sons of Adam and Eve. Shem was chosen but was not Noah’s firstborn, the same with Ishmael and Isaac, Jacob and Esau, Judah, Joseph’s Ephraim and Manasseh. King David was chosen but he was the 8th and youngest son. (Number 8 in Gematria represents beginning again, a new start.) Was Israel the first nation that existed? Weren’t there already other nations? Abram was in Aramean. So we see it is not about position but about being chosen. God is saying I have chosen Israel as my firstborn son. There is a recurring idea in Scripture – why did God choose them and not me? When you believe that something is unfair, unjust you react. We have to realize that we don’t see things as God does.

With the story of Passover, God was providing the means by which He would protect Israel from this last plague. Was God playing with Egypt or was He trying to show Israel that He was going to destroy all the gods of Egypt? Passover was the last blow against Pharaoh and the beginning of the new nation. Under his reign, they were being spiritually destroyed, literally good for nothing. They had no desire, no hope and were completely dependent upon Pharaoh, who represents the gods of this world. We too, depend on everything else but not on God. Yeshua told us not to be afraid of the things that could take our lives here but to be afraid of the One who could take our life forever. Deliverance from Egypt was necessary to bring the Israelites back to who they were meant to be. God was removing Israel from their spiritual oppression. This was so much more than simple physical freedom. How many of us still have that same slave mentality? We are afraid of so many things, not realizing that so much of our fear stems from spiritual oppression.

There are some interesting elements to look at when we examine the last plague. Why would God ask Israel to kill a lamb and put the blood on the door posts as a sign? Did God really need to see which houses had the blood on them? Did He have night vision? Doesn’t God know everyone’s heart? Was the blood inside or outside? Did He need a sign? Of course God doesn’t need a sign. Israel needed it for their sake, in order to build trust. God was helping them take small steps in building their faith in Him.

The lamb was the smallest of animals. You may be surprised to learn that there was nothing about the slaughter of the lamb that represented a sacrifice to God. There was no altar upon which they were sacrificed. It was not a big banquet that they were preparing for. People have built theologies about the blood meaning the forgiveness of sins yet this was simply an act of obedience and faith and in order to feed the people before they left. This was a message to Israel – all Israel were to be like firstborn sons. All the people needed to be under the sign to show their trust. Whoever was in the house, with blood on the door, either Jew or Gentile, were considered firstborn. Religion has built so many rules and regulations about Passover that we forget the simple truth of Torah. If we repeat a lie often enough, we believe it. We need to be careful. What was the real miracle of the firstborn? Israel left Egypt with a new idea. They had a powerful God who would always take care of them. It was a process that they would have to learn. How long did their enjoyment last? Until Pharaoh came after them again as they cried out, "weren’t there enough tombs in Egypt? Did you bring us here to die in the desert?" (Ex. 14:10-11) God had done so much for Israel and He showed us Egypt had no power. Yet we can see that the process of building trust is a long and difficult one.

Another important element that we see here still including the idea of blood is the circumcision. In order for anyone to celebrate Passover, the Scriptures say they must be circumcised. This idea was not born out of the air. In Genesis 15, God promised Abraham that his descendents would be slaves in Egypt and after 400 years would be freed. This was followed by the “brit ha betarim” or the covenant of the parts (shedding of blood), quickly in Genesis 17 followed by the covenant of circumcision which would unite His people under this sign. God was setting apart His nation using signs that they would always recognize. The circumcision was and still is a sign.

The lamb was brought into the house four days before being killed. Many theories have emerged about these four days. I believe that the men who had not been circumcised during the 38 years of wandering in the desert, now needed to be circumcised in order to celebrate Passover. The third day, as we know from Torah, is the most painful and this would give them the time they needed to heal for the celebration of Passover, and the beginning of their redemption.

God is continuously giving us signs, yet how many of us continue to doubt? The last plague demonstrated God’s rescue of the firstborn to us, in relation to Israel, His firstborn. Messiah took the role of his firstborn son. All of us who are chosen are considered his firstborn, rescued and awaiting the final redemption. How serious are you about the agreement you made with God, at the moment He called you as His first born?

May God add blessings to His Word

By Netanel Ben Yochanan
http://shearyashuv.com/
Montreal, Canada

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2-kVL__uWI

¿Qué es un Talit?

El Talit es un manto de oración, es la prenda judía más auténtica. Es una pieza rectangular de lino o de lana (a veces, ahora, de poliéster o de seda) con flecos especiales llamados Tzitzit en cada una de las cuatro esquinas. El propósito de la prenda es de celebrar la Tzitzit.

La mayoría de los Talitot (plural alternativo: talleisim) tienen una banda para el cuello, llamada Atará, que con frecuencia tiene la bendición que uno debe recitar al ponerse el Talit, bordado a través de ella.

¿Por qué usar un Talit?

HaShem dijo a Moisés: "Habla a los israelitas y diles que ellos y sus descendientes se hagan flecos en los bordes de sus vestidos, y pongan en el fleco de sus vestidos un hilo de púrpura violeta. Tendréis, pues flecos para que, cuando los veáis, os acordéis de todos los preceptos de HaShem. Así los cumpliréis y no seguiréis los caprichos de vuestros corazones y de vuestros ojos, que os han arrastrado a prostituiros. Así os acordaréis de todos mis mandamientos y los cumpliréis, y seréis hombres consagrados a vuestro Dios. Yo, HaShem, vuestro Dios, que os saqué de Egipto para ser Dios vuestro. Yo, HaShem, vuestro Dios. [Números 15:37-41]

El objetivo del Talit, entonces, es de celebrar la Tzitzit, y el propósito del Tzitzit (de acuerdo a la Torá) es recordarnos los mandamientos de Dios.

Durante la semana el Talit se usa para la oración de la mañana, así como en Shabbat y las demás fiestas. No se lleva durante la tarde ni en las oraciones de la noche debido al mandamiento de que hay que ver el Tzitzit, que ha sido interpretado en el sentido de ser visto por la luz del día. El Shaliaj Tzibur (quien dirige la oración) por lo general lleva un Talit, incluso en la tarde y noche.

¿Quién lleva un Talit?

Por lo general, un Judío que ha alcanzado la mayoría de edad usa un Talit (en la mayoría de las comunidades, esto es a los 13 años de edad, aunque en algunas comunidades, las niñas llegan a la mayoría de edad a los 12 años de edad, las niñas no usan un Talit). Existe una costumbre, no muy extendida, de no usar un Talit antes del matrimonio (los Judíos Askenazis). Esta costumbre se explica por el Maharil (Rabino Yaacov Mollen, 1356-1427) basado en la yuxtaposición de dos versículos de la Torá. El primero, Deuteronomio 22:12 articula el mandamiento relativo al uso del tzitzit. Le sigue el Deuteronomio 22:13, que dice: "Si un hombre toma una mujer …" Esta costumbre no es una práctica muy extendida, en gran medida debido a que impide el cumplimiento del mandamiento entre la edad de 13 años y el tiempo en que la persona se casa.

En las congregaciones donde se suelen usar un Talit, se encuentra un rack de Talitot disponibles para su uso por los visitantes cerca de la entrada al santuario.

¿Cómo son atados los Tzitzit?

El trenzado de los Tzitzit es un arte judío, una forma de macramé. Un ojal es cuidadosamente realizado y reforzado en cada esquina del Talit. A través de cada ojal, se insertan cuatro trenzas o tiras: tres hebras cortas y una larga. La trenza más larga se llama SHAMMASH, y esta se utiliza para dar vueltas alrededor de las otras. Para atar el Tzitzit, se alinean las cuatro trenzas de manera que las tres de igual longitud se doblen y formen un par, y la cuarta trenza se alinea en un extremo con los otros siete extremos. Con cuatro trenzas en una mano, y las otras cuatro en la otra mano, se hace un nudo doble en el borde de la tela. Luego se toma la SHAMMASH y se le da vueltas alrededor de las otras siete trenzas siete veces, en un movimiento en espiral. Se hace un doble nudo en segundo lugar, con cuatro trenzas en una mano y cuatro trenzas en la otra mano. Entonces se da vueltas a la SHAMMASH alrededor de las siete trenzas ocho veces, y se hace otro doble nudo. Se da vueltas al SHAMMASH alrededor de las trenzas once veces y se hace un doble nudo. Por último, se da vueltas al SHAMMASH trece veces alrededor de las otras siete trenzas y se hace un doble nudo final. Cuando se hace correctamente, el Tzitzit tendrá 7-8-11-13 vueltas entre los dobles nudos.

¿Qué significa el patrón de 7-8-11-13 vueltas?

Hay una serie de interpretaciones maravillosas para este patrón de vueltas.

Una interpretación es que cada conjunto de vueltas corresponde a una de las cuatro letras hebreas del nombre de Dios, .
Otra interpretación emplea la Gematria, la numerología judía, que asigna a cada letra un valor numérico hebreo: Aleph es 1, Bet es 2, Gimmel es 3, y así sucesivamente. En esta segunda interpretación de las vueltas del Tzitzit, los números 7-8-11-13 tienen un significado especial: 7 +8 = 15, que en Hebreo se escribe yod-hay las dos primeras letras del nombre de Dios, (el Tetragrámaton); 11 = vav + hay, la tercera y cuarta letra del nombre de Dios. De ahí las tres primeras vueltas "deletrean" el santo nombre de Dios. Trece, el último conjunto de vueltas, es el equivalente en valor a la palabra "ejad", que significa "uno". Por lo tanto, los cuatro grupos de vueltas se podria interpretar que significan o quieren decir: "Dios es uno."

Otra interpretación es que si tenemos en cuenta las vueltas entre los nudos, 7, 8, 11 y 13, los tres primeros números da igual a 26, que es numéricamente el equivalente al Tetragrámaton y el número restante, 13, es equivalente a "ejad" (uno). Por lo tanto las vueltas nos dicen que Dios es uno. Si tomamos la suma de los tres primeros números (7 +8 +11) y lo equivalemos al nombre de Dios, el 13 restante también se puede interpretar como un reflejo de los 13 atributos de Dios, según lo expresó Moisés Maimónides y lo escribió en el Yigdal.

Pero todavía hay otra interpretación, el valor en la Gematria de la palabra "Tzitzit" (tzadi-yod-yod-tzitzit-taf) es de 600. A esto le agregamos las ocho trenzas y los cinco dobles nudos, y nos da un total de 613. Según la tradición, Dios nos dio 613 mitzvot (mandamientos) en la Torá. Solo con mirar el Talit con sus Tzitzit, por lo tanto, nos recuerda los mandamientos, como dice la Torá: " Así os acordaréis de todos mis mandamientos y los cumpliréis."

¿Cómo ponerse el Talit?

1. Se extiende el Talit y se sostiene con las dos manos para que pueda verse la Atará (la banda del collar en la que a menudo que es bordada la bendición).

2. Se recita la Berajá (transliteración de Baruj Atá, HaShem Eloheinu, Melej Ha´olam, Asher Kiddeshanu Bemitzvotav, Vetzivanu Lehit´atef BaTzitzit). Alabado seas Tú, Señor nuestro Dios, Rey del Universo, cuya santidad ordenó añadir a nuestras vidas y nos ordenó el mandamiento de los Tzitzis).

3. Se besa la Atará donde está bordada la última palabra de la bendición y, a continuación, se besa donde está la primera palabra.

4. Se envuelve el Talit alrededor de los hombros, colocándolo sobre la cabeza por unos segundos, para tener un momento de meditación privada.

5.Ajústese cómodamente el Talit sobre los hombros.

Costumbres al usar un Talit

1. Si usted pide prestado el Talit para el servicio, dicen la berajá (bendición) antes de ponérselo.

2. Si lo usa sólo para una aliya, no hace falta decir que la berajá.

3. No lo tenga puesto cuando va a usar el baño. Muchas sinagogas tienen percheros fuera de la puerta.

4. Si se quita el Talit por un corto tiempo (por ejemplo, para ir al baño) no es necesario repetir la berajá cuando se lo ponga de nuevo.

Besar el Tzitzit

Hay varias momentos durante el servicio en que la gente besa el Tzitzit simbólicamente. El primero es durante el rezo del tercer párrafo del Shemá (Números 15:37-41), que menciona el tzitzit tres veces. A medida que el adorador lee la palabra "tzitzit", existe la costumbre de besar el tzitzit, que estaban sujetados en una mano antes de recitar el Shemá.

Cuando la Torá es sacada del Arca y es cargada alrededor de la sinagoga en un Hakafá (procesión), quienes alcance a tocar la Torá con el manto de tzitzit (si está usando un Talit) o un Sidur (libro de oraciones) si no tiene el Talit. A continuación, besa el tzitzit o el sidur que tocó el rollo de la Torá. Esta es una expresión de amor y afecto por el gran don que es la Torá para nuestro pueblo.

Traducido por Víctor Marcano

Weekly Sidra: Va’era (and I appeared)
Torah Portion: Shemot / Exodus 6:2 – 9:35
Haftorah: Yechetzkel / Ezekiel 28:25 – 29:21

The Lord replied to Moses, "See, I place you in the role of God to Pharaoh, with your brother Aaron as your prophet. 2 You shall repeat all that I command you, and your brother Aaron shall speak to Pharaoh to let the Israelites depart from his land. (Shemot 7:1, 2)

This week we read of the start of the ten plagues on Egypt. God tells Moses that Moses will be placed in the role of God to Pharaoh. This begs the question why does God need Moses to be in the role of God? Why can’t God speak for Himself?

The answer to this is found in the Besorah HaTova (Good News). In Ephesians 2:10 Rav Shaul states “For we are of God’s making, created in union with Yeshua the Messiah for a life of good actions already prepared by God for us to do.”

Therefore, God has created us for the purpose of doing what God has called us to do. If we are faithful in doing what God has called us to do we will increase our emmuna (faith) and bitachon (trust) in God. In Yacov (James) we read

“20 But, foolish fellow, do you want to be shown that such "faith" apart from actions is dead? 21 Wasn’t Avraham avinu declared righteous because of actions when he offered up his son Yitz’chak on the altar? 22 You see that his faith worked with his actions; by the actions the faith was made complete. (Jacob 2:20-22)

When I am at work I must be careful in all I say and do because I am a representative of my company. I will be judged by co-workers, my boss and members of the public by how I conduct myself.

How much more should we be cognizant of being God’s ambassadors? Just as Moses represented God to Pharaoh, so to we represent God to those around us.

It is not enough just to believe that God sent us, but we must put our faith into action. We are God’s ambassadors. Sometimes we are the only Torah that people will read.

What kind of Torah are you? Is your faith alive or dead?

HaShem spoke to Moses, saying: 2 Speak to the Israelite people and say to them: I HaShem am your God. 3 You shall not copy the practices of the land of Egypt where you dwelt, or of the land of Canaan to which I am taking you; nor shall you follow their laws. 4 My rules alone shall you observe, and faithfully follow My laws: I HaShem am your God. 5 You shall keep My laws and My rules, by the pursuit of which man shall live: I am HaShem. 6 None of you shall come near anyone of his own flesh to uncover nakedness: I am HaShem. [Lev. 18:1-6]

This week we have a double reading Achrei Mot (after the death) and Kedoshim (holy ones). 

We live in a society today which promotes sexual promiscuity.  From television to billboards it is being promoted everywhere.  Young people are being advised that they can obtain condoms for protected sex or the morning after pill to abort an unwanted pregnancy.

The Torah is very clear about purity in sexuality.   HaShem warned Israel NOT to copy the practices of the land of Egypt.  We too would be wise to follow this advice.  Here are some practical guidelines to keep in mind for those who are dating.

1. Establish your standard. Write it down. Try to anticipate things that could and would happen when you date, and be prepared and make decision as soon as possible. You should know what you would say. Don’t decide later when you’re in the dark on a backseat of a car, because it would be extremely difficult to think clearly then.
2. Share your standard with someone who really cares about you, and ask the person to hold you accountable to your goal. It’s more difficult to be a single fighter and it’s not encouraged that you fight the battle alone. Even the feeling of loneliness can negatively affect your commitment.
3. Select good friends to hang out with. You are who you’re with. "Bad company corrupts good morals" (1 Corinthians 15:33). This is particularly true for girls, their friends’ attitude influence their stance about premarital sex.5
4. Stay a million miles away from drugs and alcohol. Alcohol and drugs are cruel masters that control you. They get to your head and make you do things you never would have considered doing.
5. Be careful with music, TV, movies and magazines. If you see it or think about it enough, eventually it gets in your blood. Garbage in, garbage out; Don’t flirt with temptation.
6. Do NOT go alone to the house or room of anyone of the opposite sex. Most sexual intercourse between teenage boys and girls takes place in the home of one or the other while the parents are away. Date rape, seduction, and mere rumor leave countless victims with tattered reputations every day.
7. Become an expert at saying "no" and mean it. When someone asks you to drink, tell ‘em you don’t look good in a lampshade (and smile). When someone tries to force sex, tell ‘em your dad is a Green Beret and trains Dobermans for a living.
8. Build a friendship, NOT a sexual partnership. If someone isn’t interested in you without the physical, you can be assured that he or she does not after love but sex and is not worth gambling your reputation on.
9. What goes around, comes around. Protect your date’s reputation and he or she will be more likely to protect yours. And who knows-you may start a positive trend at your school!
10. Only date people who share and respect your views, you need them to work WITH you, NOT AGAINST you. This one is ENORMOUSLY important, a definite key to abstinence.
11. Stick to your guns at all circumstances. Respect from a guy also come to a girl who can be consistent with what she believes. It is too common for guys to say "I respect your view about sex" when the girls mentioned it, but deep down in their hearts they don’t care about it and think if they waited a bit longer they surely could bring the girls to bed without any problem. Sadly, often enough that’s what happened.
12. Abstain from any activity that sexually arouses you, even at the lightest activity (i.e., light kiss, holding hands, back rubs, etc.). If that activity arouses you to have sex, then you are actually closer to the sexual intercourse itself. Beware, there is no clear line between no intercourse and intercourse, everything is happening gradually from white-light gray-gray-dark gray-black. One small thing will lead to bigger things and it is much easier to cool down small fire. Even much easier if you didn’t start the fire in the first place.
13. Love is a decision, not a feeling. The most loving decision you can make when your mind tells you it wants sex is to say no.
14. Always keep in mind that whoever you’re with right now might not be your future husband or wife. Just as you do not want other people to defile your future husband or wife, do the same to others, do not steal someone else’s future husband or wife by defiling your girlfriend or boyfriend (Mattityahu – Matthew 7:12).

    Guys: Keep an image of your future bride dressed in white and walking down the aisle of the Shul / Synagogue. To look at her and know that she is unstained by you or others is the greatest feeling in the world. Do not violate your dream or the dream some other guy could have had with your girl (in case you do not marry her).

    Girls: Hold tight to the goal of having a clean conscience when you walk down the aisle dressed in white. Look forward to the day when you can walk down that aisle, look into the eyes of your future lifetime husband, and know that he will be yours alone.

15. Lastly but one of the utmost importance is to pray for strength from Him [God]. You will not be able to "go it alone" without His help, and He is willing to help. The only thing that you need is ask.

The view of this Organization on dating:

In our understanding, dating is limited to the search for a marriage partner (we do not believe that a person can have a girlfriend or boyfriend just for fun). Both sides (usually the parents, close relatives or friends of the persons involved) make inquiries about the prospective partner, e.g. on his/her character, intelligence, level of learning, financial status, family and health status, appearance and level of religious observance. The number of dates prior to announcing an engagement may vary by community. In some, the dating continues several months. In other communities, the couple may decide within a few days.

Weekly Sidra: Shemot (Names)
Torah Portion: Shemot /Exodus 1:1-6:1
Haftorah: Yermiyahu /Jeremiah 1:1-2:3

“Moses said to God, "When I come to the Israelites and say to them ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them?" 14 And God said to Moses, "I am that I am | Ehyeh-Asher-Ehyeh." He continued, "Thus shall you say to the Israelites, ‘Ehyeh sent me to you.’" 15 And God said further to Moses, "Thus shall you speak to the Israelites: The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you: This shall be My name forever, This My appellation for all eternity. (Exodus 3:13-15)

This week’s section is called, in Hebrew, ‘Names’. It begins with a list of the names of the tribes, and it contains an interesting dialogue between Moses and God by the burning bush about God’s names (3:13).

At first glance this is not understood; we already know the names of the tribes from the book of Genesis why say them again?  It also isn’t clear why Moses wants to know God’s name and even more unclear what God answers him:

First God says His name is ‘I will be’ Then He says it is ‘the Lord’, then ‘The God of your fathers’ then "The God of Abraham, the God of Issac, the God of Jacob".

What is God trying to say here? Why so many names?  Also is there any connection between God’s names and the names of the tribes?

A name is a connector. When one has a name he can be called; his identity can be felt in the world.

That is what is so special about the Jews not changing their ‘names’ in Egypt; despite the difficult of exile they did not change their identities, their connection to one another to life and to Judaism.

Similarly the Names of God are ways that God ‘connects’ to the world and how we connect to Him. That is what Moses meant when he said to God at the burning bush (3:13) "The Jewish people will ask me what is Your name, what will I tell them?"

In other words, the Jews will want to know how to connect to You, God. Are you so distant that you are unapproachable? And if not then what is Your name; how can You be approached?

That is what God answered. I am certainly much nearer than you can imagine, but I am also much further:  According to Torah HaNiztar (Jewish Tradition) the name "I will be" is the mystery of mysteries and the concealed of concealed above even the spiritual.

The name "Lord" however is closer; it implies that God is the Creator of all being, past, present and future at once.  Even closer is "the God of your fathers" A personal and intimate God that hears all prayers and forgives all sins.

But finally God reveals the true answer to the question. The way to approach Him is as the fathers did; ‘M’sirut Nefesh’ (self sacrifice).

Each person is different (therefore it says the God of Abraham, the God of Issac etc.) but the common theme and essence of their service and ours is self sacrifice.  And the result of such service is ‘Kiddush HaShem’ literally ‘Sanctifying’ or more properly ‘Revealing God’s NAME’ and that is our life’s work.

This is why Abraham, Issac and Jacob are called the fathers of Judaism; they were the first to do it.  But today all this can be done through joy, charity and brotherly love. We are standing on the shoulders of the millions that have sacrificed themselves before us through the ages. Today can reveal God’s name by spreading Torah, Mitzvot and devoting all our energy; actions, speech and thought to do all we can to reveal…..

Mashiach NOW!!