Category: All Torah Teachings

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Parashat Noach – “Somewhere over the Rainbow”- 2009

“Somewhere over the Rainbow”- Parshat Noach 2009 October 23, 2009

After leaving the obscurity of the darkness of the ark, and the winds of change cleared the waters of destruction, in a still doomful sky of clouds, Noach and family witnessed the sign of the brit, the covenant- a sparkling rainbow. “I have set my bow in the cloud and it shall be for a covenant between me and the earth. And it shall be seen in the cloud and I will remember my covenant which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh ….” (Berieshit 9:13) This is the brit of the restitution of Hashem sustaining the world. The 7 mitzvot Bnei Noach, the commandments given to Noach’s sons, that were instituted this time were meant to benefit humanity and be the foundation for the “new world”. Its ethical principles laid down the guidelines for how this world can live in harmony and peace. The seven universal mitzvoth spoken of : 1) not to worship idols 2) not to blaspheme G-d 3) to establish courts of justice 4) not to murder 5) not to commit adultery or incest 6) not to steal 7) Not to eat flesh from a living animal (Sanhedrin:56b, tosefta avoda zara 9:4)

In Kabbalah the 7 colors of the rainbow are represented by the 7 lower sefirot, Chesed, Gevurah, Tiferet, Netzach, Hod, Yesod, Malchut. The mystical vision of Yechezkel upon seeing the merkava is likened to the expeience Noach and family had when gazing at the rainbow. A prophetic voice spoke out of this vision. Yechezkel describes:” like the appearance of a bow which shines in the clouds, such was radiance”. Its appearance in the cloud brings to mind another more powerful “new world, the torah on Mount Sinai.

Interestingly, the 8th commandment, surpassing the Noachide Laws, is brit milah- circumcision. This is performed on the 8th day of life and is considered the highest level of spiritual perfection for mankind, even transcending the physical. This is why even the most assimilated Jews perform this mitzvah- it has been engrained in them that there are no compromise in fulfilling this commandment. It takes the next generation “somewhere over the rainbow” and back to Abraham, the trailblazer of the brit. Both the sign of the rainbow and the brit-circumcision are called the same word: the covenant.

Here in Israel, it is just about getting cloudy and we hope for rain. It is usually around the time of Parshat Noach that the first of rainbows appear in the sky. When a person sees a rainbow, he recites a blessing:” Blessed are you Hashem Who remembers the covenant, and is faithful in His covenant and fulfills His word.”

 

Even though it is early in the year, with only 1 parsha behind us in the torah, we look at the rainbow and see it as a sign of the time to recognize mistakes we have already made in this new year, strive o correct them and make a restitution, as Hashem did with us then in the days of Noach, and now as He does always.

Shabbat Shalom, Leah Goldsmith

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Parashat Bereishit – Rectification – 2009

Parshat Bereishit October 15, 2009

The ultimate aim in the creation of man was that he should strive to emulate G-d by following His attributes, like by being compassionate, giving and having a positive influence over the scheme of things. Also in deeds, like keeping Shabbat- just like G-d did. Adam was the forerunner, the first man. He was given the job of being “Tzaddik Yesod Olam”- the Righteous One, the foundation of the world. By connecting the elements of earth, wind, fire and water with his human intelligence and will, he was to make heaven on earth. “And the Lord formed man of the dust of the ground” (Genesis 1:7) There is a famous saying- “Lo bashamayim hee”- It is in the hands of people to make it happen. Bringing it all to a practical level of worship, he was told to guard and keep the Gan, but almost as soon as we cut the ribbon on a brand new world, he fails at “minding the store”. This led to his downfall. Forgetting that he was from the dust of the earth and emulating G-d, he wanted to know it all and to be on the same level of G-d.

2,000 years later, the plan for knowing G-d was put into motion by the first believing man, Abraham. He was returned to the Gan, the Land of Israel, rectifying Adam’s expulsion. Here, he maintained a new order of faith in one G-d. Everything was given to Adam, but it was only the Patriarchs in the Land that experienced the reality of G-d in their lives. Their ascent into higher spiritual dimensions was acquired through many tests and hardships, scenes in which they were brought down to their knees. Abraham says, “Who am I but dust and ashes” (Vayera 18:27) He was promised the entire Land, but had to pay for a burial plot for Sarah in Chevron. He was promised the Promised Land, but had to fight in wars. He knew G-d, but he, Abraham, had to “make it happen”. He had to do the guarding and keeping.

In Masechet Yoma there is a tractate dealing with the place called “Even Hashtiya “. This is the foundation stone from which the entire world was formed. This is the stone that protrudes from the floor of the Temple Mount in the area of the Holy of Holies in Jerusalem. It was here that Abraham was promised seed as many as “the dust of the earth”. It all begins and ends right here in this place. Abraham called this place, HaHar (the mountain) which in Chasidism symbolizes great love, the Divine attribute personified by Abraham. He wasn’t looking to eat from the tree of knowledge and he didn’t want to know it all. He ran to serve G-d through serving humanity. He is called AV hamone goyim- the father of many nations, but the covenant was passed through Abraham’s son, Yitzchak. Yitzchak, who was bound on an altar on this very stone was ready to give his life for G-d. Ya’akov, his son, had a dream of a ladder going up to heaven on this stone. He called this place HaBayit (the House) where the soul experiences the absolute unity of G-d. He later became the father of the 12 tribes that make up the unit of the House of Israel. These foundations are all based on this foundation stone, made of dust, the stone that was made “in the beginning”.

Rectifying a long exile of AGAIN 2,000 years, we return to walk the paths of our fathers into the Land- to guard it and keep it. We are only at the beginning of climbing the mountain and building a home. Please help us to do so.

Shabbat Shalom, Leah Goldsmith

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All Torah Teachings Holiday Teachings Succoth

Succoth – Rain! 2009

Hoshanah Rabbah October 9, 2009

The renowned Abarbanel(1437-1508) teaches us that the three major holidays: Pesach, Shavuot, and Succot each represent a stage in building the Jewish Nation. Pesach is the leaving of Egypt and the formation of the Jewish nation, Shavuot is the receiving of the Torah. The holiday of Succot represents the coming into the land of Israel. The first two are very clear but why does Succot represent coming to Israel? Succot is the time where we are judged on how much rain we are going to get in the coming winter. Almost everything about succot is centered on this idea. The holiday of Succot is called Chag Haasif the holiday of harvest because on Succot time we just completed an agricultural year and reaped the fruits of our hard work and another cycle begins. The judgment on rain will determine how much bounty we will merit in in the coming year. Most countries have a bountiful supply of water throughout the year as G-D lets nature provide them water whether they are deserving of it or not. The land of Israel, on the other hand, does not have this luxury. Because of the tremendous holiness of the land there is a different system of rules that apply to it. As the verse says in Deuteronomy 11:12 “a land for which Hashem has high expectations; the eyes of God are always on it, from the beginning even to the end of the year”The amount of water we will get is directly related to our Divine service. Only if we prove deserving of the gift of water we will receive it. The land Of Israel is in another realm altogether. The tremendous spirituality of the Land and Nation of Israel require a very high standard of purity and righteousness. Let us pray that the Jewish nation will live up to its important goal and be a true light to the Nations. Let it be a very rainy and bountiful year!

Please join us in prayer:

A Prayer for Time of Drought

Answer us, G-D of the Universe, with the power of mercy the One who chose His people Israel to proclaim His greatness and honor. The One who hears prayer, give rain and dew on the earth, satisfy the entire world from Your bounty and fill our hands from Your blessings and from treasures, the gift of Your hand. Protect and save this year from everything bad and from all types of destructive agents and from all types of suffering and provide it with hope and peace. Have mercy and compassion on us and on all our produce and fruits and bless us with abundant rains that we may merit life, satisfaction, and peace as in the good years. Remove from us plague, the sword, and famine, evil beast, captivity, and destruction, the evil urge, bad and harsh illness and bad and harsh events. Decree for us good decrees from before You, let Your mercy be revealed over Your other attributes, Treat Your children with the attribute of mercy and accept with compassion and desire our prayer. Amen!

Chag Sameyach, Rabbi Moshe Goldsmith

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All Torah Teachings Holiday Teachings Succoth Written Teachings

Succoth 2009 – Hashem hugging us

Sukkot 2009–10–03

At the beginning of fall, at the height of harvest time, we celebrate Sukkot: Z’man Matan Simchateynu, the season of our rejoicing. The storehouses are full; we have a full new year to anticipate. We are told to go out of the solid walls of our homes and spend the coming days in a makeshift booth(sukkah) with no ceiling, only some branches with a few leaves (s’chach) here and there. It seems a little out of the ordinary, but this commandment has been practiced every year since the clouds of glory covered over us in days of yore.

Here in Israel, it is a perfect time of year. Mornings, through the canopy of s’chach, you can see tens of white clouds floating by on the powder blue sky. In the evenings, when you lie down on your bed, hundreds of stars glimmer in the dark ink over your head. The timelessness of looking up at the sky of Israel, the feeling that this moment in which you are in the sukkah could be now, or centuries ago- you can’t tell which.

There is a particular blessing we say only on Sukkot: “May the compassionate One erect David’s fallen booth”. Looking back on the nights of Sukkot in despairing times like the Holocaust, the pogroms in Europe and Arab countries, the evenings of the Inquisition, and more recent times like the Sukkot of Gush Katif and the North Shomron that were uprooted here in the Land ( in these times! )- these are the fallen booths of David. It seems like sometimes there are no walls and there is no safe side. As a people, and also personally we come in contact with many many obstacles that make our lives difficult…But, there is always a morning- we know that “A new light will shine out of Zion”. In the morning we perform the mitzvah of lulav and etrog. We strengthen ourselves in perfect faith and know that “come what may” with the help of Hashem, we will continue to stand till the end of days when the crown (Keter) will be placed on the head of King David (Malchut)- and so, the connection of thinking and doing will be brought to a perfect state. This is what we pray for on Sukkot when we place the s’chach ( Crown- Keter) on the vessel of Kingship ( Sukkat David ).

There is a concept in Kabbalah that overcoming obstacles creates a new vessel to receive G-d’s light. G-d will never “push you” though, over your limit. If there are obstacles in your path right now, it is because you are actually being given a chance to perfect yourself and ascend to a higher level. For this you need humility. This is a hard task when we live today in a world that stresses boosting up your ego, strengthening your assertiveness, it’s a “dog eat dog” world. It wasn’t “kochi veotzem yadi asah li et hachayil hazeh” (by my hard work, I reaped the earnings) but, Hashem blessed me with this! Hashem did it for me. The Sukkah, in it’s flimsiness (it can be beautiful beyond words- and should be), in it’s totally temporary dwelling-place as it is tells us- Hashem is my wall- who am I anyway?… Hashem is hugging us; we are entering Him as we realize we are no more than a cloud that wafts by, or a tiny star in a myriad of galaxies.

Chag Sameyach- Moadim Le’simcha, Leah Goldsmith

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Parshat Ha’azinu – Shabbat Shuva (Return!) – 2009

Parshat Ha’azinu – Shabbat Shuva (Return!) September 25, 2009

Moshe Rabbeinu signs, seals and delivers G-d’s message to Am Yisrael: Give ear, oh you heavens and I will speak- hear oh earth, the words of my mouth”. With this, he comes to a finish as he is about to exit from the long drama of the exodus. “For tomorrow, I die”, he tells the masses. He is telling them that no mortal is immortal, but the heavens and earth, who never die, bare witness to the warnings he delivers. Most of this parsha is a song, conveyed through a prophecy about Israel’s relationship with G-d and the blessings they can receive if they listen: “The grapevine will give forth its fruit and the Land its produce.” However, if they do not listen, the forewarning states that the witnesses themselves (the heavens which supply the abundant rain and dew and the earth which blossoms and gives forth sustenance) will execute judgment: “And the Land will not give its yield …”

The heavens and earth, we know are represented by the masculine attributes-(the one that influences) and the feminine attributes (the one that receives). This is the motion of the world, the give and take relationship, that represent too the spiritual and physical realms- like the body and the soul. It is the clock of the world ticking, turning, and bringing always new life. What Moshe Rabbeinu is telling us in his final words is that man keeping the Torah is the mechanism that “runs this machine”. The torah is timeless and was created specifically for the purpose of connecting these 2 spheres in order to maintain the cycles of life and the rejuvenation of blessing to the world.

It is not coincidence that our parsha’s theme is all about what was what is and what will be, as we too come to a full circle as the book of Life is sealed on Yom Kippur. It is precisely at this time that we retrospect, “How was I with so and so…” It is a time to introspect, “How am I with Hashem? How am I with myself?” We pray that “My wisdom will drip down like rain” as we rededicate ourselves to a New Year of being the kli (the vessel) that connects Heaven to Earth in doing more mitzvoth, in thinking better thoughts, and in seeing Glory even when it is not obvious. Let me take this opportunity to bless you with a Shana Tova U’metukah, G’mar Chatimah Tova. We are all witness to the Land giving her fruit, be’ayin tova– a coming to fruition of the blessings promised after 2,000 years of desolation and waste when no people could live here on this Land. A full circle of fate has turned too as we, Am Yisrael return to the beginning, where it all started- in the Land of Israel. Let us rise above the nations of the world that say Israel is not for Israel and show the world the truth. Let these very mountains and this Land be our voice and proclaim His name as one.

Shabbat Shalom, Leah Goldsmith

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All Torah Teachings Holiday Teachings Rosh Hashana New Year Written Teachings

Rosh Hashanah the concealed holiday – 2009

Rosh Hashanah the concealed holiday September 18, 2009

Our sages bring down in the tractate of Rosh Hashanah (11A) a list of events that occurred on Rosh Hashana (New Year) two of them pertain directly to Yosef. He was conceived by his mother Rachel on this day and it was on Rosh Hashana that he was released from prison. In addition, it is mentioned that the slave labor of the Jewish people in Egypt ceased precisely at this time. In order for us to try and understand the connection between Yosef and the stopping of slave labor to Rosh Hashana we must first take a quick glance in what the meaning of Rosh Hashana is and why we celebrate it. In the written law very little is mentioned about the Rosh Hashana holiday. In the book of Leviticus 23:24 it says “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘In the seventh month on the first of the month you shall have a rest, a reminder by shouting, it shall be a holy day. In the book of Numbers 29:1 it says “on the seventh month on the first of the month it shall be to you a holy day you shall not do any work and it shall be a day of shouting” Afterwards the Torah mentions the various sacrifices that are offered on this day. What is so unusual is that all other holidays the reason behind the celebration is clearly outlined in the Torah whereas on this day the Torah does not explain why we celebrate the holiday. Even the word “Teruah” where most translate as sounding trumpets literally means shouting. As we learn out in the book of Joshuah chapter 6:5 “It shall be that when they make a long blast with the sheep’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people will go up every man straight ahead.”Here the verse clearly distinguishes between the horn of a sheep and the “Teruah” – the shouting of the nation. In other words, the major mitzvah of the day blowing the Shofar is also not mentioned directly in the verse it is only alluded to in the word shouting. This means that all the laws of this day are concealed in our oral traditions!

In addition it is brought down in the oral law that this special day of Rosh Hashan is the Day of Judgment for the entire world, (see the first Mishna of Rosh Hashana) this also is not mentioned in the written Torah – Why did Hashem want to hide this and only reveal us these details in the oral law? In the book of Psams 81:4-6, King David reveals a little more about this special day by clearly mentioning the Mitzvah of blowing the Shofar, at the same time he alludes to the secrecy of this special day. He does mention the connection between Joseph and bondage in Egypt to this special day. Blow the horn at the beginning of the month, at its appointed time on our feast day. For it is a statute for Israel, An ordinance of the God of Jacob. He established it for a testimony in Joseph When he went throughout the land of Egypt. I heard a language that I did not know: When do we blow the horn on the beginning of the month on its appointed time? – on our New Year.

Interestingly, the Hebrew word for its appointed time is called “Keseh” – which comes from the root meaning to hide. In other words this appointed time is centered on hiding. What is G-d hiding from us? All the other holidays come out on full moons this is the only one that is at the beginning of the month. The entire world is now closing in on the completion of the sixth thousandth year since man’s creation, where our sages teach us that we have the job through rectification of reaching world perfection at the conclusion of these sixth thousand years. This is achieved by revealing Hashem in the world. One of the most basic concepts of creation is to realize that G-D withdrew Himsef when he created the world in order to allow for man to have free will. It is then our duty to rediscover our creator. This is the major principle of creation. G-D created man in order for man to connect and unite with Him. On Rosh Hashana Hashem judges the world to see if we are getting closer to the goal of creation. Every person is judged – he is asked – what did you do to help the world achieve this unity with G-D? Every nation is judged as well on a national scale to see what they have done in regards to this purpose.The Nation of Israel has the role of being teachers to the world and helping everyone reach this special level of connecting to Hashem. This can only be done when the nation of Israel reaches its proper spiritual height.

When we were slaves in Egypt this special function of our purpose in this world was hidden. We were slaves who would ever expect from a slave nation that they will have such as special purpose in this world. This is what our sages were telling us when they taught us that on Rosh Hashana the slave labor in Egypt ended. Although there was still 6 months left in Egypt until we finally left but the beginning of our redemption began with the end of slave labor: Joseph, who left prison on Rosh Hashana, represents the freedom of the beginning of redeeming his family from the famine and establishing the basis of the Jewish nation. But the nation still had to go through the 210 years of bondage before being liberated. The sound of liberty is represented in the Jubilee year.

Amazingly, it is from the Jubilee year that we learn our in the oral law the mitzvah of blowing the Shofar on Rosh Hasahnah. You are also to count off seven sabbaths of years for yourself, seven times seven years, so that you have the time of the seven sabbaths of years, namely, forty-nine years ‘You shall then sound a ram’s horn abroad on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the day of atonement you shall sound a horn all through your land. shall thus consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim a release through the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you, and each of you shall return to his own property, and each of you shall return to his family.” When Moses blesses each tribe he blesses the tribe of Joseph with having the strength of a bull and the horns of a Re’em. (See Deuteronomy 33:17). Our sages teach us that his horns had the strength of a Bull and the beauty of the Re’em. Yosef had the special gift of the horn. To sound the horn of freedom for the Jewish Nation. Joshuah who came form the house of Joseph conquered Jericho by having the priests sound the horns of the Shofar. The actual word mentioned there is Yovel meaning Jubilee in Hebrew. In closing the concept of Rosh Hashana means concealing the redemption of the world that slowly comes closer and closer each and every year by revealing more and more the presence of G-D in the world. The sounds of the Shofar which first represented the freedom of Joseph and later the beginning our redemption from Egypy and then the contuinuation by entering the land of Israel. We will continue to sound our Shofar until we reach our final redemption when it says in Isaiah 27:13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the great Shofar shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the LORD in the holy mount at Jerusalem.

Dear readers it has been nine years since the desecration of the tomb of Joseph almost to the day(the 9th of Tishray Taf Shin Samech Alef) we ask Hashem especially at this time of renewal to reinstate the Jewish presence in the land of Shechem and return to us this our holy site.

I take this opportunity to bless all our readers with a Shanah Tovah Umituka – may the blessing that Hashem gave to Yosef “Kol Ma SHehu asah Hu Hitzlicah” – everything upon which he touched succeeded” – be upon you!

Rabbi Moshe Goldsmith .

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Parashat Nitzvim – Standing Upright – 2009

Parshat Nitzavim September 11, 2009

“You stand upright this day, all of you before the Lord…” (D’varim 29 9:10)

There are times to sit, times to run and times to stand. We remember Abraham running to serve his guests. “and Abraham hastened into the tent.” (Vayera 18:6,7) “and Abraham ran to the herd.” We imagine Rachel as she had taken her father’s images and put them in the camel’s saddle and sat upon them. Solomon “sits upon the throne.” (Kings 1:46) And in this week’s parsha, Am Yisrael stand- still to receive Hashem’s word. These three motions of sitting, running and standing parallel the 3 spheres of time- then(past tense) (sitting and contemplating) when(future tense) (running to do something) and now (present) (standing in Da’at). Da’at, or yishuv da’at is translated as “peace of mind”, or in Kabbalah- knowing. It is experiencing the moment as it is- the precise moment, without dwelling on another time.

Da’at is placed in the middle brain, situated between Chochmah and Binah, representing the “connector” between mentalities and attributes. Harav Areyeh Kaplan brings down in his book “Inner Space” that Da’at generally refers to the intimate connection between Adam and Eve as in “and Adam knew (from the word yada- based on da’at) his wife. When Am Yisrael were standing (in Da’at) they were now able to see the Godly moment as it says in the verse, “See, I have set before you life…”(D’varim 30:15) When a person can see, he can choose life. (When a person is running to do something he can’t see. When he is contemplating on what was, he isn’t seeing either) When a person reaches the balance of seeing and knowing(Da’at) he reaches the level of perceiving that all of G-d’s attributes, as contradictory as they may seem, are all one, then (s)he can also realize that time can stand still too. This is what marriage is all about. Husband and wife with their different personalities combine to make one soul. This is what knowing is all about!

With this picture in mind, we turn to the haftara in Isaiah 61-63. “I will rejoice with the Lord… for He has attired me in garments of salvation.. like a bride and like a bridegroom.” (standing and seeing) and “On your walls, Oh Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen, all day and all night (the guards are standing and seeing). The mental image of Am Yisrael standing on Har Gerizzim and Har Eval as the canopy of their marriage to Hashem as they entered the Land is realized as we come to understand what standing, seeing and knowing mean. The standing in this parsha that we read thousands of years later relates to all the realms of time. The warnings come along with the promises for the future redemption of Israel in her rightful Land- “Hashem will return your captivity and have compassion on you and will return and gather you from all the nations of the world whom G-d has scattered you…”

Shabbat Shalom, Leah Goldsmith

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Parashat Ki Tavo “When you come into the Land” 2009

Parshat Ki Tavo September 3, 2009

“V’haya Ki Tavo el Ha’aretz” – “When you come into the Land”.(Dvarim 26:1)

Being that this parsha falls on the birth date of the Holy Baal Shem Tov, the father of Chassidut, and of the Alter Rebbe, I want to open a window to a Chassidic teaching pertaining to the above passuk. It is likened to when a soul descends from it’s heavenly source ‘into the land’- into this physical world to fulfill it’s purpose.

Am Yisrael was delivered from Egypt and wandered the domain of the empty desert where nothing was accessible and nothing was needed. They nursed Divine inspiration for 40 years. They did not have to eat, change their clothes or worry about a thing. Finally they reached their destination. Their guide and leader did not continue on with them, the manna stopped falling and a new realm of their identity unfolded as they entered the gates of the Land of Israel through the mountains of Har Gerizzim and Har Eval. Here they faced the call to choose between the blessing and the curse. They walked 60 kilometers from the Jordan to these mountains, to the Land of Shechem, a place their forefathers had purchased at the dawn of Judaism. Here was the first “station” of being inaugurated for the 1st Patriarch, Abraham. Here is the parcel of land Jacob bought as he first entered the land with his family after 22 years in the house of Lavan. Here, as they come to receive the torah in Israel, Am Yisrael now put to a final rest, Yosef Hatzaddik in the land that he was sold by his brothers. Am Yisrael are positioned on the 2 scales of Gerizzim and Eval and the blessings and curses are read. Now it was time to actualize G-d’s plan for them. This was the very special day they were motivated to so accordingly.

Blessings and curses in essence we bring upon ourselves. There is free choice and there are mitzvoth to do. It does not contradict. We can be blessed if we acknowledge the vitality in our lives, to know and understand what make us tick. We can also be prevented from being cursed if we just check to see how the word meaningful measures into the pitcher we pour and drink from each day. When we read Ki Tavo we think to ourselves, “Who am I, What am I, What am I doing, Am I REALLY alive? There is no greater curse than to be alive and not feel it. This parsha is positioned precisely at the time we need to hear it, close to the Day of Judgment and the beginning of a new cycle in our lives as we approach the New Year. It is clearly a time to ask, “Have I fulfilled my purpose and how have I enriched the world?”

Dear Readers, It goes without saying that facing these very mountains written about in our parsha, and seeing them every day for the last 24 years while most people only read about them- has been a tremendous G-d given gift. Yes, today we have reached this point again as we enter the Land and try to settle it. It is spoken about with many many husks, doubts, confusion, and strife, even as if it belonged to someone else (G-d forbid!). It is in fact none of the above. It is the primordial covenant between G-d and the Jewish people. May the Torah prove to all the world that we cannot ever run from the truth. May all the people who hold Israel dear – raise the banner of Har Gerizzim and Har Eval – they have chosen to be blessed!!

Shabbat Shalom, Leah Goldsmith

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Parashat Re’eh – Roots and Identity – 2009

Parshat Re’eh August 13, 2009

When a person wants to validate his identity, he delves deep into his roots, verifies the provable facts; he can even check his genealogy and examine the origins that manifested into what he is. Parshat Re’eh is the historical substantiation of Israel as a nation in the Land of Israel. After passing through the Jordan and reaching on that day to the holy site of the Mountains of Gerizzim and Eval, a clarification was made to all of Am Yisrael- Devarim: 27:9 “This day you become a nation to the Lord your G-d”. After the long journey of 40 years in the desert, with it’s fiery ordeals there were those that begged to turn back to Egypt, thinking of Egypt as a home (and conveniently forgetting their servitude there), – Numbers 14:4 “and we will return to Egypt”. Those people believed that their roots and original identities were in Egypt, in the cozy way many of feel about Brooklyn, Los Angeles, Paris, Berlin or any other galut city Jews grew to know and love. They knew well that their founding fathers came from the Land of Israel but conceived them as being isolated tribes from that place.

On the day they entered the Land, in our parsha, the passuk emphasizes “This day you have become a nation”. Even on Har Sinai, at the time of the giving of the torah, Hashem said: “Vehayeetem li segulah mekol haamim”, in the time frame of the future tense, “and you WILL BE a chosen nation”- when you come into the Land, because there is no nation without a land. There is no Israel without the word of G-d. This had to happen first (the giving of the Torah), then the covenant on the two mountains later. But they were not entering a new land, they were not conquering a new patrimony: They were returning to their original roots, to the same land that the forefathers received Divine revelation, to the same land where the founding fathers, the roots of the identity of all of Israel as a people remained forever.

And now that we have returned to the Land in these truly redemptive times, what is more expedient, suiting the occasion of Israel in her restored glory, than returning to her original home in the Land of Har Gerizzim and Eval in the Land of Shechem, the Land of Abraham, Jacob and Yosef, where the sons return to the fathers and confirm the Divine domain in and for all of Israel.

Shabbat Shalom, Leah Goldsmith

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All Torah Teachings Holiday Teachings Tisha B'av Written Teachings

Tisha B’Av – The Nine Days – 2009

The Nine Days July 24, 2009

The nature of the 9th of Av and the days leading up to it can only be described as one of dread. It is a time when “exaggerated vision” comes into motion. The overstressing, overestimating, amplified by the essence of judgment on this date give it the title “catastrophic times”. Truly it is time of calamity for the Jewish people, a time that signifies the meltdown of The Kingdom of Israel in Israel and the staggering blows they have had to face since then.

It was on this date that the spies that were sent by Moses came back with a “bad report” about the Land of Israel. It brought fear into the hearts of Am Yisrael upon hearing the intensified stories of a land that eats its inhabitants. When the spies made the people panic, they said they wanted to go back into exile- to Egypt. They didn’t want the land G-d promised them. This was more than an offense to the Shechinah. This reaction of “exaggerated vision” deformed that generation and most of them died in the desert. The 9th of Av signifies multiple severities. This was the very day, in more ancient a time, at the beginning of the foundation Am Yisrael, when Yosef was thrown into the pit and sold for 4 pairs of shoes. In the not so distant past, the Jews of Gush Katif were thrown out of their kitchens, living rooms, bedrooms, babies grabbed out of their cribs and tens of synagogues bulldozed to the ground. Under the influence of the element of fire, the symbol of Divine severity, again the brothers were sold. But instead of 4 pairs of shoes only rockets launched unto Israel’s southern cities. 4 years later, most of these people STILL have no permanent homes. Eicha!!!

We learn that sinat chinam(hatred for no reason) was the reason for the destruction of the Holy Temple, which in fact happened on this day precisely both times (first and second temples). 14 million Jewish people lost their lives in the Holocaust that banished them from their land. A year later, exactly on this date, a pagan Temple was erected on the Temple Mount. While the survivors were being taken to exile and sold as slaves they were forced to run and not shed a tear. If they over-rode those rules they were put immediately to death. (Therefore the verse: “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat and also wept when we remembered Zion”.)

If on Pesach we eat Matzah, and on Sukkot we sit in booths, on the 9th of Av we are commanded to shed a tear. We today, who stand in the field of view in the renewed State of Israel, at the time that prophesies, are unfolding every moment MUST pray for unity, brotherly love, protection, and that the knowledge of Hashem’s word will reach the far distant corners of the world, and into the hearts of our leaders and kinsmen. We pray for a turning of the tables. We pray that Mashiach who is born on the 9th of Av will come as a perfect leader and redeem the world. As we shed a tear about the past, let us rectify our vision for the future in loving our fellow man and building the Land in these merits.

Shabbat Shalom, Leah Goldsmith