PARSHA - Re'ei / ELUL

This Shabbat is Shabbat Mevarchim, when we bless the upcoming month of Elul. The month of Elul is a month of preparation, when we take stock of ourselves in anticipation of the upcoming holiday of Rosh Hashana.

In Elul, one contemplates the past year, utterly regretting whatever has been undesirable, and resolving to be vigilant in the meticulous observance of the commandments, to be conscientious in one's Torah study and in one's prayers, and to habituate oneself to positive character traits.

The name of the month, "Elul," is an acronym for the Hebrew words which mean, "I am my Beloved's and my Beloved is mine."

"I am my Beloved's" refers to serving G-d through one's own initiative. When a Jew serves G-d through his own initiative, the bond between G-d and the Jew is internalized. "My Beloved is mine" refers to Divine revelation which inspires this bond. Elul represents a month of complete connection, through revelation from Above and service from below.

This concept is also connected to this week's Torah portion, Re'ei, which begins with the words, "See, I am giving before you today." All of the aspects of our service to G-d should be seen and openly revealed, and not just something we hear about. Seeing implies the establishment of a deep and powerful connection.

In a deeper sense, we should use our sight to see not just the physicality of the world, but also the essence of G-d and His handiwork in our surroundings.

Candle lighting time for L.A. is 7:24p.m.

Jewish Birthday

Today's Torah Message is sponsored in honor of the birthday of our very dear friend Chaya Mushka Shapero. Wishing her an abundance of revealed blessings in all areas.

On our Jewish birthday our mazal, our good fortune, is dominant. It is when the Creator said, "Here, I am giving you a body, a soul, and a divine mission. I have absolute trust in your ability to pull through for Me." It is important to utilize this most special day of our lives to its utmost. A day to recommit to the mission that G‑d entrusted to us, that is to bettering and sanctifying ourselves and the world around us; transforming it into G-d's sanctum. And in accomplishing this goal, we are also given the ability to achieve incredible spiritual heights—heights unimaginable to the soul before it was dispatched from its lofty heavenly abode to inhabit a physical body.

Celebrating a birthday is thus also a demonstration of confidence. Confidence that we are and will continue to be worthy of G‑d's trust. No matter the obstacles, we will persevere and live up to G‑d's expectations of us.

On the anniversary of any momentous event, we have the ability to tap into the same spiritual energy that originally caused that event. On this day we have the ability to accomplish that which would perhaps be very difficult on another day.

Rosh Hashanah is special because it is the birthday of humankind—it is the day when Adam and Eve were created. Our birthday is our personal Rosh Hashana and we need to utilize it to its utmost.

20th of Av. Passing of Reb Levi Yitzchok

Today is the 20th day of the Hebrew month of Av. It is the anniversary of the passing of the Lubavitcher Rebbe's father, Reb Levi Yitzchok Schneerson. He was a renowned and brilliant scholar, a kabbalist, and a fearless, devoted community leader. Though he suffered greatly at the hands of the Communist government, throughout his ordeal, he remained steadfast in his commitment to teach Torah. He never ceased encouraging and inspiring those around him to observe the mitzvot.
In 1939 he was arrested for teaching Torah, an act which the Communists claimed undermined the authority of the government. Reb Levi Yitzchok was sentenced to five years in exile.

In a letter that Reb Levi Yitzchak wrote to his son, he emphasized the concept of faith in every little "dot and crown" of our G-d-given Torah, whereby each detail complements and perfects the others:

"Do not imagine that the process of argument and debate as engaged in by the Sages of the Mishna and Talmud and those who followed... falls into the category of regular human intellectual pursuit. No, it is not that at all... Rather, each of the Sages perceived the Torah's wisdom as it exists Above, according to the source of his soul.

"There is absolutely no doubt, that everything in both the Oral and Written Torah, and in all the holy books written by the sages and tzadikim who studied Torah, was said by G-d Himself, in that particular and exact wording."

Reb Levi Yitzchak lived with the realization of the importance of every aspect of Torah; he had utter self-sacrifice for the compliance to Torah's every detail and nuance.

May we be inspired to learn from his teachings and example. And may G-d help, that on this day of the tzadik's passing-a day when he is empowered to bring salvation to the world - each of us be redeemed from all worries and pains, ultimately leading to the uncomparable and everlasting salvation-the arrival of our Righteous Moshiach.

PARSHA - Eikev

In this week's Torah portion, Eikev, Moses recounts the story of the Golden Calf and the breaking of the first set of Tablets. After praying for another 40 days and nights, G-d commands Moses, "Hew for yourself two tablets of stone like the first..."

G-d then commands the Jewish people to build Him a sanctuary, 'so the nations will know that the sin of the Golden Calf has been forgiven'.

One might think that, after they sinned with gold, G-d would forbid them the use of gold for all time. Yet we find that the exact opposite occurred: the very first material mentioned in the building of the sanctuary -- the purpose of which was to atone for the Golden Calf -- is gold!

Our Sages explain that gold was created solely for the purpose of the sanctuary and the Holy Temple and after being brought into existence for this reason, permission was then granted for mankind to utilize gold for other purposes as well.

This is but one example of the principle that everything in the world is created to serve a G-dly purpose.

G-d grants man the free will. Gold, created solely for use in the sanctuary and Temple, was utilized by the Children of Israel for their idol-worship. The grand misuse of the gold, however, did not alter its original purpose.

The true objective behind all of creation is to enhance the service of the Creator of all things.

The fact that some people choose to utilize these means for corrupt purposes does not detract from their original intent. On the contrary, when a Jew utilizes modern technology for the purpose of spreading Torah and mitzvot, he elevates these tools to their true perfection, for which they were discovered in the first place.

Candle lighting time for L.A. is 7:31

Shabbat Shalom!

PARSHA - Eikev

The true test of a Jew's Divine service is seen precisely when he encounters trials and difficulties. The trial serves to reveal his hidden abilities, and his service of G-d is strengthened by the experience.

There are two types of tests a person may face: the trial of wealth, and the trial of poverty. The Jews' trial during the 40 years of wandering in the desert consisted of both elements, and this was reflected in the phenomenon of the manna.

This week in the Torah portion of Eikev we read about the manna - a G-dly food, "bread from the heavens." In the desert, the Jewish people did not have to worry about where their next meal would be coming from; the manna fell predictably from the sky each day. It was entirely digestible, and had whatever taste a person wished. In addition, the manna was accompanied by gemstones and pearls. Thus the manna was symbolic of the epitome of wealth.

At the same time, however, the manna also embodied an element of poverty. Eating manna, the only sustenance the Jews were offered, was not satisfying like regular food. Moreover, the Jews received only enough manna for that particular day. It is human nature that when a person's house is stocked with food, he becomes sated after eating very little; when there is nothing in his cupboard, he is never fully satisfied. (They also had to have faith that G-d would cause it to fall the next day as well.)

Thus we see that on one hand, the manna was the richest sustenance a person could ask for; on the other, it was poor and unfilling.

So although the manna was the epitome of abundance, from the Jews' standpoint it was a trial of poverty, as the coarseness of their physical bodies prevented them from fully appreciating its G-dly qualities.

When a Jew is blessed with wealth, he shouldn't think that it is the result of his own efforts. Rather, he must always remember that it is G-d Who has granted him these riches. And if, G-d forbid, a person is faced with the test of poverty, he must likewise remember that "no evil descends from on High." For G-d bestows only bounty and beneficence, despite the limitations of our physical eyes.

Candle lighting time for L.A. is 7:31

Tu B'av

Today is the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Av. The Talmud states that on this day the daughters of Jerusalem would go out, and dance in the vineyard to find for themselves marriage partners.

The mystics teach that marriage isn't really a union between man and woman, it is a reunion. A soul is divided into two halves. Marriage is the joyous reunion of these two estranged halves.

The love between husband and wife is the most passionate for it is a result of years of a soul's yearning to achieve wholeness through reuniting with its long-lost other half. When the two finally find each other and reconnect, the resulting emotions are dizzyingly intense.

On a cosmic level, man and woman are metaphors for G‑d and His nation. The soul of the Jew is a "part of G‑d"; we are essentially one with our Creator, just as a husband and wife are derived from one essence.

And we too undergo this process of estrangement and reunion.

On Tisha b'Av, with the destruction of the Holy Temple and the commencement of two millenniums of exile, we embarked upon a most horrifically painful long stretch of estrangement. The result of this estrangement will be the grandest wedding of all times, the coming of Moshiach which will usher in an era of eternal marital bliss.

It is this ultimate marriage that we celebrate on the 15th of Av. This day, a mere six days after Tisha b'Av, symbolizes our rebound; the reconciliation that follows the estrangement of Tisha b'Av—and its raison d'être.

The Talmud points to various events that occurred on the 15th of Av, all of which share the same theme—reunion that follows a period of estrangement:

The 15th of Av is the day when we celebrate our rebound. It is an auspicious day, a day to increase in Torah learning, prayer and acts of kindness.

Wishing much much success to all those who are seeking their soul's mate.

Tu B'av

Tomorrow, actually starting tonight, is the 15th day of the Hebrew month Av. The sages tell us "There were no greater festivals in Israel than the fifteenth of Av and Yom Kippur,"

Five special events throughout Jewish history took place on the fifteenth of Av.

They were:

1. The tribe of Benjamin was permitted once again to marry the remainder of the Jewish people;

2. The Generation of the Desert ceased to die; they had previously been condemned to perish in the desert because of the sin of the spies;

3. The blockades that had been set up to prevent the Jews from going to Jerusalem for the festivals were removed.
   

4. The cutting of the wood for the Holy Altar was completed;

5. Permission was granted from the Romans to bury the slain of Betar.

There is another, all-encompassing reason.

Tisha B'Av is the day when the two Holy Temples were destroyed, signaling the start of the long and terrible exile we are still enduring. But these tragedies are not without purpose. "Descent is for the purpose of ascent," and the deeper the descent, correspondingly greater will be the ascent which follows. It is specifically after the awesome decline of Tisha B'Av that we can reach the loftiest heights, heights that would otherwise be inaccessible.

The fifteenth of Av transforms the evil of Tisha B'Av to the greatest good. The ultimate goal of the tragedies of the month of Av is that they should be transformed into a greater good -- the supreme festival of the fifteenth of Av.

May we merit to celebrate the fifteenth of Av this year in a truly befitting manner, with all Jews together in the Third and Eternal Holy Temple.

Shabbat Nachamu / Va'etchanan

The wheel of life continues to turn. This cycle of moving from darkness to light is expressed on this Shabbat, the Shabbat after the fast of the Ninth of Av, the fast which commemorates the tragedy of the destruction of both the first and second Temple in Jerusalem.

The centerpiece of this week's reading, Va'etchanan, is the Ten Commandments. And the haftorah, from Isiah, is about comfort. "Nachamu, Nachamu Ami.....Comfort, My people, comfort them…" says G‑d to the prophets.

After destruction comes rebirth and rebuilding. After the destruction of the First Temple, came the building of the Second. After the destruction of the second Temple will come the advent of Moshiach and the building of the Third Temple. The sense of comfort after the darkness of destruction is so strong that in fact this is only the first of a series of seven haftorot, all with the theme of the promise of Redemption.

The Lubavitcher Rebbe points out that this idea can help us even if we are still at the stage of darkness. The darkness and desolation are not a cause for despair: on the contrary, they point to the greater joy which will follow. Recognizing this enables us to find joy at the darkest moment. This teaching applies to us as individual men and women, and also to the Jewish people as a whole.

The cycle of comfort is also seen in the Torah reading. Moses describes to the Jewish people how, forty years previously, they heard the Ten Commandments from G‑d. The reading does not mention it, but they knew and we know that following the Ten Commandments they made the Golden Calf, and other mistakes, resulting in them wandering in the desert for forty years. Yet now they are about to enter the Promised Land. Moses reminds them about hearing the Ten Commandments from G‑d, and they are now able to hear them with a renewed sense of innocence.

They and we, after our long journey, as individuals and as a people, have left the realm of darkness, and are about to enter the light…

Candle lighting time for L.A. is 7:37

Wishing you all a comforted Shabbat!

PARSHA - Va'etchanan

In this week's Torah portion, Va'etchanan, we learn of one of the Torah's positive commandments, which is to recite the "Shema," the central proclamation of our faith, twice each day..

With the declaration of "Shema Yisrael," the Jew testifies that G-d is One, and that nothing else exists except for Him.

The word echad, one, is composed of three letters: alef, chet and dalet.

The numerical equivalent of alef is one. G-d is alone and unique in the universe.

The numerical equivalent of chet is eight. Only G-d is King over all seven firmaments and the earth below.

The numerical equivalent of dalet is four. This expresses the concept that G-d is the sole Sovereign over all four directions: east, west, north and south.

By saying the "Shema," the Jew negates the independent existence of the world. He declares that all of creation -- the celestial spheres, the earth below and the four winds -- are completely nullified before Him. G-d is the One Who sustains and rules over them; without Him, they would not exist. G-d is One; there is nothing else but Him.

A Jew is obligated to recite the "Shema" by night and by day.

Nighttime, is a time of spiritual darkness, when G-d's light is hidden and concealed. At such times it is hard for the Jew to perceive G-dliness; his spiritual condition is as dark as night.

Daytime, by contrast, is a time when the sun illuminates. Symbolically, this alludes to the illumination of the Jew's soul, when G-dliness is readily perceived and apparent.

Yet regardless of one's spiritual condition, no matter if it is day or night, the Jew must always remember that the entire world is only G-dliness! G-d is the only King of the universe. G-d is One.

"Hear O Israel, the L-rd is our G-d, the L-rd is One... when you lie down and when you rise."

The Western Wall

Tisha B'av - Western Wall...

Today is Tisha B'av, the fast day that commemorates the destruction of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem about 2,000 years ago. We sit low and read Lamentations. Jews from the world over pray at the Western Wall and embrace its stones--our only remnant of the Holy Temple's grandeur.

The words and the cry, "If I forget thee O, Jerusalem!" kept us going through our exile and wanderings. Wherever we settled, we turned back to Jerusalem in prayer. Our synagogues face east, it points the way to our ultimate destination.

Even if we can't be there physically, we are there in heart and mind. Now, on Tisha B'Av, let's get as close as possible to these precious stones. Let us try to outline, our hopes and yearnings.

The Divine presence never left the Western Wall. And every Jew owns a piece of its rock. And no one gets lost between the cracks. The stones reflect our differences: Big and small, whole and broken, smooth and rough, together we form a formidable wall, a fortress of faith that endures forever.

Each stone block is like a page, each row a chapter, of our long Jewish history, written in stone. The Rock of Ages that guarantees Jewish survival.

But it's incomplete. We are not to get too comfortable with just one wall.

We pray daily for the Holy Temple's rebuilding through the righteous Moshiach speedily in our days. Our belief in Moshiach is a cornerstone of Judaism. "I fully believe in Moshiach's coming. Each day I await him," is the foundation on which all else stands.

We must leave no stone unturned. We must study, do mitzvot, prepare and look forward to the Redemption as we conclude Lamentations. "Return to us, O G-d, and we will return to You. Renew our days as once before!"

WE WANT MOSHIACH NOW!!

Erev Tisha B'av....fox running....

The Talmud relates that Rabban Gamliel, Rabbi Elazar ben Azaryah, Rabbi Yehoshua and Rabbi Akiva once went to Jerusalem. Reaching the Temple Mount, they saw a fox run out of the Holy of Holies. Three of them started to cry and Rabbi Akiva laughed. They questioned each other's actions.

The three rabbis replied, "Should we not cry when foxes walk in the place about which it is written that the stranger who approaches will die."

Akiva said, "Thus I laugh, for the prophecy of Zecharyah depends on the prophecy of Uriah (see Isaiah 8:2). Now that I see the prophecy of Uriah - that Zion will be a plowed field - has been fulfilled, I know the prophecy of Zecharyah - that old men and old women will again dwell in the streets of Jerusalem - will also be fulfilled."

His three colleagues responded, "Akiva you have comforted us, Akiva you have comforted us."

But why? The Third Temple did not yet exist, the Jewish people were still in exile and the fast of Tisha B'Av was still in force.

To answer, we have to understand the inner purpose and concept of a fast. A fast day is described as "a desirable day for G-d." The spiritual content of such a day is inherently good. In fact, it contains such great goodness that all that stood on it before must be removed, so that the innate goodness can be revealed.

Rabbi Akiva saw not the surface situation but the inner reality. He saw like an architect - or perceived the plan of The Architect. Knowing that external appearances change, shift and thus have no lasting substance, Rabbi Akiva showed his colleagues how to look at a day like Tisha B'Av.

Of course one must fast and observe all the laws connected with the temporarily negative nature of the day. But primarily one must see - and thus work for - the inner purpose, the positive reality of the day. The vision of the inner truth leads through the fast - and the teshuva and mitzvos it engenders - to the realization of the prophecy that Moshiach is coming imminently and that Tisha B'Av will be a day of gladness and rejoicing - speedily in our days.