PARSHA - Lech L'cho - Yitzchok/Yishmoel

In this week's Torah portion, Lech Lecha, when Abraham was told by G-d that Isaac would be born, he already had Ishmael. Abraham would have been satisfied with just one son, if that son followed the ways of G-d.

G-d however, explained that the Jewish people would be perpetuated through Isaac and his true nachas (satisfaction) would come from Isaac.

Ishmael's birth was a natural phenomenon.

Isaac's birth was a miracle. It was impossible for Abraham and Sara to have a child at such an advanced age. Yet, Isaac was born.

Ishmael was 13 years old when he was circumcised. At the age of 13 a person's intellect is already well established. At 13, Ishmael agreed to connect himself to G-d.

The circumcision of Isaac, on the other hand, was performed when he was only 8 days old. One cannot obtain an infant's permission and it is precisely then that this eternal bond with G-d that can never be erased, was effected.

Judaism cannot be based solely on the foundations of human understanding. If, as a more mature individual, that person were to encounter a new set of circumstances there is no predicting how he will react. The basis of his Judaism -- his own understanding -- is deficient.

Hence G-d told Abraham that his true nachas would come from Isaac.

Judaism is not based on the foundations of nature. The connection between the Jew and G-d transcends nature entirely; it is an eternal bond that endures forever.

From the moment of birth one must inculcate the infant with Judaism that transcends the bounds of nature. A child thus educated will bring us true nachas!

Candle lighting time for L.A. is 5:45 pm Shabbat Shalom!

PARSHA - Noach. Geula now!

In this week's Torah portion, Noach, we read the famous story of Noach and the flood. It was at the express command of G-d that Noach first entered the ark, as it states, "Come you and all your household into the ark." It was also at G-d's express command that he left it, as we are told, "Go forth from the ark, you and your wife and your sons......"

Thus it is difficult to understand why Noach sent out the raven and the dove to determine if the Flood had ended. If Noach was supposed to wait until G-d told him it was time to leave, why did he send the birds out to see if the waters had abated? Why wasn't he content to wait for G-d's command?

So by sending the birds from the ark, Noach was expressing his strong desire to leave it. Rather than waiting for G-d to come to him, he did all in his power to facilitate his exit. Noach sent the birds out in the hope that the Flood had receded and it was already permissible for him to leave.

When G-d saw Noach's efforts and observed his intense longing to go out, He then hastened to issue His command. In fact, the command "Go out of the ark" was given in the merit of Noach's exertions.

Exile, is likened to the mabul (Flood), for in exile our perceptions of reality are mevulbal (confused). The confusion of exile is so great that the falsehood of the world is often mistaken for truth. And in such circumstances we cannot wait until G-d will come and tell us to go out of exile.

Learning from the example of Noach, we must also do all in our power to hasten our departure from exile. We must expend all necessary efforts to put an end to it immediately.

We must believe that at any minute the exile can end and Moshiach will come. We must also increase our performance of good deeds, and bombard G-d with petitions and prayers that He remove us at once from the exile and bring us to Redemption.

When G-d will see our strong desire and intense longing to leave exile, most assuredly He will hasten to send our Moshiach. In the merit of our efforts He will certainly fulfill our hearts' desire, and bring Moshiach to us at once! Amen!

Candle lighting time for L.A. is 5:52 pm

Shabbat Shalom!

Do Mitzvot, openly!

This week's Torah portion, Noach, begins with G-d's description of Noach [Noah]: "Noach was a righteous man, perfect in his generation." Even though Noach lived in a generation of sinful individuals, he nonetheless merited to receive this praiseworthy description from G-d.

Noach was the only member of his generation who behaved properly. Noach was not ashamed of acting differently. He served G-d in an open manner. And In the merit of his exemplary behavior, Noach and his family survived the Great Flood while all others perished.

Noach's conduct contains a valuable teaching for all of us. It sometimes happens that we may want to learn Torah with great diligence, Or we may want to observe a particular mitzva, but the evil inclination intervenes and whispers: " Do you see anyone else doing this mitzva? You don't need do it, either." Why do you need to be different?

The evil inclination must be answered by following Noach's example.

Just as Noach disregarded his surroundings, so too we must pay no attention to the conduct of friends and colleagues when it is not in accordance with the teachings of the Torah. And just as Noach succeeded in his path, which was different from the rest of society's, so too, will we succeed in conquering our yetzer hara, allowing us to learn Torah and observe mitzvot even in a hostile environment.

After the Flood, Noach merited to establish a new world. So too each and every one of us have the power to save an entire world and bring redemption with "Moshiach Now!"

PARSHA - Bereishis. Adam/Yetzer Horah

This week's Torah portion, Bereishit (Genesis), is the first portion of the entire Torah. It recounts the entire story of Creation and tells, among other things, about the creation of the first people.

We read that Adam was commanded by G-d not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge. But Adam ate the fruit! According to the Midrash, the command not to eat the fruit was given for only three hours.

When we consider that Adam was created by G-d, Himself, and heard the command from G-d, it seems amazing that he couldn't control himself for a mere three hours.

We learn from this episode the strength of the yetzer hara--that aspect of our psyche which encourages us to go against G-d's will. The yetzer hara may camouflage its aim by trying to convince us that a commandment is too difficult or unimportant. Nevertheless, its real intention is to persuade us to go against G-d's will. Therefore, the more important a certain command is for a particular person, the harder the yetzer hara will try to dissuade the individual from performing the command. Even if the commandment is a very easy one, the yetzer hara will make it seem extremely difficult.

Thus, we can understand how Adam was tempted to eat the forbidden fruit. The yetzer hara employed its most compelling arguments to convince Adam to sin.

We have all been imbued with the strength to overcome the yetzer hara's arguments. We can be sure though, that when we draw on our G-d-given inner strength we will be victorious!

Candle lighting time for L.A. is 6:00pm

Shimini Atzeret - Stay one more day

The eighth day of Sukkot is called Shemini Atzeret. It is this holiday which best expresses G-d's love for the Jewish people. The name itself, "Atzeret," comes from the Hebrew word "to stop" or "delay." G-d detains us, as it were, for one more day before we return to our regular lives after a month of festivities.

The Midrash likens this to a king who holds a seven-day celebration for his sons. On the eighth day, when it comes time for them to leave, he is reluctant to see them go and asks them to remain for one more day of celebration.

There is something special about this holiday, Shemini Atzeret, that actually prevents the departure from taking place at all.

This concept is reflected in the precise language of the Midrash. "Your departure is difficult," the king tells his sons, not "our departure."

This alludes to the fact that G-d never abandons the Jewish people; His love for us is constant and eternal. "Your departure is difficult," G-d tells us. G-d doesn't want us to abandon Him; He therefore requests that we celebrate one more holiday together which will serve to strengthen our bond.

The entire theme of Sukot is Jewish unity. When we are united with one another our relationship with G-d is strong. But, AFTER Sukkot there may exist the possibility that we will revert to our self-centeredness.

And so in order to prevent this from happening, G-d asks us to remain with Him a while longer; to celebrate a holiday which will secure our unity in an everlasting manner.

Story - Soldier jumped over the wall for Sukkah

Rebbi Abraham of Slonim (the Yesod HaAvodah) arrived at the synagogue in the morning on the first day of Sukkot and found a Jewish soldier there. The rebbe called him over and said, "I see light shining from you. What did you do?" The soldier was speechless; he didn't want to say. But when the rebbe pressed him, he told the rebbe what had happened the previous night, the first night of Sukkot.

"I was a guard in my army camp and was feeling badly that I wouldn't he able to observe the mitzvah of being in a sukkah" he started. "But then I noticed that beyond the wall around the camp was a Jewish home and in its courtyard was a sukkah. Now, if I left my post I could be shot but I decided that after all the officers left and I was alone, I would risk it. I would climb the wall and be in that sukkah.
As time passed, I started to worry because the officers were not leaving. Bu then, fifteen minutes before midnight, everyone left and I was alone. I stuck a piece of bread in my pocket and quickly jumped over the wall. I went into the sukkah, made the blessings and ate my bread. I then quickly jumped back over the wall.

"I was so happy," he told the rebbe, "that I had had the opportunity to fulfill the mitzva of eating in the sukkah."

"That's beautiful," said the rebbe, "but you wouldn't shine so much from that. Tell me more."

The soldier then admitted that he had been so happy with what he had done that he had danced the night away.

"Ah!" exclaimed the rebbe, "Now I understand why you're shining so much!"

Story - Saved because of Sukkah

"Run away!" the woman begged her husband. "Go before they find you!

It was the height of the Communist regime in Russia, and all religious activity was strictly forbidden. Numerous rabbis had already been exiled to Siberia. Nonetheless, there were a handful of brave individuals who risked their lives and taught Torah to Jewish children, they organized communal prayer, they provided kosher meat, and they built ritual baths, etc. They risked their lives to keep the embers of Judaism alive.

Reb Michael, a Chasid, was one of these courageous and defiant Jews.

Every day the Chasid's wife urged him to flee, but Reb Michael pushed off his departure for he knew he was the only Jew in town who could organize a minyan for Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur.

"Fine, But as soon as Yom Kippur ends, you're leaving!" She insisted.

After Yom Kippur, Reb Michael tells his wife, "I can't leave, I need to take care of a Sukka for the Jews here...."

On the first night of Sukot, each person took a different route, arriving at Reb Michael's sukka at staggered hours throughout the evening. One after the other they snuck in, made Kiddush on the wine, washed their hands, ate a piece of challa and departed hastily.

After the first two days of Sukot, Reb Michael realized the time had come for him to leave. That night he took some food and went out to his sukka in the back of his house.

Suddenly he heard loud knocking on his front door. Reb Michael jumped up and started in the direction of his house. But what he heard next stopped him in his tracks. "Open up! Police!" a harsh voice demanded.

He heard the police announce that they had come to arrest him, and his wife's reply was that he wasn't around. Fine!, they told her, they would search the house for themselves. Thank G-d he was in the sukka.

Stealthily, his heart beating wildly, Reb Michael tip-toed till he reached the street, he then broke into a run in the direction of the train station. In the meantime, his wife's only prayer was that her husband not arrive home in the middle of the search.

For several days she was unaware of his whereabouts. Then a letter arrived from her brother who lived several thousand kilometers away, informing her of his guest....her husband.

Reb Michael knew it was the sukka he had built that was his salvation.

The Workers' Sukka

The Sukkah that the Rabbi had built for himself every year was a sight to see. The walls were of the thickest and best wood. Even the greenery that he used to cover the top of the Sukkah was thick and fresh.

One year, everyone in that village decided that they too wanted a beautiful Sukkah like their Rabbi. But most of them were not very good carpenters. So the villagers who knew how to work with their hands, joined together to be the "Sukkah -builders" for the community and went from house to house building new Sukkot for everyone. As they finished the last Sukkah, they realized that they had been so busy working for everyone else that they had no Sukkah in their own courtyards. And so since there wasn't enough time for each one to go home and build his own Sukkah, they took the leftover wood and build one big Sukkah for all of them.

They then quickly prepared for the holiday and rushed to Shul.

When the evening prayers were over, everyone wished each other well and were about to go home when they saw it had began to rain...and pour. The rain got stronger and stronger. With torrential rains and winds smashing things in the street.

When the rain finally ceased, all were looking forward to eating the holiday meal in their Sukkah. But they were in for a surprise!

All their Sukkot had been destroyed in the storm!

"Let's go to the Rabbi. Surely his Sukkah is still standing!" suggested one man.
But the Rabbi's Sukkah was destroyed like everyone else's.

From far away some festive singing was heard. It was coming from The Workers' Sukkah!

Their Sukkah was still standing!!

"I know why their Sukkah remained standing", declared the Rabbi, "because our Sukkot were built each person for his own self and his own family. But they built their Sukkah with unity.

And when there is unity between Jews, all the storms and the hurricanes in the world can't break it!"

Friday night, candle lighting time for L.A. is 6:18 p.m.

Saturday night, candle lighting time is (from a pre-existing flame) after 7:15 p.m.

Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach!

Succos - Simcha

The holiday of Sukot begins this Friday evening at sundown. Described as "the Festival of our Rejoicing," it is unique in that we are specifically commanded to be happy.

There are two ways to arouse a feeling of joy: through the head, and through the feet. We can sit and meditate on things that make us happy, or we can get up and start to dance. But whatever our approach - cerebral or with outward manifestations of joy - the heart will follow.

In truth, every Jew has what to be joyful about. Just thinking about the enormous love G-d has for every Jew, or the great merit each of us has in possessing a Jewish soul, can make us appreciative and thankful.

When a Jew is happy, it expresses his trust and faith in G-d that whatever happens is for the best. Serving G-d with joy reveals the good that is hidden in everything.

The holiday of Sukot is a time to recharge our batteries, to "stock up" on an abundance of joy for the coming year. According to Chasidut, all of the spiritual goals we were trying to reach on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur by fasting and praying are attainable on Sukot and Simchat Torah - simply by being joyful and dancing!

So have a happy Sukot, and may G-d grant us the ultimate joy of Moshiach's arrival immediately.

Succos - 4 minim - UNITY

The festival of Sukkot, which follows Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, marks the beginning of the days of rejoicing of this month, coming as it does after the solemnity of the High Holidays.

One of the themes of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur is that of the unity of the Jewish People. But it is on Sukkot that this motif finds its highest expression.

On Rosh Hashona, we all stand as equals before G-d in prayer, accepting His sovereignty and crowning Him King over us all. And on Yom Kippur we are equally aroused to do teshuva (repent) and return to G-d.

Our unity during the High Holidays is a unity based on the common denominator inherent in every Jew. On Sukkot however, we reach an even higher level of unity than before.

One of the most important mitzvot of Sukkot is the taking of the 'Four Kinds'. These four species symbolize the four different types of people which exist within the Jewish nation. The etrog symbolizes one who possesses Torah learning and also does good deeds; the lulav stands for one who possesses only Torah learning. The hadas (myrtle) symbolizes one who performs commandments and does good deeds, but does not have Torah learning, and the arava (willow) symbolizes the Jew who possesses neither Torah nor learning.

On Sukkot we take these four different species and bring them together to perform a mitzva. Despite all our differences we are all bound together. And this is the highest degree of unity we can achieve.

Thus on Sukkot we verify and confirm the unity which was achieved during the High Holidays. This realization sustains us throughout the year and gives us the strength to live in harmony and solidarity with one another.

Tzedoko -Erev Yom Kippur

In many synagogues,shuls on the day before Yom Kippur, plates and containers are put out for various charities. As people enter and leave the synagogue, they drop a few coins into the containers. The busier the shul, the more noise is made by the clanging and jingling of the coins as they are dropped in. And, of course, during these solemn days, more charity than usual is given.

In the Baal Shem Tov's shul, there was constant noise from the rattling of coins, so much so that some of the people found their prayers sorely disturbed. One person approached the Baal Shem Tov and asked him if it might not be possible to abandon this disruptive custom.

"Heaven forbid," cried the Baal Shem Tov in horror. "It is this very jingling and clanging of the coins that is our deliverance during these awesome days. It confuses the Adversary on High who is spending his time trying to convince the Alm-ghty that we are not worthy of being forgiven."

On Yom Kippur, we solemnly intone the ancient words: "Repentance, prayer and charity, annul the harmful decree." It is not only the noise made by the charity, then, as the Baal Shem Tov mentioned, but the actual giving of the charity that is so important. Let us all remember this in these days before Yom Kippur.

My best wishes that all of you, be sealed for a good and sweet year, and that we all celebrate Yom Kippur together in true joy and happiness in the Holy Temple together with Moshiach.

Kohen Gadol -Yom Kippur - Clothing/Gold/White

One of the unique points about Yom Kippur is the special service of the Kohein Gadol--the High Priest, who performed the Yom Kippur service on that day.

For part of the High Priest's service he wore gold clothing. The part of the service performed inside the Holy of Holies, however, was performed in plain white clothing.

Although the physical Holy Temple was destroyed -- and we eagerly await its rebuilding -- the spiritual Sanctuary within every Jew -- his Holy of Holies -- remains totally intact. Thus, each individual Jew is personally responsible to perform the special service of the High Priest on Yom Kippur.

The High Priest wore gold clothing for a large part of his special service to remind us that we should use the most precious and beautiful materials available in serving G-d; we should perform mitzvot in a beautiful and enhanced manner.

The white clothing of the High Priest, worn in the Holy of Holies, is a reminder that mitzvot that are purely spiritual in nature, such as prayer and Torah study, must also be performed.

At the end of his service, the High Priest said a short prayer that the year should be a good year materially for himself, his tribe and all the Jewish people throughout the entire world.

This, too, is part of the service of every single Jew on the holiest day of the year and in the Holy of Holies of his heart. Each Jew on Yom Kippur should also pray for a good year not only for himself and his family, but for the entire Jewish people.