Shavuos - The day the Torah was given....

The dawn of the sixth day of Sivan [the day the Torah was given] found all Jews assembled around Sinai, expectantly trembling with the excitement. A great silence descended upon the earth. All movement ceased and everything stood still. No birds twittered and no ox lowed in the meadow. The waters of the seas lay still, not a wave rose or fell. No leaf fluttered in the wind, for no wind blew. The whole world was breathless with suspense. Bird, beast, and man - all were under the spell of the great event about to take place.

And then in the midst of this unbroken silence, the words of G-d burst forth like thunder:

"I AM G-D YOUR G-D."

How these words shook the world to its very foundation! They completely filled the universe and resounded throughout the earth. The smallest child and the oldest of men trembled alike before so much glory and holiness. The mountains trembled and the sea rumbled. Lightning flashed in the heavens and thunder rang out.

And the words G-d had spoken became burning flames that floated in the air. The flame issuing from G-d's words grew brighter and brighter, blinding the people with its brilliance and filling their hearts with terror.
When the Torah looked down and saw them standing nearly lifeless with terror, she turned to G-d and said, "What good will it do to give me to lifeless corpses? I am to be a source of life for them, not the cause of their death! Revive them, O G-d, so that they be able to rejoice with Your great gift."

Then a sweet dew fell upon the people, reviving them and giving them courage and strength to hear the rest of G-d's word. As the people of Israel stood in awe before Mount Sinai, the angels descended from Heaven, bearing G-d's Commandments. As one lovingly presents precious jewels, the angels presented the Commandments to the Jewish people, showing them the beauty of every law.

Shavuot

Shavuot is the holiday on which we relive the experience of receiving the Torah at Mount Sinai. It is on this holiday that we recommit ourselves to the Torah and its mitzvot.

When describing our ancestors' preparation for this momentous event, the Torah explains that every single Jew was present at the Giving of the Torah. Every Jew was at Mount Sinai. Every Jew wanted to be there. Every Jew had to be there. Including the souls of all Jews destined to be born!
Why? Because the Torah is the inheritance of every Jew. Our Sages tell us, had one Jew been missing, the Torah could not have been given. Each one of us is precious. Each one of us is essential. The Jewish nation is incomplete when even one solitary Jew is not present.

At the Giving of the Torah, every Jew actually heard G-d's "voice" when He told us the Ten Commandments.

In the very first commandment, G-d said, "I am the L-rd, your G-d."

The Hebrew word for "your G-d" -- elokecha -- was used in the singular form. "Elokecha" teaches us that G-d commanded every Jew individually to observe the Ten Commandments and the other mitzvot of the Torah. G-d commanded us personally.

And, of course, if G-d thus commanded us, he also gave us the ability and strength to fulfill our obligations.

Just as the revelation of the Torah at Mount Sinai was experienced by every Jew without exception, the revelation in the Messianic Era will also be experienced by every Jew, without exception. Every Jew alive today and every Jew who ever lived, will experience the peace, prosperity, and Divine knowledge of the Messianic Era.

For the Messianic Era, like the Torah, is the inheritance of every single Jew.

Loving yourself...

"People think," the Previous Rebbe once explained, "that the mitzva of Ahavat Yisrael, loving one's fellow Jew, means that you love the other person as much as you love yourself. It means loving yourself as much as you love the other person!"

It is only when we love ourselves that we can properly love others.

How can we foster this self-love? We can start by studying and internalizing the first words that a Jewish child is taught. "Torah Tziva - the Torah that Moses commanded to us is an eternal inheritance to the Jewish people."

We have been given a precious gift from G-d - the Torah. The moral, ethical and spiritual teachings flowing from the Torah are ours. We have the ability to grow and change by bringing these teachings into our lives. They were tailor made for us by G-d, who loves every Jew as a parent loves an only child born to him in his old age.

The Torah is eternal and its teachings are eternal; G-d's love for every single Jew is also eternal. G-d love us! Surely we can love ourselves!

From "Torah Tziva" we go on to "Shema Yisrael - Listen Jews, the L-rd is our G-d, the L-rd is One." These words acknowledge that G-d is everywhere and affirm a basic Jewish teaching that G-d is good. There is nothing disconnected from G-d and everything G-d does is ultimately good.
In Pirkei Avot Rabbi Yishmael instructs us to "Greet everyone with joy." Extrapolating from the Previous Rebbe's words above, this means that we should greet ourselves with joy! When awakening we should say "Good morning" to ourselves with gusto.

Loving ourselves has nothing to do with what we do, who we are, how much money we make or how we look. It is loving what we are at our very core. And essentially, we are all sparks of G-dliness, sparks of the same One G-d. So when we love ourselves, we truly love everyone else.

Honoring Parents. "Mother's Day".

Why do we honor our parents?

This mitzvah is considered so important that it is one of the Ten Commandments.

The Ten Commandments were given on two tablets. The first tablet are for those laws that deal with a person's relationship with G-d, while the second tablet deals with the laws of human interaction. Surprisingly, the law to honor one's parents are on the first tablet.

Although we have a natural tendency to honor our parents, this tendency can wane depending upon circumstances. When, however, we are reminded that this is a direct command from G-d, we are made to understand that fulfilling this obligation has nothing to do with our personal feelings or experiences. Instead, the idea is reinforced to honor our parents not because of our natural feelings, but because the "Commander in Chief" has so ordained.

There are three partners in the creation of a new life, G-d, the mother and the father. We are required to view our parents not only with love, but with awe as well. We must place our parents upon a pedestal and keep them there.

In Judaism, every day is Mother's Day. We learn that every day has to be a day that we must honor and cherish our parents.

That means that we ought to make an active effort to look after their needs both physical and spiritual, as well as treating them with the utmost respect, whether we agree with them or not.

It is not just a nice or sensible thing to do; it is a direct commandment from G-d!

Pesach Sheini - It's never too late!

When you've missed the boat there's nothing you can do but wave to the passengers. If the train has already left the station, you might as well sit down and wait for the next one to arrive. There are many things in life that depend on being in the right place at the right time; if you're late, you've missed that opportunity forever.

Likewise, the Torah tells us that there are specific times for doing specific mitzvot. There is a proper time to put on tefilin, a proper time to light Shabbat candles, a proper time to eat matza, etc.

Thus, the Torah's narrative about Pesach Sheini - the "Second Passover" (which is always on the fourteenth of Iyar, a month after the first) expresses a very radical concept in Judaism.

Right before their Exodus from Egypt, G-d commanded the Jewish people to offer the Passover sacrifice on the fourteenthh of Nissan. One of the requirements was that a Jew had to be in a state of ritual purity. As a result, not everyone was permitted to bring an offering, and the Jews who were excluded felt terrible. "Why should we be left out?!" they demanded of Moses. They were so eager to observe the mitzvah that G-d relented, granting them another opportunity to bring an offering one month later, on the fourteenth of Iyar.

This story reveals the unfathomable depths of the Jewish soul and the infinite power of teshuva, repentance. It teaches us that every Jew is so intimately connected to G-d that when he makes a sincere and heartfelt demand, it "forces" G-d, so to speak, to open up new channels through which to send us His abundant blessings.

As the Previous Rebbe explained, the lesson of Pesach Sheini is that it is never too late to correct the past and return to G-d. It also emphasizes the power of a Jew's initiative. When a Jew cries out, from the depths of his soul and with a genuine desire to fulfill G-d's will, G-d listens to his plea and grants his request.

Ultimately, Pesach Sheini teaches us that we must never despair or give up, especially in bombarding G-d with our demand that He send us Moshiach immediately.
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It is customary to mark this day by eating matzah, shmurah matzah if possible.

Parsha Tazria - Metzora

In this week's Torah reading, we are given the laws of the various skin diseases [types of tzara'at, usually and incorrectly translated as "leprosy"] that can render a person spiritually impure. These specific diseases do not render an individual impure because of their physical contagiousness, but rather because their presence reflects some spiritual fault or contamination.
It is a Scriptural decree that the uncleanness of these lesions and their cleanness do not come about except by the pronouncement of a kohen. As it says He shall be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons the priests.

Question: Since every priest is qualified to rule on tzarat, why is Aaron specified in addition to all the other priests?

The following answer is given: Aaron epitomized the love of people and the pursuit of peace.When he knew of a quarreling family or friends, he would work tirelessly to reconcile them. At times it would be necessary to conceal information or even deviate somewhat from the truth. He would tell each estranged friend of the other's deep regrets and desire to renew the friendship.

Tzaarat is caused through evil talk against a person. Often, a tale-bearer justifies his actions, claiming that he is actually performing a mitzvah by telling the truth and that he is motivated by love and concern. Thus, he rationalizes that he is causing no harm and indeed, the individual ultimately will rectify his ways.

Therefore, the Torah prescribes bringing the tzaarat-stricken individual to Aaron to learn the lesson that the greatest lover of peace did not accomplish it through evil talk. It is also a message to the sinner that G-d prefers the ways of Aaron, which bring peace, over the "truth" of the tale-bearer, which destroys families and relationships.


Candlelighting time for Los Angeles is 7:07pm

Parshat Metzora. Moshiach called a Leper.

This week's Torah portion of Metzora deals with the various types of leprosy and the purification procedure one had to undergo after suffering that affliction. However, on a deeper level, leprosy signifies something more than just a skin condition or disorder.

Surprisingly enough, Moshiach is often referred to as a leper. The Talmud calls Moshiach a leper, for "he suffers our burdens, and our maladies are his. He is therefore afflicted, stricken by G-d and tortured."

But, Moshiach is considered a leper only during the exile, before the Final Redemption takes place. Although Moshiach exists in every generation, his essence whole and unchanged, he is not yet in a revealed state. He must therefore suffer the pain of the Jewish nation and bear the burdens of exile together with them.

What is the nature of Moshiach's suffering? Leprosy, as pointed out by Chasidic philosophy, is a disease affecting only the "skin of his flesh." It is an illness which disfigures only the external layer, and does not involve internal organs. Leprosy therefore symbolizes a state in which a person's inner being remains unaffected, despite the outward manifestation of disease.

The leper represents a person whose inner self has already been purified and refined. All that remains is for the outermost shell to be cleansed. In Moshiach's case, this outer layer consists of the Jewish people's collective weaknesses.

This is the condition in which we find ourselves today, on the threshold of the Messianic era. Our afflictions are only external, for the essence of the Jewish people has been refined and cleansed by the long years of exile.

Together with us, Moshiach, too, impatiently awaits the day he will no longer suffer and G-d will bring the final Redemption, may it be speedily in our day!

Tongue - Good or Bad?

Rabban Gamliel was head of the Sanhedrin and a wise leader of the Jewish people. One day he instructed his attendant, Tovi, to go to the market saying only, "Tovi, please buy something good to eat."

Tovi thought for a few moments and then went to the butcher. He purchased a tongue, known to be a great delicacy. Returning to his employer, Tovi proudly showed him his purchase.

"Excellent!" said Rabban Gamliel. "Now, go back to the market and buy something which is not good to eat." Tovi was surprised at Rabbi Gamliel's unusual request, but he returned back to the marketplace. As he walked, he thought, "Why would my master desire that I buy bad food? There must be some purpose for his request. Perhaps he wants to teach his disciples something." Tovi's thoughts continued in this vein.

Tovi entered the butcher shop and ordered another tongue. Then he returned to his employer and showed him the purchase. Rabbi Gamliel asked, "When I asked you to buy something good to eat, you bought a tongue. But then, when I sent you out a second time to purchase something bad to eat, you returned with another tongue. Is a tongue good or bad?"

Tovi replied, "A tongue is both. For when the tongue is good, there is nothing better, but when it is bad, there is nothing worse. When people learn Torah or speak G-d's praises with their tongues, there is nothing more exalted in the world. When they express kindness to their fellow man and use their words to help one another, it is a very great thing. However, when they speak ill of one another, when they insult or hurt another with their words, they bring about great evil and the tongue is very bad."

Let us remember this every time we use our tongue.

11th of Nissan. Birthday of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. PARSHAS TZAV

In this week's Torah portion of Tzav it talks about the fire that was lit on the Altar. The kohanim (priests) would light a fire, and in turn, G-d would send His fire down from heaven to consume the sacrifices. This fire from G-d would only come if there was first the physical fire kindled by the kohanim.

Now, the fire from G-d is an unlimited force without any boundaries wheres the physical fire lit by the kohanim was limited. However, it is specifically through the kindling of THIS physical fire that would cause the fire from above to descend.

Every one of us has our own Sanctuary within, in which G-d desires to dwell. When we offer up to G-d our fire, our entire energy, we merit that G-d descends and gives us His fire-- an abundance of blessings and strength.

NEXT ONE MINUTE:

Today is the Birthday of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. The Rebbe was once asked to elaborate on the nature of his position. The Rebbe replied that he is a miner. Just as a miner digs into the depths of the earth and ultimately comes up with jewels and precious metals, so, too, the Rebbe teaches and empowers us to penetrate to the depths of our being and reveal the inner G-dliness dormant within our souls.
The Rebbe operated from a different perspective. What is significant is not what he or other people see or want in this world, but what G-d wants. Why did G-d create the world? A person ought to look beyond his own individual horizons and see a larger picture - a Divine picture. To aid us in this process, we connect with the Rebbe, study his teachings and follow his directives.

The world was created solely for Moshiach. Becoming more acquainted with G-d's purpose for creation will make us more capable of prodding that purpose into fulfillment and enabling the world to reach that desired state.

Let us utilize this auspicious day and give the Rebbe a birthday gift of making good resolutions to increase in the areas of Torah learning, prayer and good deeds..and hastening the day when we will finally live in a world that openly declares the name of G-d.

11th of Nissan. Birthday of the Lubavitcher Rebbe

Every person who has developed a relationship with the Rebbe has his own way of talking about the Rebbe. But every person also realizes that his viewpoint is but a limited one; there is something much greater about the Rebbe, something that he cannot possibly describe. Nevertheless, by seeing a variety of personal perspectives, it is possible to develop a heightened sensitivity to what that greater dimension is.

Rabbi Dr. Jonathan Sacks, Chief Rabbi of Great Britain and the British Commonwealth writes about his first encounter with the Rebbe:

As a young man, full of questions about faith, I had the privilege of meeting the greatest Jewish leader of my generation, the late Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson. Heir to the dynastic leadership of a relatively small group of Jewish mystics, he had escaped from Europe to New York during the Second World War and had turned the tattered remnants of his flock into a worldwide movement. Wherever I traveled, I heard tales of his extraordinary leadership, many verging on the miraculous. He was, I was told, one of the outstanding charismatic leaders of our time. He was certainly not charismatic in any conventional sense. Quiet, self-effacing, understated, one might hardly have noticed him had it not been for the reverence in which he was held by his disciples. That meeting, though, changed my life. He was a world-famous figure. I was an anonymous student from three thousand miles away. Yet, in his presence, I seemed to be the most important person in the world. He asked me about myself; he listened carefully; he challenged me to become a leader, something I had never contemplated before. Quickly it became clear to me that he believed in me more than I believed in myself.

There was no grandeur in his manner; neither was there any false modesty. He was serene, dignified, majestic; a man of transcending humility who gathered you into his embrace and taught you to look up.

Erev Pesach story with R' Levi Yitzchak Berditchever

Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev spent his life acting as the self-appointed character witness for the Jewish people, engaging in a constant dialogue with G‑d, pointing out the unique qualities of every Jew he met.

It was the afternoon before Pesach, and Rabbi Levi Yitzchak was wandering through the streets of the Jewish quarter seeking out the local smugglers. From one he quietly asked for a quote on forbidden tobacco, from another he inquired about the availability of smuggled embroideries. And so on, no matter the merchandise he sought, everything was available for the right price.

However, when he started asking the smugglers to supply him with some bread or whiskey, (that is chometz) those very same businessmen who had previously proved so accommodating balked. "Rabbi," said one, "are you trying to insult me? The seder will be starting in just a few hours and no Jew would have even a speck of chametz left in his home or business."

Not one merchant was willing or able to come up with even a crumb of bread or an ounce of alcohol. The town had converted into a chametz-free zone.

Thrilled with the results of his failed quest, the Berdichever looked up to heaven and declared: "G‑d Almighty, look down with pride at Your people! The Czar has border guards and tax-commissioners dedicated to his commands. The police and the courts are devoted to tracking down and punishing smugglers and black-marketers, and yet, anything one could possibly want is available. Contrast this with the faith and loyalty of Your Jews. It has been over 3,000 years since you commanded us to observe Passover. No police, no guards, no courts and jails enforce this edict—and yet every Jew keeps Your laws to the utmost!

"Mi k'amcha Yisrael – Who is like Your nation, Israel?!"

Selling Chometz!!

We are commanded by the Torah that if a food contains even a trace of chametz, we don't eat it, we don't derive benefit from it, and we make sure not to have any of it in our possession for all the days of Passover.

What is Chametz? Chametz is any food product made from wheat, barley, rye, oats, spelt, or their derivatives, which has leavened (risen) or fermented. Our Sages have determined that flour from any of these five grains that comes in contact with water or moisture will leaven unless fully baked within eighteen minutes.

Therefore, any chametz that we did not dispose of (including chametz utensils that were not koshered for Passover), should be locked up and put away for the duration of the holiday and furthermore, must be sold to a non-Jew as prescribed in Halacha.

Since there are many legal intricacies involved in this sale, a rabbi acts as our agent both to sell the chametz to the non-Jew on the morning before Passover as well as to buy it back the evening after Passover ends.

Please consult with your Rabbi today and let him help you sell your Chametz on time!

To be certain that a product is Kosher for Passover, it must have rabbinical certification stating so. Otherwise, it is possible that it contains chametz ingredients, or traces of chametz if it was processed on the same equipment as chametz products. Thus, unless a product is certified "Kosher for Passover," we consider it chametz, and make sure not to have it in our possession on Passover.

Additionally, not all Matzot are fit for use on Passover! Matzah used all year round might be complete chametz! Only matzahs baked especially for Passover may be used on Passover.