Sefer Shmot | myDvar.com

Va’era- Separate, but Equal

Jan 202012

There is much written regarding the Four references to Redemption used by God in our Parsha- And I will take you out, And I will save you, I will redeem you, and I will take you as a nation. There is also a fifth reference to God bringing us to the Land of Israel.

I do not understand the order of the first two references: “I will take you out from their burden” and then: “I will save you from their service”. Aren’t they very similar?

The Yerushalmi in Pesachim as explained by the commentators tells us that Seder night we drink 4 cups of wine corresponding to these 4 references to redemption.

Why wine? Why not some other drink or some other food?

There are many possible answers. The Meshech Chachma explains that wine not only symbolizes comfort and freedom, but to the Jewish People in particular, wine symbolizes our separation somewhat from the other nations. Wine, in particular, carries with it strict laws in terms of who prepares the wine. Wine made by a non-Jew is rendered non-kosher. A rationale is that wine is a drink that usually accompanies parties, social events. The Rabbis were worried that wining and dining with non Jews could lead to intermarriage as well as possible abandonment of our faith. Symbolically, having certain items serve to keep Jews too themselves allows for closer, unadulterated relationship with God. (I defer to the Rabbis among us for clarification, but I believe that while we are not allowed to eat cooked sole by a non-Jew, once a Jew takes a minimal part in the cooking process, a non-Jew can do the rest and the food is kosher. I am not sure if the same arrangement can be made with regard to wine.)

Achashverush in the Purim story knew this and therefore the Gemara explains that he made strictly kosher wine available to the Jews so that they would join their fellow countrymen in the celebrations. Ironically, it seems the Jews inculcated only the letter of the Law in terms of kosher wine, but not the spirit of the Law, the reason that it was instituted in the first place.

And so we raise our glasses Seder night and proclaim “And this has stood by our ancestors as well as us….”. There are many explanations for what “And this” refers to. The Meshech Chachma offers that we are proclaiming that the wine which we hold- kosher and separate from non-Jews- is what kept us afloat in the tumultuous ‘waters of Egypt”. Indeed, this is echoed in the teaching that what kept Jews standing was that Jews kept their names, language, and modes of dress in Egypt.

Robert Frost wrote: “The best things and best people rise out of their separateness; I’m against a homogenized society because I want the cream to rise.” When no one can focus on studying and living their own particular beliefs and faiths, then greatness eludes us.

This should not be misconstrued as bigotry, rather an expression of Judaism’s wish to keep certain things private. Just as spouses and famalies keep certain things under wraps, so too in our relationship with God, we should also keep things private and ‘holy’. Of course, in most other aspects we are adjured to show all of mankind the utmost respect.

Shemos- Where You Want to Be

Shmot No Responses »

Dec 242010

23 And it came to pass in the course of those many days that the king of Egypt died; and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. 24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 And God saw the children of Israel, and God knew them.

What does it mean that God knew them?

The Bais HaLevi (Rav Yosef Dov HaLevi Soloveichik) answers by saying that God knew we were innocent from full blame.

The Jews, suffering under the heavy burden of work in Egypt also happened to commit idolatry during that time. The Medrash records that when God decided to take the Jews out of Egypt the angels representing Egypt challenged God and asked why the Jews should be saved and the Egyptians destroyed? Were the Jews any better than the Egyptians? Both committed idolatry the Jews may have committed other sins, although I am not sure about this.) [The following answer of the God also seemed so obvious to me that I wonder what the question of the angels was in the first place!]

God answers there is a big difference! The Egyptians willingly chose to enslave the Jewish People, to beat them and to subjugate them. The Jews, on the other hand, were subject to the whim of these immoral, wicked people! They suffered innumerable pains in Egypt. So even if at some point they did serve idols, if was because they were under duress and persecution. How can you even compare the Jews to the Egyptians?!

[I actually do not know of a source besides for this Medrash that says that the Jews actually served idols. There are sources in the Torah that say that the Jews cried out to God which signifies that they still believed in Him! So, where do we know from the Torah that the Jews actually served idols and fell to the "49th level of impurity"!?]

Still, the Beis HaLevi comments that if not for God knowing intimately that the Jewish People as a whole wished to serve Him if they could, the excuse of being under duress would not apply. The litmus test is seeing whether one would or would not do the same action if they were not under duress. But Gd knew that if the Jews had it differently they would simply not be serving idols. That is why he “remembered his covenant with Abraham…”. God wants the heart, firstly. Judaism values striving, dealing with what you have the best you can, but also measuring where you want to be. The Jews wanted to be in Israel serving God, not in Egypt serving idols, even if that is what they were doing. I can almost guarantee you that.

The dvar Torah was from Rav Rosner, as usual, but I think we add an interpersonal lesson here, as well. We have to be careful not to judge other Jews. Sometimes a person can be in a certain difficult situations, whether with family, school, etc. which causes them to act in a certain way. We have to recognize that if they were in an easier situiation, their behavior may be different. If so, their behavior now is simply a facade. Not that we can pardon everyone and enforce no rules when it becomes necessary, but to do it without judging the person.

Thinking of Sacrifice

Terumah, Tzav No Responses »

Mar 252010

In this week’s Parsha we come across the interesting halacha of Piggul. This halacha basically says that when bringing a Korban, if the Kohen or person bringing the sacrifice had a thought about eating the Korban at an invalid time or in an invalid place, the entire sacrifice must be discarded and if someone proceeds to eat from that sacrifice, they are punished with Karet (spiritual excommunication).

After having gone to such a trouble to buy an unblemished animal, bring it to Jerusalem, walk it up the Temple Mount and carried through with the sacrificial process, why would a simple thought invalidate the entire sacrifice? Isn’t there a value to all the effort that was taken so far?

The Sefer HaChinnuch on Parshat Terumah writes about the purpose of the sacrifices. He first quotes the Ramban (Nachmanides) who says that the purpose of the sacrifices is to remind us that having sinned, we actually deserve to be on the altar ouselves. We specifically sacrifice the liver and kidneys, which represent desire, as well as the legs, which symbolize action, to remind ourselves that through these elements we allowed ourselves to sin and impress upon ourselves the importance of not sinning again.

The Sefer HaChinnuch then says that another way to understand the Korbanot, is to realize that when created by Hashem, we were nothing more than animals with intellect. By sinning, we have effectively destroyed the distinction between ourselves and the animals. Therefore, the sacrifice of the animal serves as a moral lesson that we need to hold ourselves to the standard demanded of us, and by realizing this, hopefully we won’t sin again.

Either way, he writes that the importance of sacrifices is not in the act of doing the sacrifice, but rather in the effect it has is those people bringing it. God doesn’t need our cows and goats; rather, He created the sacrificial process as an opportunity for us to improve ourselves.

This is why, then, that an inappropriate thought would invalidate the entire sacrifice. Since the sacrifices are only there as an opportunity for us to purify our thoughts (and through that purification avoid sin in the future,) tainting that sacrifice by thinking that the purpose of the sacrifice is for you to be able to eat it in a place or at a time of your choosing defeats the entire purpose of the sacrifice!

Today, as we have no Beit HaMikdash (may it be built speedily in our days), prayer has replaced the sacrificial services. As such we must see Tefillah as the same transformative experience that the sacrifices were, and must try to pray with the holiest of intentions – to purify our thoughts and bring us closer to Hashem.

Have a great Shabbat!

Follow-on question: Is this the purpose of cleaning for Pesach?

I am, therefore I must think.

Pekudei, Vayakhel No Responses »

Mar 122010

Descartes was wrong. He said “I think, therefore I am,” but in this week’s Parsha we see otherwise.

This week, we have a double Parsha of Vayakhel and Pekudei. In Vayakhel, it talks about how Hashem filled Betzalel, Oholiav and all of their helpers with the wisdom necessary to construct the Mishkan and its vessels.

In multiple places the Torah stresses that Hashem was the one who granted the the wisdom, knowledge and understanding of how to properly complete the construction.

וַיְמַלֵּא אֹתוֹ, רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים, בְּחָכְמָה בִּתְבוּנָה וּבְדַעַת, וּבְכָל-מְלָאכָה.
And He filled [Betzalel] with the a divine spirit of wisdom, understanding and knowledge, and [a talent for] all types of craftsmanship.
Shmot 35:31
וּלְהוֹרֹת, נָתַן בְּלִבּוֹ: הוּא, וְאָהֳלִיאָב בֶּן-אֲחִיסָמָךְ…
מִלֵּא אֹתָם חָכְמַת-לֵב, לַעֲשׂוֹת
[God] also gave to him and Oholiav son of Achisamakh… the ability to teach.
He has granted them a natural talent for all craftsmanship…
Shmot 35:35-36
וְעָשָׂה בְצַלְאֵל וְאָהֳלִיאָב וְכֹל אִישׁ חֲכַם-לֵב, אֲשֶׁר נָתַן יְהוָה חָכְמָה וּתְבוּנָה בָּהֵמָּה
Betzalel shall thus do all that God commanded, along with Oholiav and every other skilled individual, to whom God has granted the wisdom and understanding…
Shmot 36:1

If all of the people were granted their wisdom from Hashem, what was it that made Betzalel and Oholiav special that they deserved special mention in the construction? They too were just granted their abilities to do the construction by Hashem.

In Melachim II chapter 4, we are told of the story of Elisha and the destitute widow. The widow complains to Elisha that she has no possessions left, save one jug of oil. Elisha instructs her to borrow as many pots as she can from her neighbors, close the door, and then pour from the small jug she has into all of the pots. Miraculously, this small jug manages to fill all of the pots in the house.

What is interesting about this story is that the miracle had to occur from an existing jug of oil. Even though Hashem could just as easily have miraculously filled her house with money, He instead chose to operate in such a way that the miracle stemmed from an existing item, the small amount of oil she had left in her house.

Rabbi Menachem Mendel Kasher in his work Torah Sheleima quotes the Midrash Tanchuma which notes that the Torah uses the word מִלֵּא – filled, when discussing Betzalel and Oholiav. Just as in the story of Elisha and the widow, where there had to be some initial oil with which to fill the pots, in the case of Betzalel and Oholiav, there had to already be some existing talent and ability. All Hashem had to do was just “top them off,” so to speak.

Of course, their initial “natural” abilities were given by Hashem as well, so once again, what made Betzalel and Oholiav different?

What differentiated Betzalel and Oholiav is that up to the point when they were tasked with the building of the Mishkan they had made the most of the gifts Hashem had given them. They recognized that they, as with everyone, were granted innate talents, and they made sure to make the most of them. When the time came for Hashem to choose who to grant the additional knowledge and expertise to, he knew he just needed to fill up Betzalel and Oholiav and didn’t need to fill the empty tank of someone else.

The Jewish approach, therefore, is not “I think, therefore I am,” but rather “I am, therefore I must think.” We must take full advantage of all the innate skills and abilities we have been granted, and daven daily for the increased capacity to know how to best connect to Hashem and better ourselves.

Shimon and Levi

Ki Tisa, VaYishlach No Responses »

Mar 072010

The Talmud tells us in three places “All is in the hands of Heaven, except the fear of Heaven” (Brachot 33b, Megilla 25a, Niddah 16b). One frequent interpretation of this is that while a person’s characteristics, aptitudes, skills, etc are predestined, one can choose to use this for good or for ill. An agile person who can climb walls could choose to be a catburglar or a fireman. So what does this have to do with our parsha?

In Parshat Vayishlach, Shimon and Levi decide to take revenge on Shechem for what he did to Dinah. The two of them killed all of the Shechemites and plundered the city. For this behavior, Jacob rebukes them there in Parshat Vayishlach and again in Parshat Vayihi. But we see later on that the tribe of Shimon is viewed very differently from the tribe of Levi, who is honored to serve in the Temple, and carry the Mishkan. Neither tribe is given land in Israel, but the Levites are given special cities to live in for rotations of serving in the Mishkan and then eventually the Temple. The Levites are also given tithes by all farmers in Israel. The Shimonites do not receive these special privileges, nor do they receive land like the other “regular” tribes. Why? And again, what does this have to do with our parsha?

The trait of being an angry or vengeful person is normally a bad one. In most circumstances, taking vengeance is frowned upon. However, when Moses descend from Mount Sinai and sees the Golden Calf being worshipped, he calls out “Whoever is for G-d, to me!” (Shemot 32:26). Who gathers to Moses? The Levites. It is the same characteristic that led their ancestor to kill Shechem and his city that led the Levites of Moses’ time to kill those worshipping the Calf. It is for this correct use of character that the Levites are rewarded to serve G-d in the Mishkan, and to receive tithes, and so on.

May we all find productive ways to use our G-d given characteristics in Avodat Hashem.

Ki Sisa- Pick Yourself Up, Dust Yourself Off, and Get Back in the Ring known as Life

Ki Tisa No Responses »

Mar 052010

The parsha commences with the counting of Bnei Yisrael and continues with the sin of the Golden Calf (The Jewish People worship a golden calf, which is considered idolatry.)

A question I just thought of was even if the Jewish People thought that Moshe was not returning, why would that prompt them to start serving an idol?! Where is the logic? Why would they need an intermediary to God, all of a sudden- even if Moshe was gone? They could have just turned to Yehoshua, or God himself with their concerns!

The Lubavitcher Rebbe points out that the title of this parsha does not merely concern the beginning of the parsha’s events, namely the counting of Bnei Yisrael. The word Sisa can mean to count, but it can also mean to lift up. The Rebbe explains that even though the Jewish People in this parsha commit a heinous crime of idolatry- they still needed to realize that one can get up from a fall. They can be uplifted. They fell so low, and yet repentance was still available to them. While it is true that many people were punished for their actions, the Jewish People as a whole, were saved by Moshe’s pleas, and in the next perek, God is already commanding them to take the next step- to enter the land of Israel.

There are many sources for this idea. We all, including myself struggle with different challenges, and it can seem like we fall into the same tantalizing pit of sin again and again. Not to cite cliches, but life is a war, with many fronts. As long as we stay in the war and march forward, we will with God’s help succeed.

(Rav Rosner)

Have a great shabbos- from Baltimore ir HaKodesh!

Shabbat Duality: The Value of Inaction

Ki Tisa, Shabbat 1 Response »

Mar 052010

In this week’s Parsha, right after discussing the details of the construction of the Mishkan the Hashem instructs Moshe to tell the Jewish people about Shabbat. There it states (in full):

וְאַתָּה דַּבֵּר אֶל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, לֵאמֹר,אַךְ אֶת-שַׁבְּתֹתַי, תִּשְׁמֹרוּ: כִּי אוֹת הִוא בֵּינִי וּבֵינֵיכֶם, לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם–לָדַעַת, כִּי אֲנִי יְהוָה מְקַדִּשְׁכֶם. וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם, אֶת-הַשַּׁבָּת, כִּי קֹדֶשׁ הִוא, לָכֶם; מְחַלְלֶיהָ, מוֹת יוּמָת–כִּי כָּל-הָעֹשֶׂה בָהּ מְלָאכָה, וְנִכְרְתָה הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַהִוא מִקֶּרֶב עַמֶּיהָ.שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים, יֵעָשֶׂה מְלָאכָה, וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי שַׁבַּת שַׁבָּתוֹן קֹדֶשׁ, לַיהוָה; כָּל-הָעֹשֶׂה מְלָאכָה בְּיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת, מוֹת יוּמָת. וְשָׁמְרוּ בְנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֶת-הַשַּׁבָּת, לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת-הַשַּׁבָּת לְדֹרֹתָם, בְּרִית עוֹלָם. בֵּינִי, וּבֵין בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל–אוֹת הִוא, לְעֹלָם: כִּי-שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים, עָשָׂה יְהוָה אֶת-הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת-הָאָרֶץ, וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי, שָׁבַת וַיִּנָּפַשׁ.
‘Speak to the children of Israel, saying: However, you shall keep My Sabbaths, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you. You shall keep the Sabbath, for it is holy unto you; every one that desecrates it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Six days work shall be done; but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the LORD; whoever does any work in the Sabbath day, shall surely be put to death. The children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, as a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel for ever; for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He ceased from work and rested.’

The Abravanel asks many questions on these verses, but I am going to focus on just a few. First, what is the significance of telling us about keeping Shabbat right after the discussion of the Mishkan? Weren’t we just told about Shabbat at Har Sinai a few weeks ago? Second, why does the Pasuk use the word שַׁבְּתֹתַי (my Shabbats) in plural? It could have just said “but keep the Shabbat”. Finally, why does the description of Shabbat use the word אוֹת (a sign) twice – first, it is a sign through which we can know that Hashem sanctifies the Jewish people and second, it is a sign that Hashem created the world in 6 days and rested on the 7th.

To answer these questions, the Abravanel explains that there are two major aspects to Shabbat. First, there is the acceptance and appreciation of the fact that Hashem created the world. Shabbat comes as as a break from the busy week to serve as perpetual sign that there is a Creator who placed us here and gave us purpose in our weekly tasks. This aspect of Shabbat corresponds to the word “Zachor (remember)” which is recorded in the first recounting of the 10-commandments in the Torah. Through Zachor, we observe Shabbat in an active sense. By refraining from work we have an opportunity to spend time learning Torah, taking advantage of the extra Neshama we have on Shabbat to come closer to Hashem.

The second aspect of Shabbat, (as noted by the plural שַׁבְּתֹתַי) is the recognition that there is a World To Come. Chazal say that the Shabbat we experience is 1/60th of our ultimate Olam Habah, and note that the World To Come is a “Yom SheKulo Shabbat (a day which is entirely Shabbat).” Through this recognition, Shabbat serves as its second sign. By reminding us that that we have a place and a purpose on this world, Shabbat ensures that we keep focused on the fact that it is Hashem who makes our work successful in this world and gives us our due reward in the World To Come.

This second aspect of Shabbat is manifest through the word “Shamor (to guard)”, as recorded in the second recounting of the 10-commandments. In contrast to Zachor, Shamor is a passive observance of Shabbat. We keep Shabbat by not doing things. Through this observer we realize that just as there is value to action, there is sometimes also value to in-action. Just as we must work for 6 days (as it says שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים, יֵעָשֶׂה מְלָאכָה), so to0 we accomplish even more by showing that we refrain from work on the 7th day. Through this in-action we show how we recognize Hashem’s ultimate dominion and realize that all we accomplish is through Him.

This is why Shabbat is commanded again right after the instructions for the Mishkan. It is very easy to understand how the Jewish people might have thought that the holy task of building the Mishkan might supersede the observance of Shabbat. Isn’t it more important to have the Mishkan built as soon as possible to help bring Hashem’s presence into the world than to keep Shabbat? The answer is “No.” The most important thing is to realize that just as the world was created by Hashem, so to everything we accomplish, we accomplish through His hands.

Have a wonderful and rest-filled Shabbat!

Also, enjoy this video to get into the Shabbat mood.

Shabbos

Ki Tisa No Responses »

Mar 042010

A fantastic piece from the Meshech Chochma, R’ Meir Simcha of Dvinsk (bigraphy here).

The Pasuk says: וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת כִּי קֹדֶשׁ הִוא לָכֶם מְחַלְלֶיהָ מוֹת יוּמָת כִּי כָּל הָעֹשֶׂה בָהּ מְלָאכָה וְנִכְרְתָה הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַהִוא מִקֶּרֶב עַמֶּיהָ - Keep the Sabbath, for it is a sacred thing for you. Those who desecrate it shall be put to death, for whoever performs work on it, that soul will be cut off from the midst of its people. (31:14)

The concept of being put to death for breaking Shabbos is odd from a logical perspective – one is commanded to break Shabbos to save another Jew’s life, and even in a case where there is only a possibility of there being a danger to someone, one is still commanded to break Shabbos. So it is clear that a human life is more precious than Shabbos, but this being the case, how can we put someone to death who breaks it? Isn’t this counter-intuitive?

R’ Meir Simcha explains the answer beautifully. Shabbos is less sacred than a Jew, as without a Jew observing Shabbos, Shabbos essentially isn’t there. As such, everything about Shabbos, including the very purpose of Creation, is solely remembered by a Jew who observes it, and this means that Shabbos is “indebted” to the Jew, and we therefore forego it to save a Jew’s life.

Not so by someone who desecrates Shabbos. Such a person cuts himself off from the the connection to Hashem and the Torah, and it is better for this person to die and get atonement like that than for him to survive and continue in his ways.

So this is what the Pasuk is telling us: “וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת כִּי קֹדֶשׁ הִוא לָכֶם - Keep the Sabbath, for it is a sacred thing for you”, ie it is vitally important for Jews to honour and observe Shabbos, because if they don’t, who will? Therefore “ מְחַלְלֶיהָ מוֹת יוּמָת - Those who desecrate it shall be put to death”, because someone who desecrates it has lowered themselves to below the level of Shabbos, the sign Hashem gave us. “כִּי כָּל הָעֹשֶׂה בָהּ מְלָאכָה וְנִכְרְתָה הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַהִוא מִקֶּרֶב עַמֶּיהָ - for whoever performs work on it, that soul will be cut off from the midst of its people” – this person has lowered himself beneath Shabbos by desecrating it, and has therefore alienated himself from what made his people special – that their lives were holier than Shabbos, by keeping it. Only a person who cuts himself off by desecrating Shabbos is suitable to be put to death in the name of Shabbos, so we see that it is not counter intuitive at all to put someone to death in the name of Shabbos.

This shows the level of detail in the Pasuk, that the Torah explains the mechanics of why someone is put to death for breaking Shabbos.

Geshmack!

Judging a book by its cover

Purim, Rosh Hashanah, Tetzaveh, Tu B'Av, Yom Kippur 2 Responses »

Feb 262010

Contrary to common belief and practice, there are very few instances where Judaism actually cares about what clothing you wear. This weekend we will experience two out of the four such instances. These are: Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, when we wear white; Tu B’Av, when single girls borrow each others’ dresses; Purim, when we wear costumes; and finally the clothes the Kohanim wore in the Beit haMikdash, which we read about in this week’s Parsha.

What is the meaning behind these four situations where clothing is important?

Rav Shamshon Raphael Hirsch talks about the importance of the Bigdei Kehuna. He explains that when the Kohanim were doing the service in the Temple, they had to think of themselves as messengers of the congregation of Israel. They had to realize that they should have no ego involved in the service and were, on their own account, naked in front of Hashem.

This is in contrast to the High Holidays where we are being judged on account of our own actions. On those days we wear our own white clothing, working to cleanse ourselves of our personal actions.

On Tu B’Av, once again, people dress in clothing that doesn’t belong to them. The custom used to be that single girls would all wear borrowed dresses and go dance in the fields to find their future husbands. The borrowed clothing ensured that poorer people weren’t disadvantaged by their lower quality clothing. In this case, clothing is used as a means of expressing care and compassion towards others, ensuring that no one is disadvantaged by class differences.

Finally, we come to Purim. On Purim, we wear costumes, disguising our actual appearances. Why is this? One of the central lessons of Purim is that the reason the Jewish people were saved is because we banded together as a community and davened to Hashem to save us from Haman’s plots. While the story played out in such a way that Esther was the means to our salvation, Mordechai warned Esther that if she didn’t do what she could to save the Jews, HaShem would still save the Jewish people as a whole, but would not extend that salvation to Esther and her family (כִּי אִם-הַחֲרֵשׁ תַּחֲרִישִׁי, בָּעֵת הַזֹּאת–רֶוַח וְהַצָּלָה יַעֲמוֹד לַיְּהוּדִים מִמָּקוֹם אַחֵר, וְאַתְּ וּבֵית-אָבִיךְ תֹּאבֵדוּ Esther 4:14).

On Purim, therefore, we disguise ourselves to show that it’s not the individual but the community that is important. It doesn’t matter who you are, or what type of Yarmulke or what color pants you wear. What’s important is that we are all Jews and we are all celebrating Purim together.

Have a great Shabbat and a Happy Purim!

“For I am the Lord, Who Loves Justice”

Sefer Shmot, Terumah No Responses »

Feb 192010

Terumah 5770 The Beis HaLevi asks why the Parshah of donations, Terumah, follows the Parshah of civil law, Mishpatim. He answers, that this is to teach us that before a person can begin to give tzedakah with his money, he must meticulously ascertain that none of his wealth has been acquired in a manner that contained even a trace of theft. If this condition is not fulfilled, his mitzvah of tzedakah will have been in vain. This is an example of the rule that chazal teach us: A mitzvah that is fulfilled as a result of sin – is not a mitzvah. “For I am the Lord, Who loves justice, hates robbery in a burnt offering” (Yeshayah 61:8) – we must ensure that our sources of merit remain uncontaminated. Good Shabbos!

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“For I am the Lord, Who Loves Justice”

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