Holiness

בס"ד

One of the most famous of the Torah's missives is the all encompassing "קדושים תהיו". Rashi tells us that with these words Hashem is commanding us to keep an extra distance from immorality. The Ramban understood this instruction as a call for moderation and restraint even in areas of permissible pleasures.

Perhaps most striking are the words of the Kli Yakar. To him, the words of Kedoshim Tihiyu are not just a commandment, but also a promise and statement of fact.

This shabbos, let us bask in the knowledge that we posses a divinely granted spark of holiness. And may our shabbos reflect this.

Hatzlacha !

Are We Our Successes Or Our Failures ?

בס"ד

The beginning of Parshas Metzora teaches us an important lesson in teshuva.

After the first two pesukim that refer to the formerly afflicted person as a metzora, he is never again called by this appellation. He is given a new title, האיש המיטהר – the man who is becoming pure.

Now, if he is only becoming pure – that means that he is not yet pure. Without being overly technical, if he is not yet pure – then he must still be impure! Why don't we simply refer to him as the tameh, or better yet, the metzorah, until such time as his purification is complete?

Because that would be inaccurate.

While there are still steps a former metzora must take to achieve divine forgiveness and prevent backsliding, these are all technicalities. Ultimately, he has turned a corner and is now on the mend, spiritually.

This is, in essence, true for any one of us who is struggling with any part of our avodas Hashem. Once we are free and clear of the core blemish, the initial misjudgment that caused us to stray – we can take the vaunted title of "ba'al teshuva". We may still struggle, we may even still fall, but never again should we refer to ourselves as a sinner. We are a "מיטהר"-one who is becoming pure, not there yet – but commited to staying the path.

And with this new, positive self image we are deserving of much siyaata dishmaaya. Even the kohein, who spends all of his days in the innermost camp, communing with the shechina, must go out to the מיטהר to see that he is indeed free of blemish.

May we all be zocheh to recognize our shortcomings and commit to a path to overcome them, thusly earning the polished crown of a מיטהר. And marching with these crowns, may we greet mashiach tzidkeynu, bimheyra beyameinu, amen

Hatzlacha !.

Are We All Wet ?

בס"ד

Why would Hashem punish the Egyptians by splitting the sea ? He has already shown them His mastery over water in the first makka when He turned their Nile god into blood. What greater demonstration of Hashem's power was to be seen ?

Water is that with which Hashem gives life. For that reason Torah is compared to water. Dry land, on the other hand, is, well … dry. We can thusly compare the sea as being the receptacle for Hashem's midda of chessed while on land his midda of din or strict justice prevails.

When Pharaoh catches up to the fleeing Jews at Pi HaChiroth, he is convinced that now he will destroy them. How could Pharaoh be convinced of this ? Has he forgotten the past year, when ten plagues decimated his country and shattered his defenses ? Pharaoh remembered these things all too well. He was just erroneously convinced that this was the manifestation of Hashem's will on land. With the attribute of justice, Hashem dealt harshly with the Egyptians and trounced them in a nightmarish year. But, on the sea, with the attribute of loving kindness playing center stage, Pharaoh was sure that he could beat Hashem and His Jews, too.

Pharaoh was a fool.

And to emphasize that Hashem's plan is unfathomable by the human mind, Hashem saves the Jews by bringing them into the heart of the sea, and saves them by opening it and having dry land in middle! It is thusly not kindness (water) which saves the Jews, but rather justice (land). And the Egyptians aren't punished by justice, as we would expect, but rather by a flooding of kindness!

How does this shape our focus for the end of Pesach ? By offering Hashem our praise. When the Jews sang the shira at the edge of the Sea of Reeds, they reached new and lofty levels of Emunah. Perhaps this was their new recognition. They had seen Hashem's mighty hand all throughout the year as the makkos unfolded. But only by seeing Hashem reverse His hands, so to speak, did they really begin to get a glimpse of Hashem's awesome power. When the Jews understood that there is no objective kindness-mode or justice-mode but rather a unified, all encompassing, dominion over all, that's when they offered the greatest praise to Hashem.

May we, at the conclusion of our Pesach, merit seeing this Divine dominion, unhampered and unconstrained by any regulations of the mundane. And let our praise of this incredible glory reflect this majestic fact.

Hatzlacha !

Skip, Skip, Skip To My Lou

בס"ד

One of the classic ploys of the Yetzer hora is impulsiveness, or the ability or inclination to perform an action quickly and without too much (or any) thought. It is both a tool to perform negative actions that we would usually avoid ("Oh, I can't believe I just said that …") and a deficiency in its own right.

Then why does it seem that Pesach is all about this same trait ?

Because it is.

What makes impulsivity bad is the absence of a rational thought process. While this is usually utilized for bad actions, there is no reason why we can't hijack this for good.

In the same way that an impulsively quick action can drop you (or your actions, or your speech, etc' …) to a pitifully low level in your avodas Hashem – the same kind of action can turn the tables!

Pesach is when Hashem did not examine our overall status in order to redeem us from bondage. It is a time when Hashem asked us to do the impossible (taking the sheep, god of the Egyptians in total and complete defiance) and without thinking too long about the possible ramifications … we did it ! We skipped the part of out decision making process that would have caused us to doubt fulfilling Hashem's command. G-d, in turn, skipped our houses and children when He swept through Egypt in the final retributionary rampage. To commemorate this we even skip the rising of the dough in the baking process.

This Pesach, skip something. At the seder, or in teffila, get into it! Skip the self consciousness, skip the doubts, and have an incredible, meaningful Pesach!

Hatzlacha !

A "Great" Shabbos

בס"ד

The shabbos before Pesach is known as shabbos hagadol, or the 'great' shabbos.

What is so "great" about this shabbos ?

It is said that shabbos is actually above time and that the world was created for the short duration of six days. On shabbos, all creation is recharged, getting it set for another week. Shabbos, however, is outside of this calculation and exists in a sublime, timeless nature. Thusly, shabbos has the unique double distinction of being both the culmination of the preceding week and the foundation of the following week.

Since shabbos serves as the flashpoint of recreation, it must follow that everything which is needed for that week will also be created on shabbos.

Now we understand what is so "great" about shabbos haGadol – on shabbos hagadol the act of recreation is greater than other times since it needs to also include the incredible holiday of Pesach.

The first night of Pesach is known as 'leil shimurim' a night that we are watched over. On that night the level of Hashgacha pratis or personal divine guidance and care is at its highest point of the year. On that night Hashem personally 'passed over' each one of our houses in dealing destruction upon the Egyptians – He even struck down any Egyptians who may have been hiding in our very own homes ! Divine involvement on such an intense, personal level, is sure to leave a mark in time – as it did on seder night.

So this shabbos, as we sing testimony to Hashem's (re)creation of the world and palpably feel the rejuvenation of all that surrounds us – know that this shabbos is truly greater than others, it is the shabbos where the divine presence descends into our world in greater force than any other time during the year. And since seder night is a full week away, we have this extra hasgacha for a full eight days. That's pretty great!

With Hashem's guiding hand ever closer, we must ask ourselves, what are we going to do with such an amazing opportunity ?

Hatzlacha !

An Offering Worth Offering

בס"ד

"... אדם כי יקריב מכם קרבן לד' ..." [ויקרא א:ב]

"…when a man from amongst you brings an offering to Hashem …"[Vayikra 1:2]

The Medrash Rabba [2:7] quoted in Rashi [ad loc.] points out that this is an allusion to the famous offering of Adam Harishon.

What was the famous offering of Adam and how is it connected to the idea of sacrificial offerings ?

The Gemara (avodah zara 8a) tells us that after Adam and Chava sinned they experienced sunset. Adam was startled and declared – "woe is me, because of my sin I have brought darkness to the world. Perhaps this is the inevitable death that Hashem decreed as a result of my sin." And they both sat and cried all night long. When the sun rose the next morning, Adam concluded that the period of darkness was part of the 'natural' order of things and did not represent any divine punishment for his misdeeds. He immediately took an ox that was created by Hashem and offered him as a sacrifice.

(Sacrifice is a poor translation of the term korban – we shall stick to korban)

There is a world of difference between a korban and a scapegoat. The latter is something that you offer up in the hope that its elimination will foster enough goodwill that any grievance will be forgotten. A korban, however, is fundamentally different. A korban is given in recognition of its intrinsic value and with the understanding that a certain amount of loss in necessitated by the circumstances. In short, the more something means to you – the less fitting it is for a scapegoat and the more fitting it is for a korban.

Now we understand why all of our korbanos should echo Adam's. Adam demonstrated an incredible attachment and responsibility for all of creation. He did this by crying all night long at the darkness and destruction that he believed were inflicted upon the world and its occupants at his expense. He clearly valued, and felt a strong stewardship over, creation. This is also evident by the timing of his korban. If Adam's korban was a scapegoat, designed to appease Hashem and rescind the darkness – he would have brought it when the darkness first fell, at night! By offering the ox with the first rays of light, Adam's actions proclaim loudly, "Hashem, I rejoice to find that you did not destroy the world because of me, let me make an offering of praise to your name!" It is this feeling of responsibility for the world and its inhabitants that we aim to echo any time we bring a korban.

In today's impoverished times we are without a temple and without the ability to ofer physical korbanos. Yet, we have the ability to offer prayers. Let our teffilos (which replace the korbanos as a temporary substitute) resonate with the same devotion and intensity as Adam's. And may we see the rebuilding of the Beis Hamikdash speedily in our days, amen.

Hatzalcha !!

But, Does it Count ?!?

אלה פקודי... משכן העדות אשר פוקד על פי משה עבודת הלויים ביד איתמר בן-אהרון הכהן

[שמות לח:כא]

“This is the accounting of the Tabernacle, the Tabernacle that bears witness, that was counted by order of Moses, the work of the Levites as supervised by Itamar the son of Aaron the priest.” (Shemos 38:21)

Moshe instructed the people to count. What was it they were supposed to count, and why?

Sometimes, we count in order to determine the total number of items in our possession, such as when we count out money in our pockets to see if we can purchase a certain item. Sometimes, we count that which is important to us, even if we already know how many there are supposed to be, such as trophies won. At other times, “counting” doesn’t refer to numbers, but worth, as in, “Does spelling count?” In the Torah portion this week, all of these facets of counting seem to be important in the Tabernacle.

As an expression of our national desire to serve G-d, the Tabernacle was the result of a building campaign that was incredibly wide in scope. The verses relate that anyone whose “… heart had been filled with a giving spirit” [Exodus 25:2 & 35:5] gave whatever they could. Those who did not donate items, donated services. There is even the suggestion that the talent for working the materials into the Tabernacle was not an inborn trait of those craftspeople who performed this task, but rather a G-d given ability that was bestowed upon those who were worthy of it, commensurate to their inner dedication [Exodus 36:25].

So when the Torah summarizes all this effort with the phrase, “These are the accountings of the Tabernacle …”, it is actually coming to regard all these definitions. The individual contributions to the Tabernacle are worth counting and that the effort itself was worthy of being counted.

In his commentary on the Torah, the Ohr HaChaim (Rabbi Chaim Ben Atar b. Morocco 1696, d. Jerusalem 1743) contrasts the beginning of the accounting with other beginnings in the Torah. Whenever the Torah begins a quote with the letter “vav”, meaning “and”, the intention is to highlight the connection that this topic has with the previous topic. Whenever the “vav” is missing, the intention is an emphasis in the disconnection between the two topics. For example, the beginning of parshas Mishpatim (which deals with many laws of interpersonal damages) begins with the phrase “And these are the laws that you (Moses) shall place before them”[Exodus 21:1] to underscore the connection with the previous segment which tells of the revelation at Sinai. This is intended to teach us that all the laws were given at Sinai and not just the Ten Commandments.

Why, then, does the verse begin the description of the accounting without the connector? To emphasize the disconnection. Not only that the accounting is disconnected from the specific topic that immediately precedes it, but rather that it is disconnected from all previous topics.

The Ohr HaChaim’s observation leads us to the Torah’s valuable lesson – there are some things that are worth counting. And there are some that aren’t quite in the same category, hence the isolation of the verses of accounting. The "grade a" goods are not meant to associate with all other topics. You wouldn't count the amount of twenties in your wallet on the same tally as the number of plastic cups you have left in the drawer. To emphasize this lesson the Torah lists the accountings of the Tabernacle as a dedicated endeavor. A unified, nation-wide outpouring of concretized desire to serve the Creator, is something that is worth counting. It is something so worthy of being counted that it rates exclusive billing.

When we take mental stock of our days, when we budget out our resources, we are also performing an accounting. We list priorities and goals, and try to match them up with time and the ability to accomplish them. How much time do we spend on ourselves? How much do we spend on others? Are we making time for spiritual enrichment? Do we value and budget in our obligations to the Creator? To our fellow man?

In light of this lesson, we can ask ourselves, are we counting what counts?

What’s the count up to?

Hatzlacha !

Don't Worry Be Calf-ey

בס"ד

In Parshas Ki Sisa we read of one of the greatest tragedies to ever occur to the Jewish people, the sin of the golden calf. Miscalculating the fortieth day when Moshe was supposed to return from his sojourn in the heavens, the people grow restless when they believe that Moshe is not coming. Seizing upon this opportunity, Satan creates a scene of heavenly confusion and tells the people mockingly, "your leader has died." In response to this, some of the Egyptian hangers-on that trailed the Jewish camp (known as the erev rav or rabble) demand from Aharon a new leadership figure. After Aharon attempts, unsuccessfully, to stall for Moshe's return, the rabble succeeds in having two of the Egyptian sorcerers (formerly of Pharaoh's court – see Tanchuma ch. 19 – quoted in Ohr Hachaim Shemos 32:20) craft a golden idol and parade it before the people. The main body of calf worshippers were also of the rabble, they were killed by the Levi'im (see Shemos 32:26-28).

In light of the above information, what part did the mainstream Jewish community play in the sin of the calf ? Why is it considered so heinous a transgression ? What did they do ?

The Torah goes to great emphasis to point out that Moshe was a regular human being, born of a mortal father and mother and in no way supernatural. It should have been obvious to the Jews that Moshe wasn't going to live forever, and so when he died, Hashem would have his replacement all lined up. The people misunderstood the function of a Jewish leader. They should have gone to Aharon or Yehoshua or any one of the prominent people in the camp. Instead, they sought to replicate the divine aura that emanated from Moshe. True, only the rabble truly worshipped the calf and danced in idolatrous ecstasy at the feast in its honor. But the rest of the Jewish camp enabled this to occur because they allowed themselves to be lulled into despair at Moshe's passing.

Since Moshe's passing was inevitable, the people should have realized that the same G-d who brought them to Har Sinai would also continue to take care of them. People do silly and crazy things out of despair, the lesson of the golden calf is that this kind of despair has no place in the heart of a believing Jew. And if it does worm its way in there – the results can be catastrophic.

Don't despair, Hashem's got your back. Always.

Haztlacha !

Just Our Luck

בס"ד

It would seem that an entire holiday based on random luck is a little ridiculous. As a matter of fact – the whole message of the intricate, hidden plots and sub plots of royal intrigue in ancient Persia teach us that there is no such thing as luck! So why then is our holy holiday of Purim called "Lottery Day"?!

To understand this perplexing conundrum let us examine the other time in the calendar when we rely on a lottery. On the (other) holiest day of the year, Yom Kippur, we take two identical sheep and sacrifice them in a ritual fashion. One of them we offer as a korban olah, or ascension offering, so called because it is the highest kind of korban which rises straight to Hashem. The second sheep, we carry out of the city to a remote desert cliff where we fling it off to be ripped to bloody shreds in an apparent offering to the demons that inhabit such a treacherous and fearsome locale.

It would seem that there is no greater contrast than these two offerings which seem to represent the farthest two points on the avodah spectrum. To be "worthy" of being the korban olah on Yom Kippur should seemingly have taken a year if not a lifetime of preparation and to deserve being tossed off into the barren cliffs of Azazel would indicate a comparable time spent in total moral decay. Yet, the Torah teaches us that these two animals must not only be identical in every way but are also chosen by lots, at random! What are we meant to understand from this?!

That even within the blind, random luck, Hashem's guiding hand is always there. If we thought that the lottery of the sheep was fixed and that G-d always insured that the deserving sheep got his fate then we may mistake the world for being one in which G-d is both the director and the behind-the-scenes manager, but that luck was still possible. By taking two identical sheep we declare that even within the randomness of luck Hashem's guiding hand is never off the wheel.

And that's the message of Purim. There is such a thing as random chance. There is luck. But, as with everything else, Hashem has that under control as well. And why? Because of His incredible boundless love for us, his children.

Gosh, we should consider ourselves pretty lucky!

Happy Purim!

To Honor The King

בס"ד

Parshas Terumah is where the Torah tells us about the mishkan (tabernacle) and all the keillim (holy vessels) used therein. Parshas Tetzaveh is where we are instructed in the intricacies of the clothing worn by the kohanim and the methods of their induction into service. There is one exception, however. All the way at the end of Parshas Tetzaveh, after we have long finished discussing the keillim used in the mishkan, does the Torah teach us about the inner, mizbeach hazahav (golden altar). The mizbeach hazahav was used for the most sublime of the temple services the offering of the ketores (incense).

Why does the Torah discuss the mizbeach hazahav out of place?

The Seforno contends with this difficulty and his answer offers us an incredible insight into the service of the Creator.

Much of the avodah within the mishkan was dedicated towards one goal – establishing a dwelling place for the shechina down here amongst the physical world. This was done by dedicating ourselves to a very detailed service and by building an incredibly intricate edifice for the purpose. The ketores, however, was not brought to establish the mishkan as a fitting resting place for the shechina. It was brought in honor and recognition of that fact. The shechina would have dwelled in the mishkan without the ketores, but we would have been lacking in our honor to Hashem if we didn't offer it.

This leads us to an incredible analysis. Every day we serve Hashem in countless ways. We bring Him into our life by thanking and praising Him for all that He has done for us and by demonstrating kindnesses that are in His image and under His direction. We even toil to understand His holy word that He gave us at Sinai. To complete the picture, however, we need to honor His holy presence as well. We do this by adding a dimension of beauty to our service.

A nicer esrog or a fancy meggilah case is not just adding a touch of class to our mitzvos, its actually a recognition of the fact that by doing those mitzvos, we are bringing the shechina into our lives, and according the divine presence its due honor. Next time we perform a mitzvah, let us endeavor to do it with an extra flourish, not just to show how much we love the mitzvah, but also to display our boundless love for Hashem, whom we honor by its performance. And in the merit of our little ketores-like observances, may we merit to see the rebuilding of the Beis HaMikdash speedily in our days, where we will once again offer the real ketores and it will rise as a pleasing fragrance before Hashem. Amen.

Hatzlacha !!

Pulling Both Ends

בס"ד

While the entire tabernacle was also called the "משכן" or dwelling place for the Divine Presence, the passuk ascribes this lofty title to one particular part, the first layer of cloth coverings.

There were three (or four) layers that covered the mishkan. The first was made up of multiple strands of dyed wool, linen and gold and was woven into a pattern of cherubs. The second was called the "אהל" or tent and was made out of goat hairs woven together. The final layer of curtain was either a singular layer that incorporated both the dyed ram skins and the skins of the miraculous tachash (a rainbow colored animal that resembled a unicorn – see Talmud Shabbos 28a), or two individual curtains – one made up of each material, respectively.

It is interesting to note, however, that the lower two layers were not whole curtains. Hashem instructs Moshe to make these layers out of individual strips that would later be sewn together to form two curtains and those two curtains would be connected by a series of hooks called "קרסים". Both sections of curtain ended in fifty loops and fifty double edged hooks attached the two edges together.

Two questions stand out rather starkly.

Firstly, if the strips were to be sewn together permanently – why weave them as different strips at all? Secondly, if the two section were to be connected – why not have the hooks woven into one section and the loops in the other, so that they could hook each other easily? It seems more intuitive that having loops on both edges and a separate, double-edged, hook to hold them together.

One question is answered by the kli yakar. The innermost layer of curtain, the "mishkan" itself, was made of exactly ten strips. These were sewn into two sections of five strips each, and they represented the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments had two parts, one dealing with the obligations of man to his Creator and one dealing with man's duties to his fellow man. Similarly, the "mishkan" was split, one side to cover the Holy of Holies which contained the Word of G-d, and one side to cover the Holy which contained the offerings of man.

So why use the cumbersome double loop structure? To teach us that neither side has precedence. If we would have crafted the sections to latch one onto the other, we have been tempted to view one part of the curtain as central and the other as merely hitching a ride. In light of the symbolism of the Ten Commandments we can assess just how tragic such a misunderstanding would be. Neither the obligations of man to his fellow nor the duties of man to G-d, take priority over each other. Rather, they both represent the fulfillment of the Divine will.

By latching them equally, G-d is teaching us the secret to achieving Divinely inspired harmony. When we assist our fellow man with the same fervor and piety usually reserved for service to G-d, and when we approach our divine duties with the same goodwill and generosity that we manage to garner for our fellow, we will have truly fulfilled the message of the "mishkan". And in doing so, we will merit the blessing "ועשו לי מקדש ושכנתי בתוכם" [שמות כה:ח] "And they shall make me a sanctuary and I shall dwell amongst them" [Shemos 25:8] And hosting the Divine Presence is a harmonious experience indeed.

Haztlacha !!

Putting In Your Entire Half

בס"ד

Rav Shmishon Raphael Hirsch points out that at the end of Parshas Shekalim, the Torah issues a profound commentary on human accomplishment.

The commonly understood message of the half shekel is that we should never view ourselves as being a law onto ourselves – we are always one of the greater community and anything that we may accomplish is but a half, a fraction of the work of the greater whole. However, the Torah concludes the reading with the mention that the shekel was one of twenty pieces. Simple mathematics tell us that the half shekel was then the equivalent of ten pieces.

Why would the Torah tell us to contribute such a round and complete number of pieces for the donation famous for being a fraction? To teach us that our efforts must be complete. While we need to realize that we are never the bottom line and, at most, our efforts constitute the half of the greater whole. We should concurrently keep in mind that we have to put in all ten pieces. Our effort should be a complete representation of what we have to offer. No holding back, and no leaving a little for the next guy to do. Only when we perform our contribution to it's fullest, and place in all ten pieces, do we reach the fifty percent mark of the shekel.

To paraphrase : "Be the greatest and fullest half you can be"

Hatzlacha !!

Seeking G-d

בס"ד

When Yisro joins the camp of the Israelites he is struck by an imbalance. The Jews, ever thirsting for the knowledge of G-d, seek Moshe out to learn from him. Yet, there is only one Moshe, and so, the people stand and wait "…from morning until night" [Shmos 18:14]. Seeing this, Yisro casts about for a solution and comes up with a new system of judges that would enable a much more efficient distribution. He proposes four tiers of judges, each circuit only referring to the next one up as necessary, to achieve clarity. One of the drawbacks of the judicial system proposed by Yisro is that now, the Jews have less direct connection with Moshe and would only take their case before him if it was sufficiently complex to warrant it.

Perhaps this was why Moshe had not come up with the idea first and why this idea is directly juxtaposed with the awesome revelation at Har Sinai; because accessibility is only one facet of seeking Hashem. While it is important for us to have access to Torah and teachers who are available to us, there is an incomparable value in connecting to as direct a source as possible. It could also be seen as one of the messages of the mitzvah of Hakheil.

In light of this double edged lesson of the parasha, let us endeavor to assimilate both facets of it. Lets make efforts to seek out G-d's word from at the level that we find ourselves at and at an availability that is doable. But, let us not end there. Set our sights high and realize that there is an entire chain, stretching back to Har Sinai itself, of scholars and righteous souls that can guide us in our quest of closeness to G-d.

Hatzlacha !

Bonus Track - Woo Hoo !

Just to take a moment and be impressed and inspired by klal yisrael. When Yisro sees them standing all day to try to reach Moshe Rabbeinu and learn Torah from him – he tells Moshe that he won't be able to keep it up. But the Jews didn't lose faith. Even though it took all day (and then some!) they still stood on that line to receive the dvar Hashem from Moshe. מי כעמך ישראל !!

Bursting Forth In Song

בס"ד

The Medrash [Shemos Rabba 23:4] goes to great lengths to praise the Jewish people for singing a Shira to Hashem. Even implying that G-d was waiting for such a thanks since the beginning of time.

What makes a shira a better medium for expressing thanks and praise than any other? Seemingly, it even trumps the korbanos that were offered for this purpose!

Let's analyze Shira and see what we come up with.

Shira is made up of two components : niggun(melody) and words.

Rebbe Nachman of Breslev is quoted as saying that when a Jew sings a niggun his neshama is communicating directly with Hashem. More popular is the phrase, "music is the language of the soul". So we see that there is a special significance to praising Hashem through a niggun rather than just expressing yourself in plain words.

However, even the words of a shira are different. There are constraints and limitations within formal verse structure. The more complex the Shira, the more specific the phraseology has to be. And it is precisely through these constraints that a greater beauty takes shape. By focusing and narrowing the expression of the narrative, the shira actually brings out higher praise. If the melody of the Shira is the contribution of our neshama, the phrases are the input of our mind.

What are the two unique aspects of Hashem's crowning achievement of creation? Man's soul and man's mind. Adam was created at the tail end of creation with these two unique facets. The human mind is an unparalleled testament to the divine wisdom that created it and the precious neshama that we carry in our selves is an embryonic connection to the same. By utilizing, specifically, those two tools to create and weave a magnificent symphony of tribute to Hashem, the form of shira is fulfillment incarnate. Perhaps it is this completeness that shira personifies which leads the Medrash to declare that when Moshiach comes we will greet him with none other than shira to Hashem for this final redemption.

Can this edifice of thanks be improved upon? Yes. The women of that generation go even one step further. As Miriam leads them in an instrument accompanied song, they praise Hashem with their neshamos, minds and even their bodies.

Let us take this Shabbos Shira and utilize our precious, divine gifts. Firstly, to recognize Hashem's kindnesses, and secondly, to praise and thank Him for them. May we all reach a level of gratitude that is expressed by our minds and souls, and even extends even to our lowly physicality, as the passuk states "כל עצמותי תאמרנה ד' מי כמוך" "Let all my limbs declare before you, Hashem, who is comparable to you", and may our shira echo the last, greatest shira to usher in the geulah shleimah, amen.

Hatzlacha !

Knock knock. Who's there? Death.

בס"ד

There is a famous question regarding the events that transpired on the night of the plague of the firstborn in Egypt.

On the one hand, Hashem tells the Jews that they should prepare the korban Pesach and daub its blood on their doorposts. Further, they are instructed to remain behind their blood-marked doors and not venture outside during the night. This is a protective measure, for in seeing this, "… G-d will pass over your doorway and not allow the destroying angel into your houses to kill." [Shemos 12:23]

On the other hand, though, is the assertion that Hashem himself is the one who will be performing makkas bechoros, as He says, "And I will pass through Egypt on that night and I will smite every first born …" [Shemos 12:12]

So what destroying angel is Hashem protecting us from ?

The Vilna Gaon answers the question by pointing out that while G-d himself is performing the smiting of the Egyptians, there may be one or two Jews who have reached the end of their allotted time on this earth and are up for collection by the angel of death. If they were to die, the heavenly retribution against Egypt would be incomplete since they could legitimately point out that Jews died that night also. (It can be compared to a scorecard. Even though 236,986 to 2 is still an overwhelming victory – it's not that same as a shutout). It is to prevent this intrusion by the malach hamavess, and its unwelcome inference, that the blood is to be daubed on the doorposts.

The implications of this idea are awesome and staggering. An entire nation (estimated at 2-3 million people) performed a complex ritual and remained closeted in their houses all night to save the lives of one or two Jews! Surely, this display of profound unity is one of the merits that the fledgling nation managed to come up with to deserve Hashem's redemption.

And us? What would we do for the 'achdus' of our people, or for 'kavod shamayim'? And have we done it lately?

Hatzlacha!

To Speak or Not To Speak

בס"ד
Moshe keeps on referring to his own speech impediment by the term "ערל שפתים" which is loosely translated as "thick lipped". Rashi teaches us that every instance where there is something coating or blocking a particular limb, it can be described as an "ערלה". When the Navi seeks to offer comfort to a wayward people, he tells the Yidden that Hashem will remove the 'orlah' from their hearts and they will be able to devote themselves to Him wholeheartedly.
We know that Moshe was 'thick lipped' since his unfortunate encounter with some hot coals in his infancy when Pharaoh wanted to be certain that he was not angling for the Egyptian throne. This may have caused Moshe some speech impediment, but in what way are his lips 'blocked' or sealed? Shouldn't Moshe more appropriately describe it as having handicapped lips? (As he does in Shemos 4:10 "כבד פה וכבד לשון" – heavy of lip and of tongue)
When Moshe pleads unable to fulfill G-d's mission due to his 'lips', Hashem answers him by appointing Aharon to do the talking. Why wouldn’t Hashem simply remove Moshe's blockage, in effect 'circumcising' his lips, and leave him to do the job?! Because having lips that are blocked is an asset and not one that Moshe wants to give up. Years of tending flocks of sheep in the wilderness had given Moshe time to introspect and hone a lofty spiritual character. This 'blockage' is not just a remnant of his coal scarred lips, it is actually an achievement on Moshe's part. How does having your lips blocked manifest itself? In the inability to speak.
The Chofetz Chaim quotes the saying that many limbs were given one 'gate' yet the tongue was given two, teeth and lips. The Gemara also says that if you would pay a selah (a coin) for the right to speak, you should pay double for the right to remain silent (Megilla 18a).
Moshe has, by virtue of his humility, and perhaps aided by his natural speech difficulties, chosen to place a third barrier upon his mouth, a blockage of the lips. This 'orlah' is what distinguishes him as the mouthpiece of the shechina par excellence, not the ability to orate in a polished fashion, but rather the conviction to stay quiet. This is what elevates him to the status of 'father of all the prophets'. Because prophecy has nothing to do with your own words, it is merely serving as a vessel for the holy words of the Ribonno Shel Olam.
Rav Shimshon Raphael Hirsch points out that Moshe doesn't just mention to Hashem that he is an 'areil sefasaim', he mentions it before Hashem (see Shemos 6:12, 30). The implication here is one of petition. Moshe is beseeching G-d and telling him, "Hashem, here I am, with an extra layer of watchfulness over my speech, how can I ruin that and come before Pharaoh?" Incredibly, Hashem agrees. Most of the mundane aspects of the back and forth dialogue were spared from the "פה שעתיד לדבר עם השכינה".
Through this extra barrier upon his speech, Moshe merited to be the one to storm the heavens and return with the Torah, our treasure for all time. What will we accomplish if we place a little barrier of our own?
Hatzlacha !!

Know When To Hold 'Em

בס"ד
One of the most interesting points of the Parasha is Pharaoh's attempts at controlling the Jewish population. He issues chilling orders to the Hebrew midwives, telling them to dispose of any male child before its first breath. The midwives respond in a clever and devious manner, openly accepting Pharaoh's murderous missive while secretly rejecting it completely. When Pharaoh challenges them, they respond by lying and telling him that they were unable to reach the Jewish women in time

The entire incident begs the question, why didn't they just refuse openly? The answer forms a powerful lesson in dealing with the forces of evil, internal or out.

When you face up to a tyrant or an evil impulse – there is an overwhelming response. If the Hebrew midwives would have refused him, he would simply have had them killed. Same goes for the yetzer hora, sometimes when we stand up to him, he counters with a strong show of manipulative force and we find ourselves doubly tempted! By paying lip service to his scheme, the Hebrew midwives were able to insure that no one else was given their job, certainly not anyone who would have caved in and followed orders.

Sometimes we need to fight the yetzer hora in the same way. We don't always need to challenge him in an overt fashion. By paying him lip service we can sometimes get in beneath the radar. If there is a particular action that is beneath us and inappropriate, we need not declare it in bold terms. We can simply tell the yetzer hora "not now", "I didn't get a chance", or other excuses of that ilk. Before you know it, the yetzer hora's urgency will have passed because he assumes that you are already sold on his plan. Yet, just like the Hebrew midwives, you will actually be heroically forging ahead, right under the yetzer hora's nose!

Hatzlacha !!

Too Much, Too Fast

בס"ד

Why did Reuven, the actual firstborn, not receive the birthright portion from Yaakov? After all, Yaakov Avinu was very sensitive to the subject – he fought his own brother over it in an epic struggle that lasted more than twenty years!

In his final message to Reuven, Yaakov tells him exactly that, why he didn’t get the birthright.
"You are too much like water, and you didn’t leave anything over" [Bereshis 49:4]
The Netziv explains that water possesses two qualities, both of which are linked to its consistency. Water will pour out faster than other liquids (which are thicker) and water will pour out cleaner than other liquids, leaving fewer droplets in the utensil from which it was poured.
These were Reuven's two faults. He was rash to act quickly and he stubbornly clung to a commitment once he made it – "going all in". At face value these seem like excellent qualities, who wouldn't want a leader who is alacritous and steadfast? At second glance, however, we see these qualities in a truer light. To look before you leap is not a contradiction to swiftness and commitment is wonderful but should not replace levelheaded analysis.
It was these two failures that prevented Reuven from earning his rightful place at the throne of the twelve sons of Yaakov.
The next time a decision come our way, will we think it through or act recklessly? When we are at a crossroads, will we go forward without leaving a drop in the bucket, so we can reassess and reconfirm, or will we go all in, and never change regardless of the consequences?

Let us learn from Reuven's example and utilize both our zeal and our intellect to their utmost capacity in the service of our Creator.

Hatzlacha !!

PDA's for G-d

בס"ד
We say in "Al HaNissim" that the Jews who triumphed over the Greeks lit candles in the holy courtyards ("...והדליקו נרות בחצרות קדשך...") referring to the miracle of the menorah.
The Shem MiShmuel asks – why refer to the menorah as standing in the courtyard of the Beis Hamikdash – it stood in the Heichal (sanctuary)?!
His answer will help us milk the last drops of inspiration from this incredible holiday.
The Greeks intentionally unpurified all the oil in the Beis HaMikdash. They were well aware of the value of purity – it was exactly that which they sought to destroy – our souls – our pure souls. The more internal something is, the holier it usually is, and the more resistant to tumah (impurity). That's why we refer to the neshama as having been placed inside our body (even though it is no more inside our kishkes that it is outside our noses). When the Greeks wanted to go after the Torah, the soul of the Jewish nation, they reasoned that if we were wallowing in impurity we wouldn’t be able to maintain our lofty souls. When we defeated them, however, the tide of the battle turned so decisively that we didn't only reclaim the internal "point of purity" (that 'Jewish spark' which is in every Jew – sometimes known as a 'pintele yid') we chased them back into their, external domain!
The Menorah didn’t just burn pure oil inside the Heichal of the Beis HaMikdash – it shined that light outward into the courtyard! That external shining, more than anything else, signified our victory. We took back our intimate connection with Hashem (through the Torah) and broadcast it through the public display of the shining lights.
As Chanukah closes and we say Al HaNissim those last few times – let us take a moment to reflect upon the close, intimate connection we have to Hashem – and then let that connection shine outwards! It could take the form of a Mitzva or Beracha performed loud and proud, even just walking with the surety of step and regal bearing of a crown prince or princess.

Shine on !!