Insights into Leviticus Tazria and Metzora

BS”D

Insights into Leviticus Tazria and Metzora

 

– When a women conceives (Tazria means CONCEIVES)

When a male child is born we are instructed about the Bris Milah or circumcision

Leviticus ch 12 v 3 states “On the eighth day, the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.” I would like to refer us to the work from Rabbi Zamir Cohen’s book the Coming revolution page 146 where he cites a number of leading experts the first is Dr James Quick who was the head of the department of Biochemistry at Marquette University in Wisconsin and the second Dr Ayala Abrahamov Senior Professor of Paediatrics at the faculty of medicine at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem both point out Physiologically until the eighth day, the liver slowly develops, until on the eighth day itself, it is mature enough to fulfil its role to create clots to stop bleeding. Dr. Armand James was astounded at the uncanny correlation between the development of the body’s ability to stop bleeding and the timing of the Brit Milah”, to a versed and believing Torah person this would of come as no surprise that He who created the world with Wisdom, He who gave us the Torah and it is indeed a blue print of his creation.  On pg. 148 we are told about 13 years ago a June 2000 edition of the best seller {None of these diseases by Dr S I McMillen} was released in it he points out that on the eighth day, the level of clotting material (prothrombin) is 110% of the norm!  Well above the amount that will accompany a normal person the rest of his life.  “Here we can clearly see G-d’s hand at work for he linked the day of the Highest blood clotting levels to the day which circumcision is commanded.” Wow just contemplate this correlation for a moment.

The bris was given for every male and it was given as a perpetual command that would never cease, The Covenant of Abraham the Brit Milah of circumcision Genesis Ch 17 V 10 reads “This is my covenant which you must preserve between Me and you, and your descendants after you: every male among you shall be circumcised…” V13 then states “…This shall be my covenant in your flesh as an eternal covenant.”   V 19 then states “I will establish my covenant with him and an eternal covenant to his descendants after him.” Again in V21 “I will establish my covenant with Yitzchok”

The Marvels of Birth:

Rabbi Tanchuma on this sedra and the concept of conception reflects on the wonder of life and I want to quote some of his deep and inspiring words:

“A mortal king draws a picture on a wall, but can he draw on water? Yet the Holy one, blessed is he forms a foetus within the waters of its mother’s belly.”  “A mortal king forms a picture on a wall, but he cannot form within it a spirit and a soul, yet the Holy one blessed is he moulds a form within a form.”  “ A person forms a picture on a wall and though he can speak his picture cannot speak, and man stands back and praises it, but the Holy one blessed be He formed man and that man stands and speaks and praises the Holy one Blessed is He.”  When a mortal man wishes to draw a form how much paint must he add to complete the form, yet the Holy one Blessed is he, does not do so, he forms man from a single droplet. Come and observe a peacock which has 305 different colours, but from what is it formed a droplet of white seed!  There is no Artist like G-d Almighty blessed is he.” Contemplate on the wonders of creation and the awesomeness of the cause of all causes.

Leviticus 12 v 2 speaks about the conception of an embryo leading to a new life being born, when the new born leaves its mothers body we are taught that it leaves a vacuum of holiness (lack of life) within the mother, rendering the mother impure and in need of cleansing. Similarly when a woman is not impregnated and her eggs fertilised she undergoes the menstrual cycle (associated with a loss of a potential life) when this flow stops the women counts 7 clean days before entering a ritual bath of rain water called a Mikvah to cleanse herself. In the coming revolution pg. 130 we find more marvellous insights that inform us of the divine origin of the Torah, the laws of Niddah (Menstruation) the book reads “take into account minute hidden details of biological processes that medical research has only recently discovered.” The following are excerpts from the book which draws from an article by Dr. Eli Sussheim, a senior surgeon at Sha’arei Tzedek Medical centre in Jerusalem Israel. “There are incredibly close correlations between Jewish tradition and medical science regarding the Chronology of three physiological stages in a women’s’ monthly period. Stage 1 the lining of the outer uterus detaches and sheds causing bleeding. Thereafter stage 2 the uterus rebuilds the destroyed portion of the lining to prepare itself to receive and nourish another embryo it is designed to support. Science has recently discovered that the length of time required to re-establish the uterus’s outer lining is 7 days from the end of the process (marked by the cessation of bleeding). Read Leviticus ch 12 v 2 states after the bleeding stops “… she will be ritually unclean for seven days, as the days of her menstrual flow.”  Further the time of ovulation coincides exactly with the reformation of the outer lining of the uterus, scientists have determined the Legal prescribed day of immersion in the Mikvah – which is the first day of resumed marital relationships after the menstrual break and count of seven clean days is the absolute best day for conception!

THE SEDRA AND WATER

We see in many places, water used in the cleansing process it represents rebirth and renewed life, those who have sin and wish to repent use it as a means to return. this is why we go to a body of water at a time of renewal, we visit a pond or river on Rosh Ha Shona our new year, preferably containing fish during the holy days of repentance, Genesis Ch 1 V14 “Let the waters teem into groups of living sea creatures” and in Genesis Ch 2 V 5 “…vegetation had not yet sprouted, for Hashem had not brought rain upon the earth.” Water represents potential for new Life.

A Metzorah destroys through evil speech they have done things to cause rifts between people, this happens when a person is arrogant or selfish and sees himself as more important than others, this is often as a result of not knowing or fearing Hashem, as a result the Metzora once confirmed by a Kohen is secluded and not even allowed to be in a group with a fellow Metzora, he is sent outside the camp alone to contemplate and introspect what he has done.

At a time when Hashem was much more apparent in the Israelite camps, a person’s body was then more in tune and sensitive to impurity, a Metzorah was thus physically afflicted on his garments and then house and finally his body, once confirmed he needed to be separated from the group, his soul through a body affliction was warned to repent.

It is apparent that we are no longer on a level to merit such warnings.

Rabbi Aurbach always talks of the strength of the community - the group represents strength and stability, unity and care, even when an individual goes through a hard time if he connects to others they will help him through it.  An individual may fall but a community should be forever, and this is something the Metzorah destroys, perhaps uttering words that caused hatred and resentment of another. The only contact a Metzorah has is with Kohen, see how powerful is speech, it was his speech that brought about destruction and hurt and potential death, through the speech of the Kohen he is declared impure and through repentance the Kohen finally through speech will declare him pure if he repents or if he is beyond repentance. (the warning is in vain so why bother.) The Kohen represents the person with the Good eye, the non-judgemental priest a giving person always perusing peace, and for this quality Aharon of blessed memory was endeared to the people. This was our beloved Aharon of Blessed memory and his children, one of whom wore the breastplate over his heart a symbol of love as he perfomed the service of Kohen Gadol. 

http://ohr.edu/1646Metzora

Boomerang

"...and he shall be brought to the Kohen." (14:3).

When a person speaks lashon hara it indicates that he has no concept of the power of speech; that he considers words to be insignificant in comparison to actions. As the nursery rhyme says "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never harm me."

Nothing could be further from the truth. When a person speaks evil, he awakes a prosecutor in Heaven, not only against the target of his speech, but also against himself. An angel stands by the side of each of us recording our every word. In order to teach those who speak slander the power of just one word, the Torah instructs that the offender be brought to the Kohen. But, even as he is on his way to the Kohen, his body covered with tzara'at for all to see, and until the Kohen actually pronounces the word "Impure!" he is still considered totally pure. Similarly, he cannot regain his former status, although his disease has healed completely, until the Kohen again pronounces him to be spiritually pure. From this, the speaker of lashon hara is taught to reflect on the power of each and every word. For with one word he can be made an outcast, and with one word he can be redeemed.

• Based on Ohel Yaakov

Rashi ztl points out the purification process of a Metzora took place with two birds one is killed and the other freed – birds constantly chatter, this can be likened to a talebearer that causes and stirs trouble, the birds are taken with Cedar wood (From a palm tree that stands tall and arrogant, Rashi says eruptions occurred from having a haughty spirit) a Crimson thread and Hyssop ( the word for thread in Hebrew can also mean worm (Tolaat)  like a lowly worm and Hyssop is a lowly tree, Rashi explains for the Motzora to be cured he must move from the Arrogance to Lowliness.) All these items are placed over running water. All these items placed in blood of the dead bird to knock home the message that his ways have led towards death of spirit.

http://ohr.edu/3883

Incredibly Humble

"and cedar wood, crimson thread, and hyssop" (14:4)

"For leprous-looking lesions result from conceit and haughtiness. What is the cure? A person should lower himself like the worm and the hyssop." (Rashi)

The Baal Shem Tov once arrived in Polana for Shabbat in a beautiful carriage. In that town was a certain individual who loved to create trouble. He accused the Baal Shem Tov of lording it up and behaving in a conceited fashion.

The Baal Shem replied to him:

"Once there was a king who let it be known that he was searching for the elixir of eternal life. Hearing about the king’s quest, a wise man came to him and said, "I have the elixir of eternal life." "Where is it? Where is it?" said the king in great excitement. "I will pay you anything for it!" Replied the wise man, "You need pay me nothing for it. But it will certainly cost you."

The king’s brow furrowed. "Where is the potion?" he demanded.

Said the wise man: "If you humble yourself and distance yourself from all conceit, you will have imbibed the elixir of life."

The king took the wise man’s words and fulfilled them to the letter. He behaved like the epitome of humility, to the extent that he actually ceased riding in the royal carriage and followed behind it on foot along with his servants.

However, the more he did to humiliate himself, the more he heard this little voice in his head saying, "You are the MOST incredibly HUMBLE person in the whole world. Look at you! You are a great king and yet you walk on foot behind your carriage. You speak in whispers, carefully weighing your each and every word. Your shoulders are hunched unassumingly. Your glance is always downward and diffident. You are truly FANTASTIC!"

He sought out the wise man and told him of his problem. The wise man explained, "Walking behind the royal carriage was not what I had it mind. I meant you to go up and sit in your carriage, that everyone should continue bowing to you and treating you with royal deference, and, in spite of all that, in your heart of hearts, you should still feel humble and small. That’s a much more difficult thing to do."

But that is true humility.

.............................................................................................

Respect for purity is no small matter as at the end of Metzora in Leviticus ch 15 v 31 states “You shall separate Bnei Yisroel from their impurities and they will not die because of their impurities through their defilement of My dwelling in their midst.  So the fact is if we want Hashem to dwell in our midst Purity is essential, generosity of spirit and love of ones fellow, and building and supporting one another with kind words that liven those around us.  Note the verse does not say remove the man but rather states remove the impurities or affliction, Hashem in his kindness allows repentance but the affliction needs to be removed.  In this spirit we should always pray for and see within the person and not the affliction alone, only Hashem knows why certain things happen in the world, we do not…so never judge those afflicted see past the affliction to the person the soul within and try and remove the person away from their distress, so we can all unite and have the Divine presence dwell amongst us as when we encamped at Sinai may it occur speedily in our time.

“I create fruit of the lips: ‘Peace, peace, for far and near,’ says HASHEM, ‘and I shall heal him’ ” (Yeshayahu. 57:19).

We should all work towards using our thoughts and resultant speech, being a gift given to man, the highest of the physical creations to bring Life!

Parsha Shemini - Holiness and Tragedy all in one!

B”SD

 

Parsha Shemini – Shemini means eight because Leviticus ch 9 v 1 states “it was on the eighth day…” the time had come for the inauguration of the Mishkan, the physical represented by the 7 days (7 represents the physical world)  and the eighth day had arrived G-d’s presence was about to be revealed to Bnei Yisrael!

TO BLUSH IS A GOOD THING!

Aharon was to take a calf to sacrifice to Hashem to clear himself of sin, Rashi brings down the calf atoned for the way he fell when he played a role in the Idol worship of an image of a calf, he was very embarrassed about this, how lovely a quality is one who blushes – many see today blushing and feelings of shame as a character weakness and we run away from those who often blush we fear they are insecure, but blushing is a spiritual emotion that happens when we know we have done wrong, it endears us to our creator, in Leviticus Ch 9 verse 7 “Moshe said to Aharon approach the Alter”  Rashi says this is written to show Aharon was being hesitant, it was because he felt ashamed, this embarrassment came from a spiritual awareness and regret. My view is if you see someone blush, they are displaying remorse and regret, thus this attribute should be praised! A warning though our sages teach us to make another blush from embarrassment is tantamount to spilling blood as the blood rushes to the face. We see this attribute of shame and blushing is most prevalent in the highest of creations i.e. in Man!

THE KEY TO HOLINESS IS FOLLOWING THE COMMANDS!

Obeying rules is key to Holiness, we need to follow our Creator’s rules to be successful and we see this theme running clearly in this Parsha Leviticus e.g. extracts from this week’s sedra Chapter 9: Verse 6 “And this is what Hashem Commanded you to do…” v7 ends “just as Hashem commanded.”  In v 10 it ends “just as Hashem commanded Moshe” and then again in verse 16 “ and he did according to the rule” then again in v 21 “just as Moshe commanded”  after all this obedience v23 states “the glory of Hashem appeared to the entire people!”

Then what happens tragedy strikes at this blissful revelation Nadav and Avihu full of inspiration, decide to act on their own accord, in ch10 v1 they offer a strange fire (one that was not commanded - this on a literal reading in the Torah was their downfall, (though many try summise other reasons) and they are both consumed, how drastic a consequence but this lesson was for us to learn from, it is not only about love but obedience is also key to achieving holiness,  in the presence of the King of Kings both love and respect and obedience is required thus Moshe states to Aharon  in ch10 v 3 “It is as Hashem spoke, saying through those that are near me I will be sanctified and in the presence of all the people I will be glorified”… heavy but these words console Aharon who being the great individual  he is, in his suffering the verse concludes “and Aharon was silent”, Rashi points out a few versus later in Ch 10 v 8 his acceptance leads to him being approached and Hashem who thereafter speaks with him directly and not through Moses. At this communication Hashem commands Aharon that when conducting the service (as following the rules is key) he and his living sons should stay away from Wine or other intoxicants! Again one needs to be so careful it is like performing heart surgery. You would not want your surgeon to have a pint or two prior to him operating on you. We dont understand the risks when it comes to holiness and being in the presence of the King of Kings, here you need to take counsel and follow instructions to ensure proper behaviour. This is why having a rabbi who is learned who you can consult is so important.

Extract from Ohr Somayach website:

http://ohr.edu/2130

Lest you become contaminated (11:43)

The road to holiness does not start with lofty ideals or sublime thoughts. It does not begin with a mind-expanding Revelation or a Close Encounter. It cannot be produced by psychotropic drugs, nor can it be experienced by climbing the Alps or the Andes.

True, gazing down from Mont Blanc or Everest may fill us with awe at the Creators handiwork. Nature can truly inspire closeness to G-d, but all this inspiration will vanish like a cloud of smoke if we lack the fundamental ingredients to concretize inspiration into actuality.

The road to holiness starts with a few small boring steps. Like being a decent moral person and controlling our emotions and appetites.

As Jews, we may not eat what we like when we like. On Pesach we may eat no bread. On Yom Tov we should eat meat. On Yom Kippur we may eat nothing. At all times, we may not eat the forbidden foods that are the subject of this weeks Torah portion.

Lest you become contaminated. In Hebrew this sentence is expressed as one word: Vnitmayhem. The spelling of this word is unusual. It lacks an aleph and thus it can also read as Vnitumtem which means Lest you become dulled.

In our search for holiness and meaning in this world, one of our greatest assets and aids are the laws of kashrut. Kosher food is soul food. Food for the soul. Food that feeds our spirituality and sharpens our ability to receive holiness. Food that is not kosher does the reverse. It dulls our senses. It makes us less sensitive, less receptive to holiness. A Jew who tries to seek holiness sitting on top of some mountain in the Far East living on a diet of salted pork will find it impossible to achieve his goal. The view of Ganges or the Himalayas (or his navel) may titillate his spiritual senses, but he will find no growth or nourishment reaching his core.

The spiritual masters teach that if a person contaminates himself a little, he becomes contaminated a great deal. Spirituality is a delicate thing. It doesnt take much to jam the broadcast from Upstairs. On the other hand, a little bit of holiness goes a long way. As the Torah teaches You shall sanctify yourselves and you shall become holy. (11:44) A little bit of sanctity generates a lot of holiness. If we sanctify ourselves down here in this lowly world with all its barriers to holiness, if we guard our mouths, our eyes and our ears, then the Torah promises us that we will be given help to lift us to lofty peaks of holiness.

It all starts with one small step.

IN WHAT ORDER DO WE HONOUR OR DISHONOUR

I found an interesting extract on Wikipedia on this weeks Parsha

A Baraita reported that Rabbi taught that in conferring an honor, we start with the most important person, while in conferring a curse (G-d forbid there should be a need for such a thing), we start with the least important. Leviticus 10:12 demonstrates that in conferring an honor, we start with the most important person, for when Moses instructed Aaron, Eleazar, and Ithamar that they should not conduct themselves as mourners, Moses spoke first to Aaron and only thereafter to Aaron’s sons Eleazar and Ithamar. And Genesis 3:14–19 demonstrates that in conferring a curse, we start with the least important, for G-d cursed the serpent first, and only thereafter cursed Eve and then Adam.

WINE IS IT GOOD OR BAD? – LISTEN TO THE MIDRASH TANCHUMA’s view:

Blessed is He, who commanded and warned against wine (Leviticus ch 10 v 9) be careful with wine look what Noach did, when he debased himself. Be careful of wine as it brings to all forms of immorality in this world …, but what about King David Psalm 104 v15 where it states  “And wine to cheer the heart of man.”   Rabbi Tanchum tells a story of how a son took his drunkard father to show him the debasement of another drunkard, in the hope he would change his ways, but what did the father do he went and asked the man which Tavern he got his drink from, (hoping to buy some himself) the devout son shocked said father what did I bring you here for, I wanted you to see the disgrace other people, those around heap on the drunk!” his father replied “ My son I swear I have no greater paradise than this!”(the bliss he felt from the effect of the wine) on hearing this the devout son left broken hearted. The Tanchuma goes onto to teach that the effect of the wine ceases and then depression sinks in and juxtaposes this with Torah study and observance of deeds and the commandments the antithesis of drunkards, for these bring joy in this and the next world, and this is a permanent paradise. The prophet Yeshayohu ch28 v 1 states “woe to the crown of Ephrayim’s drunkards” Mishlei the book of proverbs writes ch23 v20 “ Do not be among guzzlers of wine, among gluttonous eaters of meat” ! We see in the offerings Bamidbar Numbers Ch28 v 9 “two yearling lambs are offered without blemish and of bread 2/10’s of flour, but about wine only bring a quarter of a hin… the Tanchuma explains this is to teach us etiquette, for excess wine leads to sin and great misfortune. Jews use wine for Kiddush and we enjoy Lechaim’s to celebrate joyous occasions and to relax the anxious person, for this it is permitted but in moderation and always for an important occasion.

http://ohr.edu/3072

“G-d spoke to Aharon saying: Do not drink intoxicating wine, you and your sons with you when you come into the Tent of Meeting…” (10:8-9)

Statistics show a lower rate of alcoholism among Jews than their neighbors.

This could be due to genetics. However sociologists surmise that there are other factors at work. For example, Jews meet alcohol in the context of holiness rather than in the local pub: A Jewish boy is introduced to alcohol at the ripe old age of eight days when the mohel places a few drops of wine into his mouth to mollify the pain of the circumcision.

Alcohol appears on the Shabbat table every Friday night with kiddush, and again the following morning in the daytime kiddush. On Saturday night during the havdala service we take our leave of Shabbat over a cup of wine. There are the four cups of wine to be drunk on Pesach and (many) more on Purim. The cycle of Jewish life embraces alcohol as part of a holy life.

Another controlling factor in the Jew’s consumption of alcohol is the perception that being drunk does not befit a Jew. There is a Yiddish maxim that loosely translates as “Jews don’t drink.”

However, together with a rise in social dysfunction amongst Jews including depression and lack of self-esteem, there has been a concomitant rise in substance abuse, including alcohol.

A happy person doesn’t need a chemical crutch.

The Ba’al Shem Tov said that if a Jew knew what it meant to be a Ben Olam Haba, someone who has an eternal existence, he would be so happy that he would rush out into the street and start to do the Kezatzke (Cossack dance) like a meshugenne.

The essence of Jewish happiness is to know that with every mitzvah, every word of Torah and of kindness, we are building an eternal existence. That knowledge is more inebriating than the most potent liquor.

In this week’s Torah portion, G-d warns Aharon that the kohanim must refrain from alcohol while performing the Temple service or adjudicating legal matters. This was not just a concern for motor efficiency or clear thought. The kohen is the epitome of Divine service; his high should come only from Torah and serving G-d. He should need no external chemical help; as the saintly Chazon Ish wrote over half a century ago to a world in great darkness, “There is no sadness for he who knows the light of truth…”

The above was Based on Rebbe Bunim m’Pshiske

AMAZING INSIGHTS INTO KOSHER ANIMALS

Psalm 104 v 24 “You made them all with wisdom” 

We see 2 signs on Kosher animals one external the cloven hoof and one internal the chewing of the Cud. Leviticus, CH 11 v 3 “All that have a cloven hoof and they are split, and that chew the cud, you may eat it.”

I heard from a good friend this is symbolic of human traits what looks good on the outside, should also be good and holy on the inside, both traits are required to be Kosher. The pig is Kosher on the outside and shows all his kosher feet, but is treif, (not Kosher) he does not have the internal beauty required to be an acceptable Kosher animal.  The Torah is true and truly amazing for everything is in it, Rabbi Zamir Cohen points out the following on page 152 of his book the Coming Revolution that the Carotid arteries carry blood to the brain from the front side of the neck. There are additional arteries at the back of the neck of the spine called vertebral arteries. These arteries also link to the base of the brain carrying blood to it.  While it is true all mammels have front and back arteries, all animals with cloven hooves and that chew the cud – the ones the Torah allow us to eat have a different structure in the arteries in the back of the neck, as these first connect to a front artery allowing for instant halting of blood flow to the brain when the neck is slit. He goes into the technical details but bottom line is the way the Israelites were instructed to perform the slaughter on Kosher animals from the front, causes immediate drop in blood pressure and loss of consciousness in the Kosher animal. We see from here who else but the cause of all causes G-d almighty produced this amazing physiological connection between the Kosher animals circulatory system its structure and Jewish law of slaughter allowing us to slaughter animals inflicting no pain or suffering. You can all look it up yourselves with goats, sheep, cows and bulls and even chicken the Verterbral and Carotid arteries are both positioned in the front of the animals neck, by the throat  but in for example with non-kosher animals like pigs or horses the Verterbral artery is above and does not cross the throat of the animals.

http://ohr.edu/3442

Kosher Style

“Every (animal) that has a split hoof, which is completely separated into double hooves, and that brings up its cud — that one you may eat.” (11:3)

These two aspects of a kosher land animal are not a means of identifying them as being kosher. Rather, they are the cause of them being kosher.

In other words, having split hooves and regurgitating its cud are what makes the animal kosher.

The Torah specifically tells us that one of these aspects without the other renders the animal as unkosher as if it had neither.

The split hoof represents the outward behavior of man towards his fellow, and the chewing of the cud, the inward relationship between man and G‑d. If a person behaves in a kosher way only with his fellow or only with G-d, he is, nevertheless, treif.

• Source: Kosher Style: Rabbi Avraham Pam

BS”D

BRINGING LIGHT TO THOSE IN PAIN!

This Shabbos Rabbi Auerbach gave an insight into Parsha Shemini which he heard in the name of a Rabbi Kluger, this Rabbi reflecting on the sedra indicated the  way to act with our fellows in distress. In Leviticus ch 10 v 6 Moshe says to Aharon and to Elozor and Isomor, his sons not to tear their garments so they not die and bring divine anger on the entire Congregation, amidst their suffering they for the benefit of the Klal needed to still be part of the inauguration and not bring down those around them due to their loss, what he goes onto point out though is Moshe’s words in the same verse, “the entire house of Israel shall weep over the conflageration that Hashem set ablaze” how incredible is the greatness of these Tzaddikim V3 stated Ahron was silent, he accepted Moshe’s words of conciliation accepted the decree from above, and carried on with the service. The correct response to those who are suffering is for those who see it to try feel and try ease the pain of those suffering, to feel it and make it part of our suffering too, this is not the time to be zelous and tell those who suffer to have faith, move on etc… The individual themselves need to find Hashem and faith our role is to try our best to ease the suffering in whichever way we can.

Rabbi  Auerbach told us a true story about an American man visiting the great Rav Shlomo Zalman Aurbach ztl, in Israel, the sage enquired about another man who lived in the same neighbourhood as his visitor and was told the individual was just Nifter in America and the Almana (widow) and children were sitting Shiva (7 day mourning period in Jewish law) .  The Gadol then asked for the telephone number of the Shiva house, the man undertook to find it out and send it to the Rav, No replied the Rav curtly let’s phone the operator and get it now!  The man watched as this humble saint phoned and spoke to the widow and thereafter each of them, emphasizing that this was Rabbi Zalman Auerbach Shlita!  As he spoke words of comfort to each and every child.  When the call ended the astonished visitor was taken aback asked the Rav why to explain the long conversation.  The rabbi who every day lived a most humble life, explained these Yidden are grieving, they had lost a husband and a father, their pain was tremendous, he wanted to get rid of the pain and despite the need to always be humble he had hoped his “fame,” that the fact that many who see him as a recognised Gadol, this fact might console them would in some way give them strength and hope in their pain, and this is why he had emphasized so out of his character that it was Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach Shlita calling! 

 

Wishing you all a good blessed Shabbos

Shabbat Shalom!

Michael


Bonus insight
You will notice in this week's portion Leviticus ch 11 verse 42 "Everything the creeps on its belly" the word belly in Hebrew is Guhchoyn, the Vav in this letter is longer than normal - elongated the reason according to our early Sages who counted every letter of the Torah teach us this letter is the Midpoint of the Torah. (A friend of mine also mentioned the Vav is long like a snake. ----------< 

Parsha Tzav - Torah insights

B”SD

Parsha Tzav (2nd parsha of Leviticus -named so in English as it deals with the service of the Levites)

Some beautiful words  of Torah on the Parsha from the sites of Ohr Somayach and from Short vort.com

Please click on links to goto original articles

http://ohr.edu/5120

Insights

The Constant Fire

"A constant fire shall burn upon the altar; it shall never go out."(6:6)

Throughout their journeys in the wilderness the Jewish People carried with them the Mishkan. The word Mishkan comes from the word in Hebrew which means "to dwell." Through the Mishkan, G-d caused the Divine Presence, the Shechina, to dwell amongst the Jewish People.

There was an altar in the courtyard of the Mishkan. On it burned three different fires. On the eastern side of the altar was the ma’aracha gadola, the "large arrangement". On this largest fire, the korbanot sacrifices were offered. On the southwestern corner there was another fire that was used solely to ignite the pyre of the golden altar inside the Mishkan on which the incense was burned.

And there was a third fire which had no fixed place but could be made anywhere on the outside altar. This fire had one purpose and one purpose only — to fulfill the words of the Torah in this week’s portion: "A constant fire shall burn upon the altar; it shall never go out." Come rain or shine, weekdays and Shabbat, this fire never went out. It burned all the forty years that the Jewish People were traveling in the desert. In fact, it burned without interruption for a total of over one hundred years: forty years in the desert, fourteen years in the Mishkan at Gilgal, and fifty-seven years in the Mishkan at Nov and at Givon. Two pieces of wood had to be added to the fire twice a day. One in the morning at the time of the morning offering, and one in the afternoon at the time of the afternoon offering.

One might ask, why were three fires necessary? Wouldn’t one have sufficed?

These three fires can be understood as three aspects of our relationship with G-d:

The large fire represents our external service; the performance of the mitzvot, the obligations of prayer at its fixed times throughout the day and throughout the year. Because it was the largest fire, it was the most visible, just as our external duties as Jews are the most visible, be they the giving of charity or the care of the orphan and the widow. These are things that are as visible as a large fire.

However there was another fire whose function outside was for no other purpose than to kindle an internal fire. That fire teaches us that we must take our exterior service and use it to kindle the interior fire. That internal fire represents the duties of the heart: our belief and trust in G-d and our constant striving to be better people. That’s something you can’t see from the outside, but like the incense that is burned on the golden altar, it emerges from within a person with a scent that is unmistakable.

The third fire can me moved anywhere, but it must never go out. This represents the undying fidelity of the Jewish People to G-d throughout our long and difficult Diaspora. Even though we have had to move from one corner of the world to another, our devotion to G-d has never been extinguished by an unkind world. Whether in the light of morning, or the impending darkness of approaching night, throughout our long history, the Jewish People have always placed the kindling on the altar of our devotion to G-d.

My poetic license on this theme:

PSALM 92 v 2

I proclaim your loving kindness at dawn (when all is clear) and your faithfulness at night (night is a time of darkness when we do not see the love clearly but we know deep down that Hashem is with us as we accept the pain and yoke of heaven,  we do not understand but we try with all our might to have steadfast faith and courage as David spoke about, looking and praying for the light, may it come speedily for those who need it, never let your fire go out!
 

I heard from Rabbi Mordechai Yecheskiel  that The Sanz Rebbe Grand Rabbi Chaim Halberstam who suffered through world war II and the camps, he lost his friends and family but himself was miraculously saved by  G-d's grace and went onto build a new life,and in Israel went on to build a hospital, and an orphanage, his goal after getting out alive to alleviate suffering in the world, during the dark days bless him, he used to pray to our Father in heaven crying for the suffering to stop - in tears he would say your children are in pain the only sin I see is they are losing faith Aba, he cared so and through the darkest moments, and vowed if he came out alive he would fix the world as best he could and rid it of as much pain as he would be able to! - He went onto become a beacon of light and hope to all who would suffer after him! Rav Yosef Shlomo Khanaman the Ponevys rebbe was another such beacon of light!  May their hard work and the many others like them continue to bear even more fruits, their reward is very great we see it in the institutions they built! The light also came from others there were numerous righteous gentiles who came to the aid of the Jewish nation, at a time when to do so was extermely dangerous. May their merits be recognised and rewarded.

 

http://ohr.edu/2118

Insights

The Everlasting Ember

"The fire on the Altar shall be kept burning on it, it shall not be extinguished; and the kohen shall kindle wood upon it every morning; he shall prepare the olah offering upon it and shall cause the fats of the shelamim offering to go up in smoke upon it. A permanent fire shall remain aflame on the Altar; it shall not be extinguished" (6:5,6)

In every Jewish heart there glows an ember. In every Jewish soul there is a spark of holiness that can never be extinguished.

Those of us whose lives are dedicated to reaching out to our brothers and sisters who seem so far away from the faith of our forefathers must pattern ourselves after the kohen in the Holy Temple.

The kohen brought two offerings every day: The olah offering and the shelamim offering. The olah offering represents the mitzvot between us and G-d. The olah was the only offering in which none of its meat was consumed by man. It all "went up" on the Altar. Olah means to "arise." The olah symbolizes mans striving to connect to G-d which is the purpose of mitzvot like prayer, tefillin, brit mila and Shabbat.

The shelamim, as its name suggests, represent the creation of shalom, peace, between man and his neighbor. These are represented by mitzvot such as charity, kindness and correct speech.

In the dark world of materialism in which we live we should know that our daily job is to kindle the wood on the altar of the Jewish soul, to inspire and awaken the heart to connect to both to G-d and man in deeper and more meaningful ways.

For "an everlasting fire shall remain aflame on the Altar; it shall not be extinguished." All we need to do is fan the embers, however small they may seem.

• Based Torat Moshe in Mayana shel Torah

Parashas Tzav – Waving at Hashem

http://www.shortvort.com/tsav-parasha/11701-parashas-tzav-waving-at-hashem

Torah Portion

Written by Daniel Sandground

In this week's Parasha we continue with the theme of korbans/offerings with the Torah addressing the Kohanim and teaching them the additional laws that relate to the Mishkan service. We see in the first two chapters of Tzav that the previously mentioned offerings of the olah (the elevation-offering), minchah (meal-offering), shelamim (peace-offering), chatas (sin-offering) and the asham (guilt-offering) are now expanded on with regards to how they are prepared, offered and also included are other related laws. Chizkuni explains that parashas Vayikra incorporated commandments about offerings which pertain to the nation as a whole, whereas Tzav, mainly discusses those mitzvahs which are relevant to the realm of the Kohanim. This is evident from the first sentence of the Parasha... “Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying: Command Aharon and his sons (the Kohanim)...” [6:1-2]. For those who are sharp amongst you (or who have read up on the Midrashim), you would have noticed last week in sedra Vayikra, that Aharon was omitted from the entire parasha, with only his sons mentioned. We are told that the omission of his name expressed Hashem's continued resentment of him for having participated in the making of the Golden Calf. Moshe, being the concerned loving brother, however, had words with Hashem over this by using logic regarding the type of wood to be used on the mizbayach/altar... We are told that all types of wood are suitable for kindling a fire on the mizbayach except for the wood of grape vines and olive branches, these are not burned on the altar as they are accorded honorary status because of the fruits which they yield... the grape vine may not be used as fire wood since it supplies the wine for the nesachim/libations and the olive wood may not be used as the olives yield the oils for the menorah and the minchah offerings. Moshe argued by this logic, that if the grape vine and olive tree are honoured merely because of their produce then surely Aharon should be treated in an honourable manner and be addressed directly, in spite of the anger towards him, if only for the sake of the honourable sons he has produced. This argument was accepted by Hashem and this is why we see that Moshe is told to... “Command Aharon and his sons” [6:2] in this first sentence of the Parasha. In Parashas Vayikra we saw that all commandments regarding offerings were introduced with either the word אמרת/say [1:2] or דבר/speak [4:2], our sedra however uses the word צו/command as the first word, so it is important to ask why all of a sudden such an emphatic term is now used? Rashi explains that this term expresses an urging, for it to be done at once and that they are being urged to be especially zealous in performing this service. Other mefarshim comment that by using this term it implies that the laws also apply for future generations and that they must be repeated constantly to these future generations. Perhaps the most cited approach, however, comes from Rabbi Shimon who explains that this type of expression is relevant to commandments that involve a monetary loss. When there is a loss to your pocket, such as the עולה/olah (elevation-offering) of this passage, we see that there is the risk that people lose enthusiasm, and therefore the Torah needs to 'command' us in order that we understand the importance of it. So where is this monetary loss Rabbi Shimon talks of?... As with all good Jewish questions, there are various answers on offer by our mefarshim... The widest held opinion on this monetary loss is that it is the Kohanim who are having a monetary loss acted on them as they must give up their regular means of livelihood. This financial sacrifice is particularly acute in our case of an עולה/olah, from which the Kohanim receive nothing, since all the meat is burned on the mizbayach. With other offerings, the Kohanim would receive a part of it but only the hide goes to them with this particular offering and this is seen as hardly sufficient to make up for their loss of income. According to the Ramban, the 'monetary loss' refers not to the service of the offering but to the financial burden of an offering that is mentioned in the latter stages of Parasha Tzav. On the first day of his service in the Beis HaMikdash, every Kohen must bring a meal-offering and the Kohen Gadol must bring a similar offering every single day, this is a monetary loss which needs the Torah's use of the word צו to undertake. The Or HaChaim brings us the wild-card answer... he suggests that the offering that entails this monetary strain is that of the תמיד/tamid (which was the daily continual-offering), and that the financial sacrifice was not limited to the Kohanim, but involved the entire nation. The morningתמיד/tamid was the key offering of the day, because no other korbans may be brought prior to it. The Or HaChaim goes on to explain that consequently, during the siege of Jerusalem, every day the Jewish people paid enormous sums to their attackers for the lambs that were needed for the תמיד/tamid (As described in Bava Kamma 82b). We therefore see that when it is going to cost us, the Torah needs to urge us... using the word צו in this case. This shows how the Torah has incredible insight into human nature, realising how difficult we find it to do mitzvahs when it is going to cost us dearly. According to Rabbi Kaplan, the easiest mitzvahs to perform is that of the שלוח הקן/shiloo'uch ha'cain, which is the mitzvah of sending the mother bird from the nest (Devarim 22:6), simply due to it costing no money... all you need to do is find a nest and scare away the mother bird (the details of this rather peculiar mitzvah can be found in Parashas Ki Seitzei and are beyond the scope of this discussion). People find Tzedakah one of the hardest mitzvahs to perform and this is partly why we are set a specific percentage as the minimum amount to be given away... once again the Torah is commanding us due to the human nature of loving money. A Jew is told that he should invest at least a tenth of his money in Tzedakah, and we are taught that handing out charity is not to be regarded as a 'loss', rather it is the best investment a person can make for himself, the only kind which is unquestionably beneficial for himself. Rashi brings down a beautiful story to fortify this point... “It happened once in a year of drought that the emperor Monobaz unlocked the vaults containing his treasures and distributed them with an open hand among the needy. His family unanimously arose in opposition against his magnanimous actions... 'Your forefathers' they protested, 'expended much effort and toil to accumulate this fortune and to increase the family fortune. How can you now squander it on the poor?'. He replied, 'My fathers gathered treasure on earth, I am storing a treasure in Heaven. My fathers stored it in an insecure place, I store it securely. My fathers stored it without profit, I am investing it beneficially. My fathers accumulated treasures of money, I am accumulating treasures of souls. My fathers put aside for others, I am putting aside for myself. My fathers stored in this world, I am storing in the World-To-Come'. From this response they could see that investing money in mitzvahs is an eternal investment.” In the latter parts of the sedra we are introduced to the idea of how certain parts of the offering were to be 'waved, as a wave service before Hashem' [7:30]. Now when I first came across this I immediately thought, 'how very strange' and quickly looked into the reason for it. What basically happens is that before the parts are placed on the Altar or presented to the Kohanim, they are waved in four directions, and then lifted up and lowered, very similar to what we do with a Lulav on Succos. In fact within the names for this ritual,תנופה תרומה/te'noo'fa te'roo'ma, we see indications of exactly what this service was, תנופה/te'noo'fa implying waving and תרומה/te'roo'ma meaning a raised-up gift. So why was all this weird waving and raising taking place?... These motions signify that G-d controls existence everywhere, in all four directions, above and below. According to Rabbi Hirsch, the reason this service takes place is to teach us that a major component of satisfaction with one's lot in life is one's recognition that he is G-d's servant and that his perception of this world must be based on the outlook of the Torah. Rabbi Bachya points out that the chosen organs to 'wave', the breast and thigh, are designated because they represent accomplishment and motion. The breast houses the heart, which is the seat of desire; and the thigh represents the ability to move. Therefore when we wave these specific organs, we acknowledge that these functions are in G-d's control. So with the basic idea being the implication that Hashem is in control of everything, (shortend)... What we can take from it is that Hashem is fully in control of everything which is exactly what we will be reading about during the Seder, how each plague represents his dominance over everything from the dust of the earth, to the heavens above and to us personally. This Shabbat is Shabbat HaGadol, and it is named this because before the Jewish people left Egypt, they were commanded to take a lamb on the tenth of Nissan in preparation to slaughter it for the korban Pesach. Although the Egyptians worshipped the lamb, they looked on helplessly and did not attack the Jews. The Jews showed ultimate faith in Hashem through this act, which must have seemed like suicide amongst their lamb-loving Egyptian neighbours. This miracle is commemorated on the Shabbat before Pesach, since the tenth of Nissan that year was before Shabbat. With that I wish everyone a Shabbat Shalom this Shabbat HaGadol and a Chag Somayach. There won't be a Dvar Torah next week as we read a special reading from Ki Sisa as it is Pesach Shabbat Chol Hamoed, but time-permitting I will try and send out a few words on Pesach. לשנה הבאה בירושלים! Next Year in Jerusalem! Daniel Sandground, (student at Ohr Somayach Yeshiva, Jerusalem)

5 korbanos = 5 chumashim

 http://www.shortvort.com/tsav-parasha/11785-5-korbanos--5-chumashim

Written by d fine

Gimme five! The Kli Yakar (7:11) reveals that it says ‘this is the Torah’ five times in reference to the various korbanos, hinting at the five books of the Torah. For anyone who learns through the five books of the Torah is as if they have offered up all five korbanos. How so? For, as the Kli Yakar explains, each of the five korbanos correspond to one Chumash. The olah (the first korban) is paired with Chumash Bereishis (the first Chumash), for Hevel, Noach, Avraham, and Yaakov all offered olah korbanos in Bereishis. Furthermore, Shemos is paired with the mincha offering, for the mincha offering comprises of matzah - Shemos has in it the mitzvah of matzah and the korban pesach. Similarly, Vayikra corresponds to the chatas offering, for the root of all sins is the chet ha’egel, and throughout Vayikra there are references to the atonement for this sin - and the chatas comes to atone for sins. Moreover, the greatest atonement for the chet ha’egel is the Mishkan, and Vayikra deals with topics related to the Mishkan, as the Ramban in his hakdama to Vayikra highlights. Additionally, Bamidbar is paired with the asham offering, for the topic of ‘asham’ crops up in Bamidbar (5:6). Finally, Devarim matches the shlamim, for this korban pops up in both the sedras of Ki Savo (27:7) and Re’eh (12:27). Moreover, the shlamim is always the last of the korbanos, and Devarim is the final Chumash.

 

The great lengths the Torah goes to in order to save a person from embarrassment
http://www.shortvort.com/tsav-parasha/11135-the-great-lengths-the-torah-goes-to-in-order-tosave-a-person-from-embarrassment

"Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying: This is the law of the sin-offering: in the place where the burnt-offering is killed shall the sin-offering be killed before Hashem." The Gemora says that the reason the two offerings were brought and slaughtered in the same place was in order to save those who sinned from embarrassment. When people saw the animals being brought by a person they would not know if it was for a sin offering or a burnt offering. From here we see that we should not cause others to become embarrassed when they have done something wrong. Similarly the Chofetz chaim in his sefer on the laws of Loshon Hora says that a person listening to Loshon Hora when in a group setting should be careful not to rebuke his fellow, rather he should wait until later when they are alone to rebuke Him as to not cause Him embarrassment over his sin!

In case you want to look up the source it is Leviticus (Tzav) Ch6 V 18 

Enjoy the Seder,

לשנה הבאה בירושלים!

 

TO MY DEAR FRIENDS

SHABBAT SHALOM U MEVORACH

GOOD SHABBOS

Michael

PS I found an interesting insight on Ohr Somayach website:
ohr.edu/3071

The Flame

This is the law of the elevation offering… on the flame, on the Altar…” (6:2)
In this verse, the Torah writes the word “Altar” – mokda with a small mem.
The Altar symbolizes man’s service of G-d. Just as the flame always seeks to rise, likewise the hope of all prayer is to ascend to the highest places. However, fire also symbolizes pride and arrogance, the character traits that desire to rise and aggrandize themselves over others.
The essence of prayer is humility. When we understand how small we are, we have a chance of relating to how great G-d is, since true prayer and love of Torah is hidden in the heart, unrevealed to world, not trumpeted to all with extravagant gestures and posing.
Just like that the little mem, the elevation of the Altar of the heart is in proportion to its humility.

• Source: The Kotzker Rebbe in Iturei Torah

Vayikra ch 2 v 11 ...no honey thank you!

B”SD

 

The message of Salt and Honey!

Vayikro ch 2 v 11

All meal offerings that you bring to Hashem are not to be made Leavened, because all sourdough and all honey you should not burn from them a fire offering to Hashem.

The Lesson: When we live our lives we need to be genuine:

I heard a beautiful vort on Sunday given over by Rabbi Badiel who is a judge on the South African Bais Din. A fascinating insight on all offerings we bring salt, but on this particular meal offering we learn in Vayikra Ch2 v 11 it states all meal offerings should not be leavened (on my last post we read humility is the antithesis of leaven), the verse finishes with a statement no honey or sourdough allowed either! The wonderful answer reason is  salt brings out the taste of the food it is eaten with, it brings out the true essence and the true taste, the true persona,  honey on the other hand is a sweetner, it is external and independent of the food's taste and the essence of the food that is to be eaten with it. Sometimes when we are starting out on our spiritual journey we still need some outside sweetness to keep us going, but ultimately true service is when our motives are pure and unselfish for the sake of heaven, no personal agendas -us motivated with a desire to come close and serve our creator the cause of all causes, this will enhance our relationship with G-d almighty being true to ourselves to him and to those around us, our prayers and actions should reflect our essence our truest self and our speech and actions and ultimately our thoughts should reflect heartfelt honesty, this is what G-d desires!

Another insight I learnt from Rabbi Ehrman my son’s rabbi, is that a person who knows a lot of Torah but does not live a life of kindness and good deeds (G-d forbid) is compared to a decaying carcass, we are not allowed to touch it, it is impure and full of germs it contaminates those who touch it, in the same way a learned person not possessing basic decency has many people looking up to him due to his superior knowledge and the danger is ultimately they may come to follow his ways, like bad germs to their detriment.  So when choosing a Rabbi bearing in mind it is always good to give the benefit of any doubt, and question when we find actions unacceptable, –as the saying goes come close to a Rabbi who is a Salt of the earth kind of person i.e. and not containing leaven (Arrogance) or honey (false sweetner).

May we all be successful in our Growth enjoying our seder and coming closer with truth and heartfelt desire!

Chag Kasher ve Sameach!!!
NEXT YEAR IN JERUSALEM SING IT IF WE REALLY WANT IT THEN  IT SHALL BE !!!

Michael