Parallel between the Creation in Parasha Bereishis and the ‘renewed creation’ in Parasha Noach

BS”D Parallel between the Creation Bereishis and the ‘renewed creation’ in Parasha Noach

 
Courtesy of my friend Chanan new insight 2014: In the name of the Maharal:



We are taught in a Mishna that the world is sustained based on three pillars

Loving Kindness - acts between man and man, the antithesis of  this is robbery.

Service - prayer acts between man and G-d, the antithesis of this is idol worship.

Torah study - personal holiness, the antithesis of this is illicit relations.

We now understand better why the world needed to be destroyed as we are taught the generation of Noah were guilty of Idol Worship; Illicit relations and Robbery, destroying the three pillars that sustain the world.  That of Self, Between Man and Man; and between Man and G-d!

A friend of mine asked me why I thought G-d used water to destroy the generation of the flood?! My immediate thought was water purifies that which is impure. The world was in really bad shape, evil abounded, in Bereishis G-d had given man the power to dominate all living creatures, and in so doing he became the ultimate leader, you know what they say when the leaders are corrupt all and sundry follow.  The fish were saved as they lived in the depths below they were not part of the corruption they were protected in the waters, not exposed to the corruption of Man in the way all land bound creatures were.  That is why it is actually very important to surround your selves around good people and to live in a good environment to the best of one’s ability.

When a baby is born  it develops  within a body of water (40 weeks – 40 is always a time period of development in Torah terms) so it is, I think that the rebirth should had to on a mystical level be carried out via the flood water as it is and was through water that cleansing will occur, it is the means that allows for and represents rebirth.

My sons teacher Rabbi Ehrman taught him, there is an opinion, although Noah was completely righteous he did not pray for the evil people around him to repent. The Torah tells us of Abraham who tries to save Sedom and Omora and it tells us how Moshe had prayed to save Bnei Yisrael after the sin of the calf when Hashem threatened to destroy us.  Yet it is silent on Noah praying for the evildoers to abandon their ways.  This opinion says the Ark forced Noah to care for all the animals for over a year, animals could not repay the good Noah had done - this was a tikkun (a way of fixing his soul) to Noah a lesson in caring.
 

I found a great piece of Torah analysis on Torah.org a piece by Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom where he gives a very deep insight into how the Flood ran in a parallel way to the actual creation of the world as described in Parasha Bereishis, it highlights a number of very interesting insights into patterns and interprets what it feels the message is.  I am not going to spoil the message in its entirety for you, but will highlight some very interesting patterns and insights mentioned in the article, this should create enough interest for you all to look up and click on the link to get the suggested deeper message, what I loved about his words some included below is these hints are all sourced in the wonderfully coded scripture for the Torah scholars’ pleasure – how kind is our creator, how special and holy is our Torah with thousands upon thousands layers of hidden divine messages. For a link to the actual article click on the below url, the article itself is lengthy and has been placed in a section for advanced Torah, but I really loved it so go ahead and try it out yourself, I have extracted directly from the article and publish the below with the websites and authors permission and blessing and I thank him dearly for it – amazing insight! :

http://www.torah.org/advanced/mikra/5774/noach.html

Quote by Author:

For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, says Hashem, so shall your seed and your name remain. (Yeshaya 66:22)

He goes on to cite the following parallels between the two Parashot from within Genesis – The creation of the World and the Rebirth of the World after the generation of the Flood:

	Bereishis at Creation	Noach - the Flood
Day 1	"...and a wind from G-d moved upon the face of the waters" (1:2)	"G-d made a wind to pass over the earth" (8:1)
Day 2	'Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters' " (1:6)	"The fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained" (8:2)
Day 3	" '...let the waters under the heaven be gathered together to one place, and let the dry land appear...' " (1:9) *********************************** 'Let the earth bring forth grass, herb yielding seed, and fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth...' " (1:11)	"...in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, were the tops of the mountains seen." (8:5)   ****************************************** "And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf plucked off; so Noach knew that the waters were abated from off the earth." (8:11)
Day 4	'Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years...' " (1:14)	'While the earth remains, seed time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.' " (8:22) - [note also that in 8:12, the dove comes to Noach "in the evening", the first mention of any distinct time of day after the flood; evidently, night and day were blurred during the entire cataclysm]
Day 5	Let the waters be filled with many kinds of living creatures, and birds that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.' " (1:20)	"And he stayed yet other seven days; and sent forth the dove; which did not return back to him any more" (8:12 - i.e. the dove returned to its earlier station as a "bird that flies above the earth"
Day 6	'Let the earth bring forth all kinds of living creatures, cattle, and creeping things, and beasts of the earth after their kind; and it was so...let us make man in our image, after our likeness...'...and G-d blessed them, and G-d said to them, 'Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.' " (1:24,26,28)   "And G-d saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day." (1:31)	'Go out from the ark, you, and your wife, and your sons, and your sons' wives with you. Bring out with you every living thing that is with you, of all flesh, both of bird, and of cattle, and of every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth; that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth.' " (8:16-17)           And the L-rd smelled the pleasing odour; and the L-rd said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing, as I have done." (8:21

:
To quote from the article Rabbi Etshalom points out the order of Divine blessing has changed::

“In the first narrative, the Divine affirmation of Creation comes after His blessing to Mankind (1:28); after the flood, G-d takes pleasure [After Noah’s offering to G-d] and then "removes the curse" from the earth - and only after that blesses Mankind: "And G-d blessed Noach and his sons, and said to them, be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth." (9:1) (note the strong similarity between this blessing and that given to Adam in 1:28).

… we see that it is Man's role in the creation - which comes along with the first covenant (9:9-17) - which is cause for his blessing. Unlike the first creation, where blessings were part and parcel of the Divine mandate and were, perforce, unearned by the recipient of that blessing, the antediluvian world is built on a covenanted relationship where Man "earns" G-d's favor and blessing.”

And Noach built an altar to Hashem; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar." (8:20)

Noach's response to salvation was bringing offerings to G-d. Although Kayyin and Hevel already offered up sacrifices, this is the first instance where an offering is presented as emblematic of a relationship that the Makriv (one bringing the offering) has with G-d. Noach's reaction to being saved, to weathering the ordeal of the flood and to being given a second chance was to offer up some of his bounty to G-d.

This offering motivated G-d's blessing for Noach, his descendants and his new world:

"And Hashem smelled the pleasing odour; and Hashem said in His heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for Man's sake; for the imagination of Man's heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing, as I have done." (8:21)

Since Noach has assumed a measure of responsibility for his relationship with G-d, there is now room for a covenant - which "obligates" G-d to maintain the world, its seasons and its inhabitants.

 

THE ARTICLE FURTHER POINTS OUT ON THE ORDER OF THE FLOOD

– Also runs in an interesting pattern and the days, we see within it a process of going into and then a similar pattern of coming out the other side of:

A (7 days): " 'Come you and all your house into the ark; for you have I seen righteous before me in this generation. Of every clean beast you shall take to you seven pairs, the male and his female; and of beasts that are not clean one pair, the male and his female. Of birds also of the air by seven pairs, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth. For in another seven days I will cause it to rain upon the earth.' " (7:1-4,10)

B (40 days): "And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights." (7:12)

C (150 days): "And the waters prevailed upon the earth a hundred and fifty days." (7:24)

C' (150 days): "And the waters returned from off the earth continually; and after the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated." (8:3)

B' (40 days): "And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noach opened the window of the ark which he had made" (8:6)

A' (7 days): "And he stayed yet other seven days; and sent forth the dove; which did not return back to him anymore. And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth; and Noach removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and, behold, the face of the ground was dry. And in the second month, on the twenty seventh day of the month, was the earth dried. And G-d spoke to Noach, saying, 'Go out from the ark, you, and your wife, and your sons, and your sons' wives with you.' " (8:12-16)

(I am interrupting the article extract to give you another interesting piece of analysis brought down by Rashi ZTL, we see when Noah is instructed to enter the Ark he is told to enter Him his son’s and their wives (Men separate from the Women) later when leaving the ark Noah is told to leave: himself with his wife, Rashi learns a hint  that during the destruction inter marital relations where forbidden thus the instruction for the men to enter separately from the women only once the world had been cleansed was Noah permitted to be with his wife and to be blessed to be fruitful and multiply. It would not be appropriate to have relations when all around outside was being destroyed.

Back to extract from the article by Rabbi Etshalom

 "...Hashem closed him in" (7:16), in the aftermath of the flood we read: "...and Noach removed the covering of the ark..." (8:13). Noach, who had entered the Ark not of his own volition (see Rashi at 7:8) and who was sealed in by G-d, suddenly becomes an active participant in his own rescue, opening the cover of the Ark.

He cites the following marvellous insight

“One of the significant differences between the "old world" and the post-flood world is the introduction of a covenant - Adam had no covenantal relationship with his Creator. G-d blessed Man, provided him with all of his needs, commanded, chastised, punished and exiled him - but, at no point, was Adam a "covenantal partner" with G-d. Indeed, there is very little (aside from naming animals and starting the next generation) that Adam "does" which is productive. Adam is presented in the Torah chiefly as the passive recipient of Divine favor.

I loved the piece,  please read the original article it brings a lot more than I have summarised and extracted, it speaks of the importance of the sacrifice and offerings brought down by Noah, and how this parallels new libations and offerings added after the Sin of the golden calf to allow redemption, and the importance of man’s duty in fulfilling the covenant in partnership with G-d. An insight for mankind that post the flood we are saved through service to our creator, giving back for the wrongs we do, being a rectifier of all that is wrong and unholy, as a result of this we are forgiven to some degree, through this is the blessing that our holy actions as Man ensure that we will never again be destroyed in our entirety – but we have a job to do mankind through Noah entered a covenant with the Cause of all Causes G-d almighty – a call to action!

Last Tid bit

Our one Rabbi, Rabbi Taback spoke this Shabbos  on the symbolic relationship between the Ark levels,

There is a parallel between the Ark itself to the human body and soul

The top level - housed the human beings (the ability to choose good over Evil // the human mind) the brain or Neshama; like a candle flame that represents the spiritual and creative ability that enables human service of the Almighty blessed is he.

In the middle - the animals (the physical part of the body the drives for survival // the human torso and liver) Nefesh like a candle wick that draws the oil up. This represents the survival aspect of the world, getting by as animals do.

Lower level - the refuse and excrement ( The lowest and most base of the human // lower organs) Ruach like the vessel base that contains the oil (when the animal dominates and baseness reigns the physical is destroyed this is why before the flood all the creatures subject to the base choices of man had to also be destroyed and renewed by Water which is purity similar to how a Mikvah purifies. 

Lastly I would like to also say Baruch Dayan Emet and wish the mourners of the Late Rav Ovadia Yosef Zecher Tzaddik Livrokcha  comfort among the mourners of Jerusalem we have lost a great and learned leader and Torah Giant, amazing over 800 000 Jews flocked to Jerusalem to his funeral to pay honour and respect to one of the greatest leaders and scholars of Torah of the generation may his dear soul rest in peace! Kol Ha Kavod Klal Yisrael!

Shavuah Tov have a great week, G-d Bless

Michael.

Sukkot and Nationhood a time of ingathering and unconditional love

BS”D Sukkot

Dear reader we have arrived at such an endearing time of the year, full of Mitzvot and connection! Thank Hashem we are in Moed the intermediary days of Sukkot, we can relax now, spend time with our loved ones and bask in the Shechina - G-d's holy presence.

In Vayikra, Leviticus ch 23 we read about the three festivals: Pesach, Shavout and Sukkot,

Note Ch23 v 14, the not eating bread is an eternal decree, as well as in relation to the Omer count and Shavuot it is written in V 21 it is an eternal decree for all our generations.
Regarding Sukkot it states in Ch 23 v 39 but on the 15^th day of the Seventh month, when you gather in your crop of the land you are to celebrate Hashem’s festival for seven days; the first day is a rest day and the eighth day is a rest day.  On the first day you are to take for yourselves  the fruit of a citron tree (Esrog), the branches of a date palm (Lulav); Twigs of a plaited tree (Myrtle leaves, Haddasim),brook willows (Willow tree leaves Arvavim) and you are to rejoice before Hashem your G-d for seven days.  You are to dwell in booths (Sukkot). So that your generations (all future generations) shall know that I caused the children of Israel to dwell in booths when I took them out of the land of Egypt; I am Hashem your G-d. (I.e. this instruction comes from the top so take it seriously.)

What is all this taking of the four species about - below I explore what our learned Teachers and Rabbis have taught us.  The Sukkot construction was taught to us by Moses passed down from Sinai, the roof that provides the shade needs to be made of plants that grow from the ground, but are no longer attached to the ground, we need to physically take from G-d’s plants detach them and construct a roof; we need to do this physical act – a command to make it Kosher, thus it says make for yourself Sukkot.  When we look up while sitting in the Sukkah we are reminded how in the harshest of places, in the wilderness,    G-d had showed our people an expression of love that went beyond what we simply needed, the roof we make helps us recall, reminds us of the clouds that made our travels not only bearable but most comfortable and pleasent providing us with protection, we recall how we resided in the shade of the clouds of the Holy one blessed be he when we departed from Egypt.  In Exodus ch 33 G-d said in v 14 "My Own Presence will go along and provide you rest." 

My eight year old son told this over on the first night of Sukkos "We had fallen from the Sin of worshiping the Golden calf, we had broken the Covenant (Moses smashed the first set of commandments),  but through Moses prayers our repentance was finally completed, Moses had replaced the Old tablets aknew, G-d had forgiven us completely and we had found favour, it was soon to be a time of placing his Shechina on us, this is one of the energies of Sukkos, it is a time of having a good eye, and beholding the good in everyone, judging everyone favourably, having forgiven the past wrongs if only we change wanting the best for ourselves and G-d!  

Moses said v16 :  “I and your people – unless you accompany us, and thereby distinguish me, and Your people from every people on the face of the Earth.”  And he also says Ch 34 v 9 “...for it is a stiff necked people so may You forgive our sin (though he did not take part in the actual sin, he was at one with the nation when he spoke of our error) and make us your heritage, he pleads. To which G-d replied Ch 34 v 10 “Behold I seal a Covenant, before your entire nation, I will make distinctions (with the Israelite nation) such as have never been created in the entire world and among all the nations. 

We see the nationhood theme comes through very strongly in the above scriptual excerpts which we read during this holiday.

The festival of Sukkos is really all about an expression of our love for G-d and his love of us the nation of Israel despite the past, he loves each and every one of us! We arrive at Sukkot having come through the scary days of  Judgement (for the entire human race - this is the day of Rosh Hashanah) and moved through the days of repentance, days where we resolve to change for the better this is Yom Kippur, to arrive at a time of unconditional love for each other and G-d this is - Sukkot.  It is a time of the ingathering the harvest and enjoying both of the physical and spiritual goodness we receive in this world and how we appreciate the relationship we have with Hashem.  We sit in a Sukkah a flimsy structure exposed to the elements but we are not scared, we just need to look up and we see Schach the leafy roof, this should bring us an incredible faith as we remember how we survived the wilderness, this shade is the shade of the Shechina – as a Rabbi I Know always says Gevalt what a privilege!

I once read a fascinating insight it was a blog by the past Chief Rabbi of England, Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks he points out interestingly in the book of Shmot (Exodus) a book which deals with Hashem taking us out of Egypt to make us into a distinguished nation, Rabbi Sacks points out that in Parasha Pekudai the last chapters of Exodus, we read how the nation comes together to donate resources for the building of  G-d’s Mishkan (dwelling place) the project was a national one and at the end we read how the Shechina rested on the Mishkan and the People. The Rabbi asks why do read about the construction of the Mishkan in Exodus, surely it would fit better as part of the book of Leviticus where we deal with all the utensils, services and offerings used and done in the Mishkan, why is this construction of the Mishkan included as part of Exodus, the tale of our departure from Egypt and becoming a nation of G-d Almighty, he answers the construction of the Mishkan was the final step to nationhood it resulted in the Shechina coming down, this happened only after we united in the service of Hashem together! We are only considered a distinguished nation when we act as a unit responsible for each other, when our hearts are full of love for each other (a good eye) and dedicated to G-d, and this my friend is one of the key themes of the festival of Tabernacles.

The word Tzibur (community) according to the Rebbe is an Acronym for Tzaddik; Ben-oni and Rashoyim meaning Righteous; Average and Wicked individuals.   There are so many lost Souls, suffering Souls, lonely souls and feeling down and unloved, this time is called a time of our happiness - we are taught it is our responsibility and duty to not judge but to have a good eye and to bring to them the light of the Shechina to bring them joy, – worship is not an intellectual exercise alone, it needs to be accompanied with emotions, love and good deeds, a recognition we are all one, part of a Devine whole , when we see Hashem in every living thing, and specifically in humanity,  just as Hashem is one, we are all one, we each have the Yud, the devine soul, maybe that is why Hashem created the world in a circle, to include everybody and everything as a unit.

The four species according to a vord (speech) I heard from Rabbi Aurbach represents this idea too, each plant is shaped like a part of the body:

The Lulav is the spine; the structure that gives us mobility enables us to do good deeds,

The Esrog is the heart, this is why it needs to be clear of marks, and it needs to be pure and clean to be kosher;

We take the Myrtle leaves which look like eyes placed above the willow branches which look like lips; to teach us our speech must be guarded and words should only be spoken after investigating (seeing) the consequences and impact our words will have on those that will hear them i.e. words should be constructive, our speech should be used in service to build and honour G-d Almighty. The eyes that investigates, should be placed before the mouth that talks - we should not be rash with our speech. 

We thus serve Hashem with all out heart, reflecting seeing and serving with speech and our deeds!

The species also represent different type of people within the nation:

The Esrog (Citron) – has a good taste and smell representing people with both Torah learning (the knowledge of the Holy one’s will) and good deeds.

Lulav (Date Palm) – has good taste but no smell representing People with Learning but who neglect good deeds to their fellow man

Myrtle branches– have good smell but no taste representing People with deeds but no Torah learning.

Willow –Has No smell or taste representing people without learning or good deeds

We take this bundle and bring all the "people" together, and if any of the 4 types are missing we cannot carry out the Mitzvah of  shaking the Lulav on Sukkot

We ourselves individually all play a part by impacting the balance of Torah knowledge and service to G-d as well as through our good deeds (caring for our fellow man) in the world, to increase these is to come closer to Hashem with the hope in the near future with our goal of becoming the "Esrog" the individual with a good heart, full of knowledge of G-d and full of good deeds, for this surely will bring the redemption the entire world longs for - may it occur speedily in our days.

The nation went on pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the festival with our gifts and offerings  and we read about the libation services refer to Numbers Ch 29 from V12.  at the end of Sukkot we pray for water, water represents life, the ability to be sustained going forward.  We are taught that the Water service held at the Temple was a wonderous affair, it lasted the whole night,3 poles 8 stories tall, had cups holding oil each would be lit, this provided enough light for the pilgrims in Jerusalem, their was festivity, with dancing and celebration. And here is another lesson for us, how seriously we must take the teachings of our Sages - all this festivity was based on a teaching they worked out from the written Torah from Parsha Pinchas Numbers Ch 29 v 19 to 37, which discusses the offerings and service of Sukkot V 20 ends with the words Vaniskayhem (libations)  v 23 and V 29  V 35 ends of a Libation (Vaniskuh)  vs 32 ends with the word (Vaniskaheyah) its Libation, Vs 37 reads Vaniskayhem (libations), our sages worked out from this structure that Mem Yud Mem spelt, Mayim (water service) and through this a great celebration was adopted. They saw in these letters the hint of recognising the gift of Water the source of all Life! The other Libation poured down the alter was wine.

Vsos Ha Brocha
Before Moses dies he blesses the Israelites in doing so he is referred to as an Ish Elokim (Ish indicates he had stature i.e. he was a Prophet or spiritual person connected to Elokim the name that indicated G-d's attribute of Power.  Indicating his blessings were connected to the source of all Powers and thus would take affect, the Ve Zos (This - being the Torah), indicating for the Blessing to take effect we need to recognise and follow the Law.

A blessed Moed to all my readers, may your holiday be filled with joy, happiness and closeness

Michael.

Netzavim and Vayalech - A Connection to Rosh Hashana

BS”D Netzavim (Standing strong) and Vayalech (and he Moses went out to everyone) TOGETHER!!!

–A Connection to Rosh Hashana

HEARD FROM RAV AURBACH & TABACK THE POWER OF THE COLLECTIVE

For this commandment that I command you today, it is not hidden from you... it is not in Heaven... nor is it over the sea... for it is very near to you, in your mouth and your heart to do it." (30:11-14)

The command referred to, speaks about being in the mouth and heart – the desire is in the heart -it is the one of desiring to return to G-d Almighty this is why we read this passuk on the Shabbos before Rosh Hashana the Day of Judgement, where we acknowledge the King of Kings!!!

The covenant includes not only those who were present, but even those generations, yet unborn, all of those in society from a water drawer to the top ministers…

We see from here that everyone was together and is thus accountable for each other, at least for the sins that are revelaled to us. We all stand and stood together at this third covenant with G-d Almighty.  The greatest amongst us are like nothing, when we realise how small even the greatest of our kind is when we stand before G-d Almighty, on Rosh Ha Shana we do not pray personal prayers, we pray as a collective, pledging loyalty to our King. We come together on Rosh Hashanah and negate ourselves completely and rely on our combined prayers coming together undivided as a single whole, a single nation.  Rabbi Taback mentioned as long as the wicked is with the righteous he has a chance, but even the righteous when his prayers are his alone, what chance we all have much sin,  an individual at risk before the all-knowing judge?  It is in the power of the collective that the power of Rosh Hashana and repentance is manifold - we  together can change the world if and when we come together as a group and say we want to change this lowly physical place for the better, we bring favour and compassion from above as we make the point we are willing to change for the King, we can and will make a difference TOGETHER as loyal servants to the King of Kings!!!

Overview courtesy of Ohr Somayach

http://ohr.edu/4879

Netzavim

On the last day of his life, Moshe gathers together all the people, both young and old, lowly and exalted, men and women in a final initiation. The covenant includes not only those who are present, but even those generations yet unborn. Moshe admonishes the people again to be extremely vigilant against idol worship, because in spite of having witnessed the abominations of Egypt, there will always be the temptation to experiment with foreign philosophies as a pretext for immorality. Moshe describes the desolation of the Land of Israel which will be a result of the failure to heed G-d's mitzvos. Both their descendants and foreigners alike will remark on the singular desolation of the Land and its apparent inability to be sown or to produce crops. The conclusion will be apparent to all - the Jewish People have forsaken the One who protects them, in favor of idols which can do nothing. Moshe promises, however, that the people will eventually repent after both the blessings and the curses have been fulfilled. However assimilated they will have become among the nations, eventually G-d will bring them back to Eretz Yisrael. Moshe tells the people to remember that the Torah is not a remote impossibility; rather its fulfillment is within the grasp of every Jew. The Parsha concludes with a dramatic choice between life and death. Moshe exhorts the people to choose life.

Vayelech

On this, the last day of his life, Moshe goes from tent to tent throughout the camp, bidding farewell to his beloved people, encouraging them to keep the faith. Moshe tells them that whether he is among them or not, G-d is with them, and will vanquish their enemies. Then he summons Yehoshua, and in front of all the people, exhorts him to be strong and courageous as the leader of the Jewish People. In this manner, he strengthens Yehoshua's status as the new leader. Moshe teaches them the mitzvah of Hakhel: That every seven years on the first day of the intermediate days of Succos, the entire nation, including small children, is to gather together at the Temple to hear the King read from the Book of Devarim. The sections that he reads deal with faithfulness to G-d, the covenant, and reward and punishment. G-d tells Moshe that his end is near, and he should therefore summon Yehoshua to stand with him in the Mishkan, where G-d will teach Yehoshua. G-d then tells Moshe and Yehoshua that after entering the Land, the people will be unfaithful to Him, and begin to worship other gods. G-d will then completely hide his face, so that it will seem that the Jewish People are at the mercy of fate, and that they will be hunted by all. G-d instructs Moshe and Yehoshua to write down a song - Ha'azinu - which will serve as a witness against the Jewish People when they sin. Moshe records the song in writing and teaches it to Bnei Yisrael. Moshe completes his transcription of the Torah, and instructs the Levi'im to place it to the side of the Aron (Holy Ark), so that no one will ever write a new Torah scroll that is different from the original - for there will always be a reference copy.

“You are standing today, all of you, before G-d…” (29:9)

Parking a car in downtown Jerusalem has become something a nightmare. There was one fellow who had his own ingenious solution. After driving round the block a couple of times, he would pull up to a curb with red stripes. Getting out of the car, he would reach for his trusty can of black spray-paint, and proceed to spray out the red stripes the entire length of his car.

How much of the time do we do just that in our relationship with G-d?

How much of the time do we try and alter the rules to suit ourselves and our own ideas of right and wrong?

Rosh Hashana is a time to come clean, to clean off the spray paint from the sidewalks of our lives.

Before we get more than a ticket.

Fearing G-d is out of fashion right now. It’s acceptable to be in awe of His Majesty, to sit on the top of a mountain and commune with Beyond. But fearing? Come on, G-d’s a nice G-d. He won’t really punish me for speaking lashon hara or for adjusting my income tax a little. All that punishment stuff is really for kids anyway. Why do I need something so crass as fear when I have awe?!

There can be no true awe without real fear.

The essence of fearing G-d is to accustom ourselves to be aware that He is watching us all the time; that He knows what we are thinking; that He sees every move we make – every move that we don’t make but would like to.

If there is a time in the day when we visualize standing in front of the Creator more than any other, it is during the Amida prayer that we say three times daily. (Amida, quite literally means, “standing.”) If there is a day in the year when we try to visualize standing in front of the Creator more than any other, it is Rosh Hashana.

Rosh Hashana, a day that should strike fear into our hearts, “…who will live, and who will die …who by water, and who by fire.” Who in a bus, and who in a restaurant…

Rosh Hashana is a time to come clean, to clean off the spray paint from the sidewalks of our lives.

Before we get more than a ticket.

• Source: Story heard from Rabbi Dov Brezak

Insights

http://ohr.edu/4026

Not Another Love Story

“...for He is your life and the length of your days…” (30:20)

I'll never forget the first time I fell in love.

I gazed across the kindergarten tables (all of 14 inches high) as my beloved entered the room. The world stopped. Everything seemed to go into slow motion as she floated through the classroom to her seat. And later that day, life seemed to have come to an end when her mother called up to say that she couldn't come over for tea.

When you're really in love, it's as though all you are living for is that person. Nothing else exists. Everything else in the world – eating, drinking, breathing — are no more that boring distractions. If one's love was not in the world nothing would matter one bit.

It's interesting, but that's just how the Rambam describes the way we should feel about G-d. (Laws of Kriat Shema 1:1)

The Rambam says we should be lovesick for G-d, and that all of Shir Hashirim (The Song of Songs) is a metaphor for that love.

The Rambam explains that we say the first paragraph of the Shema before the other two paragraphs because it contains the yichud of G-d — His Unity — our love of G-d and His Torah. This, says the Rambam, is the fundamental principle on which everything else stands. What's interesting is that the Mishna on which the Rambam presumably based this Halacha just says that we say the first paragraph of the Shema before the others because it contains the acceptance of the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven. That's all.

In other words, the Rambam is teaching us that the yichud of G-d, and our love of Him and our acceptance of His Torah are more than just mitzvot. They are the acceptance of an inescapable reality, outside of which there is nothing.

If we live just to fulfill mitzvot, that's not being in love. Real love is the feeling that our entire existence depends on G-d, and that without Him there is no existence. Nothing.

There is no other love story in the world.

 
Wishing you a Good week, Ugmar Chatimah Tova to be inscribed  for a Good new year!
 

 

 

 

The Hidden Vav (G-d of mercy can be found amidst darkness) - Parasha Ki Savo

BS”D

Please note this Blog carries Jewish thoughts and Jewish themes

Parsha Ki Savo Deuteronomy Ch26 v 1 to Ch 29 v8

The hidden VAV in Parshas Ki Savo

Rabbi Wasserzug pointed out in the parsha, I think in the name of Rabbi Bachya, in two places the sedra  talks about forces capable of overtaking us, good ones i.e. Blessings and bad one's i.e. Curses, in both places the same word is used Vehisigoochah (it is Hebrew and means to reach us or overtake us).

Go to Deuteronomy Chapter 28 V 2 Blessings

All these blessings will come upon you and will reach you Vehisiygoochah when you obey YkVavk (G-d of mercy), your G-d (master creator).

Now go to Deuteronomy Ch 28 V15

Should you not obey YkVavK your G-d to guard and perform all his commandments and His statutes that I am commanding you today (i.e. the today seems superflous, but it is to teach us even this day i.e. they should be forever standing); then all these curses will come and reach you Vehisiygoochah.

If you look at the word for overtake/ reach Vehisiygoochah in Ivrit/Hebrew regarding the Blessings/ Brochas it is written without a VAV in ch 28 verse 2. When the Torah lower down talks about Klalot or curses, the word overtake in Hebrew/Ivrit is written with a VAV see ch 28 verse 15.  Rabbi Bachya ha Kodesh indicated this represents the VAV of Hashem’s name of Mercy, the message I think is YkVavK feels and is with us through the misfortune Klalot, ,it teaches us G-d will always remain with us in our suffering, he waits and longs for our return and or connection to him, both in good and bad times, at a time of suffering too many feel alone, Hashem is totally hidden at these times -but the Torah is teaching us he is there with us, we should know he is there, wanting us to connect with him and to turn to him, to cry with and be with him together, so undertake to do so and and if we can find the strength to connect in the pain, we are already on track to rekindling the blessings we all desire so much, for is not the greatest blessing in this world being connected to G-d, the G-d of Mercy our father in Heaven. Many of our most righteous forefathers suffered but they used this suffering (Not on us, please) to draw closer to Hashem.

“. . . Because you did not serve Hashem, your G-d, amid gladness and goodness of heart, when everything was abundant.” (28:47)

If we have no pain and suffering, if we are blessed enough to have it relatively ok we should appreciate all that we have and show it.  Ask any very sick person what they would do to be healthy again, how small other peoples problems, that they complain about, seem to them, we need to be grateful that we have health.   Elul is a good time to look upward and take on new commitments as a gesture of our wanting to return, it is a powerful tool and time in turning our lives around for the better, and show our appreciation for all we have, all that is good, may we all return speedily and be accepted and only know and see blessings, like good healthy and happy and grateful people all around. And even G-d forbid when challenged to try and appreciate what ever good you can find, to teach others around you what they have to be so grateful for, and attempt to bring light to the world, out of the darkness, all the time knowing that Yk VAV k is with us, and will help us recitfy his creation but we need to always strive to do so, this is the purpose of the physical world of striving.   My Rabbi, Rabbi Wasserzug states that it says in the passuk, we will come to Le Olam ha ba (to the world to come) the passuk does not say  "Be -Beis into, it says Lamed to" i.e we go to our Olam Haba, he explains if it said Be Olam ha ba, it means we would come to a world of light that is already there, no he teaches it says Lamed - to, to teach us, that every merit and good deed we do, we are actually creating the light of our future world to come, to be enjoyed in the next world the spiritual world.

 If we know our life is currently full of blessings, if we are healthy, it is such a gift just to be healthy, just to be alive, having the ability to do good deeds.  Did you know of all the plauges in Egypt the ones involving killing were all carried out by G-d himself, why because G-d does not want us killing each other, we cannot possibly know when someone is deserving of death, and that is why the Jewish courts had such strict criteria and harldly ever carried out the horrible capital punishment spoken of in the Torah.  The implication of it being written is for us to understand the severity of the sin, Chazal teach us  never in the History of the world will a rebellious child be stoned to death.. 

If we are alive, we need to appreciate the value of being alive, if we have only a little but enough to give others less fortunate, what a blessing, tihes the first fruits is an obligation on everyone and what if we have an abundance of wealth (when everything is abundant we tend to lose appreciation for what we have, we then do not always see the VAV when everything is good and abundant (we wax fat, maybe that is why the VAV is absent when the blessings overtake us, and thus we cease to bring light into the world - we should know the antidote to wealth is appreciation and thanks for all we have directly to the bestower of all Good in the world, the cause of all causes G-d Almighty, king and ruler over creation blessed is he), to use the blessing for connection be careful of the so called self-made man syndrome, where we forget about the less fortunate around us. Remember it is often easier to find G-d and pray to him at a time of suffering and need, so remember if you are blessed, to say and show your appreciation and give thanks, the highest way is by your deeds, through them we rectify creation and by emulating G-d in bestowing some of that good on others, we partner with him in fulfilling the purpose of creation.

This is exactly why after inheriting the Land when we had the temple we brought the Bikkurim and the tithes the first of our produce, as we realize it is at such  times of blessing when our fruits are enjoyed we now need to appreciate and say and show we thank you for the good that G-d you bestow on us, by giving the first of our blessings to the Priests and poor in our midst!

Ch 26 v1 and 2 When you inherit the Land and settle it, you are to take of all the first fruits that you bring from your land that YkVK is giving you, and place it in a basket and go to the place that YkVK your G-d chooses...

We then make a decleration about all the Good that Hashem has done for us, in bringing us to the land.

It is Elul, there is no better time than now to connect with the King who comes out into the field, to our lowly physical  world, out of the palace on high and ready to welcome us to refresh our journey in striving to become his partner worthy of entering his palace in true connection, the light of the World to come.

Have a good week may we all be inscribed for a healthy good and blessed new year where we can connect and repair the world to a point where G-d is revealed and no longer hidden, and if we suffer, to try use the pain to connect and to please G-d find the hidden Vav (G-d of Mercy) to help us, to carry us through our trials and find that light we all so dearly seek...

Amen