PURITY IS FOREVER
Excerpted from a talk by Rav Aaron Schechter
In this week’s Parsha, Breishis, the Torah relates the story of HaShem’s creation of His world. As one might expect, there are remarkable secrets that we might glean from this Parsha. One such secret lies tucked away in the story of Lemech and his two wives.
MUSICAL SCHOOL
We have been using the model of the orchestra as the vehicle by which to appreciate Man’s relationship to HaShem and his role in the world. HaShem is our Conductor, we are the musicians and the world is our audience.
Continue reading Breishis 5780THE MAP
We have now arrived at the other end of the Elul – Rosh Hashanah – Yom Kippur – Succos – Simchas Torah period. We recited Psalm 27 twice a day, we blew the shofar daily, every day we woke up earlier than usual, we recited hundreds of selichos and walked round the Torah scrolls. With all that behind us we will now begin reading the Torah from it’s very beginning.
Continue reading Breishis 5779BITTERSWEET; THE HEAVENLY TASTE
In this week’s Parsha, the Torah tells the story of Noach sending the dove out of the Teiva (Ark) to see if the waters of the Great Flood receded. The dove returned with an olive leaf in her beak. The Torah underscores that this olive leaf was in her beak for eating purposes. We know that the olive leaf is very bitter and Noach had prepared nutritious food for all the animals. Why did the dove pass up on the tasty food for bitter food? Our Sages teach us that “it is better to take bitter food from the hands of HaKadosh baruch Hu than take the tasty food from the hands of Man.” In other words; it is better to take a hand-out from HaShem than taking a hand-out from Man.
Continue reading Noach 5778CROWNS ARE FOR KINGS
The end of the Succos holiday culminates with Simchas Torah, a celebration of our concluding the reading of the Torah and the restarting it up once again. But why are we celebrating the Torah at the conclusion of Succos and not on the holiday of Shavuous, which celebrates the receiving of the the Torah at Mount Sinai?
Continue reading Zos Habracha / Succos 5778THE NOTES
For the past several weeks we have been using the parallel of the orchestra to gain a taste of our holidays. We understand Rosh Hashanah as our commitment to participate in the orchestra and to accept the direction from our Conductor. On the days leading up to Yom Kippur we prepared to remove any barriers that would interfere with the communication between the Conductor and ourselves. On Yom Kippur the Conductor Himself removed those barriers. During the subsequent days we pre-pared for our performance by gathering the instruments and preparing the symphony hall in which to perform. Finally, on Succos we actually perform. With our Lulav and Esrog in hand and our hearts swelling with joy that we have been chosen to perform and be so close to the Conductor, we sing our Hallel in perfect harmony to our Conductor. Every Jew performs with the instruments he was given following the notes that are designed for him. Even the non-Jews will come to hear the performance; they are, after all, the audience.
Continue reading Zos Habracha / Succos 5780KEEPING CLOSE
The holidays of our calendar are more than days of commemoration, they are periods when we, as a people, and as individuals experience spiritual growth. The more we appreciate what the holidays express the more we can grow. If Shmini Atzeres and Simchas Torah are the conclusion of this period of holidays starting with Rosh Hashanah followed by Yom Kippur and continuing into Succos there must be some great opportunity of spiritual growth.
Continue reading Succos II 5781MUSCLE BUILDING
We know that everything that happens to us comes from HaShem. When everything in life runs smoothly we ‘understand’ why everything is smooth. However, when life becomes complicated we struggle to understand why HaShem changed His plan. How are we to make sense out of circumstances when they go totally out of control. This question sits on my mind as we all find ourselves in the middle of Covid and life has spun out of control. Although we have no Navi to direct us to the answer, nevertheless, there are clues to which we must pay attention.
Continue reading Succos I 5781