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APPRECIATION; THE VERY FIRST EXPECTATION

Immediately following the seven days of creation the Torah tells us that HaShem did not bring rain to the world. In spite of all the vegetation being created on the third day no plant began its growth until the first rain. That first rain did not occur until after Adam was created on the sixth day. The reason HaShem waited for Man to arrive was because there was nobody who would appreciate the rain. Adam knew that rain was needed and he davened that it should rain. It was only after his prayer and his recognition did HaShem bring rain to the world.

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CYCLES

Cycles by their definition repeat themselves whether it is a cycle of time or cycle in space. The beauty of this repetition is that the end of the previous cycle precedes the beginning of the next cycle. This allows the end of the cycle to introduce the beginning of the next cycle. (See the meme)

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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.

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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.

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THE 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.