DEFINING SUCCESS
We say in our Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur prayers “O HaShem, instill Your awe upon all Your works and Your dread upon all that You have creat-ed.” Do we really mean what we say? Do we really want HaShem to instill dread upon all that He created? I am one of those creations – do I want dread instilled in me? There are plenty of movements in America whose growth will certainly create dread in HaShem’s creatures. Is that what we really want?
Continue reading Vayeilech 5782TURNING TRAFFIC JAMS INTO SERENITY
The theme of Rosh Hashanah and its avoda is accepting upon ourselves the Sovereignty of HaShem as the absolute Sovereign of the universe. The expectation is to accept HaShem as our personal Master, our personal King. To accept His Sovereignty on a personal level means to live with the notion the same way we live with the notion of gravity. We understand gravity and live with it and anticipate its strength on a very actual level.
Continue reading Nitzavim 5781CONVINCE THE OTHER SIDE
In this week’s Parsha, Nitzavim Vayeilech, we are given the mitzvah and the opportunity of teshuvah. The Torah writes “this mitzvah is not far away, it is in your heart and in your mouth to do it”. This implication is that teshuvah is not that difficult; all it needs is the heart.
Continue reading Nitzavim Vayeilech 5780ALL OUR NEEDS ARE INCLUDEDALL OUR NEEDS ARE INCLUDED
As I look through the Rosh Hashanah machzor I do not find any place to ask for my needs and for those who are dear to me. Is there no place to ask for our needs. Is there not a Jewish expression “bet ois a gut yur”, “Ask Hashem for a good year”?
Continue reading Nitzavim 5779SHOFAR; BLOWING LIFE INTO THE WORLD
The theme of Rosh Hashanah is the coronation of HaShem as the Sovereign of the Uni-verse. Our avoda on this special day is to proclaim Him King. Our success is determined by the level of our commitment to Him as our Master. The questions begs; why does HaShem need our acceptance? Does He have any needs at all? If there is a need how can mortal Man provide that?
Continue reading Nitzavim 5778OF TORAH AND TAXES
In this week’s Parsha, Nitzavim Vayeilech, Moshe tells his people that at the end of Jewish history, after all the blessings and all the curses will pass over us, we will come back to HaKadosh Baruch Hu. In all the lands that HaKadosh Baruch Hu dispersed us, even if we will be in the corners of the heavens we will return to Him.
Continue reading Nitzavim Vayeilech 5777PURE HEART
In Chapter 30 of our Parsha, Moshe says; “It will be when all these things come upon you; the blessing and the curse… then you will take it to heart among all the nations where HaShem dispersed you, and you will return to HaShem and listen to His voice with all your heart and all your soul. Then HaShem will bring back your captivity and He will have mercy upon you and He will return and gather you in from where He scattered you… He will bring to the Land and do good and make you numerous more than before.” This is a prophecy which we are able to see become alive in our most recent history.
Continue reading Nitzavim 5782YOU ARE CONNECTED! JUST HOLD ON
Verses of 26: 17-18 of our Parsha are difficult to translate because of the strange usage of the causative verb. Rav Hirsch translates them as follows. “Regarding HaShem, you have brought about the fact that people say HaShem is your G.D. He is the G.D of the Jewish people. And regarding you, HaShem has brought about the fact that people say the Jewish people are the people belonging to Him.”
MY CONVERSATION
In this week’s Haftorah we read the prophecy of Yeshayahu (Isaiah) in which he talks to Yerushalayim in the name of HaShem “Lift up your eyes, look around and see that everyone is coming to you. Your sons are coming from distant lands and your daughters will be raised at their side.”
Continue reading Ki Savo 5781MA’ASER
Excerpted from a talk by Rabbi Ahron Lopiansky
In this week’s Parsha, Ki Savo, the Torah instructs us on viduy ma’asser. At the end of the three year tithing cycle we must make a proclamation that we tithed all the tithings in accordance with the prescribed laws. It is noteworthy that this proclamation is called viduy, which means a confession. The question is if we have done no wrong how can this be called a viduy? To what are we confessing?
Continue reading Ki Savo 5780