Parsha with Rabbi David Bibi

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה בֹּ֖א אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֑ה כִּֽי־אֲנִ֞י הִכְבַּ֤דְתִּי אֶת־לִבּוֹ֙ וְאֶת־לֵ֣ב עֲבָדָ֔יו לְמַ֗עַן שִׁתִ֛י אֹתֹתַ֥י אֵ֖לֶּה בְּקִרְבּֽוֹ׃ Then יהוה said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh. For I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his courtiers, in order that I may display these My signs among them, וּלְמַ֡עַן תְּסַפֵּר֩ בְּאׇזְנֵ֨י בִנְךָ֜ וּבֶן־בִּנְךָ֗ אֵ֣ת אֲשֶׁ֤ר הִתְעַלַּ֙לְתִּי֙ בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם וְאֶת־אֹתֹתַ֖י אֲשֶׁר־שַׂ֣מְתִּי בָ֑ם וִֽידַעְתֶּ֖ם כִּי־אֲנִ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃ and that you may recount in the hearing of your child and of your child’s child how I made a mockery of the Egyptians and how I displayed My signs among them—in order that you may know that I am יהוה.” The concept of a hardened heart, influenced by Divine intervention, is grappled with by countless commentators and myriad meforshim. After all, how do we reconcile a Divinely hardened heart with free-will? Rashbam- during all the preceding plagues we do not find that G’d had told Moses that it was He Who had stiffened Pharaoh’s heart. However, since we have reached the stage where Pharaoh himself had said that “G’d is just whereas he and his people are the sinners,” (9,27) and still he had reneged and sinned deliberately, a phenomenon which must have seemed incomprehensible to Moses, G’d explains the psychology behind this, i.e. that it was not as hard to understand, as He Himself had to stiffen Pharaoh’s resolve causing him to renege. ואת לב עבדיו, as we are told in 9,34. Ramban . “The reason I hardened their hearts is that I might set in their midst these signs that I wish to do among them so that the Egyptians will know My power, but not in order that I can punish them more on account of this hardening of heart, and also that you and all Israel should recount during the coming generations the power of My deeds, and you shall know that I am the Eternal, and whatsoever I please, I do in heaven and in earth.” Ohr HaChaim  G'd means that Moses would realise as of now that He had indeed hardened Pharaoh's heart. Even the most obstinate person would have broken down by now if he had experienced what Pharaoh had endured during the last seven plagues.  Only intervention by G'd could have accounted for his continued refusal to let the Israelites depart. G'd did not, of course, interfere outright with Pharaoh's free will; Some explain that Divinity only influenced Pharaoh’s physical resilience, as Hashem did not want to score a definitive knockout in the early rounds.  The way my rabbi explained  Freedom of choice  50/50 As one increases so must the other Guy comes up to you  Knife or gun  Money or your life  Free choice ?  Not really  But what if you were a kung fu master.  Disarm before he knows  Now free choice  He has power  You have equal  The plagues removed free choice  Hardening the heart restored it.  All in all, the natural order was changed, and the imposition on Pharaoh’s free-will rarely occurs to the rest of humanity. What troubles us, however, is the juxtaposition of Hashem’s request that Moshe once again beseech Pharaoh, followed by the words בֹּ֖א אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֑ה כִּֽי־אֲנִ֞י הִכְבַּ֤דְתִּי אֶת־לִבּוֹ֙ , “because I will harden his heart.” Aren’t those two separate thoughts? Shouldn’t the command be “go to Pharaoh because I want him to free My people”? From the word flow it seems that Hashem’s hardening of Pharaoh’s heart was a reason forMoshe to go to Pharaoh. Was it? Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky tells us: Here’s a more dynamic and dramatic way to retell this story verbally, designed to captivate your audience: “Let me tell you a story a friend of mine once shared. Years ago, he visited an amusement park with his family. You know the type—cotton candy in the air, kids running wild, and rides screaming with adrenaline. Among the attractions stood a haunted house. Not your average haunted house, though—this one was legendary. Picture it: pitch black inside, with just enough dim light to catch the gleam of monstrous eyes and grotesque faces. Shadows danced as if they were alive, and eerie sounds echoed from deep within. The kind of place that made your heart pound before you even stepped through the door. Now, outside this terrifying lair, there was a massive warning sign. You know the drill: ‘Not for children under 12.’ ‘Not for those below a certain height.’ ‘Not for anyone with high blood pressure, a weak heart, or, frankly, common sense.’ My friend took one look at that sign and thought, no way was he letting his kids even look at this thing, let alone step inside. But then he saw the line forming. And it wasn’t just any line. No, no. This line was filled with guys who looked like they could chew nails for breakfast—tattooed, leather-jacketed motorcyclists, each one towering at six feet or more, shoulders as wide as the turnstiles. They stood there, arms crossed, waiting to prove they weren’t afraid of anything. And then, in the mid

From Artscroll on the Malbim  https://www.artscroll.com/Books/9781422610732.html?srsltid=AfmBOops6Qu_nLdJTiU056CFe6pJiPNw3W8aSIdf2QAboWwdtbVDAZlY וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֵלָ֖יו אֲנִ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃ God spoke to Moses and said to him, “I am יהוה. https://www.sefaria.org/Exodus.6.2 וָאֵרָ֗א אֶל־אַבְרָהָ֛ם אֶל־יִצְחָ֥ק וְאֶֽל־יַעֲקֹ֖ב בְּאֵ֣ל שַׁדָּ֑י וּשְׁמִ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה לֹ֥א נוֹדַ֖עְתִּי לָהֶֽם׃ I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as El Shaddai, but I did not make Myself known to them by My name יהוה. https://www.sefaria.org/Exodus.6.3 Until now every time that Hashem spoke to Moshe, the Torah had stated 'vayomer Elokim, 'and God said.' Here, for the very first time, the Torah uses the phrase 'vayedabeir Elokim,' 'and God spoke.' This shift in language, as will be explained, marks the elevation of Moshe's prophetic level from a level that until this point had been comparable to that of the other prophets.  From now on, however, Moshe's prophetic experience would begin its ascent to the highest possible level, to that of the 'Prophet of Torah,' level forever distinguishing Moshe from all other prophets. Among the differences between 'dibur' ('speaking') and 'amirah' ('saying') is that dibur refers to the act of speaking, especially to speaking at length,' while amirah refers to the mes-sage, oral or otherwise imparted. When the Torah, therefore, states that 'Hashem spoke (va yedabeir) to Moshe saying (leimor)...,' the term 'va'yedabeir' implies that Hashem spoke to Moshe at length, revealing to him all the Torah's kabbalistic secrets and elaborating upon all the halachic particulars that were to comprise the unwritten, oral tradition. See Menachot 29b, wherein Rabbi Akiva is recorded as having derived 'heaps upon heaps' of Torah laws from every jot and crownlike frill atop the letters in the Torah scroll. 'Leimor,' on the other hand, refers to the exact wording of the statements that Moshe would inscribe in the Torah scroll. The verses of the Torah would serve as the amirah containing — in 'shorthand' form — all the vast information conveyed to Moshe through 'dibur.' Much as in English the phrase giving a 'speech' means to converse at length. Understanding the above helps us understand why the phrase 'Hashem spoke to Moshe saying...' is used only in regard to Moshe, and not in regard to any other prophet. Only Moshe, as the Prophet of the Torah, heard 'dibur,' Hashem actually speaking, fully explaining the Torah's mystical, esoteric secrets as well as all of its complex halachic details.  The sole exception, 'And Hashem spoke to Yehoshua saying... (Yehoshua 20:1), does not disprove the rule, because the verses that follow are essentially a repetition of halachos which appear in the Five Books of Moses Communication Amirah is sometimes used in Tanach allegorically, describing for example the nonverbal messages of inanimate objects (e.g., Iyou 38:35; Mishlei 30:16) whereas dibur always refers to actual vocalized speech (Malbim's commentary to Toras Kohanim, Siman 3). Simply put, the phrase 'God spoke to Moshe and said,' is no redundancy. Rather, the verse is pointing out not only what Hashem said to Moshe, but that Hashem said it via 'dibur,' clear and instructive speech. TWO LEVELS OF PROPHECY As we explained in Parashas Vayeitzei, Moshe's elevated level of prophecy is indicated as well in a subtle shift in the verse's verb choice: 'I appeared to Auraham, Yitzchak, and to Yaakou...but My Name, Hashem, was not known to them.' The Zohars contrasts the two verbs used in this verse, 'appearing' as opposed to 'knowing': Hashem 'appeared to them,' a prophetic experience limited by visualization, but 'was not known to them.' Moshe's prophecy, via the 'aspeklaria me'ira,' the 'radiant prism,' brought him to the higher level of knowing, beyond that which any picture can describe. TWO NAMES OF HASHEM Our verse begins by referring to God as 'Elokim' and ends with 'I am Hashem,' which, as the Zohar explains, indicates the elevation of Moshe's prophecy to a new and higher level: The name Elokim signifies God as working within nature through hidden miracles, which had been Hashem' s way of relating to the Jewish People ever since the time of the Patriarchs and until now, The Four-Letter Name of Hashem, the Tetragrammaton, 10 indicates Hashem's essence as totally above and beyond nature, pertorming miracles as novel as the creation of the world itself. This miraculous mode of running altairs was to be Hashem's way of relating to Moshe and to his generation, starting now. Informing Moshe of this new state of affairs served to answer Moshe's question 'why have you done evil to this nation?' (Shemos 5:23). Moshe thought that the redemption from Mitzrayim would come about through hidden miracles in a seemingly natural fashion like the dawning of a new day, and that as such it would arrive and grow gradually. Moshe therefore assumed that his mission to Pharaoh would result in at least some sligh

This week Hashem tells Moshe to inform the B’nai Yisrael, that the good times will soon come. לָכֵ֞ן אֱמֹ֥ר לִבְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֮ אֲנִ֣י יְהֹוָה֒ וְהוֹצֵאתִ֣י אֶתְכֶ֗ם מִתַּ֙חַת֙ סִבְלֹ֣ת מִצְרַ֔יִם וְהִצַּלְתִּ֥י אֶתְכֶ֖ם מֵעֲבֹדָתָ֑ם וְגָאַלְתִּ֤י אֶתְכֶם֙ בִּזְר֣וֹעַ נְטוּיָ֔ה וּבִשְׁפָטִ֖ים גְּדֹלִֽים׃ Say, therefore, to the Israelite people: I am יהוה. I will free you from the labors of the Egyptians and deliver you from their bondage. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and through extraordinary chastisements. https://www.sefaria.org/Exodus.6.6 וְלָקַחְתִּ֨י אֶתְכֶ֥ם לִי֙ לְעָ֔ם וְהָיִ֥יתִי לָכֶ֖ם לֵֽאלֹהִ֑ים וִֽידַעְתֶּ֗ם כִּ֣י אֲנִ֤י יְהֹוָה֙ אֱלֹ֣הֵיכֶ֔ם הַמּוֹצִ֣יא אֶתְכֶ֔ם מִתַּ֖חַת סִבְל֥וֹת מִצְרָֽיִם׃ And I will take you to be My people, and I will be your God. And you shall know that I, יהוה, am your God who freed you from the labors of the Egyptians. https://www.sefaria.org/Exodus.6.7 וְהֵבֵאתִ֤י אֶתְכֶם֙ אֶל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֤ר נָשָׂ֙אתִי֙ אֶת־יָדִ֔י לָתֵ֣ת אֹתָ֔הּ לְאַבְרָהָ֥ם לְיִצְחָ֖ק וּֽלְיַעֲקֹ֑ב וְנָתַתִּ֨י אֹתָ֥הּ לָכֶ֛ם מוֹרָשָׁ֖ה אֲנִ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃ I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and I will give it to you for a possession, I יהוה.” https://www.sefaria.org/Exodus.6.8 It did not mean much. “ וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר מֹשֶׁ֛ה כֵּ֖ן אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְלֹ֤א שָֽׁמְעוּ֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה מִקֹּ֣צֶר ר֔וּחַ וּמֵעֲבֹדָ֖ה קָשָֽׁה׃ {פ} But when Moses told this to the Israelites, they would not listen to Moses, their spirits crushed by cruel bondage. https://www.sefaria.org/Exodus.6.9 Next Hashem tells Moshe to tell Pharaoh to let the Jews out. Moshe responds with a reply filled with deductive reasoning. “ וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר מֹשֶׁ֔ה לִפְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר הֵ֤ן בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לֹֽא־שָׁמְע֣וּ אֵלַ֔י וְאֵיךְ֙ יִשְׁמָעֵ֣נִי פַרְעֹ֔ה וַאֲנִ֖י עֲרַ֥ל שְׂפָתָֽיִם׃ {פ} But Moses appealed to יהוה, saying, “The Israelites would not listen to me; how then should Pharaoh heed me, me—who gets tongue-tied!” https://www.sefaria.org/Exodus.6.12 Our sages explain  See Rashi quoting (Genesis Rabbah 92:7). that this is on of ten “kal v’chomer” instances in the Torah. It is an example of reasoning used to logically come to halachic conclusions. ( eg. If a weightlifter can not lift the stone, surely a child can not!) The problem is, that the reasoning seems flawed. “The Children of Israel did not listen toMoshe from shortness of breath and hard work. ”  Although the Siftei hahamim give a detailed explanation I would like to share what I saw from Rav Mordechai Kamenetzky asks  Pharaoh did not suffer from either of those shortcomings! If the weightlifter with a broken back, can’t lift a stone, it plays no role in telling us whether or not a child can.) So what was Moshe’s logical refutation to G-d’s command? Yesterday 23 Teves, was the Yahrzeit the great Gaon, Rabbi Mordechai Gifter z”l. The Rabbi was the great father of a close friend of mine and when her son asks me halachic questions I often ask him what would your great grandfather say.  As a student at the Telshe Yeshiva in Europe he developed a strong relationship with one Europe’s foremost scholars of that era, Rav Mordechai Pogramanski z”l. He used to relate on a story Rav Pogramanski would share with his students. A disheveled man was touring the Louvre with a group of tourists. As they passed Rembrandt’s works the man looked at everyone and yelled, “Sour milk!” Puzzled, everyone thought he was crazy. He repeated it again. “It looks like sour milk!” They moved on and passed the Mona Lisa. Again he screamed, Sour milk!” This went on a few more times until a wise man looked at the fellow. “Let me see your glasses.” The critical man gave them to him. “What did you have for breakfast?” he asked. “Why cereal and milk,” he answered. The wise man laughed. Look at your glasses! They are speckled with milk! No wonder everything you look at appears as sour milk! Moshe knew that Jews inherently believe. However the suffering of hard work and the evil treatment of Egyptian masters tainted their faith.  But hard work alone does not taint faith. It is only when it is exasperated by the torment of the taskmasters, and their cruel taunts. How much more so, he figured, would Pharaoh be inattentive of the command thatHashem is in charge, and the Jews should be let free.  If hard work stains the thought process, blocking the beauty of Hashem’s word to filter through, how much more so does the idolatry and heresy of Pharaoh impede them from penetrating! We look at Hashem’s creation. We go to synagogue. We hear mussar. We read the prophets. But somehow it does not get through. The words are beautiful. Those who hear them can be inspired.  But so many impediments block our vision and our hearing. Our lifestyles. Our desires. Even our work. If we’d open our eyes we would see so much holiness! But only if their glasses are not tainted with sour milk. זה אחד מעשרה ק'ו שבתורה. רוצה לומר, שאל תאמר דהאי איך ישמענ

Some people simply never learn. For nearly a year, Pharaoh was relentlessly struck by one devastating plague after another, yet he stubbornly refused to let the Jewish people leave Egypt. Time and again, during each plague, he begged Moshe to intervene and put an end to the calamities afflicting his land. Though he made repeated promises to release the Jews, he never truly admitted fault or took responsibility. Each time disaster struck, Pharaoh implored Moshe to stop the suffering—but his stubbornness remained unshaken. וַיִּקְרָ֨א פַרְעֹ֜ה לְמֹשֶׁ֣ה וּֽלְאַהֲרֹ֗ן וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַעְתִּ֣ירוּ אֶל־יְהֹוָ֔ה וְיָסֵר֙ הַֽצְפַרְדְּעִ֔ים מִמֶּ֖נִּי וּמֵֽעַמִּ֑י וַאֲשַׁלְּחָה֙ אֶת־הָעָ֔ם וְיִזְבְּח֖וּ לַיהֹוָֽה׃ Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Plead with יהוה to remove the frogs from me and my people, and I will let the people go to sacrifice to Hashem .” Sometimes he would offer unrestricted freedom, only to renege when the plagues ceased. Never, except on one occasion, did Pharaoh admit that G-d was correct and he was corrupt. That exception was the plague of hail. In fact, the plague of hail was so powerful that evenHashem Himself categorized it in a unique way. Moshe quoted Hashem to Pharaoh כִּ֣י ׀ בַּפַּ֣עַם הַזֹּ֗את אֲנִ֨י שֹׁלֵ֜חַ אֶת־כׇּל־מַגֵּפֹתַי֙ אֶֽל־לִבְּךָ֔ וּבַעֲבָדֶ֖יךָ וּבְעַמֶּ֑ךָ בַּעֲב֣וּר תֵּדַ֔ע כִּ֛י אֵ֥ין כָּמֹ֖נִי בְּכׇל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ For this time I will send all My plagues upon your person, and your courtiers, and your people, in order that you may know that there is none like Me in all the world. https://www.sefaria.org/Exodus.9.14 Why did Hashem consider the hail a more powerful act than His turning water into blood, or delivering pestilence, or wild animals or frogs?  True, the hail did miraculously contain a fire ensconced in the ice, but all the plagues had miraculous attributes to them. Turning the Nile into blood is not an everyday occurrence either! What characteristic did the hail have to label it “all my plagues?” Even more troubling is Pharaoh’s response. After the plague strikes Egypt  וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח פַּרְעֹ֗ה וַיִּקְרָא֙ לְמֹשֶׁ֣ה וּֽלְאַהֲרֹ֔ן וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֖ם חָטָ֣אתִי הַפָּ֑עַם יְהֹוָה֙ הַצַּדִּ֔יק וַאֲנִ֥י וְעַמִּ֖י הָרְשָׁעִֽים׃ Thereupon Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron and said to them, “I stand guilty this time. Hashem is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong. https://www.sefaria.org/Exodus.9.27 What caused Pharaoh to utter those submissive words at this particular time? Didn’t he already see blood, frogs, pestilence, boils, wild animals, and a host of different miraculous misfortunes that befell his people? What was so special about the fire and ice that fell from the heavens that charred even this man’s cruel temper? Being that I furnish hotels, Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky reminded me of an interesting story.  one of America’s wealthiest and most prominent families during the Gilded Age, was infamous for its internal feuds. William had a contentious relationship with his aunt, Caroline.  Caroline was the reigning queen of New York high society and fiercely protective of her social standing. She maintained the famous “Four Hundred”—a list of New York’s elite families, which she deemed the only ones worth associating with. William’s father, John, was snubbed by Caroline and excluded from her inner circle, which deeply offended William. This feud sowed the seeds of bitterness between William and Caroline. In 1890, William inherited over 100 million dollars, his father’s vast fortune, becoming one of the wealthiest men in America. However, his disdain for Caroline and his general frustration with American society led him to relocate to England, where he became a British citizen and later a peer, earning the title Viscount. Before leaving New York, William sought a way to spite his aunt. He decided to demolish his family mansion, which stood next to Caroline’s grand residence on Fifth Avenue, and replace it with something that would disrupt her genteel lifestyle. In 1893, William built a Hotel on the site of his former mansion. It was a luxurious, 13-story hotel, towering over Caroline’s home at 350 Fifth Avenue. It had 530 rooms, 350 baths, and a whopping 970 employees. The Hotel catered to the new wealthy elite—industrialists and financiers whom Caroline often dismissed as vulgar “new money.” The hotel was seen as a deliberate affront to Caroline, whose home was now overshadowed by the bustling activity of a high-end hotel. It was an audacious move, as Fifth Avenue was still a residential area at the time. Caroline, never one to back down, responded by encouraging her son, John(William’s cousin), to build his own rival hotel. In 1897, John constructed a Hotel, an equally opulent structure, right next to the cousins. The two buildings stood side by side, separated only by a narrow alleyway, symbolizing the bitter divide between the two branches of the family. Realizing the potential for profit, Williams manager brought the t

 The interaction between manand the **Nachash (serpent)** in the Garden of Eden is a pivotal moment in theTorah that introduces confusion and inconsistency into the world. Here's how itunfolds:     ### **The Temptation**  In Genesis 3, the Nachashtempts Eve to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, despite God'scommand not to do so. The Nachash convinces Eve that eating the fruit will makeher like God, knowing good and evil.     ### **The Consequences**  When Eve eats the fruit andgives some to Adam, they both become aware of their nakedness and feel shame.This marks the introduction of **sin and moral confusion** into the world.Before this event, Adam and Eve lived in a state of innocence and clarity. The yetzerhara (evil inclination) now becomes internalized.      The Talmud and Midrashelaborate on the Nachash's role in introducing confusion. The **yetzer hara**is seen as a force that causes people to rationalize sinful behavior,convincing them that what is wrong is actually right. This inner conflict leadsto inconsistency in thoughts and actions.     In Kabbalistic thought, theNachash represents a cosmic force of chaos and deception. By tempting Eve, theNachash brings about a spiritual dissonance that affects all of humanity,leading to a struggle between good and evil within each person.  I would like to begin wherewe left of last week:     Chava's decision to eat fromthe Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, after being tempted by the Nachash,introduces confusion and moral ambiguity into the world. This act represents amoment of weakness and inconsistency, as she wavers from God's command.     - **Consequences**: Heractions lead to the introduction of sin and the yetzer hara (evil inclination)into humanity, resulting in a lasting struggle between good and evil withineach person.     The rabbis tell us that thisspiritual impurity of the Nachash became a part of her first child Kayin andextends into his prodigy.      As we read last week, Themidwives, Shifrah and Puah, defied Pharaoh's order to kill the Hebrew newborns,showing unwavering commitment to preserving life. Similarly, Batya, Pharaoh'sdaughter, defied her father's decree by rescuing and raising Moses, a Hebrewbaby.     - **Steadfastness**: Thesewomen exemplified moral clarity and steadfastness, choosing to act according totheir principles, even in the face of potential consequences. Their actionswere guided by a strong sense of justice and compassion.     We also mentioned that we seethis moral clarity embodied in Moshe in the first three stories      The Egyptian beating Datan  Datan and Aviram fighting  Rescuing the daughters ofYitro      While Chava's actions broughtabout moral confusion and an internal struggle, the actions of the midwives andBatya brought about clarity and righteousness. They acted with unwaveringcommitment to their beliefs, showcasing the power of steadfastness.     Chava's story reminds us ofthe potential consequences of wavering from moral clarity and succumbing totemptation. It highlights the importance of maintaining steadfastness in ourfaith and actions.     These contrasting narrativesoffer valuable lessons on the significance of consistency, moral clarity, andsteadfastness in our lives.     At the beginning of thismonth, we delved into the kavanot, the thoughts one should have transitioningfrom Kislev to this dark and cold month of Tevet and in attempting to bring thelight of Hanukah into the darkness of Esav’s month and into our lives     This Shabbat we will announceRosh Hodesh Shevat. Shevat is a very powerful month. Shevat is when wecommemorate the Yahrzeit of my Rabbi and my father. Three of my dad’s siblingspassed away in Shevat along with my uncle Hymie Gindi. But Shevat is powerfulas a transition for the Jewish people. Rosh Hodesh is next Thursday.      I recall that we used to sayjust as Tu BeAb breaks the judgement of the summer and brings us into theHoliday season, the same of Rosh Hodesh Shevat which breaks the din of thewinter and brings us into the Pesach Holiday season with something every twoweeks until summer      RH  Tu Bishvat  Rosh Hodesh  Purim or Purim Kattan in leapyear   RH  Pesach   Shevii  RH  Lag BaOmer   We can add Yom HaAtzmaut and   Yom Yerushalayim   RH  And Shavuot through 13th     Understand Rosh ChodeshShevat     We have discussed many timesthat the Kavana   The thought one must have inMUSAF   Each month different      Crucial   Mekadesh Yisrael ve RashaiChodashim  Must visualize Hashems name     And each month we visualize abit differently &n

וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֵלָ֖יו אֲנִ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃ God spoke to Moses and said to him, “I am יהוה. https://www.sefaria.org/Exodus.6.2 וידבר אלהים וגו'. צריך לדעת מה דיבר אלהים. גם הודעת אני ה' אחר שכבר אמר לו למעלה זכרון השם ואמר לו (ג טו) זה שמי לעלם.  וידבר אלוקים אל משה, G'd spoke sternly to Moses, etc. Why did the Torah not tell us what G'd said? Besides, why did G'd refer to Himself as י־ה־ו־ה after He had already told Moses who He was in 3,15? At that time He had added: 'this is My name forever!' Why then did He have to tell Moses at this juncture אני ה׳? https://www.sefaria.org/Or_HaChaim_on_Exodus.6.2.1 אכן להיות שדיבר משה לפני אל נורא ואיום דברים שאינם מהמוסר ובפרט לפני מלך גדול, ודבר זה נמשך לצד שהראה לו פנים צוחקות פנים שמחות הרשומים בשם הוי'ה, לזה הראהו ה' פנים של מורא שהם בחינת הדין הרשומים בשם אלהים, והוא אומרו וידבר אלהים אל משה. ושיעור אומרו וידבר אלהים הוא כי הכתוב יגיד שהיה ה' מדבר כל הדברים האמורים בפרשה בבחינת שם אלהים שהם פנים המפחידים ומרעידים את הנדבר אליו. Inasmuch as Moses had spoken in an unseemly manner in the presence of the Almighty, something that he never would have dared to do if G'd had not previously shown him His smiling face as represented by the attribute י־ה־ו־ה, G'd had to show him a different attribute i.e. אלוקים before answering him in detail. The Torah introduces this chapter (from verse 2) by letting us know that G'd spoke in His capacity as the attribute of Justice, i.e. אלוקים. https://www.sefaria.org/Or_HaChaim_on_Exodus.6.2.2 ואומרו ויאמר אליו אני ה' פירוש על דרך אומרם (ברכות ל':) במקום גילה שם תהא רעדה, נתכוון לומר לו כי הגם כי הראהו מדת הרחמים בדברו עמו לא מפני זה יסיר מסוה הפחד וידבר בלא מורא מלכות שמים, וזה לך האות כי ה' הוא האלהים שהרי הוא מדבר עמו בפנים הנוראים והבן: When G'd appears to make a turnabout at the end of our verse and refers to Himself as the attribute of Mercy this is in line with the principle expressed in Berachot 30 that 'wherever there is גלה, joy in one's relationship with G'd, there must be רעדה, fear or dread, simultaneously.' Although G'd had previously displayed His attribute of Mercy this did not mean that man should not display an appropriate degree of trepidation when facing Him. https://www.sefaria.org/Or_HaChaim_on_Exodus.6.2.3 עוד ירצה על זה הדרך וידבר אלהים פי' דבר אתו משפט ומה הוא המשפט כי טענו טענה הנשמעת ואמר אני ה' פי' איך אתה מייחס לי מדה רעה ב'מ ותאמר אלי למה הרעתה והלא אני ה' ומדתי מדת החסד והרחמים וטוב אני לכל, וכמו שכן אמר הנביא (איכה ג') מפי עליון לא תצא הרעות כי אם הטובות, ומה שאמר שם והטוב הוא על בחינת פרט טוב אחד שהוא להיות אדם צדיק לא יגזור ה' דבר כן אלא ביד כל אדם לבחור בטוב. ותמצא שבכל פעם שיזכיר ה' זכרון תשלום הרע לעושי רשעה ידקדק לומר (ש'א כד) כי מרשעים יצא רשע וכן הוא אומר (ידמי' ב') תיסרך רעתך, (ישעי' ס'ד) ותמוגנו ביד עונינו, (איוב ח׳:ד׳) וישלחם ביד פשעם, מה שאין כן הטוב (תהלים פ'ה) ה' יתן הטוב, (שם קמ'ה) טוב ה' לכל, ומעתה לו יהיה שעברה צרה על ישראל מי יודע אם היו חייבין כן ועונם גרם או לצד הקודם לתשלום גזירת העינוי, או לצד קצת מהם שלא האמינו כראוי וכדומה, והנך רואה כי הזקנים חזרו לאחוריהם ולא הלכו עם משה לפני פרעה כאומרם ז'ל (שמו'ר פ'ה) והקפיד ה' עליהם באופן כי מהם יצא להם דבר זה, ואיך הוציא מפיו דברים נכרים לומר למה הרעתה. Our verse may also be understood thus: וידבר אלוקים, G'd spoke to Moses on matters of justice. Since G'd wanted Moses to know that his argument had been heard and considered, He added: אני השם. The use of this attribute at this juncture is equivalent to G'd asking Moses: 'how could you attribute to Me a negative virtue such as being the originator of harm befalling My people? My outstanding characteristic is the sttribute of חסד, love, mercy, etc.' Even the prophet Jeremiah has already made it plain that evil never originates with G'd (compare Lamentations 3,38: 'Evil does not originate from G'd (but only Good).' The letter ו in front of the word והטוב in the verse in Lamentations refers to the fact that G'd does not interfere if a person wants to be good or evil. These decisions are up to each individual. It is up to man to choose good rather than evil. When you study the Bible you will find that whenever G'd mentions that the wicked are being remembered when they receive their deserts, the Bible underlines that the evil they are being punished for is of their own making. Compare in this respect Samuel I 24,13: 'Wicked deeds come from wicked men.' Jeremiah 2,19: 'Your evil deeds will cause you to be disciplined.' Isaiah 64,6: 'You have made us melt because of our iniquities.' There are many more similar quotations in the Bible. In view of this what gave Moses the right to assume that the Israelites' additional hardships were not due to something they had done themselves? It is also possible that the Israelites had not yet been adequately punished for whatever they had been guilty of prior to Moses' appointment. Perhaps some of the people had even become guilty of lack of faith after Moses had accredited himself as their prophet and leader. Your best proof that

He said to Abram, 'Know with certainty that your children will be strangers in a land which is not theirs — they will serve them, and they will afflict them — four hundred years.' (Bereishis 15:13) The 'Covenant Between the Pieces' between God and Avram demonstrated the power of offerings, brought with proper intent, to keep the Jewish people on the level at which they would deserve to retain control over Eretz Yisrael. The climax of this covenant was God's announcement to Avram that, nonetheless, before his descendants would be able to enter the Land, they would first have to go through a purifying process of exile to bring them up to the necessary level. This would have three distinct stages, each one more difficult than the one before: First, 'Your children will be strangers in a land which is not theirs,' without specific suffering, but subject to the whims of the local rulers. This stage would begin with Yitzchak Avinu himsel, who had strife with the Philistine king and his people, something that never happened to Avraham. The experience of being strangers would take away something of their sense of freedom, prompting them to turn their minds toward awareness of God, since they would perceive the limits of their own power. Next, 'They will serve them.' After the deaths of the sons of Yaakov, the Jews in Egypt began to work for Pharaoh, first willingly as part of a general work tax imposed by the government, and afterward through coercion. Slavery would weaken their tendency to pursue material possessions as an end, and make them more spiritual in that aspect of their themselves. The last stage would be, 'They willaffict them,' this time phrased in terms of what the Egyptians would do to them, since it would be imposed on them involun-tarly. This suffering would help them to conquer the desire for physical pleasures, reaching the level of true sacrifice for God. SEE MALBIM

What does it mean that Yaakov Never Died? Didnt we embalm and bury him? Was that a body double? What does Emet - Truth have to do with immortality?  What is the significance of swearing under the thigh?   

 There is a thought that when I seesomeone else’s candle and it is not lit or its flickering, I have aresponsibility to light their candle. People sometimes fear that lightingsomeone else’s candle will diminish my own, but in fact it’s just the opposite,not only do I not diminish my own, but I am bringing more light to the world.Yesterday our family had the unfortunate task to bury our cousin, RhondaShoshana bat Frieda - Rhonda Tawil A'H     Rhonda was someone who suffered for manyyears, but she always had a smile and cared about everyone else bringing lightto all      We don’t eulogize on Rosh Hodesh andmore so on Hanukkah, but these words of Torah I believe reveal some of heressence and a lesson to all of us.      Each month in Musaf of Rosh Hodesh wehave a Kavana or though to modify the permutation of the name of Havaya in theblessing of the month. Each of these permutations relates to a verse from theTanachand helps us to understand what we hope to accomplish in the month.     The verse for Tevet is a verse wemention when we take the Torah from the Ark.      גַּדְּל֣וּ לַהֹ’ אִתִּ֑יוּנְרוֹמְמָ֖ה שְׁמ֣וֹ יַחְדָּֽו׃      Exalt the LORD with me; let us extol Hisname together.     The Benai Yissaschar suggests that ourgoal is to draw the ligh of Chanukah into the darkness of the month of Tevet.We do this on Rosh Hodesh and also tonight when we complete the lighting withZot Chanukah.     The Talmudtells of Adam and this month of Tevet. Adam saw that from the time of creation throughwinter each day became shorter and worried that the light of the world wascoming to an end. Once he saw that the season of Tevet, i.e., the wintersolstice, had arrived, and saw that the day was progressively lengthening afterthe solstice, he said: Clearly, the days become shorter and then longer, andthis is the order of the world. He went and observed a festival for eight days.Upon the next year, he observed both these eight days on which he had fasted onthe previous year which preceded the solstice and these eight days of hiscelebration, as days of festivities. He, Adam, established these festivals forthe sake of Heaven, but they, the gentiles of later generations, establishedthem for the sake of idol worship.      The fast of theTenth of Tevet (this year we will observe it on the 10th of January,2025) commemorates the beginning of the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem, whichled to the destruction of the First Temple. This day is the first—in terms ofthe chronological order of the events it commemorates—of four fast days thatdenote the stages of the destruction of the First Temple, as follows:      10 Tevet: Babylonian siege ofJerusalem begins   17 Tammuz: The walls of Jerusalem arebreached two and a half years later   9 Av (Tisha B’Av): The destruction ofthe First Temple by the Babylonians. Many years later, the Romans destroyed theSecond Temple on the very same date.   3 Tishrei: (the Fast of Gedalyah). Themurder of Gedalyah ben Achikam, who was the governor of the survivors whoremained in the Land of Israel after the exile to Babylon. His murdersymbolized the completion of the destruction and the beginning of the exile.     In days o0f old, some fasted on the 8th,9th and 10th of tevet. A three day Fast in this month ofdarkness commemorating three tragic events as the Tallmud explains.     The first event is the Torah’stranslation into Greek, known as the Septuagint. The completion of thistranslation took place on the 8th day of Tevet, but the sources write that theevent darkened the world for three days, precisely until the Tenth of Tevet.Indeed, the 8th and 9th of Tevet are defined as “fasts of tzaddikim”, and thisis why in previous eras, righteous individuals would fast all three days in arow.      The second event in close proximity tothe Tenth of Tevet is the birth of Yehoshua the Nazarene. There is a Jewishtradition that identifies his birth with the 9th day of Tevet (and even claimsthat the persecution of the Jews in his name is one of the reasons for settingthe fast on this day).     Translating the Torah into Greek and thinkone can understand it, waters down the Torah. I know of many non-Jews who canquote chapter and verse, but without the oral tradition understand nothing. AndChristianity is an attempt to water down Jewry by replacing 613 misvot with onedirective. These are attempts to destroy the oral Torah.      The rabbis explain that the lawsrelating to Hanukah are in essence revealing the light of the oral Torah.(Rabbi Farhi has a great class called Chanukah: Generating Miracles whichexplains this idea – Thanks Jonah for sharing).       In megilat Esther, we read: So Estherwas taken to king Aĥashverosh into his royal house in the tenth month, which isth

 A Yearfor a Word – Why?  In our classthis week on Miketz, we looked at the concept of memory and forgetting (pleasesee that class online).   The classdeals with the concept of memory.   The butlerforgets to mention Yosef.   Pharaohforgets the dreams meaning.  Yosef isreleased on Yom Ha-zikaron- Rosh Hashana - the day of memory.   Yosefconnects to Pharaohs dream.   But whywould a former slave interpreting a dream be placed in charge of the entirecountry?  His brothersdon’t recognize Joseph.   Herecognizes them.   He remembersthe dream.   How doesmemory zecher relate to zachar which relates to male ? And how do both relateto Binah which relates to female ?  And how doesany of this relate to the candles of Hanukkah.        We ended theclass with a question: Why are Yosef and Yaakov both punished with the loss ofa year for a word?  Let us firstsee where these occur.  This week,the Torah begins: וַיְהִ֕י מִקֵּ֖ץ שְׁנָתַ֣יִם יָמִ֑ים וּפַרְעֹ֣ה חֹלֵ֔ם וְהִנֵּ֖העֹמֵ֥ד עַל־הַיְאֹֽר׃ After two years’ time, Pharaoh dreamed that he wasstanding by the Nile.  Two yearsafter what?  If we returnto the last verse of last week’s parasha, we see it was two years since the SarHaMashkim – the butler was released. The pasuk states: וְלֹֽא־זָכַ֧ר שַֽׂר־הַמַּשְׁקִ֛יםאֶת־יוֹסֵ֖ף וַיִּשְׁכָּחֵֽהוּ׃ {פ} Yet the chief cupbearer did not think ofJoseph; he forgot him.  Rashicomments: Joseph’s request to the cupbearer, “But remember me when it is wellwith you, and please show kindness to me; make mention of me to Pharaoh…” isseen as a lapse in his faith. The Midrash interprets that because Joseph askedtwice—“remember me” and “make mention of me”—he was punished with twoadditional years in prison, one for each plea.  Chizkunistates: “But the chief of the cupbearers did not remember Joseph. Since he didnot bring Joseph’s plight to Pharaoh’s attention as soon as he had beenreleased, he forgot him totally, erased him from his memory.”  MidrashTanchuma disagrees, as we mentioned in the class. The butler tried each day toremind himself to tell Pharaoh, but no matter his reminders, he forgets, asHeaven ordained it as such that Joseph be punished for these two words.  RegardingJoseph, we also see it suggested that his first 10 years in prison were midahkeneged midah – measure for measure – in his criticism of his 10 brothers. Andthen two more years for two words to the butler?  Now we askedthe question in the class, isn’t Hishtadlut, human effort, required? And we aretold one request would have been sufficient. The double wording resulted in thepunishment.  Next week,we will read in Vayigash where Jacob is introduced to Pharaoh, who asks whatwould seem to be a very strange question: How old are you?  Jacobdescribes his life to Pharaoh, where the exchange uses 33 words to convey hishardships. The Midrash suggests that as a consequence of this negativeportrayal, 33 years were deducted from his life, resulting in his death at 147instead of 180, the age his father Isaac reached.  MidrashTanchuma, Vayigash 9: “Because Jacob complained and said, ‘Few and evil havebeen the days of the years of my life,’ the years were deducted from his life.”  Rashi: “Thedays of my life have been few and bad—therefore, he did not reach the years ofhis fathers.”  Although thequestion we are hoping to answer is a year for a word, let us try to betterunderstand this exchange and why Yaakov is punished not only for his 25 wordsbut for the 8 describing the exchange.  The Rambanand Rashbam explain that Yaakov looked extremely old, and his appearance struckPharaoh so much that he was aroused to ask how old Yaakov actually was. Yaakovanswered him that although he was very old, he looked even older due to themany difficulties that he underwent in his life.  It stillremains difficult why Yaakov offered such a seemingly pessimistic answer. Myfirst thought was always, Pharaoh represents the Nachash with a snake and anevil eye prominent on his crown. Maybe this was Yaakov’s attempt to throw offthe evil eye or ayin harah. I had no source, but was happy when I saw that RavYonatan Gefen quotes Rabbi Aharon Leib Shteinman, who suggests that Yaakov didnot want to arouse the jealousy of Pharaoh, so he emphasized the difficultiesof his life. If that was the case, then why was he punished?  It seemsthat regardless of the reason for his answer, the Sages are critical of Yaakov.The Daat Zekeinim cite an astounding Midrash: 'At the time that Yaakovsaid, 'few and bad have been the days of my life', The Holy One said to him, 'Isaved you from Esav and Lavan, I returned Dina to you, and also Yosef, and youcomplain about your life that they were few and bad?! By your life, the numberof words from 'and [Pharaoh] said, until the 'days of their sojourns' so toowill be reduced from your years, that you will not live to the age of you

Based on Shvilei Pinchas 

Dinah, the box, the donkey and Rabbi Akiva .... The story is from the Torah portiona of Vayishlach and questions the midrash where Jacob hides Dinah his daughter in a box, then later on when Rachel requests the mandrakes from leah, leah goes out to meet Yaakov. Dinah is compared to leah, but how? Dinah conceives Yissachar who is compared to a donkey and becomes the scholar of Benai Yisrael. Both shechem and the donkey relate to Rabbi Akiva who at the end is a tikkun for all 

 This week’s parsha is parshas Vayeitzei. We are going tofocus on the fascinating journey of the stone that Yaakov Avinu placed beneathhis head when he slept at the site of the future Mikdash. Subsequently, he tookthat stone and consecrated it as a monument to become the House of G-d. Thisjourney begins with the opening pesukim of the parsha (Bereishis 28, 10):     וַיֵּצֵ֥א יַעֲקֹ֖ב מִבְּאֵ֣ר שָׁ֑בַע וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ חָרָֽנָה׃   Jacob left Beer-sheba, and set out for Haran.   וַיִּפְגַּ֨ע בַּמָּק֜וֹם וַיָּ֤לֶן שָׁם֙ כִּי־בָ֣אהַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ וַיִּקַּח֙ מֵאַבְנֵ֣י הַמָּק֔וֹם וַיָּ֖שֶׂם מְרַֽאֲשֹׁתָ֑יווַיִּשְׁכַּ֖ב בַּמָּק֥וֹם הַהֽוּא׃   He came upon a certain place and stopped there for thenight, for the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of that place, he put itunder his head and lay down in that place.    Rashi comments: AND PUT THEM FOR ARESTING PLACE FOR HIS HEAD — He arranged them in the form of a drain-pipearound his head for he was afraid of wild beasts (Genesis Rabbah 68:11). They(the stones) began quarrelling with one another. One said, “Upon me let thisrighteous man rest his head”, and another said “Upon me let him rest it”.Whereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, straightway made them into one stone!This explains what is written (Genesis 28:18), “And he took the stone that hehad put under his head” (Chullin 91b).   CHIZKUNI: ויקח מאבני המקום, “he took some of the stoneslying around on that place” (to make some kind of headrest for himself).According to tradition these stones had been part of the altar on which hisfather Yitzchok had been bound on the occasion of the Akeydah. According toRashi, during the night these stones fused so that when he awoke there was onlyone stone. We have a tradition also that the meaning of this phenomenon wasthat Yaakov’s children as opposed to those of his father and grandfather, wouldall remain true to their father’s religious outlook. Some commentators(Rash’bam) claim that Yaakov had taken only a single stone and that this is thereason why the Torah wrote immediately after these words: (after he awoke) “hetook the stone which he had placed as his headrest.”   KLI YAKAR: and he took some of the stones of the place andplaced them at his head - After it was known to him that this place would bethe House of Gd which dims the sphere of the sun, therefor he took some of thestones of the place and set them as a guard to his head in order to show how hecherished their sanctity as it says “For Your servants desired its stones…”(Tehillim 102:15) He took twelve stones parallel to the twelve tribes as itsays in the midrash (Bereshit Raba 68:11) that the stones argued, each onesaying ‘let the righteous one rest his head on me!’ until they became onestone. This was a hint for the future as the writer of the Guide to thePerplexed wrote, that this is why the Holy One hid this place which would bethe location of the Holy Temple and the King’s palace – in order that there notbe argument between the tribes, each desiring that holy place to be theirs.Also for the sake of peace, as it says “But only to the place which the Lordyour God shall choose from all your tribes…” (Devarim 12:5) And it is written“But only in the place the Lord will choose in one of your tribes…” (Devarim12:14) How is this? When David purchased the threshing floor from Aravna theYevusi, he collected the money from all of the tribes, as Rashi explains there(see Shmuel II 24:24). If this is so, then the argument between the stoneswhich ended in their becoming one stone was sign for the future, that so toowill be the argument between the crown jewels, the twelve tribes of Gd, thateach tribe will say let the righteous One of the world rest His head upon me,referring to the Holy Temple as it says “As a Throne of Glory, exalted from thebeginning, so is the place of our Sanctuary.” (Yirmiyahu 17:12) In the end theywere made as one stone when David collected the gold from all of them. Aboutthis stone it is said regarding the building of the Second Temple “Who are you,O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you sink to a plain! He will bring out thestone of the main architect, with shouts of grace, grace to it.” (Zechariah4:7) When it says that He will bring out the stone of the main architect (evenrosha) it means the stone which was at the head (rosh) of Yaakov. Bring it outto build the foundation for the Palace of Gd. Yaakov made a bed from it to lieupon in order that it be a sign that this will be 'the bed which is to Shlomo'(Song of Songs 3:7) – the king to whom peace belongs, as Rashi explained inShir HaShirim on the verse “Behold the bed of Shlomo…”  TUR HA’AROCH: קח מאבני המקום, “he took from the stones ofthat place, etc.” According to the plain meaning of the text, he took a singleone of these stones. The sages explaining the allegorical meaning of the text,say that Yaakov took quite a number of such stones, but that these stonesmiraculous

 Eliphaz, Poverty, Wealth and Onkelos   There are those who enjoy the luxury of traveling firstclass and there are those who would rather endure a few hours with the worstairline sitting in the worst seat if it saves them a few bucks. What a contrasttwo seats and two airlines can make in travel. We see that same contrast in“flights” from Israel up to Syria in these parshiot. Two weeks ago we read of the servant ofAbraham going up to Syria to find a wife for Isaac. He takes with him a caravanof ten camels along with servants, gold, silver, jewelry, clothing, gifts,fruits and delicacies. First class goingand coming.   Last week, Isaac commanded his son Jacob to go up to Syriafor the same purpose. Upon Jacob’s arrival, Laban comes to greet him. AlthoughEliezer came almost 100 years prior, Laban remembers that wealth and wonderswhere can Jacob be hiding the jewels? He hugs him and kisses him, but as thepolice warn tourists, sometimes a hug is just a pickpocket practicing theircraft. Laban finds nothing and wonders. Yaakov tells him what happened.   Isaac would certainly not send Jacob empty handed, butalong the way Jacob was robbed and left with nothing, not even the clothes onhis back. The verse in Psalms reads, Esa Eynay El HeHarim – I raise my eyes tothe mountains. Where will help come from? The Midrash elaborates instead ofHarim, read Horim. Jacob is pleading to Hashem that he raises his eyes to hisparents, to Eliezer’s search for a wife for his father Isaac. Here he ispenniless, where will his ezri – help or perhaps his “Eliezer” come from?   So what happened? The rabbis explain that Esav bound hisson Eliphaz with an oath to slay Jacob. He reminds Eliphaz that with Jacob’sdeath the birthright would be taken by them with all its rewards. Eliphazhaving grown on the lap of Isaac his grandfather is concerned with what wasrequired of him and turns to his concubine Timna. Recall that Timna was aPrincess, but she wanted to convert. She came to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob [toconvert] but they would not accept her. She then became a concubine to Eliphazthe son of Esau. She said that it was better to be a maidservant to this nationrather than to be a powerful woman in another nation.   She suggested that Eliphaz come up with some way to avoidkilling Jacob. Eliphaz with mixed emotions pursues his uncle, who undoubtedlywas his teacher as well. He is committed to respecting his father and tohonoring his vow. Is there a way out he must wonder?   When they meet, Jacob implores Eliphaz not to kill him and giveshim everything he had with him. Jacob tells Eliphaz, “Take what I have, for apoor man is counted as dead – (thus I can remain alive and you will havefulfilled in some way your vow).”   Rabbi Pinches Friedman,( a most captivating teacher and thesource for this week’s lesson) explainsthe above and then quoting the Chiddushei HaRim suggests that Hashemorchestrated that Yaakov would face the ordeal of poverty which is a test offaith and a test of maintaining truth and honesty. Through Jacob’s success, hepaved the way for all Israel to withstand the test of poverty.  The Ketav Sofer goes further and explains that Jacob facedthis test of poverty in order for him to be able to withstand the test ofwealth which he would face in Haran. The test of wealth he suggests is evengreater, because the poor man always looks to G-d. The wealthy man forgets Him.  We will read next week that “the sun rose for him (Jacob)”.And the Rabbis ask. Did the sun not rise for everyone? They answer just as wesee at the outset of this week’s portion that the sun set quickly inanticipation of the dream with the ladder, so the sun rose quickly. The rabbisquoting the Mishna teach, ““Whoever fulfills the Torah in a state of povertywill ultimately fulfill it in wealth.” They explain that just as the sun, hiswealth, was quickly wiped away as a setting sun, his wealth would come quicklyas the rising sun. If one can succeed in poverty maintaining faith and honesty,he will succeed as a wealthy man, be it more difficult, as well.   But what became of Eliphaz? Why should I care? Is someonerewarded for not killing? If we consider that killing was certainly inEliphaz’s nature with Esav as his father and Amalek as his son, then perhaps inovercoming his nature, he should be greatly rewarded? Furthermore we read, “Theworld rests on three pillars—on the Torah, on the “avodah” (the sacredservice), and on “gemilut chasadim – kind deeds”. The last is Abraham whowelcomed and entertained guests. Yitzchak Avinu, who was bound on the alter asa korban, represents the sacrificial service. Jacob who is Yoshev Ohalim represents the pillar of Torah. So in overcoming his command and his naturein not killing Jacob, Eliphaz saved the pillar of Torah.   Rabbi Yochanan said: HKB”H does not withhold the reward ofany creature, even the reward for refined speech. We find in the book of Iyov –Job that among the colleagues who res

 Thisweek we read the Akeydah. The Akeydah or binding of Isaac is something soimportant to us that we recall it in detail in our daily prayers. We alsorecall it specifically on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur to protect, defend andstand in merit for us.      Thestory we think we know: Hashem tells Abraham to take Yishak as an offering.They go together to the mount. Abraham binds Isaac to the alter and at the lastminute is stopped by an angel. A ram is offered in Isaac’s stead. Hashem makesa promise to Abraham and they return home.      That’sthe story my 4 year old granddaughter will tell in Parsha with Orly Adele iin amix of Hebrew and English this week. And the story we heard at four is the onewe continue to hear, But there is much more to the story      Manyquestions are asked      Forexample at the end of the Akeyda the passuk tells us      וישבאברהם אל נעריו       Allthe commentators ask. And where was Yishak?      Thereare many Midrashim relating to the Akeyda      Afamous one recalls Satan’s attempt to stop it.     Realizingthe importance of the Akeydah to the future of Benai Yisrael and the merit andprotection it will provide, the midrashim expand on the attempt of the Satan toprevent Abraham and Isaac from going through with the sacrifice.      Whatshould have been an 8 hour walk from Hebron to mount Moriah, became a three-daytrek through impossible conditions brought on by the Satan. He triespsychological arguments imploring Abraham that he could not have possibly heardwhat he thought he heard.   Hecalls him a fool who dreamed up a god who would ask him to kill a son given tohim at 100 years of age. He uses an intellectual quarrel arguing that prophecyis imperfect and there is room for interpretation. He threatens him that hewill be liable for murder.      Whenthat fails, he turns to Isaac and pleads with him to come to his sensesexplaining that his father is certainly senile if he thinks G-d would ask himto sacrifice his only son. He tells Isaac to think of his poor mother. Hereminds him that Yishmael will become the heir in his stead.      Hethen turns to physical impediments including transforming himself into animpassable river. Its only when the two of them attempt to continue onregardless that the river gives up. But does the Satan give up? I would suggestthat he does not and fulfilling his role in challenging man uses even moredrastic attempts.      Thereis the Disney G rated version of the Akeydah where only the ram gets killed(was Bambi G rated) and then there is an R rated version which we don’t usuallyhear about unless we get deep into the mefarshim. This R rated version hasSatan continue his pressure and would come with a warning note for violence.      Ifirst discovered this alternate version about 35 years ago. The Eben Ezracomments on the verse: “And Abraham returned”: He questions that it does notmention Issac …      Isaacis not mentioned because he was under Abraham’s care. Those who say thatAbraham slaughtered Isaac and left him on the altar and following this Isaaccame to life are contradicting Scripture. ttps://www.sefaria.org/Ibn_Ezra_on_Genesis.22.19.1     AndI said to myself what? What is he talking about? Someone says he didn’t stop?Someone says Abraham killed Isaac? I asked Rabbi Abittan for an explanation andbegan delving into the opinion carried not just by one, but we saw, by many andburied for various reasons which later became very obvious.      Butit soon became apparent that this other opinion was not very well hidden. Itwas more about being ignored as it was simply impossible to comprehend and wepreferred to stick with the kindergarten version.     Forexample, in the Meam Loez, a commentary on the Torah written specifically forthe religiously uneducated masses in 1730, Rav Yaakov Culi comments on thissame verse. “There is another opinion that Abraham did begin to slit Isaac’sthroat and actually perforated his windpipe. When Abraham looked up and saw theram, the angels swooped Isaac away, brought him to the Garden of Eden and lefthim there until he was completely healed.”      Atthe time we discussed with the Rabbi that Isaac’s soul had a partial flaw inthat his mother laughed when she heard she would become pregnant. The mekubalimalso explain that his soul was completely bound to the side of gevurah or whatwe call the feminine side and in order to correct his soul so that he couldhave children, the soul needed to return to heaven and be repaired beforereturning again. The repair including a meeting up with his mother Sarah’s soulas she dies at the exact same moment. A piece of her soul went into Isaac andanother part went into Rebecca who was born at that same mome

We read this week the portion of VaYera. Like lech lecha it is packed with stories and action.  Avraham experienced both humility and triumph this week. After receiving the extraordinary news of a child with Sarah, he faced disturbing news: Hashem planned to destroy Sodom. Despite its values opposing Avraham's teachings – kindness vs. selfishness, faith vs. heresy – Avraham didn't rejoice in Sodom's demise. Instead, he implored Hashem to spare them. “Will You stamp out the righteous together with the wicked? “Perhaps,” he cried “there are 50 righteous men in the city. Shall You not spare the city in the merit of the 50?” (cf. Genesis 18:23-24). But there were not 50, There were not 40. In fact, there were not even 10 and Avraham had no more bargaining chips. Hashem did not spare S’dom. Avraham lost his case.  The Torah tells us  וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ יְהֹוָ֔ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר כִּלָּ֔ה לְדַבֵּ֖ר אֶל־אַבְרָהָ֑ם וְאַבְרָהָ֖ם שָׁ֥ב לִמְקֹמֽוֹ׃ Having finished speaking to Abraham, יהוה departed; and Abraham returned to his place. What does the Torah mean, “Avraham returned to his place”? Where else should he go? To watch the fireworks that once was S’dom? Ohr Hachaim: G'd completed speaking with Abraham He left. The Torah reports that G'd did not even give Abraham a chance to plead further on behalf of a lesser number of righteous people. After all, Abraham said that he had used his final plea. Although the Zohar 1,82 suggests that the righteous is the foundation of the earth, i.e. that a single righteous person could save the rest of the world, this may apply only to an outstanding צדיק.  The doc mentioned  What if lot had gone left and sodom remained for Abraham?  Interesting what the ohr hachaim closes with :  Perhaps if Abraham had lived in Sodom, his presence could have sufficed to save the town. Rabbeinu_Bahya,_Bereshit_18.33.1 One may also understand the word למקומו as “to his customary preoccupation of entertaining visitors and guests.” Having fulfilled this מצוה in respect of the angels who had now departed he went back to his tent to look for other visitors to entertain.  This was Avraham’s central virtue and whenever he was able to practice it he is described as “being in his element”, i.e. במקומו.  Another way of explaining the word למקומו, is “to his regular emotional state.” As long as Avraham had been in a dialogue with G’d he was on a totally spiritual and intellectual level, not allowing for normal emotional responses which are part of the human condition. Now that the immediate benevolent presence of G’d had departed he resumed his customary frame of mind and his approach to matters of a more terrestrial nature.  The word מקומו של אדם “a person’s place,” defines the parameter within which certain people operate, are at home, and where they know their place within the society they live in. I think that this speak tremendous praise for the humility of Abraham.  Ani afar va’efer  Maybe between him and Hashem  But even in his relationship with people  Could have been so haughty I’m the survivor of ur kasdim  I’m the one Hashem speaks with but no  This is not the only time that Avraham returns. At the end of the portion, we read of Avraham’s great faith and fortitude. He is told by Hashem to sacrifice his only son, Yitzchak up on a mountain the Akeida. Unquestioning and determined, Avraham embarks to fulfill Hashem’s wishes.  After his success at the Akeyda  . Hashem promises to increase Avraham’s offspring like the stars, and declares that all the nations of the world will bless themselves by Avraham’s offspring. After the remarkable incident the Torah tells us that “ וַיָּ֤שׇׁב אַבְרָהָם֙ אֶל־נְעָרָ֔יו וַיָּקֻ֛מוּ וַיֵּלְכ֥וּ יַחְדָּ֖ו אֶל־בְּאֵ֣ר שָׁ֑בַע וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב אַבְרָהָ֖ם בִּבְאֵ֥ר שָֽׁבַע׃ {פ} Abraham then returned to his servants, and they departed together for Beer-sheba; and Abraham stayed in Beer-sheba. https://www.sefaria.org/Genesis.22.19 What does the Torah mean? Of course he returned. Should he stay on the mountain forever? Of course he returned! most of rabbis and commentators have something to say here  We’ll look later in the week But let me share a story told by rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky  Master at bring stories as parables    Rabbi Dovid Koppleman tells the story of Rabbi Abish, the Rav of Frankfurt who was known for his extraordinary humility. In addition, he would often raise funds for the needy families of his city. Once he heard that a wealthy man was on business in town and went to the man’s hotel suite to ask him for a donation. The tycoon was arrogant and assumed that the Rav was a poor shnorrer, and after a few moments drove him out of his room. A few minutes later the man went to leave his suite and looked for his silver cane. Noticing it was gone, he immediately suspected that Reb Abish took it during his brief visit. Quickly, the man bolted toward the lobby of the hotel where

 Life isfilled with crossroads. When we come to these crossroads, do we imagine thatwhen choosing left or right, even if the two paths veer only slightlydifferently from one another, do we realize that as we continue in a direction,our choices eventually bring us to totally different places.   Think aboutthe crossroads of your own life ?   Do I go tothis School or that   Do I marryhim or him   Do I go intothis business or that   Do we livehere or there   Each ofthose decisions sets us into a direction which brings us to other crossroadsand other directions.      Think of twolines on a piece of paper which start out together, then one veers one way andthe other, the opposite way. Can they meet again? Maybe? Or they go off thepaper never to see each other again.   One mayrepresent what we could have been had we taken certain crossroads and anotherthe road we actually take.   We canrarely be aware of the absolute consequences of each of those decisions at thetime we face them. Sometimes we think nothing of it, but that decision changedeverything.   In thetelevision series Star Trek there was something called the prime directivewarning not to interfere in the development of a planet. We see this also inscience fiction with time travel often called a temporal prime directive. Theidea is that one small amount of interference, one seemingly inconsequentialmeddling and redirection can potentially shift an entire society or world intoa different path.   In ourworld, Maamad Har Sinai – the revelation at Mount Sinai was Hashem shifting theworld and its reverberations are still being felt.   Moses tellsus   אֶֽת־הַדְּבָרִ֣יםהָאֵ֡לֶּה דִּבֶּר֩ הֹ’ אֶל־כׇּל־קְהַלְכֶ֜םבָּהָ֗ר מִתּ֤וֹךְ הָאֵשׁ֙ הֶֽעָנָ֣ן וְהָֽעֲרָפֶ֔ל ק֥וֹל גָּד֖וֹל וְלֹ֣א יָסָ֑ף  Rashi: Werender this in the Targum by ולא פסק “and He did not cease”, — as the Gemarahwrites in Sanhedrin: for His voice is strong and goes on continuously   In thisperasha which features the first words from Hashem to Abraham, advice was givenrelating to the path we take in life   Lech Lecha   On Saturdayevening when some went out for seuda shelishi, a few of us began discussing twostatements brought by the Zohar which some can suggest might be among the keyinstructions on living life and dealing with the crossroads we face.  I saw abeautiful statement from Rav Yakov Nagen  He writes:My teachers taught me that the first four parshiot of the book of Bereshit,“Bereshit,” “Noach,” “Lech Lecha” and “Vayera,” are a summarized guide tospiritual enlightenment. From one’s initial phase, “Bereshit,” one must come toa place of “Noach,” a place of calm and tranquility.   From therehe can continue to “Lech Lecha,” the phase of journey. The double language of“Lech Lecha,” “go unto yourself,” teaches that the journey is a journey inward,and through this process a person comes to “Vayera elav Hashem,” the revelationof G-d, enlightenment.   This week,parshat Lech Lecha, we will study the aspect of the journey itself.  The ZoharHaKadosh in one place explains that the double language of “lech lecha” callson a person to embark on a journey into himself: “lech lecha unto yourself…toknow and to fix yourself” (Lech Lecha 67b-68a).   In anawesome teaching in Orot HaKodesh, Rav Kook explains that when a person arrivesat an understanding of himself, he discovers Hashem  Rav Kookexplained that The sin of Adam HaRishon was that he became disconnected fromhis true self. He conceded to thesnake’s advice, lost his self-ness, and was thus unable to give a clear answerto [Hashem’s] question “Ayeka?” “Where are you?” for he did not know his ownsoul, for his true self was lost from him…   Rav Kookmakes a bold and awesome statement – when we seek and find the “I” ofourselves, recalling that we are all made BeSelem Elokim, in the image of G-dand I can add that Hashem blew into man and each of us our soul which is a partof Hashem, then we will discover that within me there is a Ani Hashem, “I am G-d;”. Part of the goal in life is todiscover that G-d is present within each of us.   But beforewe can get there, we need to get ourselves on the correct path? How can we helpourselves make the correct decisions in life?   וַיֹּ֤אמֶר   ה֙ אֶל־אַבְרָ֔ם לֶךְ־לְךָ֛ מֵאַרְצְךָ֥וּמִמּֽוֹלַדְתְּךָ֖ וּמִבֵּ֣ית אָבִ֑יךָ אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַרְאֶֽךָּ׃   Hashem saidto Abram, “Go forth from your native land and from your father’s house to theland that I will show you.  Our Rabbisteach us – see Maor Eynayim and Degel Machaneh - the Torah is eternal and isrelevant and applicable to every individual in every period of time.   Rav PinchasFriedman – The Shvilei Pinchas and our teacher who much of the learning isbased on tells us  It is,therefore, incumbent upon us to examine how this heavenly directive to Avram: “Gofor yourself from your land,” appli

For those who can join us today, we will discuss Yom Kippur on Shabbat , the neshama yetera or expansion of our soul on Shabbat and on “the Sabbath of Sabbaths” Yom Kippur. Our upper and lower souls before and after death and how they connect, and how this year with Shabbat and Kippur joining forces we have a tremendous ability to connect below to above bringing blessings and light to our souls for the year.

Notes available in PDF form 

In my class this week posted online, we spoke about joy and Rosh Hashana. A friend of mine found this class we gave 11 years ago at the beach where we present some great ideas on bringing joy into the holiday. I hope you will find it interesting 

 We Learnfrom the Fruit of the Earth to Reinvent Ourselves in the Month of Elul so thatWe Will Be New Creatures at Rosh HaShanah  Based onShvilei Pinchas – Rav Pinchas Friedman      I canstart with the story   Can aperson be reborn?  Lastnight Chantelle took me along to an Emunah Dinner. I say Chantelle took mebecause if she didn’t make me come out, I wouldn’t. She lights the fire.   Herfriends Liz Gindea and Fran Hirmes have been very involved with and generouslysupportive of the organization for years. Emunah funds a number of children’shomes in Israel, along with schools, an arts college, daycare services andthese days many mental health programs. My son in law, Daniel’s brother Michaelthrough his organization Kol HaNearim also works with these children’shomes.   Chantelleand all of my kids have volunteered and worked in some of these homes over theyears especially with Yehuda Kohen of Bet Elazraki.   At thedinner, a young lady spoke and shared her very moving story.   She grewup in the north of Israel in no mans land. Her mother did nothing and herfather raised goats. She was one of ten siblings. They had no rules, nodiscipline, no money, sometimes no food and ran amok. The kids sometimes foughtand often got in trouble.   When shewas ten, social services showed up. After investigating, they took some of heryounger siblings to be raised outside the house. She convinced them that sheshould stay. But her situation went from bad to worse and a few months laterthey came back and took her as well.  She wasplaced into one of Emunah’s homes and was angry with her situation and everyonearound her. She was angry that she had been taken from home. She was angry thather parents had not provided a real home. She was angry to be told when to wakeup and when to go to sleep. She was angry to be sent to school. She was angryto be pressed to do homework. She was angry that she was subject to structureand in her mind lost her freedom. She was depressed and alone in the world. Ateleven years old, she had reached rock bottom.  Butwithin a few weeks, things started to change. The people at the Emunah homemade her feel loved and wanted. She made friends in the home and at school. Thesocial workers and teachers encouraged her and in a short time she began tosoar as a phoenix rising from the ashes.   She wasencouraged to pursue drama studies and loved it. In 2013 she joined the armyand became a combat paramedic assisting injured soldiers and people in thefield, sometimes under fire. When she completed her army duty, she continuedher studies focusing on drama. She eventually went to work for channel 12 newsin Israel. She currently heads their social media team and pursues feel goodstories to help lift people.   Emunahbecame her family. Her goal is to raise her own family and break the cycle.   Her storywas very moving. Chantelle noted that she wished she could have her share herstory with our own community children in school. She would surely touch someand encourage others. Some might be lifted and others might consider assistingin the homes one summer. Perhaps we can get a video from Emunah and share that.  There isa beautiful story told of Rav Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev, a renowned Hasidicmaster, who was known for his compassion and ability to find sparks of holinessin every soul. One day, a poor, troubled Jew came to him, feeling hopeless andconsumed by darkness.  The rabbilistened attentively, then began to tell a story: 'In the summer, when thesun shines brightly, the grasshopper sings a beautiful song. But in the winter,when snow covers the earth, the grasshopper's song is silenced. Does this meanthe grasshopper has lost its ability to sing?'  The manshook his head.  'Ofcourse not!' the rabbi exclaimed. 'The grasshopper's song is stillwithin, waiting to emerge when the seasons change.'  The rabbilooked deeply into the man's eyes: 'Similarly, within you, there is aspark of divine light, a song waiting to be sung. Though darkness may surroundyou now, it's temporary, like winter's snow. Your task is to find that innerlight, nurture it, and let it shine forth.'  The man'sface lit up with newfound hope.  In thisseason of Elul, we hope to be born again.  We canimagine ourselves as caterpillars, hoping to shed our cocoons and emerge asbutterflies.   Sometimesthough we think that success is based on achieving perfection.  But isthat really what Hashem demands or even wants from us.   There isa story, I heard from Rabbi Joey Haber, of a man seeking perfection in his ownlife.   His rabbiasks his profession  He is anartist,   Hisfavorite painting is of sunset.   Histeacher suggests taking a picture of a sunset and that will be a perfectreproduction.   theartist explains the painting has imperfections and thats what makes it special.  Theteacher explains, same w

 חַת אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹא־עָבַ֙דְתָּ֙ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ בְּשִׂמְחָ֖ה וּבְט֣וּב לֵבָ֑ב מֵרֹ֖ב כֹּֽל׃  Because you would not serve your God יהוה in joy and gladness over the abundance of everything, https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.28.47    עִבְד֣וּ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה בְּשִׂמְחָ֑ה בֹּ֥אוּ לְ֝פָנָ֗יו בִּרְנָנָֽה׃  worshipthe LORD in gladness;come into His presence with shouts of joy.  https://www.sefaria.org/Psalms.100.2    RabbeynuBachya: The Torah accuses people who do serve G’d not to have done so joyfully.A person is obligated not merely to carry out G’d’s instructions but to do sogladly, in a happy frame of mind. Joy when performing any of G’d’s commandmentsis considered as fulfillment of a commandment by itself, meriting additionalreward.     Thisis why one may be punished for failing to perform the commandments with ajoyful heart. This is why the Torah requires that its commandments be performedwith full intent and joyfully.     Oursages in Midrash Ruth Rabbah 5,6 comment concerning this that if Reuven hadbeen aware that G’d would write in the Torah concerning his attempts to saveJoseph’s life from the hands of his other brothers (Genesis 37,21) that hewould receive a reward not only for his deed but for the good intentionsaccompanying same, he would have carried Joseph on his shoulders and broughthim back to his (their) father.     TheTorah also makes a point of underlining the joy in Aaron’s heart when he sawhis brother Moses again after so many years. Had he known that his feelingswould be commented upon favorably (Exodus 4,14), he would have gone out to meethis brother accompanied by an orchestra of many different musicalinstruments.     HadBoaz known that his offering Ruth food and drink in abundance would be recordedfor eternity as a good deed of his, he would have fed her the choicest parts ofa fatted calf, instead of merely bread and vinegar (Ruth 2,14).  https://www.sefaria.org/Rabbeinu_Bahya,_Devarim_28.47.1    ….writesfurther     Naturally,the joy which accompanies the performance of a commandment by an individual Jewis in a class by itself. Seeing that performance of the commandments iscalled עבודת ה',“serving the Lord,” we can understand what is written in Deut. 28,16 תחת אשר לא עבדת את ה' אלוקיך בשמחה,“on account of the fact that you did not perform the commandments of the Lordyour G’d with joy, etc.”     WhenDavid writes in Psalms 100,2 עבדו את ה' בשמחה,“serve the Lord with joy,” he does not refer to the offering of sacrificialanimals but to the performance of each and every commandment which it is ourduty to perform.     Joyis the ingredient which makes service of the Lord something perfect. Thisconcept helps us understand the unusual phrase in Numbers 4,46 לעבוד עבודת עבודה.Concerning this expression our sages in Erchin 11 ask what kind of service thisis that the Torah speaks of there. The answer given in the Talmud is that theTorah speaks of offering songs and hymns.     TheLevites are commanded to offer songs and encourage expressions of joy toaccompany the sacrificial offerings. All of this was to ensure that joy is theprevailing sentiment accompanying service of the Lord.     Arizal: joyincreases one’s desire and love of adhering to HaShem-יהו״ה,blessed is He, ….. For, a person who serves HaShem-יהו״ה,blessed is He, with melancholy, is likened to a servant who serves his masterwith a sullen and annoyed face.  https://www.sefaria.org/Sha'arei_Kedusha,_Part_2_4.30    Mesillas Yesharim -….And our sages said: 'the Divine presence rests on a person only through his rejoicing in a mitzva' (Shabbat 30b).    RabbiSamson Raphael Hirsch points out that theHebrew word same'ach (=happy), is closely related to the word tzome'ach (=growing). This is because human happiness is contingent on spiritual growth. Ifwe fail to feel the joy of mitzvos, it is because we are unaware that mitzvosmake us grow.    RabbiManis Friedman (chassidish answer) is that the charge 'serve Hashemb'simcha' is not a charge to be happy when serving Hashem. It's a result.If you truly serve Hashem, meaning you are serving Him, you finally get toescape yourself for a while!     Servingourselves, making our lives about us (even if it means 'my spiritualgrowth'!) is what makes us depressed. If we realise that we are fulfillingHashem's essential Ratzon, it's about Him not us, and at the same time doingthe vitally important work of bringing His plan to completion, fulfilling yourvery purpose, then automatically you will be b'simcha.  Soread it 'if you serve Hashem, you'll be b'simcha'      TheTorah is not telling us that we didn’t serve Hashem. It is telling us that wedidn’t serve Him with joy. Is this by itself such a severe transgression thatis should bring about all those terrible punishments described in the Torah?  &nbs

הֲשִׁיבֵ֨נוּ יְהֹוָ֤ה ׀ אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ (ונשוב) [וְֽנָשׁ֔וּבָה] חַדֵּ֥שׁ יָמֵ֖ינוּ כְּקֶֽדֶם׃ Take us back, O LORD, to Yourself,And let us come back;Renew our days as of old! https://www.sefaria.org/Lamentations.5.21 לְמִימֵ֨י אֲבֹֽתֵיכֶ֜ם סַרְתֶּ֤ם מֵֽחֻקַּי֙ וְלֹ֣א שְׁמַרְתֶּ֔ם שׁ֤וּבוּ אֵלַי֙ וְאָשׁ֣וּבָה אֲלֵיכֶ֔ם אָמַ֖ר יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֑וֹת וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֖ם בַּמֶּ֥ה נָשֽׁוּב׃ From the very days of your ancestors you have turned away from My laws and have not observed them. Turn back to Me, and I will turn back to you—said GOD of Hosts. But you ask, “How shall we turn back?” https://www.sefaria.org/Malachi.3.7 וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֗ם כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת שׁ֣וּבוּ אֵלַ֔י נְאֻ֖ם יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֑וֹת וְאָשׁ֣וּב אֲלֵיכֶ֔ם אָמַ֖ר יְהֹוָ֥ה צְבָאֽוֹת׃ Say to them further:Thus said GOD of Hosts: Turn back to me—says GOD of Hosts—and I will turn back to you—said GOD of Hosts. https://www.sefaria.org/Zechariah.1.3 Midrash Eicha Raba  “Return us to You, Lord, and we will return; renew our days as of old” (Lamentations 5:21).“Return us to You, Lord, and we will return.” The congregation of Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, it is incumbent upon You to return us.’ He said to them: ‘It is incumbent upon you, as it is stated: “Return to Me and I will return to you, said the Lord” (Malachi 3:7).’ Eikhah_Rabbah.5.21 . וְכַאֲשֶׁר יָשׁוּב הַמְקַצֵּר בָּהֶם בְּלִבּוֹ וּבִלְשׁוֹנוֹ וְיִשְׁתַּדֵּל לַעֲשׂוֹת אוֹתָם וְלֹא יִשְׁנֶה קִצּוּרוֹ בָּהֶם יִמְחֹל לוֹ הַבּוֹרֵא וְיִשְׁתַּוֶּה עִם הַצַּדִּיק אֲשֶׁר לֹא קִצֵּר בָּהֶם, וּבִכְמוֹ זֶה נֶאֱמַר הַשָּׁב מִן הַחֵטְא כְּמִי שֶׁלֹּא חָטָא וְאָמְרוּ רז״ל עָבַר עַל מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁאֵין בָּהּ כָּרֵת וְעָשָׂה תְּשׁוּבָה אֵינוֹ זָז מִמְּקוֹמוֹ עַד שֶׁמּוֹחֲלִין לוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלאכי ג) שׁוּבוּ אֵלַי וְאָשׁוּבָה אֲלֵיכֶם. The explanation of the first case: That the lacking was in a positive commandment which does not carry the punishment of Karet (spiritual excision), such as tzitzit, lulav, sukka, or the like.  When the person repents on them in his heart and in speech, and exerts himself to fulfill them, and does not repeat his neglect to do them, the Creator will forgive him, and he will be equal to the tzadik who never sinned in them. On such a penitent, it is said: 'one who repents from a sin is as if he never sinned', and our sages said of them: (Yoma 86a) 'one who transgressed a positive commandment which does not incur Karet (spiritual excision) and repented - he is forgiven right away, as written: 'return to Me and I will return to you' (Malachi 3:7)'. https://www.sefaria.org/Duties_of_the_Heart,_Seventh_Treatise_on_Repentance_8.2 Four motives in matter of repentance  הָרִאשׁוֹן – הַשָּׁב מֵחֹזֶק הַכָּרָתוֹ אֶת אֱלֹהָיו. וְהוּא כְּמוֹ עֶבֶד הַבּוֹרֵחַ מֵאֲדֹנָיו, וּכְשֶׁחוֹשֵׁב בַּטּוֹב אֲשֶׁר גְּמָלוֹ, שֶׁמֵּרְצוֹנוֹ מְבַקֵּשׁ מְחִילָה מִמֶּנּוּ. וּבְכָמוֹהוּ אָמַר הַכָּתוּב (ירמיהו ד א): ״אִם תָּשׁוּב יִשְׂרָאֵל נְאֻם יְיָ אֵלַי תָּשׁוּב״ – קֹדֶם בּוֹא הָעֹנֶשׁ. וְאוֹמֵר (מלאכי ג ז): ״שׁוּבוּ אֵלַי וְאָשׁוּבָה אֲלֵיכֶם״. The first is when a man repents because he has come to recognize his God. And he is like a servant who flees from his master, but when he thinks of the good which his master has done to him, he returns to him of his own free will to seek forgiveness from him, and of such as him the Scripture says, 'If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the Lord, yea return unto Me' (Jer. 4:1). And further, 'Return unto Me, and I will return unto you' (Malachi 3:7). https://www.sefaria.org/Orchot_Tzadikim.26.62 Natan Nachman  Moshe Katz  הֲשִׁיבֵ֨נוּ יְהֹוָ֤ה ׀ אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ (ונשוב) [וְֽנָשׁ֔וּבָה] חַדֵּ֥שׁ יָמֵ֖ינוּ כְּקֶֽדֶם׃ Take us back, O LORD, to Yourself,And let us come back;Renew our days as of old! https://www.sefaria.org/Lamentations.5.21 Tisha B'Av at night: The scroll of Lamentations. It is the emotions of the prophet Jeremiah's soul and his dirge that he took up about the destruction of the holy city of Jerusalem and the Temple. And it is especially about the sin that Jerusalem and his people sinned, which is what caused that awful destruction to happen. And while glancing with eyes full of tears, he instructs and shows the path that leads to repentance and towards the revival of Israel, to renew our days as of old (alluding to Lamentations 5:21). https://www.sefaria.org/Horeb.666.33 Kedushat Levi  “Take us back, Lord, to You, and let us return, renew our days of old” (Eicha 5:21). To be specific, what does “[days] of old” mean? And one could explain this by way of the midrash: “And now, O Israel, what does the ETERNAL your God demand of you? (Deut 10:12) and it says in the Midrash: “Now is nothing other than Teshuvah” (Bereshit Rabbah 21:6) and it is explained thus, because each person from Israel is obligated to believe with full faith that at every moment we receive life from the Creator, Blessed Be, as it is explained, “Every [thing that] breathes praises — every single breath phrases Yah, ” (Beresh

Understanding the difference between Shofet and Dayan based on the Zohar HaKadosh 

לֹא־תַטֶּ֣ה מִשְׁפָּ֔ט לֹ֥א תַכִּ֖יר פָּנִ֑ים וְלֹא־תִקַּ֣ח שֹׁ֔חַד כִּ֣י הַשֹּׁ֗חַד יְעַוֵּר֙ עֵינֵ֣י חֲכָמִ֔ים וִֽיסַלֵּ֖ף דִּבְרֵ֥י צַדִּיקִֽם׃ You shall not judge unfairly: you shall show no partiality; you shall not take bribes, for bribes blind the eyes of the discerning and upset the plea of the just.  Compare to shemot - There the warming continues not to oppress the stranger because you were strangers. But not here.  צֶ֥דֶק צֶ֖דֶק תִּרְדֹּ֑ף לְמַ֤עַן תִּֽחְיֶה֙ וְיָרַשְׁתָּ֣ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לָֽךְ׃ {ס} Justice, justice shall you pursue, that you may thrive and occupy the land that your God יהוה is giving you. Message for Elul - Rabbi Abittan - If you will pursue justice than midat hadin sits back but if not midat hadin will take care. If there is Din Below then there is no need for Din Above. If there is no Din below then there will be Din from above.  And furthermore if you will exhibit midat hachesed verachamim, than that attribute will shine on you and judge you.  Stories of Chesed from Rabbi Eitan Feiner  How are we to understand the absence of the stranger, the orphan and the widow from the description of the king’s and the judge’s realms of responsibility and from the descriptions of the Kohanim and the Levites?