Dvar Torah Rosh Hashana 5770 שנת תשע

In the Torah reading of this day we are told about the birth of Yitzhak. We then read about his relationship with his brother Ishmael. His mother Sarah saw the bad influence this association had and she demanded of Avraham to send Ishmael away from the household. Avraham refused. Why did he disagree with his wife? Did he not see the evil influence that Ishmael had on Yitzhak?

Avraham certainly understood the difference between his two sons. However, Avraham thought that Yitzhak will eventually have an influence and be able to change Ishmael’s ways. He felt that the piety and righteousness of Yitzhak will be stronger than the evil ways of Ishmael and in the end the good behavior will prevail over the bad.

We read, however, that Hashem agreed with Sarah. He instructed Avraham to hearken to his wife and send Ishmael out of his home. An impressive lesson is to be learned here. A good person should not associate with and evil one. Usually the evil will overpower the good. One should always be on guard against bad influences. One should be careful in choosing his friends and associates. It is easy to come under the influence of the bad.

This coming Shabbat (before Rosh Hashana 5770) LAST SHABBAT of 5769!

This comming Shabbat is the LAST SHABBAT of the year – just before Rosh Hashana (The Jewish New Year – aka. Judgement day) That is right, this is the last shabbat of 5769! Our sages teach us that our deeds during the last Shabbat of the year have incredible power to rectify our deeds of all the past 51 Sabbaths of this last year. (5769)

A good tip: try to do something this Shabbat that you may not be capable of doing consistently all year round. Make this Shabbat count!

These are just some examples to get the ideas rolling:

• Set aside 2 minutes in the day to read some tehillim (psalms).
• Set aside only 1 minute and think of how you can make another Jew happy.
• Say Modeh Ani with concentration and gratitude when you wake up in the morning.
• Say Shema before you go to sleep at night.
• Say the first chapter of Birkat Hamazon (grace after meals) slowly, and with proper concentration.
• Say “Shabbat Shalom” to a random Jew on the street. With a Big Smile. (:

If you are inspired to do something extra this shabbat – Leave a comment and tell our visitors what you are going to do. Comments will lead to more ideas..and to more inspiration…

May we all have a good Rosh Hashana and may we be zoche to a ketiva v’chatima tova!

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Dvar Torah Ha’azinu 5768 – 2007 דבר תורה האזינו

The Zohar has a very unique way of interpreting the opening verse of this week’s Portion. Moshe Rabbenu is delivering his last discourse to the Children of Israel before he departs from them. He starts by speaking to the heavens. He says: HA’AZINU HASHAMAYIM VA’ADABERA, “Give ear (listen) O heavens and I will speak.” (Deut. 32,1) The Zohar says that Moshe is speaking to the wealthy people who hold themselves up haughtily as if they are in the heavens. Then Moshe continues in the Pasuk and says: VETISHMA HA’ARETZ IMRE FI, “and may the earth hear the words of my mouth.” Here the Zohar says Moshe is speaking to the poor people who see themselves lowly as if they were part of the earth.

The meaning of the Zohar can be explained according to a Midrash which paraphrased, states that the poor man does more for the rich man than the rich man does for the poor. The meaning, of course, is that the fact that when the rich man performs a Mitzvah he feels elevated by this act. This sustains him more than the money he offered the down trodden individual.

In the same vain, the poor man should not be so depressed that he had to resort to charity from the rich. He should realize that although he is in unfortunate financial straights he should not loose his self respect. He should appreciate the fact that he too is contributing to the wealthy man. It may not be so obvious but indeed he is.

Dvar Torah Rosh Hashanah 5767

In all of the Amidot on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur we say a prayer: UVECHEN TEN PACHDECHA … AL KOL MA’ASECHA, “Therefore ,,, put Your fear on all your creations …”.           Rabbi Soloveitchik related that he was once told by psychiatrist if he could he would abolish this prayer. We ask Hashem to give us fear. Fear is one of the worst sicknesses that can afflict a person. A person seeking mental health has to overcome fear. Yet we pray to be given fear.Rabbi Soloveitchik.answered the psychiatrist: We see people overwhelmed by fear. Fear of not succeeding in their career; fear of losing their money, their income, their social status, their political position; fear of getting sick. We are permeated with fear. Fear of this and fear of that.
Said Rabbi Soloveitchik: These fears are bad for us. However, a big fear can overcome all the little ones. If we have a big worry we forget the little ones. What is the big fear we should have? The fear of Hashem. Translated into our terms, it means trust in Hashem. If we have faith and trust in Hashem we know that all will end up well and we would not be concerned with the lesser fears.Shana Tova U’metuka !