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We are now in the midst of counting the Omer, as we go from Pesach to Shavuot, "elevating" ourselves from the purely physical redemption we achieved at the Exodus, to the even more important spiritual redemption that we achieved at the moment Hashem revealed himself at Har Sinai & bestowed upon us the Torah & its Mitzvot.
During these weeks ("Shavuot?!") it is customary to recite the six chapters of Pirkei Avot, the vital "lessons of life" imparted by our greatest sages. The first of these lessons, quoted above, records the chain of transmission from the giving of the Torah until today. What is the "lesson" implied here? That we can never sever our connection to the past; each of us is an irreplaceable link in the eternal chain of tradition; if we break that chain, our lineage is left dangling in time, cutting off our future.
But why does it say that Moshe received the Torah "from Sinai?!" Didn’t he receive it from Hashem?! One answer is that, while the Torah indeed emanates from G-d & is a thing of the Divine, it was given to we mortals on Planet Earth to study, dissect, debate & act upon. "Lo b’shamayim he," we say; the Torah is no longer in Heaven, it has come down to earth (symbolized by Mt. Sinai) & is now owned & operated by each one of us.
But there is another idea at work here. Har Sinai is a kind of conduit, a connector between Heaven & Earth. It’s message is that every act we perform, every Mitzva we keep, reverberates & impacts both above & below. It affects us, our fellow human being, & G-d all at once.
That, I suggest, is the meaning of Rashi’s cryptic reply to his question ("What does Shmita have to do with Har Sinai?’) at the start of our Sedra. He answers, "Just as the laws of Shmita were given at Sinai, so all the Mitzvot & their details were given at Sinai." Ok, but why choose Shmita as the example?! Why not Shabbat, or Kashrut?"
The answer, I offer, is that Shmita exemplifies a Mitzva that "connects" Man & G-d. On the one hand, it has to do with working the land, with produce we grow (or don’t), with plowing, planting, pruning. But at the same time, it is called a "Shabbat l’Hashem," G-d’s Sabbath! In the same vein, this parsha several times instructs us to treat others fairly ("al tono," don’t cheat, don’t oppress your fellow Jew; & then ends the pasuk with "Ani Hashem, I am G-d."
In short, folks, we can indeed move both Heaven & Earth.
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: The Goal of an Agricultural Yeshiva – part I
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 263 (address at the laying of the cornerstone of the Yeshiva Chakla’it in Kfar Haroeh)
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P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Realtor’s Fee on Large Commercial Building – part I
(based on ruling 85031 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
(based on ruling 85031 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: The Goal of an Agricultural Yeshiva – part I
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 263 (address at the laying of the cornerstone of the Yeshiva Chakla’it in Kfar Haroeh)
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 263 (address at the laying of the cornerstone of the Yeshiva Chakla’it in Kfar Haroeh)
Re'e NEVER EXTREME EXCEPT ISRAEL
Parshat Re'eh
Judaism is against extremism, so how can we understand the seemingly extreme statements found in our sages in favor of living in the Land of Israel and against living in Chutz laAretz? The article deals with the seeming contradiction between the strength of Free-Will and the strength of being influenced by our surroundings.
Ekev DANCE FOR ISRAEL- FOR YOUR BENEFIT
Parshat Eikev
Description: The 7 Haftarot we read after Tisha B'Av ("Shiva D'Nichemta") surely get us excited that they're coming TRUE, and awaken us to yearn, dance & join the return to Zion! The short article also deals with the problems and solutions facing the American Jewish community as discussed at a recent panel, as well as the question why Jews come from America to Israel to help when we face problems, but Israelis don't come to aid Jews in America when they face anti-Semitism.
P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Complaints about Contractor’s Work – part II
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: Twin Foundations
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
D'varim Judaism’s Social Vision
Re’eh
Giving is more than an act of generosity—it is an essential part of human dignity that belongs to everyone, rich and poor alike. The ultimate goal of help is to empower others to stand on their own.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 9 - "Seeing is Believing" (parag. 21-30)
These paragraphs elaborate on the theme that seeing and knowing is better than any attempt to prove logically, and begins explaining the difference between Israel and gentiles.
