Media
February 21, 2012
It takes a Nation
By Rabbi Elchanan Schulgasser
It takes a nation to build a Mishkan (Tabernacle). It also takes enormous amounts of gold, silver, cedar wood, and the hides and coats of numerous animals of many species. But, perhaps, the most precious of the donated items are the shoham and milu’im stones, worn by the Kohen Gadol (High Priest) on his vestments.
These gemstones were donated by the princes, the leaders of each tribe. They were the princes’ only gifts toward the construction of the Mishkan, and the Midrash is critical of the princes for their reticence. It appears that these leaders had agreed to wait for the rest of Jewish people before making their own donations, readying themselves to deficit-fund any shortfall. But, the nation brought with a generous hand and no shortfall resulted (a singularity in the annals of fundraising), and the princes were left with only these gemstones to bring.
Why does the Midrash criticize the princes? Seemingly, their intentions were noble, and they were prepared to expend significant sums out of their own pockets. An answer, I once heard from Rabbi Yochanan Zweig, is that the princes failed as leaders. Their job was more than assuring the completion of the Mishkan: as leaders, it was also motivating the participation of every single member of the Jewish people. By not setting an example, the princes were remiss. The nation’s subsequent generosity was extremely meritorious, but, it was with no thanks to the princes.
Simply put, each of us has an obligation to make our words and actions impact, positively, on the lives of others.
May we merit finding inspiration through the words and actions of others, and may others find inspiration through our words and actions, so that we become a true Light unto the nations.
February 14, 2012
Tzniut/Modesty-More than Just a Mitzvah
By Rabbi Yehuda Sokoloff, Rosh Kollel
This week’s Torah Portion begins with the detailing of many Torah Laws. The opening verse however, seems to be a bit perplexing. The Parsha begins ”And these are the ordinances that you shall place before them”. The word and in that phrase seems to be superfluous. It would have been sufficient to simply say These are the ordinances…..Why the addition of the word “and”? The commentators answer that the word ”and” clearly serves as a conjunction indicating that there is a connection between this chapter and the previous one. The question is: what’s the connection?
February 07, 2012
Adapted by Rabbi Avi Feigenbaum from the book Ateres Mordecha on the Torah, by Rabbi Mordechai Rogov ob’m
In this week’s Torah Portion there are two main events that take place. Firstly, Jethro travels with Moses’ wife and children to meet up with the Jewish People; and secondly is the Giving of the Torah. We are going to focus on the first event.
The Torah tell us “Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, took Zipporah, the wife of Moses, after she had been sent away; and her two sons - of whom the name of one was Gershom, for he had said, ‘I was a sojourner in a strange land.’ And the name of the other was Eliezer, for ‘the God of my father came to my aid, and He saved me from the sword of Pharaoh.’” (Exodus 18:2-4)
The commentaries ask the following question: Moses named his two children after two events in his life. But the story of Moses being ‘saved from the sword of Pharaoh’ happened prior to Moses being ‘a sojourner in a strange land’. Why would Moses name his first child after the second event and not after the first? In addition, we normally name children after positive experiences or events; isn’t naming a child after being ‘a stranger’ actually the opposite?
Rabbi Moredechai Rogov ob’m explains that although the story of Moses’ fleeing from Pharaoh was notably miraculous, it was still an event of the past. Now he is in Midian. And although he has the pressure of exile from his parents, his immediate family, his brother Aaron and sister Miriam, and his people, he realizes that his situation could still be worse. Therefore, the name of Moses’ first son commemorates his current crisis - thanking God that his situation is not worse than it is; as opposed to commemorating his first, albeit more miraculous and traumatic crisis.
Sometimes appreciating the minor issues of life take precedence over even the most eventful. It is important to recognize what is currently on the table, as appreciating the small things that God does for us is the true way to recognize and connect to God in our day to day life.
February 02, 2012
How Sweet It Is
By Rabbi Binyomin Davis
Immediately after the Jewish people cross the Reed sea in this week’s parsha, the people travel for three days without finding water. Finally they find water in Marah, although it was bitter and undrinkable. G-d shows Moses a tree, which Moses takes and throws into the water, miraculously sweetening it. Why did G-d choose to perform this miracle by casting a tree into the water?
The Maharal of Prague teaches us that a tree is a metaphor of our relationship with Hashem. The roots are like Hashem himself, firmly placed in the ground – unshakable and reliable. The trunk is like the Torah – the main firm pillar around which we stand. And the leaves and fruit are like all the mitzvoth that we are commanded in – the more we can tap into the fruit, the more we can gain closeness to the trunk and ultimately the roots.
Hashem wished to teach the Jewish people a lesson in the very first incident after the Egyptians drowned. The message is that on this long journey that you are now entering – for the coming decades and for all of Jewish history – your true survival will be by connecting to that trunk, to the Holy Torah. That is the life force that shall sustain and replenish you now and throughout all generations.
May we all merit to bring this life force into our lives in ever more meaningful ways.
Shabbat Shalom!
January 30, 2012
Click HERE for pics of the Kollel’s triple track Tu B’ishvat learning.
