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Parsha of the Week

This week’s parsha is parshas Beha'alotcha, which is about the Mishkon, the Jews traveling, and Loshon Hara. Aharon is the person who dedicated the Mishkon. Since Aharon dedicated the Mishkon he got the honor of lighting the menorah every day for generations which means even his descendents lighted the menorah. The tribe of Levi worked in the Mishkon; they started to learn how to do the work in the Mishkon at the age of 25 years old. At the age of 30 years old they began to “work”. At the age of 50 years old they “stopped” and helped others by guard and sing.

When the Jews were traveling by day there was a cloud and by night there was a pillar of fire, when the fire or cloud moved near the tribe of Yehuda that indicated that it was time to continue to travel. Also the clouds of honor helped the Jews on their journey, one cloud was above them to protect them from the hot desert sun ,one cloud below them, one, one on front of them that makes the ground leveled while destroying snakes, scorpions and other animals to make a path and to protect them from their enemies.

Miriam said that Moshe left his wife since he was getting prophecy this was Loshon Hara and since Miraim said Loshon Hara Hashem made her get Leprosy (So she was outside the camps for seven days). Aharon asked Moshe to (pray) daven for Miraim.





Shabbat Shalom! Have a Good Shabbos!

This week's Parsha is Parsha Naso, which talks about a man who thinks his wife is doing adultery with another man (Sotah).

The husband must bring an offering (Korban) to a Kohen, which consists of barley (not wheat as usually), flour (not finely sifted as usually), water, and it must be plain, without oil and spices. The accused wife must drink part of the offering. Afterwards the Kohen writes Hashem's name and places it in a cup of water, which the wife must drinks. If she refuses to drink the water with Hashem's name, then she is as if guilty.

If she drinks the water mixed with Hashem's name in it, and she is guilty of and committing an adultery, then, when she leaves, she and her wrong partner would "explode" and die. But, if she did not commit adultery, if she is not guilty, then she will be rewarded, and she will have a baby more easily.


 

      This week’s parsha is parshas Bamidbar. In this Parsha we learn about Hashem counting the Jewish people and we learn about the Mishkon. Why is it so important to Hashem to count the Jews? It is important to Hashem to count the Jews because Hashem holds the Jews so dear, they are his “chosen people”, and one counts things they find valuable over and over again. The Tribe Yehuda was the largest Tribe with 74,600 people and the smallest Tribe Menashe with 32,000 people. The Tribe Levi was not counted since they did not participate in the golden calf (When people were making and worshiping a golden calf which they had made of Jewelry).How did Hashem count the Jews? Hashem counted the Jews with a special method; each man from the age of twenty (which meant he was ready to join the army) donated ½ shekel which is Israeli currency. The coins were counted by Moshe Rebbeinu, Aharon, and the 12 heads of the tribes.

   
       Originally the firstborns were supposed to do the holy or special work in the Mishkon since they were saved and not killed in the plague of the firstborns. The firstborns bowed down to the golden calf and lost their privilege to do the work. So instead of the firstborns doing the work the tribe Levi which once again did not participate in the golden calf got the privilege to do the holy work.
     

Shabbat Shalom! Have a Good Shabbos!

      This week’s Parsha is Behar and Bechukotai, which is about Sh’mitta, also called the Sabbatical Year. Every seven years, the Jewish people observe Sh’mitta by not planting, weeding, or harvesting, etc.  By doing this the crops become free for the poor too take and eat. This law also forbids one from working in their own garden, even though it does not produce crops. But one should keep watering the plants or crops so they don’t die. This demonstrates to the Jewish people that Hashem is the true master of the land. If the law of Sh’mitta is not kept properly, it will bring exile to the Jewish people from the land of Israel and fewer crops would be produced.
      The fiftieth year is known as Yovil. On Yovil, the law of Sh’mitta is followed, in addition to that all Hebrew slaves were set free and all land was returned to its original owners. The price of land is figured out by how many years are left until Sh’mitta. If one sold a house in a walled city, village, or the community of Levites one could redeem it for a period of one year but after such time he could never redeem it as it would be returned to the original owner when Sh’mitta arrived.   

 Shabbat Shalom! Have a Good Shabbos!