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.
This week’s Parsha is Parshas Emor. One must be careful not to become spiritually unclean from a dead body since they must be spiritually pure to be able to prepare to eat from the korbon. A Kohen may become spiritually unclean for the “Seven relatives”- father, mother, brother, sister, son, daughter, wife and someone who dies with no one to bury him. A Kohen cannot marry a woman who is divorced or a woman who married someone who she was not allowed to.
Shabbat Shalom! Have a Good Shabbos!
We celebrate Lag BaOmer on the day Rabbi Shimon Bar Yohoi died. Before he died, he hid in a cave for twelve years with his son, Rabbi Elazer where they studied Torah day and night. During this time of study they also created a book called The Zohar (Kabbalah) Which revealed some of the secrets in the Torah. A person is not allowed to study the Zohar if one had not studied the Torah, Talmud, Shulchan Aruch and all the commentaries. If one has studied these then they may study the Zohar. When the Romans found out that Rabbi Shimon Bar Yohoi was hiding and was learning with a candle, they went out on a search for Rabbi Shimon Bar Yohoi’s fire but when they went out to search all the jews had lit fires to confuse the Romans so they wouldn’t be able to find him. This is why some people light Bonfires as a custom on Lag Baomer.
One of the birds is slaughtered over spring water, showing that one hopes that the צרעת (leprosy) will stay dead and away. The second bird is dipped in the water along with the other things, and then the צרעת (leprosy) and the bird are sent away, but the צרעת (leprosy) could return just like the bird might return.
The מטהר now cuts all his hair and washes his clothing and himself in a Mikvah. After seven days he must repeat. On the 8th day the מטהר must bring an offering with oil and the Kohen places some blood of the offering and the oil of the מטהר‘s right ear, thumb, and foot forefinger.
This weeks parsha is parshas Shmini. On the eighth day when the kohanim and the mishkan were being prepared for service ,Nadab and Abihu brought incense on the Golden Altar without any permission. Moshe and aharon asked Hashem to send a fire down. Hashem sent a fire and the fire killed Nadab and Abihu instantly.After they were killed aharon did not complain but instead he kept queit about what happened a Hashem rewarded him by teaching him new halachot.
The signs of a kosher animal are:
- The animal must have split hooves
- The animal must chew it's cud
- The fish must have fins
- The fish must have scales
Shabbat Shalom! Have a Good Shabbos!
1) Why is the 1st part of the Haggada in Aramaic?
Because in מגיד (Reciting of the Passover story) in the Haggada it says “All who are hungry let them come and eat”, we didn’t want the Egyptians to “come and eat”.
2) Why on the day of our freedom do we have to admit that we were a slave at one point?
3) Until when do we say קריאת שמע?
Forever, even after Moshiach comes.
4) Why do we say קריאת שמע even after moshiach comes?
Because even though we will have bigger miracles by moshiach we still have to remember the miracles of Egypt which are compared to the miracles of moshiach will be smaller. This teaches us that anything good someone does for us—big or small---we must always remember.
5) After the story of Rabbi Elazar the son of Azariah it says בורך המקום which means “bless Hashem” but why is Hashem referred to as a מקום which means “place”?
Hashem is everywhere and in every place. That’s why Hashem is referred as aמקום “place”.
6) What is the point of reading Chad Gadya?
To teach you that Hashem has plans for everything and everyone, and runs the world.
7) Why didn’t the Haggada bring the story of Haman and Amaleik?
The war of Amaleik has not ended and is still going on.
8) Why do we only have four cups?
The four cups stand for the four words of redemption, והוצאתי (And I will take out), והצלתי (And I will save), וגאלתי (And I will redeem), ולקחתי (And I will took out)
Order of the Seder
