Moshe sent out one spy from tribe, there was a total of twelve spy's altogether who went to the land of Kanaan. The Spies were supposed to find out if there was a good land and sufficient water sources, if the cities were walled, and if the people were strong enough and worthy to remain in the land.

When the spies returned, they brought back with them giant fruits, including one huge cluster of grapes and said, that the land is full of strong and big people, just like their fruits. The land swallows up its people, they are always dying, and they are giants. After people heard these reports, they wanted to return to Mitzrayim, because they thought it was safer than Kanaan, and they tried to stone Yehoshua and Kaleb.

This sad event happened on the 9^th of Av, Tisha B'Av. We consider it a terrible day, because the Jewish people became hesitant and fearful. The Jewish people doubted Hashem's strength as the Almighty and lost their basic Faith in Hashem. It was because of this loss of faith that the Jewish people had suffered many more tragedies later on in history.

Moshe changed Yehoshua's name by adding the Hebrew letter "Yud". His original name was Hoshea, and by adding the "Yud" it became Yehoshua. "Yud" is Hashem's name, and this represents that Hashem should protect Yehoshua and save Yehoshua from the other spies's ideas.

Shabbat Shalom! Have a Good Shabbos!

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.

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.

      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.

      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:

1. The animal must have split hooves 
2. The animal must chew it's cud 

1. The fish must have fins
2. The fish must have scales