On your way to (Pesach) Passover, don’t  pass over Purim.  Ah Purim, how we all appreciate you even though you tantalize us,  mystify us and  laugh with us as we struggle to understand you.   Like Yom Kippur, you help us to reach a destination called forgiveness but what a difference in the trip.  You allow us to atone for our sins with merriment and with eating and with drinking– a lot of drinking.    On Yom Kippur we abstain. On Yom Kippur we remove our shoes, while you get us to put on an extra pair of clown shoes. On Yom Kippur we refrain from anointing ourselves while you allow us to us smear our faces and bodies with extra creams and cosmetics. On Yom Kippur we stay awake and focused while you – Purim – lead us to take an extra drink and or a little extra sleep.  How does this happen?

             Maybe we can find an answer using  your mitzvah of drinking wine –everything becomes clearer with a little wine and even clearer with more wine  . . .  Let’s see, where was I ? Oh yes, Drinking can easily bring a person to frivolity and nonsense, yet you, Purim, are (mehapech) the opposite,  you make a switch and the wine we drink takes us up the spiritual ladder towards purity and strivings towards kiddusha.

You’re really clever.  You  fool our (yetzer hora) negative inclination by giving  it just what it wants lots of wine and maybe even some more and then all of a sudden, it can’t connive or deceive any more because (nichnas yayin yotzei sod) once wine goes in, on this unique holy day, then the inner yearnings of our pure Jewish soul come out. 

You put masks on us to strip our masks away. All of a sudden we may realize that our regular, ordinary, middle of the road conduct is really the result of our inner battle between these two forces. Now we get a chance to glimpse at our dark side and through the special loftiness of this day can actually laugh at it , with that laughter freeing us from its negative influence hopefully not just for this day, but forever.

When we see beyond the mask, we learn how not to judge. Throughout the year we may be guilty of too quickly evaluating and judging others on a very shallow level. On Purim when a (adel) sweet person puts on a scary mask, we are not frightened because we know that behind the mask is a precious soul.  So, too, in the real world, every Jew has good points which we should focus on and therefore not be so quick to judge anyone superficially.

               Ah Purim, you don’t have us simply ask (mechila) forgiveness, of our friends, you tell us to say it with presents.  How so? We give two gifts to at least one friend and minimally one gift to each of two poor people. One of the great Rabbis makes an observation asking why are we obligated to give at least double to a friend and only minimally one gift to each of the poor?  He answers that the poor gratefully accept whatever we offer, but we might have offended our friends over the course of the year and they may continue to harbor resentment. On Purim we are commanded to make a special effort to repair these breaches in all relationships especially those which have weakened. Therefore we should  “redouble” our efforts with sincere gifts and send a clear message to both close friends and  estranged acquaintances  that we are sincerely interested in healing the past and rebuilding the future together. Also we give them gifts that don’t need preparation – ie. ready to eat – to hint to them that they do not have to make any – preparations – changes in themselves – in order for us to accept them as they are.

            On Purim, the poor can make us rich.  One reason we are only minimally required to give one gift to each of at least two needy people is because as long as we don’t see the poor as our friends we ourselves are spiritually poor, however, if we see every Jew, including the needy, as our friends, then we will generously lavish them with gifts thereby taking them out of their physical poverty and ourselves our of our spiritual poverty.

       Ah Purim, leave us with one more gift, leave us with your special smile which inspires our hearts as we prepare for the next stage of our journey that being the wonderful Pesach transformation.

All articles appearing on this blog are copyrighted by Rabbi Yehoshua Binyamin Falk. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to share/download/copy this information as long as it is accompanied by the copyright. Separately authored/copyrighted materia

There are two popular holidays in the Jewish calendar that can be celebrated even as we perform our ordinary weekday activities.  Even though they have no special Yom Tov or Shabbos requirements they do much more than just commemorate events in history. Purim, in which wine is the drink of choice and Chanukah with its lighting of the menorah with ideally olive oil, have concealed within these days of joy, like quality olive oil that is extracted from olives and vintage wine whose transformed juice exudes from the grapes, heretofore untapped hidden powers that can aid us to help to rectify and elevate the entire creation.

              [How is this achieved and why is it necessary? When Adam and Chava ate the forbidden fruit, violating the specific commandment of the Creator, the yetzer hara became internalized causing an admixture within all mankind of tov vi-rah. Since four of the five senses of hearing, tasting, seeing and feeling (touch) acted as “accomplices” to the primordial sin, we need to now use those very same senses, in the performance of mitzvos and acts and chesed, to rectify this cosmic error which continues to reverberate throughout the generations.] (this par. not pub.)

               Partially because of a lack of enough sensitivity and an increase in senseless enmity (sinas kinom), that was a major cause of the destruction of the Bais HaMikdash, our Sages wisely gave us specific additional mitzvos that focus on strengthening our sense of awareness thereby reawakening our sensitivity in our relationship others. How can this best be achieved?

  Purim is a holiday that offers us an opportunity to become extraordinarily sensitive listeners through fulfilling the mitzvah of hearing every word of the Megilla. This unique mitzvah of focused rapt attention thereby teaches us how to truly listen to others, so as to better understand how to best help them. How is this achieved? We accomplish this through the other three mitzvos of the day which are giving charity generously, sending gifts of food to friends and opening the “doors” of our homes and hearts for a tasty meal which is a flavorful  experience for all of us.

Now that our hearing has been attuned and our taste buds enhanced we can look into the lights of Chanukah to see how to best rekindle the proper feelings between each other. How is this achieved? Just as we bend over – lower ourselves – as the naros are ideally below ten

tefakim, so as to be able to light – ie. touch – the Chanukah naros until they are lit up by the “helper” candle known as the shomus, so too in our relationship with others, we should be willing to metaphorically “bend over”,when  necessary, in order to share our soul’s “flame” to help kindle our fellow brethren including those who are still out in the shuk  – ie. – the marketplace of spiritual obscurity.

             There is an interesting possible correlation between Purim with its wine and Chanukah with its olive oil and two of the pillars of our avoda: Torah and tefillah. Just like the juice of the grape needs a transformational period of time of fermentation in order to become quality wine, so also, as was in the Purim episode when our nation prayed and fasted, do we sometimes need to pray over and over until our teffilos become transformed into a vintage quality that is able to mi-hapik the decree. The olive tree, on the other hand, which takes decades before producing quality olives and its olive oil can be likened to the extensive time it takes for a Torah student to develop into a true Torah scholar who is from then on able to produce chiddushim that adds spiritual “lights” to the world. Chanukah therefore symbolizes victory of Torah over teva with the olive oil of the Menorah symbolizing the wisdom of the Torah – as it is said: ner mitzvah, Torah orh.

       A final insight found within the holiday of Purim is alluded to through the mitzvah of sending  readymade foods to friends. Since during the course of the year some event might  have caused  others to feel that they have not lived up to our standards, the sending of specifically prepared foods expresses a profound message that just as this food needs no preparation, we are always ready and  prepared to accept you just as you are.

                May we through these beautiful mitzvos, which help us to realign our sensibility (feelings) of proper love and respect for all of our brethren, merit the final Bais HaMigdash soon in our days.

All articles appearing on this blog are copyrighted by Rabbi Yehoshua Binyamin Falk. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to share/download/copy this information as long as it is accompanied by the copyright. Separately authored/copyrighted materia

Tu BiShevat: A Time of Renewal

The Glorious Proliferation of Trees

From the metaphysical to the metaphorical, from the mechanical to
the medicinal, trees are sources of wonder and joy, nourishment and nurture.
Metaphysically speaking, the Torah teaches that the Tree of Life was a link to
eternal existence. Metaphorically speaking, the Torah compares mankind to the
trees in the field (Devarim 20,19),
and indeed, we exist in a symbiotic relationship with them – so much so, that we
speak of ourselves as being “rooted” in reality with ideas that “bear fruit.”

In their mechanical and physical aspects, trees are no less
remarkable. Did you know that there are almost 247 billion trees of all sizes
in the United States?
That is a blessing because even a single tree produces some 260 pounds of
oxygen per year, and thus two mature trees can supply enough oxygen per year to
meet the needs of a family of four. Trees contribute to the water supply, as
well, with our national forests serving as the originating point for drinking
water used by some 3400 communities and 60 million individuals. Trees provide
shade and wind buffering that reduce annual cooling and heating costs by 2.1
billion dollars, reducing the temperature in buildings some 20 degrees in the
summer. Trees are an abundant source of raw material in the form of wood and
paper. An average family uses about 750 pounds of paper every year, and 95% of
the homes built in this country are made of wood. And these figures don’t even
begin to speak of the food that comes from trees.

A Season of Silent Celebration

These statistics bear witness to the extremely productive role
played by trees in the worldwide ecosystem, yet we celebrate their New Year
during their deepest stage of hibernation, in a still and seemingly lifeless
period in the midst of the winter when not a leaf is left to rustle or a fruit
remains to be plucked. What is it that causes us to remember the tree at the
nadir of its yearly cycle, and how can we understand human productivity in this
context?

Indeed, lack of productivity makes many of us uncomfortable and
is particularly difficult for the “movers and shakers” – the trendsetters and
money makers – who spend their lives amidst the constant hustle and bustle of
the fast-paced metropolitan hubs.

In this, the fifth or so generation after the birth of the
“Industrial Age,” the goal has been and continues to be efficiency – cheap,
mass-produced items whose worth is measured in quantity rather than quality.
Indeed, progress in every area of life has come to be based upon that end. In
this regard, fruits are plucked before they have ripened, and all sorts of
services have been “outsourced” or computerized. The secular media mill is
expected to churn out new material each day, and therefore often settles for
banality and mediocrity in an effort to feed the voracious appetites of
readers, listeners and viewers. Children are placed in a school setting which
expects students to learn more and faster by bombarding them with an enormous amount
of facts and figures, often at the expense of quality, sensibility and balance.

Growing up in this world, it is no surprise that many feel very
uncomfortable when faced with periods of dormancy – times when life seems
unproductive, torpid and inactive, and when creativity and inspiration are on
the wane. Therefore, it behooves us to try to get to the root of the matter and
then make concerted efforts to reach up to pluck potentially fruitful insights
that can excite our taste for and appreciation of those periods in our lives
that are relatively “passive” and appear less productive. Let us now discover
from the “tree of life” how to reinvigorate our own lives by learning to view
this phase of “cyclic hibernation” as an essential stage that prepares us for
the next step in our growth and renewal

Growth Beneath the Surface

Although imperceptible to the external observer, on Tu BiShevat,
the life-giving sap, hidden deep within the tree’s core, starts flowing upward,
triggering the tree’s awakening. Although human growth is not necessarily tied
to the seasons, we, too, undergo transformations – spiritual and psychological
restorations that occur well beneath the surface, often hidden even from
ourselves; and it is apparent that the winter months lend themselves to the
kind of solitude and isolation that is conducive to contemplation and inner
change.

As our Sages have informed us, “The greatest of blessings comes
from that which is hidden from the eye.” Nonetheless, we have been instructed
to begin proclaiming at this time the beracha
of “Shehechiyanu,” expressing thanks
and praise for this auspicious time.

 If it is better to keep
this transformative process hidden while it does its work, why do we forgo the
benefits of concealment by openly declaring the greatness of this period
through our berachos? Perhaps we can
venture to say that our proclamation of gratitude and total acknowledgment of
the true Source of blessing enables us to tap into an even greater beracha of renewal and growth than does
our silence. The blessing of Shehechiyanu
acts as a catalyst, catapulting us above and outside the realm of teva (nature), and therefore, we no
longer need be concerned with remaining concealed. Now, all of our potential
mitzvos and ma’asim tovim can
unassumingly begin to be revealed, each in its ideal time and appropriate
place.

The illusionary forces of stagnation that correspond to the depth
of winter only exist in those who don’t recognize from where the “fruit” of
their actions evolves. By binding our souls to the Creator with cords
(blessings) of praise and sincere appreciation, however, as through the beracha of Shehechiyanu, we can overcome all impediments, thereby clearly
recognizing the great value of each and every stage of our existence,
sustenance and development. A seed represents potential. Only after sprouting
and undergoing a lengthy gestation period does the seed gradually grow and
develop until reaching fruit-bearing maturity. So also do we grow and develop
in a slow and gentle unfolding from birth to adulthood. Like trees, however,
people cannot truly reach maturity until they actualize their potential by
producing luscious “fruits,” which are their mitzvos and ma’asim tovim.

Individual Place of Development

There is another insight that can deepen our understanding and
appreciation of the different stages of life. Most trees produce their fruits
after relatively few years. One notable exception, however, is the olive tree,
which does not begin to bear its highly praised and valuable fruit for many,
many years. What can we learn from this phenomenon? Perhaps it is to make us
cognizant of the fact that each person’s potential for development has a
different timetable. Assuming that we are making our best efforts, we should
never become frustrated or envious if we see our peers “succeeding” in ways
that we have not. There are early bloomers and late bloomers, but if each of us
develops our potential, we will, in the proper time and setting, merit to bear
exquisite fruits.

In summary, let us approach this season of potential renewal
realizing that even during the quiet, seemingly less productive, or even
challengingly restrictive periods of our lives, there is hidden within us a
reservoir of potential spiritual influx waiting to be tapped, bringing with it
an elevating surge of renewal and inspiration. By acknowledging our belief in
the absolute governance of the compassionate Creator, we can remove the
personal impediments of imagined limitations, thereby enhancing our potential
for rejuvenation, change and growth. May we all together raise our voices in
thanks, proclaiming Shehechiyanu for
our existence, veki’yemanu for our
growth and sustenance, and vehigianu
for developing and bringing us la’zeman
hazeh – to this special moment in time.

All articles appearing on this blog are copyrighted by Rabbi Yehoshua Binyamin Falk. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to share/download/copy this information as long as it is accompanied by the copyright. Separately authored/copyrighted materia

                   As we move further into the month of Teves  and find ourselves engulfed by the dark cold winter, it seems difficult to hold onto the imprint (reshima) of the glow of the inspiring lights of  Chanukah.  Nonetheless, we must not allow ourselves to succumb to the illusion that the world has fallen prey to the physical and spiritual forces of darkness.  After all, Teves is a month in the holy Jewish calendar even as are the months of Nissan and Tishre.   Teves and in fact all of the winter months are   also imbued with sanctity and filled with treasures for us to discover.  But how can we find anything without light?  In a seemingly paradoxical manner, the answer lies hidden within that very darkness.

               Historically, these days were blemished by a spiritual darkness caused by events that weakened respect for the Torah in the eyes and hearts of the nations. The Greeks forced our Sages  to translate the Torah into their language.  This translation was only of the written part of the Torah (she’bichtav) and was in accordance with the deliberate alterations purposefully incorporated by the seventy Sages who simultaneously translated it.  It could not and was not intended to convey the depth and breath of Torah which is elucidated by the oral part of the Torah (sh-b’al peh). 

 Why should this be an occasion for spiritual blemish?  We know that we are not permitted to reveal the secrets of Torah to pagans and in fact G-d (Hashem) created a miracle (nes) allowing the Sages who were kept apart  as they made their translations to simultaneously provide the same alterations of the words of Torah so as to preserve and protect the Torah from misinterpretation.  Yes, on the one hand, the translation of the Sages accomplished its purpose and the Torah was protected, however, on the other hand, the Torah in translation lost the aspect of reverence and awe that attached to it when it was read and interpreted in the holy tongue by G-d fearing Jews and respectful non-Jews who had made a commitment to come within the congregation (k’lal) of Yisrael. 

In the eyes of the non-Jews the Torah in translation lost its Divine  majesty and became ordinary. The Torah became available to the masses and perhaps even more disastrously to the  bible critics who labored long and hard to eradicate our Torah’s Divine sanctity. 

Non-Jews were not the only people who were affected.  Tragically,   some Jews were affected as well.   The ideology that motivated this translation  has continued to affect the spiritually vulnerable within the Jewish Nation throughout the generations and to this day.   Sadly, we can observe the many unlearned Jews who know the Torah only at its most superficial level, if at all, and who cannot fathom its depths and its import.

                In demanding a translation of the Torah, the Greeks intended for it to weaken our holy tradition. Through forcing us to display the words of the Torah without its commentaries and rules of derivation,  they  attempted to transform it into a one dimensional mindset as hinted to through the letters (osios) within the name of Yavan:  yud-vov-nun. All three of these letters are externally made up of  a unidirectional line implying that their beauty and essence only exists on the surface. The truth is that as descendants of Yaphet, one of the sons of Noach, they were ideally meant to enhance, not detract from the Torah, by dwelling within the tents of Shem. The name Yaphet comes from the root of yofe – meaning  beauty.   We can see that Yavan  inherited  this trait because the letters of Yavan when reversed spell out the word nun-vov-yud – noi–which means attractive. Had they fulfilled their role properly they would have used their G-d given talents to enhance the Torah by dwelling within our tents.  This has not as of yet happened.  Instead they attempted to capture our Torah bringing it into their tents of Hellenism.

                However, fortunately, even the plans of the evil minded are also under the control and only instrumentalities of the Creator ( Hashem Yisbarach). They are sometimes sent our way, if we caused through our inactions or wrong actions to be tested, (us) in order to give us the opportunity to change and grow. The Greek empire (Yavan): yud-vov-nun attempted to lower the yud through the vov down to the depths of the nun, whereas our role is to raise up and reveal the beauty within those hidden lights of holiness found in the Torah as seen through the letters spelling noi: nun-vov-yud.

                      Indeed, the miracle (nes) imbedded in the uniformity of the Torah’s simultaneous translations is a word that has three meanings: It means miracle; it also means a test (nision) and finally it means banner.  The nes of this translation becomes a test for us – a test of our own beliefs and of our own ability to help ourselves and our less learned brothers by revealing the great spiritual treasures lying hidden beneath the surface  of our holy Torah.  Because the challenge is so great and the need for illumination is so palpable – when  we make this effort all important and use our strengths to this end then  when we are victorious  we will have the privilege of being able to raise our Torah to new and even greater levels of appreciation in this world.

 Perhaps the greatest lesson we can learn from this  long exile (galus) is that we cannot be content with the levels we have currently reached in Torah.  Even many of us who learn our holy Torah written and oral with its holy commentaries every day cannot yet say to ourselves, “Ah but we have plumbed the depths of her potential.”  We should take these days that are both physically and spiritually dark and bring illumination into them.  We should take our spiritual scuba gear and dive deep into the sea of  Torah.  By going far beneath the surface – meaning by learning each subject with great profundity and sincerity we will then merit just like the deep sea diver to uncover valuable treasures from the depths of our efforts. This will help to restore the  honor of Torah  in the eyes of the world. May we together merit to achieve this admirable goal of transforming this darkness into light as we usher in the advent of our long awaited final redemption (geula).

All articles appearing on this blog are copyrighted by Rabbi Yehoshua Binyamin Falk. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to share/download/copy this information as long as it is accompanied by the copyright. Separately authored/copyrighted materia

                        There are two popular holidays in the Jewish calendar that can be celebrated even as we perform our ordinary weekday activities.  Even though they have no special Yom Tov or Shabbos requirements they do much more than just commemorate  events in history. Chanukah with its lighting of the menorah with, ideally, olive oil and Purim, in which wine is the drink of choice, have concealed within these days of joy and celebration, like olive oil that is extracted from olives and wine that exudes from grapes, heretofore untapped hidden powers that can aid us to help to rectify and elevate the entire creation.

              How is this achieved and why is it necessary? When Adam and Chava ate the forbidden fruit, violating the specific commandment of the Creator, the yetzer hara became internalized causing an admixture within all mankind of tov and rah. Since four of their five senses – of touch (feeling), sight, hearing and taste – acted as accomplices to the primordial sin, we need to now use those very same senses, in the performance of mitzvos and acts and chesed, to rectify this cosmic error which continues to reverberate throughout the generations.

               Partially because of a lack of enough sensitivity and an increase in senseless enmity (sinas kinom), that was a major cause of the destruction of the Bais HaMikdash, our Sages wisely gave us specific additional mitzvos that focus on strengthening our sense of awareness thereby reawakening our sensitivity in our relationship others. How can this best be achieved?

               We can learn how to rekindle the proper feelings between each other, through the teachings of the holiday of Chanukah which call for bending over and lowering ourselves, as the naros are ideally below ten tefakim, so as to be able for the flame of the helper candle, known as the shomus, to touch the Chanukah neros until that are lit up. So too in our relationship with people sometimes it is necessary to bend over in order to share our soul’s “flame” help kindle – ie. inspire – our brethren. The “message” hidden within the Chanukah lights is so enlightening that it even has the ability to remove the surrounding darkness for those who are still out in the shuk  – ie. – the marketplace of spiritual obscurity, thereby inspiring them to be included in the mitzvah when they joyously proclaim: (Sheasa nesim la-avosanu ba-yamim ha-haim bizman ha-zeh.  that Hashem made miracles for our forefathers in this time.

 After Chanukah rekindles our feelings for others and gives us clearer insight on how to be best be of help to them, Purim in its own unique way teaches us not only how to be good listeners, while hearing the reading of the Megilla, but to also learn how to hear – ie. understand – the true needs of others so as to best share our blessings with them. How is this achieved? We accomplish this through the other three mitzvos of the day which are sending gifts – of food that need no preparation – to friends, giving charity generously and opening the “doors” of our homes and hearts for a tasty  meal and flavorable  experience.

    Sending  readymade foods to friends perhaps on a deeper level sends a message to all our acquaintances that just as this food needs no preparation, we are always ready and  prepared to accept you just as you are.

                May we, through these mitzvos, once again regain the proper level of love and respect between all of us, thereby meriting the final Bais HaMigdash soon in our days.

All articles appearing on this blog are copyrighted by Rabbi Yehoshua Binyamin Falk. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to share/download/copy this information as long as it is accompanied by the copyright. Separately authored/copyrighted materia

                 Through this mitzvah of kindling the light of  Chanukah beginning from 25^th of Kislev, (which is alluded to by the 25^th word of the Torah being – ohr – light) we our privileged to tap into the “light from Above” – the (Ohr ha-Ganuz) hidden light. This supernal beneficence at this auspicious time brings with it insight, clarity and purification.

               Oh yes, before we conclude, let us also not forget to enjoy and appreciate the latkes or other fried foods that will be served on Chanukah. This custom celebrates the role of the flask of pure oil found in the restored Bais Hamikdash. Shemen zayis symbolizes wisdom. Perhaps by eating these foods fried in shemen zayis on Chanukah we are simultaneously proclaiming, as well as benefiting from the plentiful flow of Divine wisdom that is available at this auspicious time.

                   (Shemen zayis is the desirable component of one of the praised seven fruits of Eretz Israel (shivas ha-minim). It is obtained by squeezing the olives with intense pressure. A well know (moshal) example compares the potential within each Jew to the untapped value with the olive, in that our best achievements are often produced when we are under pressure to meet a challenge.)                      May our eight day dosage of ner Chanukah’s “supernal illumination” revitalize us, helping to dispel the “darkness” of (galus) the exile and ushering in  the long awaited final (Geulah) redemption, shining in radiant splendor, soon in our days.     

All articles appearing on this blog are copyrighted by Rabbi Yehoshua Binyamin Falk. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to share/download/copy this information as long as it is accompanied by the copyright. Separately authored/copyrighted materia

                 One of the
most famous confrontations in history has an interesting “footnote”.  We are informed by the Midrash that the
battle between the angel of Eisav and Yaakov was so intense that the “dust” it
raised reached the Kisei Ha-Kavod., and then we are told wondrously that all
the successes of Yaakov Avinu, in business ventures and in battle as well as
the success of all of his descendants throughout the ages comes in the merit of
this “dust of contention”. (Shir Hashirim Raba: 3:6:2)

              These puzzling and profound statements warrant
further attention but before we look into the spiritual molecular structure of
this “dust,” we will add one more dimension and that is the element of time.
Our holy Zohar (Vayikra 100b) implies that our tikun of that battle takes place
on the evening of Yom Kippur.

              What is this
“dust” that guarantees blessings throughout the generations?

We begin our analysis with the understanding that every human being
is a composite of soul and body, intellect and emotions, the spiritual and the
physical. When we make choices in our everyday activities – those choices can
either align us with Hashem’s purpose for us or send us off in the opposite
direction. We falter when we lose the “soul perspective” which is “cosmic view”
of the world that allows us to see the “terrain” for what it is and travel
safely over and around the pitfalls in life. These small challenges can be as
insignificant as someone taking our parking place or jumping ahead of us on
line.  If we are in a tired or in a
hurry, these perceived slights can be enough to throw us off balance and
unleash feelings of frustration and resentment that could lead to regrettable
thoughts, words or actions.    

             When, as was the case with Ya’akov
Aveinu, all of these components are in equilibrium– balanced and focused upon
serving Hashem – then moral stability is achieved.

         As is well known,
Esau, who came with four hundred men to confront Ya’akov, symbolizes the yetzer
hora’s efforts to try to upset this synergistic balance. That night Yaakov
returned over the Yabuk to collect – pachim ketanim – small vessels and had a
dramatic encounter with the angel of Esau. Near the end of the battle, Yaakov’s
gid hanasheh, the cord/sinew that coordinates balance and movement and allows
us to effect a change in physical position, was dislocated. Perhaps we can
say that the gid hanasha not only represents the pivotal point for movement but
also symbolizes the moral direction we choose.

            Interestingly, the exact size army that Esau
came with is the numerical equivalent of the Hebrew word for straw (kash) spelled  – kuf shin. The nature of straw is that each
strand itself is weak, but when many strands of straw are bound together they
become strong and resilient.  Each of the
four hundred men individually represents a relatively minor challenge, however
together they could seem overwhelming.

          Perhaps we can
derive from this that if a number of difficulties and challenges befall us, we
should keep a clear soul prospective not allowing ourselves to become
overwhelmed by bundling the issues together. Thus, for example, if an
emergency arises and we need to take someone to the hospital but the car in
front of us is moving too slowly, or our children start fighting in the back
seat, or the secretary at the registration desk is rude, the strategy is to
separate each contentious factor (kash) and thus diffuse the intensity of the situation,
staying focused on the primary goal. This process has two aspects. One is that
a person should respond quickly to the emergency at hand and equally important each
challenge should be handled with self-control, thereby making a Kiddush Hashem
each step of the way.

 The conflict between Yaakov and Eisav symbolizes
the quintessential battle between selflessness and selfishness. The Zohar in
Parshas Toldos informs us that everything that Yaakov Avinu did was for the
sake of Heaven (l’Sham Shamayim). The Midrash tells us that Yaakov is the symbol
of the Yetzer Tov while Esau corresponds to the Yetzer Hora. At the end of the
titanic struggle that lasted until the break of dawn, Yaakov Avinu was able to
triumphant over the angel of Esau. Our forefather Yaakov, like his predecessors
Avraham and Yitzchak, was able to successfully realign his spiritual genetic
propensities thus enabling us to be the perpetual beneficiaries of this
treasury of moral refinement.

 Each of us in life has been given a unique set
of temptations and tribulations along with ammunition and the strength of the
Torah to succeed in overcoming all obstacles. There is no incident that is too
small to gain from, for example, a child leaves his bike lying in our driveway
or someone failing to return our call on time can serve as a barometer of our
discomfort as well as an opportunity to subdue our agitation.  

        The avoda of Yom Kippur can be
understood as the battlefield where the confrontation between the material and
the spiritual takes place, as it is a time of extremes. On Erev Yom Kippur we are
asked to live in seemingly disparate realms. We spend the day examining our
actions and our motives in an effort to do sincere teshuvah and immerse in the
waters of purification (the holy mikva) and yet are commanded to eat well throughout
the day with culminating with a full seuda. Beginning with the evening of Yom
Kippur, we continue the process of purifying and rectifying our soul-body
relationship through the five restrictions.   

    In essence, the effort we make in our
striving for holiness has three major components/dimensions. They are person,
place and time – nefesh, makom and z’man.   Yaakov Aveinu and his counter part Eisav
represent the two diametrically opposed aspects of nefesh – moral extremes of
good and bad.  The gid hanasheh
represents – mokom – place since it is the mechanism which allows us to
position ourselves in the physical and moral planes. [In the Tikuni Zohar it is
written that the gid hanasha corresponds to media of tzadik which corresponds
to the attribute of yesod – (tikun 18 duf 32b)]

 The third component is Yom
Kippur which is separate and apart from the rest of the calendar year [that Rashi
brings from one pashot in the Tana devay Eliahu – Raba – perek alef on Tehillim
(139 pusack 16) indicating that Yom Kippur is a uniquely sanctified day. [also
see the Sefer Likutey Moharan – simon 179].

        On Yom Kippur we are
compared to malakim because we are not limited to the realm of this mundane
world. It is a time and opportunity to reach new levels of closeness to G-d
through His Torah. The eve of Yom Kippur can bring with it a shift in
consciousness from the earthly to the spiritual realm, with the “break of dawn”
perhaps symbolizing the new light of day which has the power to shine its
beneficence throughout all the rest of the year.

           May we all
experience each moment as the perfect time and every situation as the ideal
place, thus transforming the “dust of confrontation” into the “gold
dust” of the final geula, may it be soon in our days.

All articles appearing on this blog are copyrighted by Rabbi Yehoshua Binyamin Falk. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to share/download/copy this information as long as it is accompanied by the copyright. Separately authored/copyrighted materia

           Tishah B’Av is one of those rare days in the Jewish calendar that seamlessly interfaces with the ordinary weekday. On Tishah B’Av we are not clothed in our regal Shabbos or Yom Tov clothing nor do we partake in any festive meals and therein lies its power and strength. Indeed, this day is quite unique in that it is dedicated to relinquishing some of our most basic needs: the learning of Torah, eating and drinking and wearing leather shoes. But it is by focusing our attention on the meaning of the day in the manner proscribed by our sages that we can attain extraordinary results.

The intensity of the feelings of the day, superimposed upon our daily lives gives us a humbling view of our actual position in this world. It is by sitting for hours on or near the ground, in serious contemplation while fasting, that we can catch a glimpse of something about ourselves that we rarely have a chance to see.  And this glimpse can be — if we allow ourselves to take advantage of it –the inspiration for a true transformation. Tishah b’Av like teshuva aids us in reaching a profound depth within our yearning souls.  This yearning for the redemption (geula) for the time when we will find security, respect, peace and prosperity and where we will finally see an end to the  periodic eruptions that have punctuated our long exile – eruptions that  have produced  the seismographic pulsations is what we heart fully pray for all day.  

            The bitter roots of our exile were extended deeply into the soil long before the destruction of our holy Temple — their growth  stimulated through the diminution of Torah learning and by the adoption of foreign lifestyles and cultures.  

What can we do on this day to “uproot” these perennial underlying causes that continue to hinder the rebuilding of our holy Bais HaMikdash?

             On the Ninth of Av, as we accept upon ourselves the physical restrictions our Sages have imposed, we sow seeds of renewed dedication in the soil of altruistic humility that will, with the help of Hashem, bear an abundance of fruitful blessings.

               On  this day of mourning, by not wearing leather shoes on our feet, we begin to “step” unassumingly down from our pedestals of overreaching self-confidence.              

            On this day of mourning, by not using our legs to take leisurely strolls we increase our “strides” towards holiness.  

            On this day of mourning, by not washing and anointing our bodies for pleasure, we enhance our spiritual “purification”.

             On this day of mourning, by not eating and drinking, we take the reins of control away from corporal desires of our hearts and hand them over to the soul to be our guide.

             On this day of mourning, through refraining from using the thoughts of our minds for Torah study we clearly recognize the futility and emptiness of life without it. 

            And this day of mourning, the birth date of our long awaited Redeemer (Mashaich), is the very day that is the beginning of the new dawn which will bring everlasting joy and peace to all mankind.  May we merit the final geula soon in our days.

All articles appearing on this blog are copyrighted by Rabbi Yehoshua Binyamin Falk. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to share/download/copy this information as long as it is accompanied by the copyright. Separately authored/copyrighted materia

          Bein Hametzarim – “between the tragedies.” Caught in the vise between – the 17^th of Tamuz and the 9^th of Av – days in which our Bais Hamikdash was destroyed as well as many other calamities befell us – it is difficult to perceive any redeeming aspect of this tragic period. However, we have long understood the spiritual value that lies within adversity.  For example Chazal inform us of the benefits we derived from our period of bondage in Mitzraim, which prepared us for the next level in the service of Hashem. In Mitzrayim we were given the opportunity to extract precious sparks of holiness that only the most challenging of events and epochs could release.  

          Let us try to reveal a redemptive, positive view of this difficult period that we re-visit each year at this time. Perhaps one of the “keys” to releasing ourselves from personal and national bondage lies, ironically, in the name for the period – “Bein Hametzarim”.

               Why is this time called “between the tragedies” and not “the time of tragedies”? The nature of many people, when beset by difficult challenges, is that they tend to become overwhelmed and even imprisoned in their own personal “bars” of anguish and hopelessness. Yet, many of us know those exceptional people who, in seemingly overwhelming circumstances, are able to overcome restrictions focusing not on the bars – of limitation – but on the spaces “between” them – the inner messages that offer new vistas of growth and change which are encoded “within” the challenges.

          Chazal have foretold that one day the inner lights of these days called Bein Hametzarim will be unveiled revealing the crowning gem, our long awaited Moshiach, whose birth  date is the 9^th of Av (Yerushalmi, Brachos).

            Sfas Emes tells us that the ten ma’amoros (sayings) with which the world was created world were later channeled in Mitzraim through the ten makot and finally revealed in the form of the Ten Commandments.[1] These ten sayings were the Divine D.N.A. that G-d used to formulate the world.  Had mankind cooperated and obeyed Hashem’s commandments, the world would have achieved perfection; however because of the various sins throughout the generations, a process of purification was deemed necessary including the ten plagues (makot) for the Mitzrim (at  the same time that the Jewish people were the recipients of blessings) that led eventually to the exodus.        

          However, since freedom from physical bondage was not the final goal, the benevolent Creator led us to Har Sinai and gave us the Torah whose essence is coded within the ten commandments. 

                 Perhaps we can draw a parallel from this to draw another connection among numbers: the twenty-two osios of the Torah, twenty-two days of Bein Hametzarim and to twenty-two of our holiest days. As is well known the entire creation was and continues to exist through the twenty-two holy osios of the Torah. However, due to the ongoing failings of mankind, specifically the Jewish people have designated to be a holy nation charged with rectifying and elevating the whole Creation. We are assigned at times to descend into the darkest, most dangerous realms of time in the calendar year[2]  in order to reveal the inner radiance their intrinsic holiness. It is specifically during the depths of the frigid winter referred to as SHOVAVIM (TAT), during which the Torah reading retells of the bondage of our forefathers, that we can access the spiritual “genetics” necessary to rectify not only that period but all challenging times. This lofty goal is achievable through the dynamic vibrant power contained within the twenty-two aliyot of the Torah beginning with the story of Moshe Rabbinu and the burning bush (sneh) (the forth aliya in Parshas Shemos), ( then seven aliyas each in Parshas Va’eira and Parshas Bo) and ending with the splitting of the Yam Suf (forth aliya of Pashas Beshalach) for a total of twenty-two aliot.

         It is specifically through the Torah, our spiritual catalyst, that even during the most  twenty-two searing intense summer days of Bein Hametzarim will be transformed in the near future into days of joy. Adhering to the Torah’s prescriptions will enable us to make the transition from the grip of stifling bondage to new heights of freedom in days of Divine radiance. Each and every day of the Bein Hametzarim period contains within it the seeds – the inner essence – of twenty-two of our holiest days.  [3]

          May all of us merit to see, feel and experience the blessings encoded within each and every one of these days, thereby transcending the galus of limitation to arrive at the ultimate geulah.

All articles appearing on this blog are copyrighted by Rabbi Yehoshua Binyamin Falk. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to share/download/copy this information as long as it is accompanied by the copyright. Separately authored/copyrighted materia

     This world is filled with treasure
hunters—people looking for riches in all of its forms –wealth, power, position
and glory.  They search high and low for
clues and directional signposts to show them the way. A successful hedge fund
manager, whose fund returns a whopping 36% a year  uses 
a  vast array of sophisticated
computing equipment reputed to be worth over 600 million dollars and 150
employees who hold doctoral degrees in fields as diverse as  astrophysics and linguistics rather than in
finance.  All of this combined brain
power is used to sift through huge amounts of raw data eliminating what appears
to be irrelevant information or “noise” 
and  scrutinizing what remains for
patterns with the goal of  discerning   investment trends and directions.  If we think about it, the tools for this
search may be  new, but the methodology
is not. It is the age old process of mining for minerals and gold by clearing through
tons of dirt and rock  to reveal the riches
within, using computers rather than digging tools.

            So much of mankind is on a
seemingly never ending search for success and fortune, however, at best, their
endeavors  produce only transitory gains.
This is in contrast to the enduring legacy of our nation which we acquired 3300
years ago when we merited to receive the durable, eternal wealth of our holy
Jewish teachings (Torah).

            At
the giving of the Torah, we were not asked to be searchers seeking out subtle
clues and vague directives.  We did not
have to explore the heavens and plumb the depths of the seas.  We did not even have to climb to the top of
the lowest mountain upon which it was given in order to receive it. It was
brought down to us—by our leader and emissary, Moshe Rabbeinu. The question
then as now was not how to find it,  but
rather how are we to comprehend, appreciate and incorporate its treasured value
into our lives?  There are maps and
guideposts that are available to help us with this exploration.  All it requires is for us to take a fresh
look at some old familiar landscapes.

              To start we might wish to consider the place
of its presentation. The desert is a place that is separated from the busyness
of the world—a place where the world’s standards and distractions do not
impinge—a place where we lacked the ability to be self sustaining, but in fact
had to rely upon the Creator’s (Hashem’s) kindness and protection.  In this place, greatness is measured in
humility rather than in power and wealth for ones’ very survival depended upon
the willingness to humbly accept the direction of the Creator of the Universe.  And thus we find our first  prerequisite for “mining” the treasure that is
our Torah—that is the ability to allow the Torah to guide us rather than us
making determinations that impose our own limitations upon it.

          Another key for accessing the Torah’s
eternal wisdom and guidance is derived from the fact that it was given from above
but was received below.  This
alludes to the fact that the Torah emanates from a place that is “above”
natural law, but in order for us to benefit from the wealth of our Torah these teachings
need to descend into all facets of our lives.

             How does this happen? Ordinarily, it is difficult
to evoke changes in habits and behavior, therefore perhaps the intense roaring thunder
and streaking lightening bolts at Har Sinai may have been much more than just an
introduction of the giving of the Torah but actually served to “jolt” the whole
nation out of their old mind set in order to elicit the new spiritual revelation
that was to follow.  For us it can serve
as a lesson reminding us that  before
valuable growth in the service of Hashem) can occur, there often comes a
challenging “storm” – ie: a difficult situation or person that  jolts us and in so doing actually helps us to
realign with Torah directed sensibility and sensitivity. 

             This perhaps explains the fact that the entire
nation experienced a transposition of the senses in which they heard
what they saw and saw what they heard. We, who are the beneficiaries of the
Sinai revelation, can continue to benefit from this vital experience, if when hearing
of some else’s difficult problems – we see what we can do to help them.
Likewise when we see someone struggling – if we allow ourselves to hear
our inner voice guiding us as to how we can react most sensitively to their
needs, we will hopefully bring closer the final redemption (geula), may it be
soon in our days.

© Yehoshua Binyamin Falk

All rights reserved

First publication: Hamodia
newspaper

All articles appearing on this blog are copyrighted by Rabbi Yehoshua Binyamin Falk. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to share/download/copy this information as long as it is accompanied by the copyright. Separately authored/copyrighted materia