Tzav and Purim - North and South

Why is the korban olah (fully burnt sacrifice) related to the north, while the shelamim (partly burned, partly eaten) is related to the south? Why are the concepts of exile, Gog and Moshiach related to the north, while redemption, Gog's fall, and the rebuilding of the Temple related to the south? Why can't a northerly and southerly wind blow at the same time? What does it mean that both will blow in the future time? Why can't a groom enter the house before he is invited by his bride?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 26:27

Toldos - Spiritual Power

Why does the Torah preface the story of Yakov (Jacob) and Esav with the statement that Abraham birthed Isaac? What is the significance of the fact that Isaac was forty years old when he got married? What is the spiritual power of the circumcision of Ishmael at age thirteen? What is the spiritual power of Isaac's binding? What is the spiritual inheritance that Jacob is given and in turn gives to us?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 23:53

Toldos - Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov

How do we see a reference to all three patriarchs in the first verse of the parsha? What does the midrash mean when it says that Avraham was saved from the fire in the merit of his grandson Jacob? What does the midrash mean when it says that all of the patriarchs were referred to as Israel? What are the unique character traits of each of the patriarchs, and how do they relate to their experience in the land of Israel?

Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Running time: 22:09

Rav Elya Svei's hesped and more

A reader of this blog was at Rav Elya's levaya, and shared with me that Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky, the Rosh Yeshiva of the Philadelphia, in his eulogy of Rav Svei, said that Rav Svei had said ten years ago that Moshiach would come in 2009.

A comment on the previous post gave the following link to a video of Rav Elya himself quoting Reb Elchonon Wasserman's statement in 1939 at 36 minutes and 20 seconds.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8045533956953563939&hl=en

Another comment from 'גילוי' (keitz meguleh) stated that the seventy years spoken of are not consecutive, and in fact some of that time occurred before 5699 and some will occur after 5769 as well.

Another point worthy of mention was something my wife read in the Mishpacha magazine, which quoted Rav Kaduri (who the author of the article personally heard it from) as saying that on the day of Birkas Hachama (this Wednesday) there will be a sign of מתיקות הדינים - sweetening of judgments.

I found this last point to be very significant, as my הרגש tells me (for what it's worth) that we are in for some hefty רחמים from Hashem, and if we are indeed standing at the threshold of Moshiach, then the incredible miracles that await us will require the type of actions that are above the logic dictating what we deserve, getting us into the realm of Kesser.

Seeds of redemption

Before Purim, someone shared a beautiful pshat with me in the name of the Chasam Sofer (I believe).

If one goes back to the root of the miracle of Purim, we can trace the beginning stage to the party of Achashverosh that is described at the beginning of the story. During that party, the king asks Vashti to appear, but she refuses. In his anger, he heeds the advice to be rid of her, lest the women in the countries of his dominion learn of her intransigence and be led to do the same to their own husbands. Vashti is removed from the scene, leaving an opening for Esther to become a key player in the miracle of Purim.

What is most interesting is that the seeds for the miracle are sown at the very moment that the Jewish people were doing the sin that created the necessity for the miracle! They had been instructed by Mordechai to refrain from partaking in the party of Achashverosh, but they did not listen to the advice of the gadol. In their minds it was more important to join the party, as loyal citizens of Persia, rather than make a scene. Their mistake led to the decree of Haman to wipe out the Jewish people.

What comes out of it is that at the time the Jews were sinning and bringing upon themselves a great calamity, Hashem was concurrently preparing the miracle of their salvation. What an amazing chessed of Hashem! When His beloved people are straying from Him, in His great love He is thinking of them and creating the potential for the miracle of their salvation.

When I heard this idea, I could only think of our people today, many of whom may be entrenched in things that would pull us away from Hashem, ח"ו. Nevertheless, Hashem is constantly looking out for our best, planting the seeds of redemption even as we do things that perhaps make us unworthy! Could there be any greater kindness?

Az die rebbe zingt

This is a video of my father (Mr. Murray Goldwag) singing in a nursing home in Jerusalem on February 28, 2009. My mother (Mrs. Meryl Goldwag) is accompanying him on the guitar. My father shared with me that of all the experiences he has had here in Israel since living here starting in September, this was one of the most enjoyable (besides for hanging out with his kids and grandkids). I think it attests to our need to give and the wonderful feeling we get when we do - it is tapping into our own root in Hashem's attribute of pure giving.