What is the problem with admitting to old sins? Why was Moshe silent when some of the people of Israel said that Hashem would not return His divine presence to His people? Why was there three months from the time that the material of the Mishkan was completed until it was erected? Why was it erected specifically in Nissan? Why was it constructed in the winter months? Why was it done with special Divine assistance?
Find out in this week's parsha podcast.
Running time: 20:40
Showing posts with label challenge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label challenge. Show all posts
Friday, March 13, 2015
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Purim gelt
Guest post by Daniel
Based on my best calculations, I gave very close to, or just over, $25 in tzedakah throughout Purim this year. I was makpid to the best of my ability to always give something to anyone that asked me.
Upon arriving back at my house, there was a letter waiting for me, literally right outside my door. It was a 6-week late birthday card from a non-Jewish relative of mine. They don't even know it's Purim this week, let alone what Purim is. There was cash enclosed totaling $25.
Baruch Hashem!
The money came right back to me in lightning speed. One thing this teaches me is that the true price of a mitzvah is not the financial expense. It's like my money was distilled, extracting the spirituality (the mitzvah) within it, if you can picture that, and then sent right back to me. So what was extracted in that process? What was the real "currency" that was used to "purchase" my mitzvos?
I believe it was the emunah muscles I had to flex each time I gave money, whether a dollar or a quarter.
It was the challenge of not only parting with my own money, but the challenge of ignoring the rants of the yetzer hara who challenges the worthiness of every beggar and collector that asks for help.
"Why is it always these types of people" "Why is he asking while I'm praying?" "Wasn't he here 10 minutes ago asking for money?" "They should get jobs instead of taking other people's money" and on and on.
The best response I found was to completely immerse myself in the mida of Hashem's chesed. In that way, it doesn't matter if they are or are not worthy in my eyes - in Hashem's view (lehavdil), as it were, they are all worthy of my tzedakah! It doesn't matter if the guy is coming back to ask for a second time, especially not on Purim.
Similarly, it doesn't matter if all I can afford to give out this year amounts to just $25 - the real currency, strengthening emunah and overcoming the yetzer hara, is present for each person as long as he gives according to his particular income.
From all of this, we should take great joy, for "G-d wished to give Israel merit, therefore he gave them much Torah and many commandments." (Mishnah Makos 3:16)
Ashreichem Yisroel!
Based on my best calculations, I gave very close to, or just over, $25 in tzedakah throughout Purim this year. I was makpid to the best of my ability to always give something to anyone that asked me.
Upon arriving back at my house, there was a letter waiting for me, literally right outside my door. It was a 6-week late birthday card from a non-Jewish relative of mine. They don't even know it's Purim this week, let alone what Purim is. There was cash enclosed totaling $25.
Baruch Hashem!
The money came right back to me in lightning speed. One thing this teaches me is that the true price of a mitzvah is not the financial expense. It's like my money was distilled, extracting the spirituality (the mitzvah) within it, if you can picture that, and then sent right back to me. So what was extracted in that process? What was the real "currency" that was used to "purchase" my mitzvos?
I believe it was the emunah muscles I had to flex each time I gave money, whether a dollar or a quarter.
It was the challenge of not only parting with my own money, but the challenge of ignoring the rants of the yetzer hara who challenges the worthiness of every beggar and collector that asks for help.
"Why is it always these types of people" "Why is he asking while I'm praying?" "Wasn't he here 10 minutes ago asking for money?" "They should get jobs instead of taking other people's money" and on and on.
The best response I found was to completely immerse myself in the mida of Hashem's chesed. In that way, it doesn't matter if they are or are not worthy in my eyes - in Hashem's view (lehavdil), as it were, they are all worthy of my tzedakah! It doesn't matter if the guy is coming back to ask for a second time, especially not on Purim.
Similarly, it doesn't matter if all I can afford to give out this year amounts to just $25 - the real currency, strengthening emunah and overcoming the yetzer hara, is present for each person as long as he gives according to his particular income.
From all of this, we should take great joy, for "G-d wished to give Israel merit, therefore he gave them much Torah and many commandments." (Mishnah Makos 3:16)
Ashreichem Yisroel!
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Fill in the blanks
Guest post by Daniel
A teacher I had in yeshiva once said to me that "nothing the Jews do right according to Torah can be used against them by the enemies of Israel."
i.e. That which klal Yisroel fails to do properly can be used against them by the enemies of Israel.
This is reflected in the Kinnos liturgy from Tisha b'Av:
What can we learn, as a klal, from Hamas' war tactics?
Fill in the blanks.
Fill in the blanks.
I mean, we need to really fill in the blanks.
A teacher I had in yeshiva once said to me that "nothing the Jews do right according to Torah can be used against them by the enemies of Israel."
i.e. That which klal Yisroel fails to do properly can be used against them by the enemies of Israel.
This is reflected in the Kinnos liturgy from Tisha b'Av:
"We have been made into slaves
Because we did not follow the commandment to release slaves on time.
We pay with our very lives for our bread
Because we skipped over the hands of the poor amongst us.
The women of Zion do they torture
Because the wife of our fellow we have defiled and adultered."
What can we learn, as a klal, from Hamas' war tactics?
Fill in the blanks.
In Gaza,
Our soldiers are being drawn into booby-trapped homes,
Because we...
Our soldiers are being lured into booby-trapped schools,
Because we...
Our soldiers are being chased by suicide bombers,
Because we...
Our civilians are being bombarded with rockets ("words" are likened to "arrows"),
Because we...
Our soldiers are threatened with kidnapping,
Because we...
They use underground tunnels carved out of Eretz HaKodesh (the Holy Land),
Because we...
Fill in the blanks.
I mean, we need to really fill in the blanks.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Miketz - Facing adversity
Why did Yosef feel like he had to make sure the dreams were fulfilled?
Why did the brothers have to go through this ordeal?
Why did we need to be oppressed in the Chanukah story and then receive a miraculous salvation?
Find out in this week's parsha podcast, entitled, "Facing adversity."
By the way, you can subscribe to this podcast by going onto itunes and going into the Judaism section of the podcasts, or you can use the following url:
http://www.puresoulband.com/podcast/parsha.rss
Why did the brothers have to go through this ordeal?
Why did we need to be oppressed in the Chanukah story and then receive a miraculous salvation?
Find out in this week's parsha podcast, entitled, "Facing adversity."
By the way, you can subscribe to this podcast by going onto itunes and going into the Judaism section of the podcasts, or you can use the following url:
http://www.puresoulband.com/podcast/parsha.rss
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)