Friday, Menachem Av 17, 5786 / July 31, 2026
B"H
Friday, Menachem Av 17, 5786 / July 31, 2026
This week’s Parsha, Aikev, records Moshe's words of guidance to the Jewish people before his death. He reminds them that if they keep G-d’s commandments, G-d will fulfill His promises to them. He tells them that all their trials and tribulations, during their forty years in the desert, were likened to a father reprimanding his son when he goes astray. It is out of G-d’s love that He does whatever necessary to make them go in the right path so that they would observe His commandments.
Moshe says to them, “Now Israel, what does G-d, your G-d, demand of you? Only to fear G-d, your G-d; to follow all His ways; to love Him; to serve G-d with all your heart and with all your soul.”
The mitzvah of reciting the Grace-after-Meals is also found in this Parsha, “And you shall eat and be satisfied and bless the L-rd your G-d for the good land which He had given you."
Q. Moshe tells the Jewish people that loving G-d and serving Him with all your heart and soul and performing all the commandments is easy. How so?
A.It all depends on how we look at it. Our sages tell us that Torah and mitzvot are like gold and diamonds. If we have that attitude, then the more mitzvot we observe, the more we benefit and the wealthier we become spiritually.
Our sages teach us in Pirkei Avot: “The Holy One blessed be He, wished to make the people of Israel meritorious; therefore, He gave them Torah and mitzvot in abundance.”
The following parable explains this: Two people were walking on the road on a very hot day, each carrying a heavy load. One is carrying rocks and the other diamonds. They were both sweating and bent over with their heavy load.
As they were walking, the one carrying the rocks saw more rocks, but he was too tired and didn’t even bother to pick them up. But when the one carrying the diamonds saw more diamonds, although his load wasn’t any lighter, he was so happy to add more and more diamonds to his load!
It is the same with Torah and mitzvot. It all depends on how we view them. If we see them as rocks, then they do become heavy and burdensome. However, if we value them as diamonds, then the more the better. Their value makes all the effort worthwhile.
Q. The Grace-after-Meals consists of four blessings. Who instituted these four blessings?
A. Mosheinstituted the first blessing. This was instituted when the Jewish people received the manna in the desert. Joshua established the second blessing, upon entering the Land of Israel. King David and King Solomon established the third blessing. The fourth blessing was instituted after the destruction of the Second Temple.
SHABBAT SHALOM
Montreal candle lighting time: 8:05 / Shabbat ends: 9:14
Thursday, Menachem Av 16, 5786 / July 30, 2026
B"H
Thursday, Menachem Av 16, 5786 / July 30, 2026
Amongst the mitzvot found in last week’s Parsha, Va’etchanan, and again in this week’s Parsha, Aikev, are the mitzvot of Tefillin and Mezuzah.
The mitzvah of Tefillin consists of two black boxes in which there are portions of the Torah placed in them. One is put on the arm and the other on the head. This mitzvah is performed only on the weekdays, not on Shabbat and Biblical holidays in which work is prohibited.
The Mezuzah is placed on each doorpost of the home, except for the bathroom etc.
The Torah says, "And you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall be for Tefillin between your eyes… And you shall write them upon the posts of your house and your gates."
Inside each box of Tefillin are four passages of the Torah. In the hand Tefillin all four passages are written on one parchment and placed into one box. In the head Tefillin, which consists of four compartments, the four portions are written on four pieces of parchment, and each is placed in a different compartment. The Mezuzah consists of only two passages of the Torah written on one piece of parchment.
The parchment, upon which the Tefillin and Mezuzah are written, must be made by a Jew and must conform to the very specific stipulations of the Code of Jewish Law. The same applies to the writing of the Tefillin and Mezuzot. Every letter must be handwritten, just like a Torah scroll.
The Torah scroll, Tefillin and mezuzot cannot be mass produced. Each pair of Tefillin and Mezuzah is a meticulous writing process, which is why they are expensive. However, the mitzvah is so great that they are definitely worth their price.
Q. Why is the letter "Shin" שwritten onthe outside of the Mezuzah?
A. The "Shin" is the first letter of one of G-d's names, Shad’eye, which is spelled; Shin, daled, yud. These three letters serve as an acronym for the words, "Shomer Daltei Yisrael" - "G-d watches over the doors of Israel."
The Talmud tells the following wonderful story: A special friendship existed between King Antoninus and the leader of the Jewish people, Rabbi Yehudah Hanasi. Once, King Antoninus sent Rabbi Yehudah Hanasi a precious stone as a gift. In return Rabbi Yehudah sent him back a Mezuzah.
Antoninus was puzzled: "I sent you an expensive gift, and you send me a piece of parchment?"
Rabbi Yehudah Hanasi replied, "Your gift I will have to guard to make sure that no one steals it. But my gift to you, the Mezuzah, will guard youand protect you at all times!"
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
Wednesday, Menachem Av 15, 5786 / July 29, 2026
B"H
Wednesday, Menachem Av 15, 5786 / July 29, 2026
Today is the 15th day in the month of Menachem Av. In contrast to the first nine days of the month, today is a very happy day. During the time of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, it was one of the happiest days of the year.
The 15th of Av was “matchmaking” day in Israel. The Talmudic sage, Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel, said: “There were no greater festive days for Israel than the 15th of Av.” On that day the daughters of Jerusalem would go out and dance in the vineyards and they would say, "Young man, raise your eyes and see what you select for yourself.” It was a day of matchmaking which led to many weddings.
The Talmud lists several joyous events which occurred on the 15th day of Av:
1) The dying of the generation of the Exodus ceased. Because they refused to go into the Promised Land, G-d decreed that all men between 20 and 60, who came out of Egypt, would die in the desert, only their children would enter the land. After 40 years in the desert, on the 15th of Av, the dying ended. Thus, the 15th of Av became a happy day.
2) In order to ensure the orderly division of the Holy Land between the twelve tribes of Israel, restrictions had been placed on marriages between members of two different tribes. This restriction was binding only on the generation that conquered and settled the Holy Land. The restriction was lifted on the 15th of Av. The event was considered a cause for celebration and festivity, and the 15th of Av became a day of celebration.
3) The 15th of Av was the day in which the tribe of Benjamin, which had been excommunicated for a particular behavior (as related in Judges 19-21), was readmitted into the community of Israel.
4) Hosea ben Eilah opened the roads to Jerusalem. Upon the division of the Holy Land into two kingdoms following the death of King Solomon, Jeroboam ben Nebat, ruler of the breakaway Northern Kingdom of Israel, set up roadblocks to prevent his citizens from making the three yearly pilgrimages to the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. They were finally removed more than 200 years later by Hosea ben Eilah, the last king of the Northern Kingdom, on the 15th of Av.
5) The dead of Betar were allowed to be buried. The fortress of Betar was the last holdout of the Bar Kochba rebellion. When Betar fell on the 9th of Av, Bar Kochba and many thousands of Jews were killed. The Romans massacred the survivors of the battle with great cruelty and would not allow the Jews to bury their dead. The dead of Betar were finally brought to burial on the 15th of Av.
6) "The day of the breaking of the ax." The annual cutting of firewood for the altar in the Holy Temple was concluded on the 15th of Av. The event was celebrated with feasting and rejoicing.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
Tuesday, Menachem Av 14, 5786 / July 28, 2026
B"H
Tuesday, Menachem Av 14, 5786 / July 28, 2026
This week’s Parsha, Eikev, begins, “Vehaya Eikev Tishmeun… “And it will be, because you will heed these ordinances and keep and perform them, that the L-rd, your G-d, will keep for you the covenant and the kindness that He swore to your forefathers. And He will love you and bless you and multiply you; He will bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your soil, your grain, your wine, and your oil, the offspring of your cattle and the choice of your flocks, in the land which He swore to your forefathers to give you. “
“You shall be blessed above all peoples: There will be no sterile male or barren female among you or among your livestock. And the L-rd will remove from you all illness, and all of the evil diseases of Egypt which you knew, He will not set upon you, but He will lay them upon all your enemies.”
The word Eikev which in this context means because, also means “heel.”
Our sages wonder why the Torah uses the word, Eikev, instead of a more common Hebrew word for because. They explain that the Torah teaches us here a very important lesson. Of the many mitzvot in the Torah there are mitzvot which seem very important in our eyes. Then there are mitzvot which don’t seem so important in the human mind. A person may consider them in the category of Eikev – heel. As our sages express this point, “Mitzvot which a person steps over them with their heel.”
The Torah tells us that a person should be very careful with these mitzvot and the reward for these mitzvot are great. All the mitzvot are from G-d and thus, we should be careful with every mitzvah.
Our sages in Pirkei Avot say, “Be as careful with a seemingly insignificant mitzvah, as with a seemingly important mitzvah, for we do not know the reward for the individual mitzvah.
The Talmud tells the following story: Yosef, the son of Rabbi Yehoshua, had a near-death experience. When he came to himself, his father, Rabbi Yehoshua asked him: “What did you see on the other side?”
He answered: “I saw a world turned upside down, where the poor were rich, and the rich were poor.”
His father answered: “You actually saw a world turned right way up.”
What we see here may not be what is seen from above. The mitzvot which may seem insignificant down here, may be very significant above. The Torah reminds us that we should regard every mitzvah as important. Why did G-d make it seem insignificant? It’s all part of the test. Sometimes, the struggle to perform these mitzvot are greater than the one’s which seem very important. Thus, the reward for these mitzvot may be even greater.
Said the Rebbe of Kotzk: “The heel which is the end of the human body is also a reference to the end of time. Thus, the Torah tells us that, “In the end we will all listen and observe G-d’s mitzvot, for we will realize that there are no other values in life as important as the word of G-d.”
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
|
Torah Fax is published daily (except Shabbat & Sunday) so you can learn something new every day |