Coro- Nachas- Parshat Vayikra 2020/ 5780

Insights and Inspiration

from the

Holy Land

from

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

"Your friend in Karmiel"

March 27^th 2020 -Volume 10 Issue 23 2^nd Nissan 5780

Parshat Vayikra

 Coro-Nachas

It's a week before Pesach and my wife and daughters are making cakes, and breads, and pastas, because hey why not? It's not like we will not have enough time to clean the house for Pesach. And it's not like there's much else to do in the house at this point in time. Now we're not going away for Pesach this year, in case you were wondering. Nobody is. And yet in a normal year by this time in the game, we in the Schwartz family are outside on the porch eating out of plastic bags whatever leftover shalach manos we scrounged up or snuck from my kid's secret stashes. But this year is different than all other years. There's plenty of food. There's plenty of time to clean. It's a dream come true …right?

Do you remember last year the last minute scrambling to buy food for Pesach? The frantic yelling and screaming who's gonna clean this room, the car, the garage, the sefarim? How many times do I have to tell you already… What about all the invitations or travelling. Am I going to your parents or mine. Are all the kids coming to us? Where will they stay. All the airport runs…I can't stand to be with this brother in law, that sister, that cousin… he talks too much, we can never focus on the kids… all the politics and drama. Not this year. Just me and my wife and kids. Zeh Hu. Pretty cool. There are some benefits to this corona thing.

Now I know that's pretty callous of me. People are dying. There's a plague going on. Hashem doesn't let us got to shul, to yeshiva, to our favorite eateries, or tourist spots in Israel. You're right... We need to daven, we need to implore the heavens to stop this already. We need to do teshuva. But there's something else we need to do. You know what that is? We need to chill out… We need to sit back and understand that we have no control over what is going to happen, when this is going to end, how we will manage to pay our bills, to survive being cooped up in a house, when the next minyan will be, whether we will ever again taste a shwarma. We don't know. Just like we had no clue that this was coming in the first place. That could be pretty unsettling. I get it. But that's perhaps the biggest avoda/ spiritual work that we need to do now. Just sit back and recognize that we're in Hashem's hands. He is driving this plane. Not me. Not you. Not Trump. Not Bibi or Gantz.

I know that until now we all knew this and may have even believed it to a certain degree. That's not the only radical paradigm shift Rabbi Schwartz epiphany today. Everyone else is saying that already. How about this?  It's not even our merit of Torah in yeshivas or mass prayers in shuls it seems that have any control over any of this. Hashem pretty much shut those doors for us in case you thought that was what this was all about. To me it is reminiscent of the Jews standing on the backs of the Red Sea with the Egyptians in hot pursuit. There's nowhere to go and Moshe starts to pray and Hashem tells him just go. Hashem yilachem lachem v'atem tacharishun- God will fight for you and you just be quiet. Sit back and enjoy the ride or cruise. It's not easy to sit back and relax in total faith when there are thousands of Egyptian chariots and soldiers coming and nowhere to go. Our natural tendency is to pray, to give charity-or at least promise to- to repent, to go to some Rabbi for a blessing. But just to sit back and say Hashem is running the show and I have no control while I hear those horses coming… while I read those latest rising statistics, while I watch my savings crash, my income disappear… Can I say that then? The answer is yes we can. You know how I know that? Cause we did it before. It's how we were born as a nation and it's our upcoming holiday.

Think about Pesach for a second. If you haven't yet. It's the only holiday which we celebrate and commemorate on the day when nothing happened. That first seder night, we were still in Egypt. Pharaoh was still the king of Egypt. We were still slaves (although maybe unemployed due to certain home restrictions from plagues). There was in fact a plague that was raging outside and we were quarantined in our home. Just our families. That was our first seder. It must have been terrifying hearing the screams and the death count on Mitzrayim internet servers showing the numbers rapidly rising all divided up neatly by communities from midnight and on. But we just sat there and sang Pesach songs. Now this is not to say we were not vulnerable. Just a few weeks before we are told 80% of the Jews had died in the plague of darkness. But that night… no one was scared… no one even prayed. We just sat with our belts unbuttoned (hey after a few days in quarantine I know understand that commandment…) but ready to be snapped up, our shoes ready to leave the next day and our staffs parked at the door. We were leaving the next day. Were we packing? Were we worried? Were we scrambling? Nope we were chilled. We were in His hands tonight. We just have to finish this delicious lamb chop BBQ Matza sandwich and our four cups tonight.

The next morning we would rush. The next morning we would leave in great haste because we didn't prepare. We even eat the matza to remember how chilled we were that we didn't even pack sandwiches for the trip the day before. We didn't stop at the Glatt Mart on Avenue M-itzrayim. We were too busy chilling. The seder night that we commemorate we remember how there was no real salvation yet, but yet we felt that we had already experienced one. We were free while we were still in Egypt. Because we understood that night, that the Egyptians, the plagues, the whole world can come crashing down and we are in Hashem's hands. That is the memory of Mitzrayim. That is the story we tell our children. That is what we should have no problem explaining to them this year.

Do you know how we do that? How do we get to such a level of faith? The answer the Torah tell us is to tashbisu se'or m'bateichem- destroy the Chametz from your house. It's an interesting word the Torah uses. tashbisu- it doesn't only mean to destroy; biyur would be a better word to use to convey that concept. Tashbisu is like the word Shabbos. Rest the Chametz from your home. What is Shabbos? Shabbos is the day that we recognize that Hashem is running the world. It's a day of rest. I don't have to work. I don't need to check my phone every five minutes, I don't need to cook, turn on lights, open my shop or drive anywhere. I'm in his hands. Everything has been taken care of already beforehand. I can rest. I can chill. Akuna matata. Or today that might be Corona-Matata…oy.

Chametz is me working over the bread. The dough, the wheat, the baking the rising, it's bloated. It's me. It's my recipe (or Elka's-she makes the best), my braiding, my special flavor and aromas. For Pesach we let that all rest. We destroy that notion. The main commandment is to do bitul in our heart not even to burn it. The real plan is to just declare that it's not here. It's dust of the earth. All that Chametz is just our illusion of reality. That what I see, touch and eat are really here. What I can't is not. If that's true then perhaps I should worry about Egypt. They're here. Perhaps I should worry about my bills, the plagues… they're also here. So what do we do before Pesach. We say all that Chametz is not here. It's batel. It's not mine. I can make it halachically null by just saying it with all my heart; Bitul ba'leiv. All those cheerios in my cabinet, all those rugelach in my freezer. They're dust of the earth. They're not real.  Once I can do that I can then do the same when it comes to all my perceived fears, stress, and apprehensions about life. I can finally put them to rest. I can give them a Shabbos.

Pesach is called Shabbas. We count omer from the day after Shabbos, which our sages tell us is Pesach. It Shabbos because we are rested. We don't have to worry at all. Every Shabbos as well we remember Mitzrayim repeatedly in our Kiddush and our davening. Same thing. At Creation Hashem rested, but on Pesach 2448 years after Creation His nation who were slaves in Egypt on probably what would be the busiest, most terrifying and craziest night of the year or in our history, also rested. Also had faith. Also were able to wipe away all worries and bask in the glory of a Hashem driven world.

This week we begin the third book of the Torah with Parshat Vayikra. It is the parsha that introduces the concept of the laws of sacrifices. It is fascinating to note that there is one phrase that repeats itself throughout many of the sacrifices like the various Olah, entirely burnt offerings, or the shelamim-peace offerings. It is that they are done as a rayach nichoach la'Hashem -literally translated as a "pleasant smell for Hashem". Rashi however seemingly troubled by the notion that Hashem likes the smell of a good steak, explains the term differently. He tells us that the word nichoach is like the word nachas.

 "We gave Hashem nachas, because He said something and His word was carried out."

Interestingly enough the word nachas is similar to another word; menucha- rest.or nach- it is in its place. True yiddisheh nachas is when everything turns out the way it was supposed to. My son became a doctor. My boychik got a 100 on his exam. In my case it was when I didn't get thrown out of class for three days in a row. I lowered my parent's expectations a lot.

Hashem has nachas when he just says something and we do it. We don't do it because we want atonement for any major sins. It's why it doesn't say rayach nichoach by a communal sin offering or an asham/guilt offering. It's not even for a thanksgiving offering. It's for an olah that's entirely burnt. It's when I'm doing it because Hashem said. I'm literally burning an expensive cow just because I trust Him. I'm in his Hands. I want His peace. His shelamim. I want to give Him nachas. I want Him to rest with me. I want my place to be with Him.

This year's seder will be different than any other seder we have ever made before. I think all of us know that by now. For many it will be the first doing without their extended families. Some might even think that it feels lonely. But there is one thing about this seder that we should all appreciate is that we are never alone. This seder is probably the first one we will be celebrating globally that is most similar to that original one. We are locked in our home. There is panic outside and we are with Hashem. We are giving him nachas. We have rested all our Chametz and our notions that we have any control. It's just us and Him.

The Rambam in his final words in his essential work Yad Chazaka describes the era of Mashiach as one where the world will run as it usually does.

Maimonides (12:1) Do not presume that in the Messianic age any facet of the world's nature will change or there will be innovations in the work of creation. Rather, the world will continue according to its pattern.

So what will it be like then, you want to know? It will be like the past few weeks. Listen to what the Rambam continues to say

Ibid (4-5) The Sages and the prophets did not yearn for the Messianic era in order to have dominion over the entire world, to rule over the gentiles, to be exalted by the nations, or to eat, drink, and celebrate.

So in case that's what you thought we were hoping for you're missing the boat…

 Rather, they desired to be free to involve themselves in Torah and wisdom without any pressures or disturbances, so that they would merit the world to come,

No jobs, no work, nothing to take care of. We are all in His hands. This is the practice-run, people.

In that era, there will be neither famine or war, envy or competition for good will flow in abundance and all the delights will be freely available as dust.

No need to shop or fight over anything in the supermarkets. No one is interested in killing each other anymore. Nothing to even check the news about or whatsapp. We have it all. We will be at rest. So what will we be doing to keep busy?

 The occupation of the entire world will be solely to know God.

We''ll be learning and teaching how to give nachas to our Father. It's a big job and all eyes will be to us.

Therefore, the Jews will be great sages and know the hidden matters, grasping the knowledge of their Creator according to the full extent of human potential, as the prophet Yeshaya (11:9) states: 'The world will be filled with the knowledge of God as the waters cover the ocean bed."

Thus concludes the Rambam. Chasal Sidur Pesach. Our pesach seder will then end. Our new life will then begin. We've been waiting so long for this era and Hashem is preparing us for that moment. Nisan, the month of redemption is here. Can you feel it coming in the air tonight?

Have a restful Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

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RABBI SCHWARTZ’S FAVORITE YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE WEEK

"Aleyn iz di neshome reyn"-. Alone, one’s soul is pure.

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK

answer below at end of Email

20) The Fatimid caliph Al-Hakim is connected with:

1. Bahá’í
2. Ahmadi
3. Druze
4. Seljuq

RABBI SCHWARTZ’S COOL VIDEO  OF THE WEEK

https://youtu.be/LqvlDdQRrEo      – Chanan Ben Ari beautiful inspiring Corona song "Longing for People"

https://youtu.be/1a_E62Ru5l0  – Nobody comes to the Minyan no more- perfect Shteeble Hoppers classic!

https://youtu.be/k0ci5EYb9qA - Homeward bound Corona song… cute…

https://youtu.be/Qhw_vCUduLE  - Ari Goldwag's latest song Bitchu Ba'Hashem perfect!

https://youtu.be/8MnKmgJVEdc  - I thought this was hilarious, my mother thought it was in bad taste.. Die die yaeinu- Corona edition- not for the overly-sensitive…

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S PARSHA/MITZVA CONNECTION OF THE WEEK

Korbanos– Sacrifices today?– Welcome to the book of Vayikra. It's the book that will be filled with all of the laws of sacrifices. Now it seems that these are mitzvas that we have not been able to do for some millennia now sadly enough. But we're getting closer and closer to bringing them- excuse the korban/closer pun if you got it- oy…. So it's time to start brushing up on them. But there is more than that we could do. See these are mitzvos that we can do now more than ever even without the Beis Hamikdash. What do I mean? Listen to what our sages tell us.

The Talmud in Megilla tells us

Megilla (31B) It is written: “And he said, Hashem, by what shall I know that I shall inherit it?” (Bereshis 15:8). Avraham said before the Holy One, Blessed be He:

"Master of the Universe, perhaps, Heaven forbid, the Jewish people will sin before You, and You will do to them as You did to the generation of the Flood and as You did to the generation of the Dispersion, i.e., You will completely destroy them?"

 Hashem said to him: "No, I will not do that. "

Avraham then said before Him: Master of the Universe: “By what shall I know this?” God said to him: “Take Me a heifer of three years old” (Bereshis 15:9).

With this, God intimated to Avraham that even if his descendants will sin, they will be able to achieve atonement through sacrificing offerings. Avraham said before Him: "Master of the Universe, this works out well when the Temple is standing and offerings can be brought to achieve atonement, but when the Temple will no longer be standing, what will become of them?"

Hashem said to him: "I have already established for them the order of offerings, i.e., the verses of the Torah pertaining to the halakhot of the offerings. Whenever they read those portions, I will deem it as if they sacrificed an offering before Me, and I will pardon them for all of their iniquities."

Amazing! So reading or davening the verses of this week's Torah portion is like one brings the korbanos. We can achieve the same atonement. The same mitzva. Pretty cool.

Now the talmud at the end of Menachos tells us that it is not merely the davening of the sacrifices but rather Rabbi Yitzchak teaches that "one who engrosses oneself in the Torah of the sacrifices it is as if he brought a sacrifice". Seemingly the difference between the two talmuds is that the first one only says we receive the forgiveness of sacrifice but perhaps not the mitzva. If one actually studies the sacrifices, understands the laws and its ideas then it is as if he actually brought one. He gets the mitzva.

Now in many yeshivos or shuls they see the daily recitation of the korbanos which is in the beginning of the service as the optional part of davening. It's the bumper time when I come late to put on my teffilin, or on shabbos when we don't have any teffilin to come a few minutes late. In many yeshivos they even skip it entirely. Perhaps they feel it is taking away time from davening. But the truth is there seems to be a missing of priorities. It is mentioned in halacha that if one has a choice to say hodu and/or mizmor shir chanukas they should preferably recite korbanos for those were only established much later historically and the reason is because they were said in the temple when the daily Tamid was brought. So once we say korbanos we say that. But certainly the sacrifice themselves have priority. As well the establishment of the saying of yehi kavod, vayivareich dovid and the song of the sea are all after the talmud period (Gaonim and on) and therefore the sacrifices should have priority.

Now perhaps at this juncture one of the most is the recitation of the portion of the ketores / incense as we are told the Ketores was used to ward off the plague in the Torah. The Rema notes that this is something that should be said seriously out of a siddur not missing a word. Because the Torah tells us that if one misses out on one of the ingredients he is liable for the death penalty. And as our recitation is in place of that it should be precise and thus from a siddur. The Rema even goes further by saying that there were some places that they didn't recite it out of fear that people were in a rush to get to work and would not say it probably and that is in fact the custom in many ashkenazi communities in America. In Israel everyone says it because we just have more time…

But now Baruch Hashem he has given us a lot more time at home to daven at home. We have no excuse not to recite the korbanos. Perhaps all of this is to give us the time to do precisely that. Hashem wants us to be prepared for the Beis Hamikdash. So let's all bring the Shabbos offering this week at least in our prayers. Take the time, read them learn them and in that merit we will actually be able to offer them next week.

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S ERA’S AND THEIR PLACES AND PEOPLE IN ISRAEL OF THE WEEK

Civil War Part II 939 BC – Last week the tribes got trounced in two wars with Binyamin after they came to avenge the atrocity of the Pilegsh that was killed by the men of Givah from the tribe of Binyamin. 40,000 people of the 12 tribes were killed, but now finally Hashem had told them that they were going to be successful after they had fasted and prayed. This time though they made a plan. They decided that they would set an ambush on them by drawing them out of the city with a small contingent. While the army would chase them out they would cut them off with the other contingent that would attack and destroy the city then they would join the first group and wipe out the army that was now disconnected from the city. The signal would be when the city was conquered they would set up smoke signals and they would turn around and start fighting.

And so it was about 30 Israelites drew the Binyamins out of the city on the road to Beit El. Then the other group of about 10,000 came out from behind and they killed 18,000 of the Benjaminites. The Binyamins turned back to flee to their city but they saw it was being burnt down and started heading down to the Midbar Yehuda area. They chased them and wiped out other Binyamin cities along the way killing another 5,000 of them. They chased them to Gadom, which is an arab village today in Taibeh called Ja'dum and killed 2,000 more. This made the total about 25,000 killed. There were 600 men left that fled to a place called Sela Rimon, which the early Greek historian placed in a place that is called Kfar Ra'amun a little north of the West bank settlement of Ofra. They hid out there for four months.

After slaughtering most of the rest of the men and women and even animals of the tribe of Binyamin, the tribes all took a vow that they will never allow any of their daughter be given to the tribe of Binyamin in marriage. (which pretty much consisted of the 600 men still hiding out). They were persona non grata amongst the Jewish people. Bye Bye… but then they had regrets. Uh Oh… What have we done? How could we pretty much wipe out one of the 12 tribes. This effects all of us. They gathered in Beth El cried to Hashem and tried to figure out what to do. On the one hand they had taken a vow not to marry them. The vow couldn't be broken. It was not just a personal one. It was taken by the entire nation. As well they couldn't set a precedent that a communal vow be broken. But at the same time they felt the need to not lose this tribe and help them out.

Stay tuned next week for the craziest and even more bloody solution…. As I said this story perhaps the worst in our entire history that had already taken close to 100,000 lives is one I imagine most of you are not familiar with. It's too hard, it's too sad, but it's lessons about how far we can fall in our religious zealotry on both sides is an eternal one.

RABBI SCHWARTZ’S AND EVEN MORE TERRIBLE CORONA JOKES  OF THE WEEK

FUNNIEST MEME's of the WEEK

If you feel bad that you're children are watching too much just mute it and put on the subtitles and Boom. Now they're reading.

For Chanukah 2020 : The Toilet paper menora to remind us of the time when we had only one roll of toilet paper and we made it last for 8 days

Are you sure that the Corona started from a bat? I don't know lately I've been to develop symptoms that are making me look like a cow

Latest Ministry of Tourism warnings:  Do not open the door for Eliyahu Hanavi this year, he has visited to many homes already.

The next internet asifa is going to take place on Zoom!

I'm starting to understand why pets try to run out when someone opens the door.

One of my teachers told me that I would amount to nothing when I left school, and here I am lying on the couch and saving the world.

If you are running low on space on your phone because of all of the memes you are receiving you can delete your waze and google maps apps… won't be needing them for a while.

Day 5 of Quarantine I will never complain about a 3 day Yom Tov again…

Day 8 of Isolation and it's like Vegas in our house, We're losing money like crazy, cocktails are acceptable at all hours and no one has any idea what time it is…

After years of wanting to thoroughly clean the house but lacking the time, This week I discovered that was not the reason.

New Hagadda Quote "I was like a 70 year old man (that's the at risk group) and I never merited to recite yetziat mitzrayim at night time until ben Zooma

The Coronavirus Haggadah,PART I

KADESH When the father comes home from praying in the middle of the street with the properly distanced four cubits per person, he immediately runs to the sink, and washes his hands with kosher for Passover soap and water for 20 seconds, while humming his favorite guitar solo. Then, he recites the bracha over water with a grape-y taste. Proper grape juice being unavailable since the closed Passover programs made it almost as scarce as toilet paper.

URCHATZ The head of the household scrubs his hands again, for 20 seconds, as does every other member of the household - but one at a time, to create the proper social distancing. Usually, no blessing is said here, but this year the proper blessing is Birkat Hagomel.

KARPAS The tradition is to dip a vegetable into salt water- typically parsley, celery, potato, onion, or lettuce. Since none of that could be secured at the store due to preppers and hoarders, anything green will do. It doesn't have to be food: some grass clippings or a Hulk toy will suffice. Also, due to low availability of table salt, we recommend using the surplus Ice-Melt in the garage (and having the poison hotline number ready). Winter has been cancelled for the rest of civilization anyway due to global warming, so you won't need it. If you're lucky, drinking the road salt will kill the coronavirus, a win-win.

URCHATZ II Everybody gets up one at time - not even single-file will be allowed - and scrubs their hands again for another 20 seconds. While doing so, it's a segulah to sing the alphabet in a language you don't speak, so that you spend longer washing your hands.

YACHATZ The head of the household takes the already-broken (due to legally questionable price-gouging on whole ones) middle matzah and breaks it further. He then estimates which the larger half of shattered pieces is and places it in the afikoman (Greek word meaning "ransom") bag, and hides it in a painfully obvious spot. This lack of cunning is to prevent children from wandering outside to look for it. Can't have that; it's The Purge out there.

URCHATZ III This time the person with the most-chapped hands goes first, out of respect.

MAGID We tell over and bring down the story of our exodus, and we begin with the prayer of Ha Lachma Anya. The text is spoken as usual, but with one edit: the part about inviting the hungry to come and eat. Yeah, no one's invited this year. Maybe next year, after the apocalypse.

As for the Mah Nishtana, these are the four questions that can be asked: 1. Does anyone really need to ask why this night is different from all other nights? 2. Do you not see what's been happening all around you? 3. Do you live under a rock? 4. Have you been under quarantine for so long, you completely forgot why you’ve been under quarantine in the first place? However, the head of the household is encouraged to solicit questions, starting with the youngest at the table, and to put no cap on it whatsoever. Don't worry, nobody's going anywhere for a long time, and there's no second night of Passover to prepare for. It was ruled that due to all the various quarantines and shelters-in-place, everywhere is considered a walled city, which means nobody is in Chutz L'aretz or “outside of the land.”…

STAY TUNED NEXT WEEK FOR PART II

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Answer is C–  Arab stuff is not my forte. That being said I thought I had this one by process of elimination. I knew this El Hakim guy was old and the Bahai and the Ahmedim are pretty recent 19^th century inventions. I was also pretty sure that it wasn't the Druze cause I knew it was this Darzi guy that started the whole thing. So I assumed its probably The Seljuqim of which to be frank I remember absolutely nothing about. I used to know it in my course but haven't thought about them since. But I was wrong. The correct answer was the Druze. Because this Dazi guy said that El Hakim was like some Divine incarnation- a Muslim Yoshka if you will… So I got that wrong. So the score now stands at  Schwartz 12 and 8 for MOT (Ministry of Tourism) on this exam. Things are not looking good for me now…Better up my game.

Can it Really Be? - Parshat Vayakhel-Pikudei- HahChodesh

Insights and Inspiration

from the

Holy Land

from

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

"Your friend in Karmiel"

March 20^th  2020 -Volume 10 Issue 22 24^th Adar 5780

Parshat Vaykhel - Pikudei

Can it Really Be?

OK so nobody is allowed to complain to me that they have no time to read my loooong, tooooo long weekly E-Mail this week. We've all got plenty of time on our hands. You bought all your toilet paper already and if you haven't it's too late. You don't need to shop for anything until next Pesach. You're sick of looking at your phone already. You don't even have any memory left on your phone because you've gotten every single meme on everything that has to do with Corona. You've seen all the hidden biblical hints and allusions, you've followed every update, you've blogged, facebooked, tweeted every joke, every warning, every inspiring lesson. You certainly don't want to even look at your stocks and 401Ks. And frankly the more time you spend reading this E-Mail is less time you have to spend outside of your home-office, your little corner (or stall) you've found for yourself away from the kids, the noise and the plague. So read the E-Mail twice. Learn it by heart. Just don't go out there…

At the same time, this leaves me in a bit of a quandary as well. See, you've heard it all already over the past week. The information overload is unreal. What can I possibly add to the information chulent that you haven't heard yet? That Mashiach is on his way? I think we're all pretty aware of that by now. There's nobody out there that believes that they have any control on anything anymore. I don't believe most of us are living in any fear of death by plague. The odds are better that you die by getting hit by a bus or even a common flu. Everyone knows that. Although we certainly are all taking the necessary precautions and praying for those that have been struck and are at the most risk. If you're not doing that you're an idiot. Nobody says it like Rabbi Schwartz y'know…

The only real thing that is happening though is that the world of order and familiarity where we have an illusory sense of control of our destiny and what tomorrow will bring has been totally shattered. Long-term plans now consist of what am I eating for lunch. Dinner? Who knows what will be by then. Fuggedabout Shabbos or Pesach plans. The masks of the world and of Hashem's hiddenness is coming off. The month of redemption of Nissan that we will bless this week is around the corner. Just like for that redemption to take place there were plagues and we were locked up in our home to protect ourselves… Hellooo? Are you getting it? It's coming.

But yet, but yet, but yet… although most people are saying it and I think that most people are feeling it. Are we really ready for it? Why do I feel it's still just a fleeting hopeful dream despite all of the signs? Despite the fact that I've been writing about this for the past who knows how many year? 

Despite the fact that I've noticed Hashem's screaming hand in almost everything that has happened the past few years. From Trump getting elected (like him or not- It didn't make any logical sense that he got the job), from the world recognizing Yerushalayim more and more as the central of the world, from the mass Aliya movement, the teshuva movement, the Torah learning movement, from the most blessed rainfall winter ever.  The rising world anti-semitism the rapid advancement of technology and world knowledge and the fulfillment of prophecy after prophecy. Yes, I've seen all the signs. I've been screaming about it. But yet…it still feels like it's just a dream that I will wake up from and get back to what I thought was the "real world".  But hey isn't that what I say every time before I bentch on Shabbos

Shir Ha'maalos b'shuv Hashem es shivas tzion hayinu k'cholmin- A song of ascents when Hashem returns Zion we will be like dreamers…

But even that feels like a dream about being dreamers as well…

Maybe the reason I'm having a hard time wrapping my brain around is it is precisely because I've been screaming it for so long; because all of us have…. 2000 years long. From 65 years after our Temple was destroyed, when the great Rabbi Akiva marshaled the army of his student Bar Kochva to throw the Romans out of Israel and bring Mashiach. During the Muslim empires, our expulsions and persecution from all other countries in the Crusades, the inquisition, the Cossacks and even in the Holocaust when we sang ani maamin again and again and it didn't happen. Even for the past 70 years in the miracle and wars of Israel when after each one we thought that shofar blast was coming and it just ended up being another air raid siren and another war and another lousy government. It was just fake news. It was just false hopes. Maybe, I'm-we're just burnt out already.

But the truth is perhaps that's even the biggest proof that it's real. No one else in the history of the world would ever rationally believe after all of these fake hopes that it actually would still be happening. Nobody else would still be dreaming of such a thing. But yet we are and that alone means that there is something inside of each of us that won't be still and write it all off.

Maybe it's the fact that we don't feel we're worthy. I mean come on? Am I really going to be able to see Mashiach? Am I going to merit to actually be part of building a home for Hashem on this world. Knocking down that golden pimple on our Temple Mount. Am I going to merit seeing the fallacy of Christianity and all the world religions crumble and everyone the pope, the atheists, the Dalai Lama and whoever the head of the Muslims are all recognize that there is only one true God and we are His chosen representatives on this world? Even if I believe that could happen and I could merit to see that. Will almost 85%-90% of Jews out there that are unaffiliated or non-Torah believers also finally recognize that as well. We know that in the final redemption "No Jew will be left behind" or as the Torah tells us l'vaal yidoch mimenu nidach. We're all going to be on board. Am I the Jew that is going to make them all realize that? Or am I still the one that they look at and say…he's just like us… He's can't be God's chosen representative on this world. He's not the guy that Hashem wants to actually build His palace where everyone will come to see Him. Where he can reside on this world. Not Schwartz.

Those were my thoughts and then I opened up the parsha this week and as this continuing saga of reading Hashem's words to me today opened up I realized that I wasn't the only one that felt this way. It's the story that goes back to that first home for Hashem. And it's happening again. Take a look…

This week we conclude the Book of Shemos. The message that is the last portion in the book that is known as the book of our redemption can't possibly be lost on anyone. The last two portions of Vayakhel and Pikudei are the story of the actual construction of the Tabernacle- the place where a few parshiyos ago Hashem said He would reside his presence among us. The Mishkan was completed we are told around Chanuka time yet they waited until the first of Nissan (this coming Tuesday!) to put it up. The reason the medrash tells us was in order to wait for the month of Nissan when according to Rebbi Yehoshua our Patriarchs were born. During that time frame there were those that said there is no way that we can put this Mishkan together. It's a nice building lots of gold and heavy beams. It ain't happening. To a large degree they were right. Because when Rosh Chodesh came, the midrash said the Jews tried and tried and couldn't figure out how to get it up. They went to Betzalel and the wise men and they couldn't either do it. Finally they went to Moshe and even Moshe was troubled. I mean this thing was huuuge… as certain presidents might say. We worked so hard, we donated so much, now what?

Hashem told Moshe that he should put it up. Interesting enough though when the Mishkan was erected it doesn’t say that Moshe did it rather hukam Hamishkan- it got up. The Medrash continues and tells us that Moshe began lifting these impossibly heavy beams and poof they just rose up on their own. Hashem made it happen. It's a nice medrash. But there is a deeper lesson to it as well. It is after all the lesson Hashem wants us to take this particular week. One has to ask the question. What did they think in the first place. These were people in the construction business for about 2 centuries. We built some pretty impressive pyramids. What was so hard about putting this up?

I believe the answer is precisely our dilemma. Can we build a home for Hashem? We might be able to make parts of it. We might be able to donate money for it. We might even be able to use our skills to make some pretty things to put into this house for Hashem. But to actually erect it? Me…? The parsha is really a continuation of the first two parshiyos teruma and Tetzave that also discuss the  Mishkan. It was interspersed by the story of the golden calf? It is there to be this in context. Can you imagine thinking that possibly after sinning in the worst possible way, literally 40 days after having received the Torah, a few months after having experienced all the miracles of our Exodus, by cheating on Hashem and our mandate so brazenly to be partying in front of golden calf- that we would think there is any way we can now build a house for Hashem to dwell within us? We could barely even believe we could being forgiven, let alone be chosen for the greatest honor and most trusted job in the world. We couldn't imagine it. And so we couldn't pick up those boards. We couldn't put it together.

So Hashem does something fantastic for us. He tells us to wait until the month of Nissan. It's the month of our ancestors, our forefathers. They are behind us this month. They are looking down on us, their merit will give us strength. We are standing on their shoulders….Today we can look back at 2000 years of generations that are standing behind us helping us…We are their tools…Ok, but still…This is a house of Hashem. None of us are ever truly holy enough. This is what will change the world. This is what brings the entire world to it's fulfillment. Even Moshe Rabbeinu alone doesn't have the power to this. But Hashem assures Moshe that he doesn't have to do it. He just has to try to do it. He just has to lift the board with all of the Jews standing behind him, with all of the ancestors standing behind us. And then Hashem will Himself do the rest. We are in His hands. The Mishkan is His hands. Our redemption is His hands. We just have to say we are ready to put ourselves in those hands and the Mishkan will be erected. The geula will come.

It's hard to believe that the day is almost here. But if we believe and stop hiding from the acknowledgement that He is the one running this show than He will pick up those walls as well. There are conflicting verses about the third Beit Hamikdash. In one place it sounds like we are to build it in others it says it will come down from heaven. The third Mikdash is like that original Mishkan. We need to build and build and build each brick with our prayers, and hopefully very soon with our hands and hammer and mortar. When we do that we are making the statement to the world that this is really the sole purpose we were put here for. If Hashem put me here to build this house, then we will build it. And once we do that, we will look up above and see that heavenly city and Temple come down with fire from heaven and meet ours. And we will be home with Him.

The month of Nissan is the month of our redemption. The last parshiyos of that Vayakhel- Pikudie can be translated as "And He gathered- his remembrances" (the word pakod like when we left Egypt). The parsha and Book of redemption ends with Hashem's spirit filling the Ohel Moed. It has landed. The quarantine is over. May ours end as well and hopefully next Shabbos may I see you all here in Israel with me. I still have some openings so you better book me quick.

Have a cozy and healthy Shabbos and a redemptive Chodesh Nissan

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

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RABBI SCHWARTZ’S FAVORITE YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE WEEK

“Vos lenger a blinder lebt, alts mer zet er."– The longer a blind man lives, the more he sees.

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK

answer below at end of Email

19) A city established at the end of the Second Temple period:

A.    Tiberias

2. Lod
3. Zipori
4. Acre (Acco)

RABBI SCHWARTZ’S COOL VIDEO  OF THE WEEK

https://youtu.be/fEKB8oUIMYE     – Simcha Leiner's latest video very appropriate Let's Go On

https://youtu.be/fEKB8oUIMYE     – Pirchei Choir on porch in Petach for all the neighboring apartments.

https://youtu.be/IlOvncvTjm0  - With lots of time on your hand why not listen to Eitan Katz and Fitche Ben Shimon online Corona concert… It's great

https://youtu.be/8U6zU4MXmnA - Funny Israeli mother speaking her mind about homeschooling work overload. Pretty funny how viral this went…

https://youtu.be/9JfNQAEeSrM - How appropriate from my ggod friend singer and arranger of my latest songs great Dovid Lowy singing his Ein od Milvado- There is none besides Hashem

https://youtu.be/W1S155clm9U - Shir Haniyar- Funny Hebrew toilet paper song….People are way too bored

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S PARSHA/MITZVA CONNECTION OF THE WEEK

Lo Siva'aru Eish– Lighting a fire and electricity on Shabbos  – The beginning of our parsha which comes smack in the middle of the narratives of building the Tabernacle/ Mishkan for Hashem mentions the prohibition to do melacha which is loosely translated as work on Shabbos. I say loosely translated because there is another word for work in Hebrew which is avoda which means labor. melacha like the word malach which is angel is a creative force. On Shabbos they day Hashem ceased creating things we are commanded to remember that by ceasing from creating ourselves. Thus it's not a matter of whether you think something is difficult, laborious or strenuous. That's not the issue. The only question is only, are you doing melacha-a prohibited form of creating something or not.

OK now that we got that down pat, how do we know what the creative work that is prohibited and not? So our oral tradition derives from the placement of these laws and the melachot that are mentioned in the construction of the Mishkan that there are 39 foundational creative activities that were done in making the Mishkan and all its accompanying parts. Those are what is forbidden on Shabbos as well. They include weaving, shearing, dying, writing, cooking and others. There are two that are specifically mentioned as well and those are carrying in a public domain and in this week's parsha igniting a fire. There are different theories as to why these were mentioned exclusively. One suggestion is that perhaps these don't seem like actions that are creative by nature or perhaps these are the most basic and essential. Regardless though they as well as the others actions are all biblically prohibited.

Now historically there were those that did not accept the Oral tradition. They were biblical literalists. The text itself read without the benefit of the oral tradition reads that a fire shall not burn in your home on Shabbos. Our understanding of that text since we received the Torah on Sinai and got all these laws in the first place- the written and oral ones, was that one just can't light a fire, but one may have and enjoy a fire that had been previously lit before Shabbos on Shabbos. These guys on the other hand did not have any fire on Shabbos. They sat in the dark and the cold the entire weekend long. It was not fun. To show that we are not Karaites or saducees that behaved this way the Jewish custom became to always eat food that was kept heated on Shabbos. Chulent! We also light candles Friday night before Shabbos so that there will be light in our homes. Isn't great to have 3000 years of tradition to back up your beliefs rather than have to make it up as you go along…

Now what exactly is fire is the next question. Fire provides two things heat and light. If it's not doing that then it may not be fire. So driving a car for example which is certainly burning gas is unquestionably fire and biblically prohibited. Even if the car is started before Shabbos every time you step on that battle you are burning more fuel. That's a problem. A biblical one.

What about turning on electricity? So it would seem completing a circuit in of itself doesn't entail either heat or light necessarily. Although in some case it certainly can. For example turning on an incandescent lightbulb or a space heater would without question be lighting a fire and would be a biblical prohibition. Other forms of electricity though like an LED light or an air conditioner which is not heat or light would seemingly not be a problem of lighting a fire although there are other issues that would be involved that would prohibit them based on other melachos or rabbinic prohibitions. There are some that suggest completing a circuit is like the act of building, others that it is falls under the completing a product as it can't be used without the circuit, others that it is comparable to creating something new which was prohibited rabbinically for things that were not biblically prohibited. As well there are some that worry about the creation of sparks and the even the possible consumption of fuel at the power station. Thus turning on or off any electrical appliance opens one up to Shabbat prohibitions.

Now obviously Shabbat as all mitzvos besides the big three is allowed to be violated in situations of danger to one's life. Doctors, hospitals and even in the army regularly come upon such circumstances and in those cases it is a mitzva to violate the Shabbos and save a life. Yet there are fantastic organizations, such as the tzomet institute that I regularly take my tourists to, that develop all types of technology that mitigates the Shabbat prohibitions in those cases by using indirect means of the circuit ignition thus making it a doubly a non-biblical prohibition at worst.

Perhaps the final prohibition of lighting a fire on Shabbat is from the Zohar Hakadosh which reveals to us that one must refrain from the fire of anger or argument on Shabbos. Hashem cools off the fires of gehenom on Shabbos and we must not ignite them by fighting and yelling at one another. It is a day of peace, of tranquility of enjoyment. The Messianic era is reffered to as a day that is all Shabbos. I think we're getting there pretty quick!

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S ERA’S AND THEIR PLACES AND PEOPLE IN ISRAEL OF THE WEEK

Civil War Binaymin vs All  Part I 939 BC – As we said last week the Jews were on the cusp of civil war. Because of the tribe of Binyamin's refusal to take action against the band of ruffians from Givah who had abused the man of Ephraim's wife all the tribes had gathered with 400,000 men to Mitzpah which we said may be Nebi Samuel and decided to demand that the men be handed over to them. Binyamin in turned marshalled an army of 26,000 from their entire tribe besides 700 from Givah itself and refused to hand them over claiming it was no one else's business. The tribes then went to a place described as Beit El to consult with Hashem via Pinchas the Kohen on how to proceed.

Now the placement of this Beit El is problematic as that is a city that was in the tribe of Binyamin. Today that can be identified as Tel Beitin right outside of modern Beit El. As well the Mishkan it seems was based in Shiloh which was an "international city" for all the tribes, not in Beit El. Therefore, there are some that suggest that Beit El was just a term for the house of Hashem in Shiloh. Others suggest that the tribe's army was so big that they had no problem convening in a Binyaminite city. Regardless there they ask Hashem who should go up to attack first. The question though was really a flawed one. They didn't ask if they should go, they assumed that they had to go. The question is only who should go and to that Hashem said the tribe of Yehudah. This was a major mistake on their part. You've gotta be careful of what you ask. Don’t' always assume your religious zealotry is justified. And they paid the price for it.

The next morning Yehuda went out to Givah for what they thought would be an easy battle sanctioned by Hashem. Were they in for a surprise. Binyamin came down and smote 22,000 of them. Binyamin chased after the ones fleeing and killed them as well. This was a mistake on their part. It was one thing to defend themselves quite another to pursue retreating troops of their brethren. The situation was deteriorating quickly.

The tribes stinging from their bitter loss realized that they had sinned by not asking Hashem and thus they cried all day long and asked Hashem once again if they should attack. This time Hashem told them specifically to go up to them. So the next morning they again approached Givah. However once again Binyamin came out and trounced them killing another 18,000 men. The body count is incomprehensible. 40,000 Jews, 10% of the entire Jewish army wiped out in 2 days. To put that in perspective in the past 72 years of the State of Israel a little over 23,000 soldiers have been killed. This is almost double that in just two days, by their fellow Jews.

Finally, on day three the tribes realized that just getting permission from Hashem was not enough. They needed Hashem's help to win this battle and that required serious introspection and repentance. They all fasted and brought sacrifices and then they asked Pinchas once more to ask Hashem. This time Hashem responded that they should go to battle and He will be with them. And thus the next morning the tribes planned their third battle but this time they developed a strategy that with the help of Hashem was successful. If you can call Jews killing Jews successful. Stay Tuned next week for "The Tribes Strike Back"

RABBI SCHWARTZ’S AND EVEN MORE TERRIBLE CORONA JOKES  OF THE WEEK

FUNNIEST MEME's of the WEEK

REMINDER- 9:00 PM is the time to remove your day pajamas and put on your night pajamas

Judging by the state of the supermarkets there's a good chance the goyim won't want to sell us back our Chametz

Sometime I wonder if all of this is happening because I didn't forward that message to 10 other people

Hayom yom asiri bibidud she'heim shalosh yamim vi'shavuah echad..- harachaman hu yachzir lanu avoda- today is the 10^th day in quarantine which is one week and three days May Hashem return us to work..

Barilla pasta had an ad that said if I bought three pastas I will be entered in an opportunity to win a free trip to Italy. I made sure to buy only 2.

If you see me talking to myself this week, mind your own business I'm having a parent-teacher conference.

Shuls are closed by us for now. I think I will daven in the living room. But tomorrow I'm probably breaking away to the dining room I heard there's a better Kiddush there.

Wouldn't I be ironic if Trump was brought down by a virus from china named after a beer from Mexico

Man plans and God laughs NY bans plastic bags and now everyone is walking around with disposable plastic gloves

In an effort to make sure that Yeshiva bochrim don't miss out on their English studies, yeshivas recommend that you should do nothing in a room for 3 hours.

3 hours into home schooling and 1 is suspended for skipping class and the other one has already been expelled.

PS a family in Meah Searim has 16 kids they are asking if anyone can take 6 of them as they are only allowed to have 10 right now.

To all those who are wondering why the falafel and shwarma taste different recently. It's because the workers started to wash their hands. Do not fret- the original taste will be back soon. Thank you for your patience.

Being locked up for two weeks is not that bad, but why does one sack of rice have 4865 piecess and another 4923 can anyone explain?

Meanwhile in Gaza a Palestinian terrorist blew up his own house because he was told to work from home today…

FOR PESACH  SEDER SONG

Chad gad yaw.

Chad gad yaw.

There once was a bat who caught a virus.  Chad gad yaw. Chad gad yaw.

Along came a Pangolin who devoured the bat that caught the virus. Chad gad yaw. Chad gad yaw.

Along came a Chinese man, who ate the pangolin, who devoured the bat that caught the virus.  Chad gad yaw. Chad gad yaw.

Along came an Italian, who shook hands with the Chinese, who ate the pangolin who  devoured the bat that had the virus. Chad gad yaw. Chad gad yaw.

Along came a Frenchie who kissed the Italian, who shook hands with the Chinese, who ate the pangolin who devoured the bat that had the virus. Chad gad yaw. Chad gad yaw.

Along came a Brit that drank a pint with the Frenchie, who kissed the Italian, who shook hands with the Chinese, who ate the pangolin that devoured the bat that had the virus. Chad gad yaw. Chad gad yaw.

Along came a American that hugged the Brit that had a pint with the Frenchie who kissed the Italian, who shook hands with the Chinese, who ate the pangolin that devoured the bat that had the virus. Chad gad yaw. Chad gad yaw.

Along came a long flight with 300 passengers and the American that hugged the Brit that had a pint with the Frenchie who kissed the Italian, who shook hands with the Chinese, who ate the pangolin that devoured the bat that had the virus. Chad gad yaw. Chad gad yaw.

Along came a Global pandemic that freaked out the whole world including the 300 passengers and the American that hugged the Brit that had a pint with the Frenchie who kissed the Italian, who shook hands with the Chinese, who ate the pangolin that devoured the bat that had the virus. Chad gad yaw. Chad gad yaw.

Along came a Global Rush on toilet paper and mandated home offices with children homeschooling in a pandemic that freaked out the whole world including the 300 passengers and the American that hugged the Brit that had a pint with the Frenchie who kissed the Italian, who shook hands with the Chinese, who ate the pangolin that devoured the bat that had the virus. Chad gad yaw. Chad gad yaw.

Along came GOD - The Holy One, Blessed Be He, King of Heaven, Master of the Universe - Who reassured us that family closeness, shared meals, slowing down, being still, grateful and compassionate, and praying together, even if by video, is itself a blessing and exactly what the world needs right now, which calmed the Global Rush on toilet paper in mandated home offices with children homeschooling in a pandemic that freaked out the whole world including the 300 passengers and the American that hugged the Brit that had a pint with the Frenchie who kissed the Italian, who shook hands with the Chinese, who ate the pangolin that devoured the bat that had the virus. Chad gad yaw. Chad gad yaw!

Sending the kids home from school is one way of pressuring the scientists to come up with a vaccine within a few days.

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Answer is A–  OK s first a correction. I'm not to proud to admit when I was wrong. Last week I made it out to be that any dummy would know that Jerusalem was destroyed in the month of Av and it was a giveaway question. Well  I should've known better. As my dear friend, colleague and burgeoning tour guide to be Rabbi Lenny Oppenheimer who is currently finishing up his tour guide course pointed out to me the Temple was destroyed in the month of Av, but it took another month until Jerusalem was destroyed. I didn't pay enough attention to the question. So I was wrong I guess. Although the truth is it might be argued that Jews and romans still stayed in Jerusalem even after it's "destruction" so I'm not sure what that even really means. But anyways I'll take the hit on that. For that's when Josephus pins the destruction in the month of Elul.

Now for this week though. I got it right. It also wasn't difficult. Tiberius was built by Herod's son right around the turn of the millennia. All the other cities have much earlier roots some even dating back to prehistoric and Cannanite periods. So last week the correct score should have been Schwartz 11 and MOT 7 which would make this week   is Schwartz 12 and 7 for MOT (Ministry of Tourism) on this exam.

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