Insights and Inspiration
from the
Holy Land
from
from
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz
"Your friend in Karmiel"
August 13th 2015 -Volume 5, Issue 39 30th of Av/Rosh Chodesh Elul 5775
Parshat Re’eh
Happy Times
I’m missing about seven or eight weddings this summer. I
like weddings. Sharing in the Simchas of my friends, seeing new generations
moving forward, the beauty of the moment under the chupah, the singing and dancing
and of course the food. There’s nothing like a good American smorgasbord. It would
be sinful if it wouldn’t be a mitzvah. And I like mitzvas like thatJ. These are weddings of
close friends of mine’s children, friends and neighbors here in Israel, my
rebbe’s last child to marry off and even students and congregants of mine. It’s
really inconsiderate, I think, of people to plan these things during my
busisest season. What’s wrong with a nice February or March wedding when I sit
at home at night and wonder what I should do as I munch on leftovers from
Shabbos? Why can’t people take a tour guides business into consideration?
One of my close childhood friends even offered me a ticket
to fly in to the States for their child’s wedding. When I told him how sorry I
was that I couldn’t make it. He sent me a cryptic message, a quote from our sages in the
Talmud- “Adam Doeg Al Ibud Damav V’Aino Doeg al Ibud Yamav- Damav Einam
Ozrim V’Yamav Einom Chozrim”- A man worries about the loss of his money
and doesn’t worry about the loss of his days. Money doesn’t help you and Your
days never come back.” Ouch. I of course responded that for me this wasn’t
a financial decision (at least entirely) as of course I knew that he would
cover any losses I might have- he’s good that way J- nice to have friends like
that, Isn’t it?- Rather, I had given my word to my tourists that I would guide
them and they of course booked their trip here with their family based on
that.- Tip- smart prerequisite to booking your trip is to contact me first J. So I could not go back on
my word. I told him that I was glad he sent me that message, because it shows
he understand as King David rights. Who is a man who desires life and loves
his days-he guards his tounge from speaking evil and his lips
from speaking falsehood. So obviously his message to me was that I shouldn’t
come and should keep my word. But that I would remind him of his quote God-
willing by my daughter’s wedding- It should happen soon-…Happy Birthday Shani!
Have to pause now
for Shidduch plug- Shani Schwartz is officially on the market to the lucky guy
who gets to marry her- she’s looking for someone who will support her father in
Kollel for many years JJ Contact my wife with all suggestions Alizaschwartz@ yahoo.com As I have
ben banned from talking to matchmakers- I can’t understand why?:)))- Now back
to our regular E-Mail.
Anyways jokes aside my friends words struck me. Their
important words to live by and lead ones life by. Money doesn’t help and your
days never come back. This weeks Torah portion contains in it one of the last
messges and mitzvos that Moshe gives to the Jewish people before they will
enter the land of Israel. All of the Book of Devarim, known as the Mishneh
Torah- the repetition of the Torah, are not merely just additional commandments
but rather grousp fo mitzvos that contain the critical principles and mindset one
needs to be successful in our fulfilling our mandate and ‘making it’ in the
world and land we are entering. Think of it as a father’s last messages to his
children from his deathbed. In this weeks Torah portion the Mitzvah that Moshe
conveys and the principle he is teaching the nation about is Simcha- joy.
Seven times in this week’s portion this mitzvah come’s up.
Incredibly most of it has to do with food and money. We are told about bringing
all our sacrifices to Jerusalem and only slaughtering them in the Temple. Sure
a Jew understands that we have offer our thanks to Hashem or atone for our
sins. By why shlep all the way to Israel. Can’t I just do it in my little
shteibel in Brooklyn? Isn’t Hashem everywhere? The answer is, Yes, he certainly
is. But for you to really feel happy come to My Home- Hashem says come visit.
We are told about the mitzvas of tithes. A man works hard, prays for rain,
plows, plants, reaps and it finally grows. OK so I have to thank Hashem, but
now I gotta give to the Kohen and then 10% to the Levi. To these guys that don’t’
work and are studying all day? Yes. You know why. So that you’ll feel happy.
That you realize that the blessings you have are given to you to share. And
there’s a lot more from where they came. In fact Hashem says- test me. Aser Te’Aser
Tithe and I will make you rich. Not just that I will cover your losses, but in
fact make you rich. Like, bring your best friend in to your daughter’s wedding
rich J. It’s like a kid in a
magic show and the magician says throw in a nickel and I’ll turn into a hundred
dollar bill, and the kid doesn’t want to throw in the nickel. The kid doesn’t
want to find the happiness that will come. He’s Doeg Al Damav and not Yamav.
Perhaps even most fascinating is the mitzvah of Maaser
Sheni. When we are commanded to take our tithe again 10% of our crops and bring
them to Israel, to Jerusalem and….eat them there. And if it’s to long to shlep
then you should convert it to money and then take the money and buy food and
eat in Jerusalem. But why!!? I like my dining room. My wife’s cooking. I hate
driving to Jerusalem. The traffic is crazy. Parking is impossible. I understand
my sacrifices to Hashem I should bring to his Home. I understand I have to give
to the Kohen and the Levi. But my own food too? The answer again is yes and Yes.
I want you to be happy. Spend money on yourself, on your own happiness and
holiness. 10% of your earnings should go to your ‘Take Abba to Israel and
Jerusalem fund’. You need to feel the joy of coming home to our Father’s house.
You shouldn’t just make you alimony payments
to charity or to Israel; take my money and leave me alone. This should be your
Simcha fund. All of your money should be a Simcha fund.
The mitzvos continue with charity. Helping the poor and the
needy, the widows and the orphans. We all understand the mitzvah. It’s our
social obligation. We have to be kind and generous. Hashem is telling us your
missing the point. It’s not for them. It’s for you. It’s so that you will be
happy. Your money won’t make you happy. The act of charity will give you such
joy, such connection to your fellow man, to our Father, it’s for this reason we
need to give. To bring Joy to the world. Finally the Parsha concludes with the
Jewish holidays and pilgrimage festivals combine all of these concepts. We
visit Hashem three times a year and we bring and take care of the poor and
needy together with us. We give to the Levio the Kohen and we do this three
times a year. It all concludes with Sukkos times when we are told. V’Hayisa
Ach Samayach- you will be only happy. Entirely and totally happy. Pure
bliss. No worries. We’re all together, We’re in our Abba’s house. He’s got a
big credit card and is not only footing the bill for everything, but will be
giving us all blessing- Bakol Mishlach Yadeinu- in anything we stretch
out our hand for this is what it’s all about. This is Moshe’s message to our
nation
We are entering the month of Elul. The month where we are
getting closer to our beloved. A month and season that will conclude with that
holiday of Sukkot. Our work in this month is to begin to return to Hashem to
focus on our days. Each one is precious. Tragically many peoples High holiday
prayers are focused on their money rather than on their days, rather on the
finding and achieving the happiness that is just waiting for us. This month our
sages tell us increase your charity. Start to feel it. Be happy. God willing by
Sukkot, we’ll all be here together celebrating together.
Have an joyous Shabbos and fantastic Rosh Chodesh,
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz
***************************
RABBI SCHWARTZ’S VIDEO OF THEWEEK
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyMrufF1C-c-
Nachas simcha song
and of course the classic
RABBI SCHWARTZ’S FAVORITE YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE
WEEK
While in the states I picked up a great book with
yiidsh quotes and wisdom and I have always wanted to teach my kids Yiddish so
here we go each week another great proverb in yiddish maybe you guys will learn
it too!!
“A
mayse on a moshl iz vi a moltsayt on a tsimes.”- A
story without a moral is like a meal without a sweet dish-(tzimmis is a sweet
carrot dish)
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S FAVORITE QUOTES OF THE WEEK
"Happiness cannot be traveled
to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of
living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude.”-Denis Waitley
.“ Most
folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be.”-Abraham Lincoln
“ Money doesn't make you happy. I
now have $50 million but I was just as happy when I had $48 million.”-Arnold
Schwarzenegger
RABBI
SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK
(New exam this week these questions are from the
most recent tour guide exam-let’s see how I do)
answer below at end of Email
An early
synagogue that contains a “catedra D’Moshe” (Moses Chair) can be found in
A.
Tzippori
B.
Ein
Gedi
C.
Korazim
D.
Kfar
Nachum
.RABBI SCHWARTZ'S COOL MIDRASH OF THE WEEK
The Midrash this week on the mitzva of Tithing
tells us the story of the famous donkey of Rav Pinchas Ben Yair who was as
meticulous as his master in only eating food that had all of the tithes taken
off of it. He once lodged at an inn and the Donkey refused to eat.Whereas Rabbi
Pinchas said "Even this poor animal wants to preform the Creators will and
yet you offer it tevel/untithed food"!
He went from there to another city as well
where they were suffering from a plague of of mice infesting all their food.
When the people complained to Rav Pinchas the Midrash says, he summoned all the
mice to him and they started squealing and whistling. Rav pinchas turned to the
people and told them that the mice are telling him that they were sent from
heaven to devour their food because they had not tithed properly. The
people repented and teh mice left and were never heard from again. So if any
one has a mice problem out there....
RABBI
SCHWARTZ'S COOL THINGS TO DO IN ISRAEL OF THE WEEK-
That Yonah doesn’t think I can come up with each week…
Jewish outdoor musicians – All of the world you have
people on street corners with their guitars strumming and hoping to get some
money thrown in to their cases from people passing by. But in Israel it’s all
Jewish music. Walk into the Jaffa Gate and theirs a young lady playing a harp
and Yerushalayim Shel Zahav. By Ben Yehudah street you’ll find all types of
Jewish musicians on the streets. Tiberias on the boardwalk, Tzfat’s fiddlers
and ancient musical instruments. And most night cafes in these vacation cities
are alive with the sounds of music. Songs to Hashem, Songs about the land of
Israel, Songs that warm the Jewish heart. Sure you’ll have some Sinatra or some
old 70’s music secular music thrown in as well here and there. But overwhelmingly.
The Land Of Israel is a festive country that celebrates. Random people may start
to join in and sing and dance with strangers. Some tour guides even join in as
well J.
******************
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S JOKES OF THE WEEK
So
Moishe comes home and eats the delicious meal his wife prepared and as he is
wiping is mouth after he gobbles it all down turns to her and empathetically says
“It
must be so difficult for you. You work so many hours to prepare such a meal and
I just walk in here and its gone in 10 minutes. I can’t imagine how that must
feel.”
“Sure you can” Rivky says “It’s like when you go out and work so hard
for a whole month and I go to the mall afterwards and it’s all gone in twenty
minutes!”
****************
Answer is C: This one was
somewhat easier from me. I’ve been to Tzippori and Ein Gedi and know there’s no
Moshe’s chair there. Which left the last two. Moshe’s chair sounds Christian and
Kfar Nachum is a Christian place-Jewish city that chucked out the J- Man in the
‘new’ testament. But that would be too easy. The right answer is Korazim a city
from the Talmud times that’s actually pretty cool although not cool enough for
me to shlep people there yet. The Moshe chair which is what its called in the
new testament and also interestingly enough in the medrash of pirkei drav
kahana. Is like a stand that the rabbi would speak from. Called Moshe after
Hashem gives him the Torah. Others suggest that it was a misreading and really
it was the Droshe stand Drosha being the speech. Anyways there you go.
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