Missing Mom- Parshat Chayei Sarah 5786 2025

 

Insights and Inspiration

from the

Holy Land

from

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

"Your friend in Karmiel"

November 14^th 2025 -Volume 15 Issue 4 23^rd of Cheshvan 5786

 

Parshat Chayei Sara

 

Missing Mom

 

I miss my mother, and it's not just her cooking. Aliza, pretty much has me covered on that front. I made sure of that before I married her and she hasn't let me down. I don't think I have ever gone this long in my 54 years of life without my parents coming and visiting us. There's three great-grandchildren they never even met! First we had this Corona thing which kind of shut down any plans they had and then just when it was getting quiet again we had this war thingamajiggy break out. Sure, I've been back to the States here and there. But still it's not the same as having Mom (and Dad) coming over here and being in my house. In our country. Together here in the Holy Land. Sharing in our family simchas here….

 

Don't get me wrong, I was never a homesick kind of kid. Hey, I went to sleepaway camp for a month when I was 6 years old and that's only because they wouldn't accept me when I was 5. Neither was I was ever a Momma's boy, my mother made sure of that, and that's despite the fact that I'm her favorite child (it's a good thing my sisters don't read my E-Mails), although Gedalia is good competition. It's also not like we don't talk at least once a week either, we even facetime sometimes-although I'm not a fan. But it's not the same. Truth is I don't even know why it's not the same. She generally will scold me the same, will get emotional and even choked with tears when she tells me she loves me and gives me those important reminders to brush my teeth, take care of my health and remember to say shema at night before I go to sleep. It's not even the hugs and kisses. I'm not such a family hugger… They're generally too emotional. There's just something about being in her presence. In both of my parent's presence-despite all of our usual fights and arguments, that is missing and the longing to see them again just grows stronger and stronger each day and each month…

 

OK now that I made my mother cry in the first two paragraphs, let's move on to the parsha which really gives us the essence of Jewish motherhood and the relationship between boys and their mothers. After-all it is the parsha titled after the first Jewish mother ever; Chayei Sarah- the life of Sarah. It seems the perfect book to buy and read to find out all we need to know about Jewish motherhood; the life and times of Sarah. Yet, quite the opposite. The second verse in already tells us that she died. That was quick. Short book. I want a refund. But Hashem doesn't give refunds. Now although the divisions and certainly the titles of the parshiyot were not given by Hashem, all Jewish traditions and certainly those that have to do with the study of Torah that for millennia have utilized these titles exist because of Divine inspiration. For generations the titles of each sedra were understood to define the entire theme of the parsha. If that is the case maybe we should flip a few more pages of the book that seems to us should've more aptly been "The life without Sarah" and find out what we are missing.

 

The first part of the story is all about her burial, and the elongated story of Avraham's negotiations to purchase the Cave of Machpela for her burial. True, the Torah tells us that Avraham eulogized Sarah and the Midrash Tanchuma even tells us that his eulogy was based on the Eishet Chayil that we sing every Friday Night-how each verse applies to everything in her life. But the Torah itself doesn't really tell us much about Sarah.

 

The next part and bulk of the parsha is all about Avraham swearing his servant Eliezer to find a wife for Yitzchak, (who seemingly missed his Mom's funeral) and who has kind of disappeared since the Akeida. We have the elongated and repetitive story of Eliezer testing and finding Rivka, the negotiations with Lavan and Besuel and them blessing her as she leaves (*Don't miss the great song I composed in honor of my sister Rivky's wedding with that blessing down below) They meet Yitzchak and brings her back to his Mother's tent. This is the majority of the parsha and it seems it should more appropriately be called the "Chayei Rivka" then of Sarah.

 

The last piece of the Parsha as well doesn't seem to have any Sarah action in it either. We are told of Avraham's remarriage to Ketura-who Chazal tells us is Hagar. The children he has with her and his sending them away as well. Finally, we have Avraham's death and burial by Yitzchak and Yishmael and then all the descendants of Yishmael. There's more Chayei Hagar and Chayei Yishmael there than Chayei Sarah and frankly to most of us it doesn’t really seem to interesting. We bought this book to find out about our mother, not our cousin's family. I would've gone to a book store in Ramallah for that.

 

There is a game I like to play with my tourists when I talk to them about Jerusalem. I tell them that our sages tell us that there is heavenly city of Jerusalem that directly corresponds to the one that is down here, and that I can prove it to them. I ask them how to say hand in Hebrew- they say "yad". How do you say two hands? "Yadayim!" they say very excitedly, surprisingly proud of themselves that they know something most kindergarteners know. How do you say foot, I continue? "Regel!" Two feet? "Raglayim!" Eye? "Ayin!". Two eyes? " Einayim!" Ear? "Ozen…" they reply getting sick of this game already. OK…two ears? Oznayim- now they are really getting bored. So I switch it up and ask how they say Jerusalem in Hebrew? And they say of course Yerushalayim. And I tell them they are wrong…"What?!" They check my Kippa to make sure it really is black velvet (the only kosher kind). So I show them how in the Torah it says it is called Yeru-shalem. What does Yerushal-AYIM mean? Well now they know it means two. The "ayim" suffix makes something plural. This is to teach us that there are two a Jerusalem down here and a Jerusalem up above. Walla! As we say in Hebrew…

 

There is another word that is really just as reflective and insightful once you have this priniciple down pat. How do we say life in Hebrew. Again seemingly easy but wrong. I imagine most of you would say chayim. Like when we drink, we say ""l'chaim" to life. Except that the word life has the "ayim" suffix" to it as well. chayim means lives. Two of them. The one in this world and the one in the afterworld. In fact, there is no word for a singular life in Hebrew. Chai- means alive it doesn't mean life. Whenever we talk about a life, we talk about it in the plural. It's always a doubled life. It's the life we have while we are here and the life that continues on after we leave this physical world that we put in place and are still connected to even after we're gone. Our sages tell us that the righteous even after they pass are called living. Our parsha is called Chayei Sarah because it is the lives of Sarah, for it is the story of the life of Sarah that live on even when she wasn't close enough to hug anymore.

 

The eternal life of Sarah starts at Mea'arat Hamachpela- the doubled cave. But it's not just the cave that is "machpela- doubled". It is in the field of Machpela that is in the area referred to as Machpela. machpela means double. It will be the beit hachayim- the house of life, of two lives; the one where the physical ends and the eternal one begins. There is no more appropriate place to start our book about Sarah than at the purchase of Machpela for that will be the symbol that she lives on even in her departing from this physical world.

 

The parsha continues with Sarah's life in the finding of the spouse for her son Yitzchak. This entire story is finding someone that will fill the tent of Sarah with her light once again. Avraham realizes that he needs someone as close as Sarah as he can get to light that light of Sarah so he makes Eliezer swear and travel in order for him to find that "mother".

 

When Yitzchak finds Rivkah the verse tells us his reaction in such incredible terms.

 

Bereshit (24:67) And Yitzchak brought her to the tent of Sarah his mother, and he took Rebecca, and she became his wife, and he loved her. And Yitzchak was comforted for [the loss of] his mother.

 

Sarah lives in Rivkah. Her tent lives. This is after all parshat Chayei Sarah. If you aren't sure, then take a look at Rashi

 

He brought her into the tent and she became exactly like his mother Sarah — that is to say, the words signify as much as, [And he brought her into the tent] and, behold, she was Sarah, his mother).

 

Do you know how they say that you marry someone like your mother? Yitzchak certainly did. The three miracles that Sarah had in her tent of a light from Shabbos to Shabbos, that there was a blessing that could be tasted in her bread and that there was a heavenly cloud always present for protection are the symbols and correspond to the specific mitzvos of a woman, of a mother. Sarah had passed away for three years yet Yitzchak had not been consoled. Rashi again tells us this is the way it's meant to be, which seems strange as we know that someone who dies the mourning ends after a year. But Rashi says a fascinating eternal insight.

 

It is derech Eretz- the natural (and proper way) that while a man’s mother is living for him to be karuch- wrapped up in her. But when she dies he finds comfort in his wife.

 

I saw a beautiful insight in the sefer Hamisulaim Mipaz- that writes that although when a man gets married the Torah tells us that he leaves his father and mother and is davak-cleaves to his wife, that does not negate that he is still wrapped up karuch-like the word korech by our Pesach sandwich- with his mother. His wife is the person that he becomes one with. They will build a unit and a family together. That bond of being one with his mother who fed him, cared for him, worried about him and strengthened him will be replaced with his wife. But his mother will still be wrapped into everything he does. She is the one he turns to for that wisdom of his youth, for the insight that only she can provide him with as no one knows him better. No one cares as much in his heart. She is not one with him, she is not davak, but she is that external force that is wrapped around all he does. She lives in him, even though she is not with him.

 

It's fascinating when you think about it. None of our Matriarchs had shviggers (mother-in-laws). They missed out on that wonderful aspect of married life for a new young bride. The reason perhaps is precisely as explained above. Each one of them were a continuation of the light of the previous generation. Each one's husband was fully theirs and there was no mother wrapped up in their relationship. They inherited the light and filled the tent with that same wisdom and light that the ones before them did.

 

But as our book on the life of Sarah concludes it reveals that Sarah is not just the mother of Yitzchak. Sarah has other "children". Her prize student Hagar- for she wouldn't give Avraham any less and Hagar's son Yishmael, whose entire existence because Sara was his mother's shadchan. She raised the two of them to such a high level that they both even saw and communicated with angels. She's also the "mother" of Hagar who she sent away and is now brought back to Avraham. They both return to the fold after being sent away for their own good. It certainly pained Sarah as much as it did Avraham. But she knew what they needed-as Jewish mothers always do. And the conclusion of the parsha of the life of Sarah that these children as well return. Hagar, now Ketura remarries Avraham. She is called Ketura because like incense she was lit with the flame and the holy spirit of Sarah now emanates from her. And Yishmael returns to bury his father Avraham with Yitzchak allowing Yitzchak to go first, for he had done teshuva. The teshuva of Yishmael is so great that we find there are great sages in the Mishna that are named for him. Again the life of Sarah lives on. She is the first of our Imahos and she is the light that is shines eternally in every Jewish mother since.

 

There is perhaps no stereotype out there like the Jewish Mother. They truly are all the same. They are the same because they all carry the light of Sarah that they shine into their children. It's in their DNA. They worry about that light more than any other mother, and that light shines even if they're not close enough to hug us. We have our own spouses, children, family and friends to cleave to and give us the hugs and make us the food and build our tents with us. But I relate to Yitzchak who missed his mother. Baruch Hashem mine is well and healthy, as she always is, thank God until 120. It's not Mother's Day this week. We never did that in my family, as every day is Mother's Day. But Thanksgiving is coming up in some countries-although we were never too strict about that either, and so I'll use this week's E-mail to just say thank you Mom… I miss you…and hope to see you soon oif simchas…

 

Have a perfectly amazing Shabbos,

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz 

************************

YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE WEEK

 

" Di varemsteh bet is di mamehs."- The warmest bed is mother’s…"

 

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK

answer below at end of Email

 

7. The name of the capital city of the Abbasid dynasty is _____________

What is the "Treaty of Jaffa"?

A. Treaty between the Crusaders and the Muslims

B. Treaty between the Byzantines and the Muslims

C. Treaty between the Mamluks and the Ottomans

D. Treaty between the Ottomans and the British

 

RABBI SCHWARTZ’S COOL VIDEO OF THE WEEK

https://soundcloud.com/ephraim-schwartz/rivkah   – My sister Rivky thinks this is my nicest composition. It was her chuppa song so that makes sense. Yitzy Berry did an awesome job and I dare you to listen and not get moved by this special Bracha that Lavan gave Rivka in this week's parsha… and we do so by every Chasuna..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeNbxITuM50   – A beautiful new release from Ari Goldwag Zamer singing the song of Torah and sweetness…!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mThU6MnnxI&list=RD3mThU6MnnxI&start_radio=1   – Ahrele Samet and Naftali Kempeh- Cholas Ahava- I can see this being the next wedding song yeshivish guys in Israel at least are singing…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdAO_jD3qoU&list=RDRdAO_jD3qoU&start_radio=1      – Avraham Fried's and Meieich Braunstein latest Barcheinu!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUB0p9r87uA  – Gorgeous Aharon Razel and yeshiva Maalei Adumim for all of our soldiers and wounde L'Olam Odecha

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

 

I Had a Dream- 562 BC – As we said last week, Nevuchadnezzar was exiled from his throne for 7 years and made to wander in the jungle like a animal in fulfillment of the dream he had and prophecy of Daniel. This was made to humble him successfully and for him to recognize Hashem, which he did. Nothing like turning these guys into the animals they behave like to knock a little God fearing into them. While he's away the mice begin to play his son Avel (or Evil) Merodach takes the kingdom and rules in his place. When he comes back from his exile a Baal Teshuva- so to speak, he's not a happy camper so he chucks him in jail. Nice….

 

When Nevuchadnezzar dies his little boychik comes out of jail and tries to retake that throne. But the oilam isn't too happy with that. They're scared that Nevuchadnezzar will come back again. He's kind of like strep throat. Like the Crusaders, Like Chamas. Like Hezballah. Like all of our enemies. They're the gift that keeps on giving. So they don't want to inaugurate him for fear of what he would do to them if he comes back. Left with no choice Avel goes ahead and pulls out some iron chains digs up Daddy Nevuchadnezzar and then has him chucked in front of the people's feet. He's dead.

 

The people get up and start singing and dancing. "Ding Dong the King is dead… ". They shoot firework and hand out baklava. They coronate Avel as their new king and times are good for Bavel/Iraq. The Jews also it seems want to get a piece of this action and good will and Daniel coddles up to Avel and begins to advise him to free all of the prisoners in honor of the occasion. In order to show he's not the previous administration. Give Yehoyachin, the former King of Yehuda who had been sitting in jail for 37 years a pardon. Let them go! And whadaya know? It works!

 

Isn't it amazing how much of this Navi column ties into modern day things going on in the world. Current events. This past week, the table turned. Trump, the world leader, turns to the Jewish government and state of Israel and ask the president to pardon, Bibi- Melech Yisrael- the "King of Yehuda". Let's see if that works… or are the goyim more inclined to pardon then we are…?

 

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TERRIBLE JEWISH MOTHER JOKES OF THE WEEK

LESSONS MY JEWISH MOTHER TAUGHT ME

My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE:

"If you two are going to kill each other, do it outside - I just finished cleaning!"

 

My mother taught me RELIGION:

"You better pray that stain will come out of the carpet."

 

My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL:

"If you don't behave, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"

 

My mother taught me LOGIC:

"Because I said so, that's why."

 

My mother taught me IRONY:

"Keep crying and I'll *give* you something to cry about."

 

My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS:

"Shut your mouth and eat your supper!"

 

My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM:

"Will you *look* at the dirt on the back of your neck!"

 

My mother taught me about STAMINA:

"You'll sit there 'till all your spinach is finished."

 

My mother taught me about WEATHER:

"It looks as if a tornado swept through your room."

 

My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY:

"If I've told you once, I've told you a million times – Don't Exaggerate!!!"

 

My mother taught me about BEHAVIOUR MODIFICATION:

"Stop acting like your father!"

 

My mother taught me about ENVY:

"There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do!"

 

 During a regular early morning shul service, Rabbi Levy couldn't help noticing 21 year old Benny sitting at the back of the shul looking very sad. He had his head in his hands. So at a convenient moment, Rabbi Levy goes over to him and asks, "What's wrong, Benny? Tell me. Maybe I can help."

"Oh rabbi," replies Benny, "I just don't know what to do. Every time I bring a girl home to introduce her to my parents, no matter how wonderful the girl is, my mother always tells me that she does not like her at all."

"I've heard this story many times before," says Rabbi Levy, "but you'll be pleased to hear that I have a tried and tested solution for you. Next time you choose a girl, make sure she not only looks just like your mother, but also talks like your mother, laughs like your mother, cooks like your mother, and dresses like your mother. Believe me, Benny, if you find such a girl, your mother will absolutely love her."

Many weeks go by before Benny finds someone just like his mother. And not only that, but the girl very quickly falls madly in love with him. So Benny invites her to meet his parents and this time is feeling very optimistic that all will go well.

At the next shul service, Rabbi Levy notices that Benny is once again sitting at the back of the shul looking unbelievably unhappy. So once again, during a break in the service, Rabbi Levy goes over to Benny. "What's wrong Benny?" asks Rabbi Levy. "Couldn't you find someone like your mother?"

"Rabbi," replies Benny, "miraculously, I found a girl just like my Mom. Not only did she look just like Mom, but she also talked like Mom, laughed like Mom, cooked like Mom, and dressed like Mom."

"So everything should have worked out okay for you," says Rabbi Levy.

"No, rabbi, it didn't," replies Benny. "My father didn't like her."

 

As a fundraiser the local Hebrew School decided to hold a talent show for the community. The night of the show finally arrived and the auditorium was packed with community people. Judy Goldberg looked on her as her pride and joy Chezky was playing piano and singing his beautiful composed Ani Maamin. During her performance she noticed a man in the audience clearly moved and crying. 

After the show she walks over to him and says "isn't it touching that the younger generation is carrying on our tradition?"

The man says "I don't know I'm not Jewish".

"So why were you crying?" she asks him.

"Oh that's because I am a musician"

 

 A man is laying on the operating table, about to be operated on by his son, the surgeon. The son reassures his nevous father that there is nothing to worry about. It's a simple procedure that he has done many times before. 

The father says, "Son, think of it this way ... If anything  happens to me, your mother is coming to live with you."

 

A young Jewish man excitedly tells his mother he's fallen in love and going to get married. He says, "Just for fun, Mom, I'm going to bring over three women and you try and guess which one I'm going to marry."

The mother agrees. The next day, he brings three beautiful women into the house and sits them down on the couch and they chat for a while. He then says,

"Okay, Mom. Guess which one I'm going to marry."

She immediately replies, "The red-head in the middle."

"That's amazing, Mom. You're right. How did you know?"

"I don't like her."

 

It was a terrible night, blowing cold and rain in a most frightful manner. The streets were deserted and the local baker was just about to close up shop when Bernie slipped through the door. He carried an umbrella, blown inside out, and was bundled in two sweaters and a thick coat. But even so he still looked wet and bedraggled.

As Bernie unwound his scarf he said to the baker, "May I have two bagels to go, please?"

The baker said in astonishment, "Two bagels? Nothing more?"

"That's right," answered Bernie, "One for me and one for Bernice."

"Bernice is your wife?" asked the baker.

"What do you think," snapped Bernie, " would my mother would send me out on a night like this?"

 

A Jewish mother is walking down the street with her two young sons.

A passerby asks her how old the boys are.

"The doctor is three," the mother answers, "and the lawyer is two."

 

The answer to this week's question is A – Well, it took 7 weeks until I got my first one totally wrong. Muslim stuff isn't really my thing. So I guessed Mecca and the correct answer was Baghdad. I really don't care. The treaty of Jaffa I probably should've known. The treaty between the Crusaders and the Muslims is pretty important. But I really wasn't thinking much and went with Turks instead. I probably would've skipped this question on the exam, as you're allowed to skip 5 q's. So this one was my first one wrong. And the new score is Rabbi Schwartz having a 5 point and the MOT having 2 point on this latest Ministry of Tourism exam.

 

You''ll See When You Get There- Parshat Re'eh 2019/5779

Insights and Inspiration

from the

Holy Land
from

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

"Your friend in Karmiel"

August 30^th 2019 -Volume 9 Issue 47 30^th of Av 5779

Parshat Re’eh

You’’ll See When We Get There

“So where are we going next?” they want to know. “We’ll see…” is my extremely unhelpful, non-informative and pretty frustrating answer. “But what are we going to do there… see there… how long till we get there… is it going to be fun….???” We’ll see, we’ll see, we’ll see…I’m not going to respond. I’m not going to give in. Children are certainly persistent, but they have never messed with Rabbi Schwartz. I’ve done this too many times and I find there really is no point in letting my tourists know what is next on our schedule or what I have planned for them. In fact, quite the opposite, or punkt fakert, not knowing what is next to come makes the day even more exciting, makes the experience of discovery even more fantastic and of course it’s fun to drive children crazy.

Now, the smart parents generally trust their tour guide and don’t try to figure out what’s next either. When their children turn to them, generally in frustration with their stubborn guide, and ask them what we will be doing today, they shrug their shoulders and are happy to be absolved of any nudgy, endless questions. Because as you know the answer to what we are doing next is not the final one… It will continue with “what is there… is it fun… how long will it take... what will we do after that…” and on and on and on…Yet there are some parents who their children seem to have trained very well to do their bidding and they will ask me on the side if they are smart in a hushed tone “No, but really… where are we going next…?” Guess what…? I’m still not telling… I’m sparing you. Trust me it’s for your own good.

Now don’t get me wrong, it’s not like I am giving you a surprise itinerary. We worked out the general idea of the things that we will be doing on your trip to Israel. You know it will have all of the 4 ingredients of your classic Rabbi Schwartz tour. There will be history, whether it’s Tanach, Mishna, Romans, Crusaders, Modern Israeli wars, some era to give you a feel of the long historical connection we have in this land of our ancestors. We will as well have some nature. It could be a hike, a trail, a overlook or farm something to give you an appreciation of the incredible beauty and nature of Hashem’s favorite country. Number 3) we will of course have some fun activities. It could be jeeping, rappelling, rafting down the Jordan, chocolate making, winery, camel, donkey or horseback riding. We got it all. And of course finally we will have good food. There are tour guides that might find you the hardest hikes in this country. My forte is that I know where the best mehadrin restaurants are. I find most of my clients appreciate it better that way.

So you definitely know already what we are generally doing. You drove me crazy to give you an itinerary. You just really never paid much attention to it. You forgot what it said. You just don’t know what is coming next. Listen to me. Trust your guide. Relish in the not-knowing. Bask in being able to tell your kids “I have no idea…, it’s not my job to know today. Bother the tour guide….” You are patur/ exempt from having to answer the children. That’s what you’re paying me the big bucks for. Don’t nudge me to tell you. First of all I probably won’t tell you. Second of all, you’re kids will be able to smell that you know what’s coming next and they will not leave you alone. And of course the most important reason not to know… Because it’s the way the Torah teaches us is best to appreciate something.

And here we have come to this week’s Torah portion. Although the truth is you don’t really need this week’s Torah portion to teach you that idea. You should know it by now.  There is one place we have been longing to get to for the past 40 years that we have been drayzichen arim in the wilderness for, and at least 3 books of the Torah have gone by telling us that we will come to it. Do you know what that place is called? Not telling you. But there are Cannanites and other people living there. Where will we go there? Again not telling you.  It shall remain nameless but its location has been pre-determined in our Divine itinerary. I’m just not telling you where it is. In the words of our Divine tour guide “It will be the place I will show you” . But, when will we get there..? You’ll see… What will it be like? You’ll see… Are we almost there? Maybe.. You’ll find out…

The truth is that all the way from the beginning when Hashem told Avraham to bring his son, Yitzchak, up as a sacrifice.

Take your son, your only son, the one that you love, Yizchak, to the place that I will show you and bring him up as an offering.

 Hashem could have made this much easier. He could’ve just as easily said ‘Bring Yitzchak to Yerushalayim to the temple mount and sacrifice him there.’ But He doesn’t. He doesn’t tell Avraham, which son right away. After-all he has two. He considers both of them his only son, he loves them both… OK, fine I’ll tell you. It’s Yitzchak. This is harder than pulling teeth out of Rabbi Schwartz when he has a bowl of chulent sitting in front of him. For some reason it seems from the get-go, Hashem likes secrets and surprises. He’s not telling us the name or location of what will be the most important place on the world.

You know we tour guides or Pro-Israel advocates (which should be one and the same thing, although bizarrely enough it’s not necessarily true) like to make a big deal of how the name Jerualem isn’t mentioned once in the Koran. The Muslims made it up. It’s a bubbe meihseh that was created for political reasons to put the caliphate of Jerusalem on par with Mecca and Medina. Something about a magical horse tied up on a ‘corner place” or “al aktza” (from the Hebrew word katzeh. Well guess what, tour guide and Israel advocate, Yerushalayim isn’t mentioned in the Chumash, at least the five books as the specific place of the Temple either. Just don’t tell the “squad” about this, OK. But why not?

We have a saying that a question is half an answer. Well, here’s another question. There is a mitzva in this week’s Torah portion of

Devarim (12:5) The place that Hashem your God will choose from all the tribes to place His name- Lishichno tidrashu u’va’asah shama- You shall seek out His resting place and you shall come there.

There is a mitzva to seek out the place of the Mikdash, our Temple. We are meant to discover it. Thus the Torah can’t tell us where it is. We have to find and discover it ourselves. Rashi notes on the command to bring Yitzchak up for the binding, that Hashem didn’t tell Avraham right away in order to make it dear and beloved to him. Every step there is anticipation. Every step there is longing, will I be there. What will it look like? How much longer…

For the same reason Rabbeinu Bachaya suggests Yerushalayim isn’t revealed. Everyone knew where the Akeyda took place. Everyone knew where the mountain in Jerusalem was, but Hashem hid from us that it was the place where the Beit Hamikdash would be built. He was tour guiding us. He wanted to keep trying to find the place. To long for it and ultimately be entirely awed when we get there. King David ultimately reveals the place, and then Hashem confirms it. We had arrived. And the joy and excitement was exactly what our Tour Guide had hoped for.

We enter the month of Elul this week. Our vacation is over. (Well actually, my vacation just begins…). Sefardim will begin getting up early next week and begin saying selichos before davening to prepare for the High Holidays. Even us Ashkenazim begin to recite the psalm 27 of L’Dovid  Hashem Ori after morning services when we blow the shofar. That Psalm concludes with the words and mandate that should be our focus this entire month. (And is also a great Diaspora Yeshiva Band song- that you will being to hum as soon as you read the next words…)

Lulay He’amanti li’ros b’tuv Hashem b’eretz ha’chayim- If I had not believed to look upon the goodness of Hashem in the land of the living!—

Kavey el Hashem- long for Hashem

Chazak v’ametz libecha- strengthen and make your heart courageous.

V’Kavey el Hashem-And long for Hashem.

Rav Charlap notes that it is longing for Hashem itself that connects us to Hashem. The more we long, the more we await to see His presence. The more we search Him out and seek His home in the “Land of the living”. The one place that is only true life. The Beis Hashem- the House of Hashem that Dovid Ha’Melech’s only request was to finally see and reside in. Then Kavey El Hashem. We will find ourselves longing even more for Hashem. We will be connected in that holiest of ways. We will be able to bring that holiness down to the Land of Israel and to the Beit Hamikdash. The longing is the glue. The can’t-wait-to-get-there, is what unites us with the shechina. Elul stands for Ani l’dodi v’dodi li- I am to my beloved and my beloved is to me. It is the month of cholas ahava- when we experience that love sickness for the Almighty. For those of you that took a tour with me this summer, you know how to anticipate something and how exciting it is when we get there. We are prepared and longing. For those of you that haven’t… I know you’ve been longing for the Beit Hamikdash. We are still in the 7 weeks of consolation from the destruction of our Temple that we mourned not three weeks ago. Tzion is also awaiting consolation. She is waiting for her inhabitants to seek her out. May this Elul see her deepest desires and ours realized.  

Have a magnificent Shabbos and a bleesed Rosh Chodesh Elul

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

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RABBI SCHWARTZ’S FAVORITE YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE WEEK

“Dorten iz gut vu mir seinen nito.”- The place where we aren’t- seems good.

RABBI SCHWARTZ’S COOL VIDEO  OF THE WEEK

https://youtu.be/ZQRtBwvk-1s    – Gorgeous Song by Leibowitz brothers arranged by Ari Goldwag Elokai full of heart

https://youtu.be/YeiCh4T82WI   – The one and olnly Pumpedisa with a monkey and Voltzwagon Bus new hit Modeh Ani  awesome!

https://youtu.be/Cr4Rk5pldkw   -Classic Zushe with this new hit. I’m not a Zushe fan, not my style music but for those of you that are check this out it’s as holy as it gets… Lyrics in english: "Until it shall be, that the flame can arise from its own accord".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RV1CCVkK_OA   – Diaspora Yeshiva band Lulay He’amanti in honor of Elul sung by Ruach… Wow! This is a golden oldie… Do you know I used to work for Ruach…?

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK

answer below at end of Email

Q   A burial site for dogs was discovered in:
A) Gaza and Ashkelon
B) Gath (Gat) and Jaffa
C) Acre (Acco) and Haifa
D) Ashkelon and Jerusalem

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S “LOMDUS” CONNECTION OF THE WEEK

Parshat Re’eh– Being a lamdan pays off. Not only in the incredible insights that one uncovers by examining the text of the Torah critically and paying attention to the nuances of the commentaries. Sometimes it pays off in the additional reward one can achieve for doing the mitzvos, such as when you uncover an insight that can transform your perspective and appreciation of the service of Hashem that you are doing. That’s the real payoff.

In this week’s Torah portion the parsha begins with Moshe telling us about the blessing and curse of life and death and following the mitzvos and the consequences of not observing the Torah. The Torah uses a language that isn’t precise. Here, take a look.

Devarim (26:11-13) Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse. The blessing, that you will heed the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today. And the curse, if you will not heed the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn away from the way I command you this day, to follow other gods, which you did not know.

Note how when it describes the blessing it just says which you will ‘heed the mitzvos’. The curse on the other hands it says that you will not heed and ‘you will turn away from the way Hashem commanded us’.  As well, there is a seemingly inexplicable Rashi on the words ‘the blessing’- that says ‘on the condition that you will heed’. What is he adding that I wouldn’t have understood from the text itself?

The Kesef Nivchar explains quite brilliantly that there is a law that if one has good intentions to do a mitzva however it doesn’t work out for some reason, then Hashem considers it as if he has fulfilled the mitzva. He connects the machshava- the good intentions, with the action that hasn’t been fulfilled. However, this is only if he had the right intent. On the other hand, if someone plans to sin and it doesn’t work out for him, Hashem does not punish him. You are only held accountable for sins you commit. Not for actions that never took place.

With that idea he explains our verse and Rashi. The blessing one achieves if he merely heeds the commandment. Tishma’u- He heard it and plans to fulfill it. Rashi notes this is on the condition he is tishma’u- as long as he hears it and plans on fulfilling it. The action is not required to achieve the blessing merely the heeding is sufficient. On the other hand, if one does not heed the commandments that only will not bring him the curse. He has to ‘turn away from the path’. He actually has to do the sin or the action that is turning away for Hashem to be punished. The mere not heeding will not do you in.
So often we try to do something and we miss out on the mitzva. We feel bad. Don’t worry we still get reward. On the other hand sometimes we have thoughts that aren’t the greatest. We feel guilty about them. We feel down on ourselves for feeling that way. Don’t worry. Thoughts will not get you any curse. There is a saying that the Goyim seem to have gotten wrong. I will paraphrase it to make it correct. The road to Hell is not paved with bad intentions only bad actions. On the other hand the road to heaven is the one that is paved with good intentions. For those intentions are considered as if we fulfilled the commandments.

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

Shamgar Ben Anat the 3rd Shofet 1125 BC – We don’t know much about this elusive Shofet/ Judge/ leader. In fact all he gets is about three verses of face time. His entire “reign” was for one year. But it seems in that year he was able to repel many Philistine attempts.

He is perhaps most famous for his weapon of choice an ox goad or prod. In the good old days when a field was plowed by oxen then the farmer would stand behind the ox who would pull the plow with a yoke attached to its neck and the prod would keep the ox moving as it was a big stick that was pointy at the end that he would keep nudging him with. I’m not sure if there’s anywhere in Israel where you can see this process as we pretty much use tractors today. But in Kfar Kedem in Hoshaya where you can experience the Talmudic experience they show you the yokes and the process of ancient farming which is pretty cool!

The significance of this as his weapon of choice is two fold. The historians suggest that the Jews being under the rule of the Philistines were prohibited from sharpening weapons, thus this was all they had. We Jews were always good at making do with whatever we could get our hands on. Many of the wars during the pre-war State were used and fought with farm instruments the kibbutzim had to protect themselves against the Arabs. The ethical message of this weapon of the Judge was to send the message to the Jewish people that all of our troubles with our enemies were merely prods from Hashem to keep us on the straight and narrow when we were straying from the path of Torah and Mitzvos we were meant to remain on.

The navi is not clear what tribe he was from and where he ruled. However the Seder Dorot suggests he was a Kohen perhaps from the city of Anatot which in Mateh Binyamin right near Wadi Kelt and the Prat spring that’s a great water hike. It seems though from the next story of Devora and Sisera which took place that he lived in the North of Israel as it seems to connect the two stories. I guess one more connection one can make is that Israel had a supreme court judge Meir Shamgar in the 1980’s. His original name was Meir Sternberg, but under Ben Gurion’s advice took a more Biblical name. He certainly was no Shamgar Ben Anat, but hey it’s cool to have judges of Israel once again with biblical names. May we merit to have the same provide the same biblical leadership we long for.

RABBI SCHWARTZ’S TERRIBLE JOKES OF THE WEEK

1. My Mother taught me about ANTICIPATION..."Just wait until your father gets home."

2. My Mother taught me about RECEIVING...."You are going to get it when we get home!"

3. My Mother taught me to MEET A CHALLENGE..."What were you thinking? Answer me when I talk to you! Don`t talk back to me!"

4. My Mother taught me LOGIC..."If you fall out off that swing and break your neck, your not going to the store with me."

5. My Mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE..."If you don`t stop crossing your eyes, they are going to freeze that way."

6. My Mother taught me to THINK AHEAD..."If you don`t pass your spelling test, you`ll never get a good job."

7. My Mother taught me ESP..."Put your sweater on; don`t you think I know when you`re cold?"

8. My Mother taught me HUMOR..."When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don`t come running to me."

9. My Mother taught me how to BECOME AN ADULT..."If you don`t eat your vegetables, you`ll never grow up."

10. My Mother taught me about GENETICS..."You`re just like your father."

11.My Mother taught me about my ROOTS..."Do you think you were born in a barn?"

13.My Mother taught me about WISDOM OF AGE..."When you get to be my age, you will understand."

14.And my all time favorite... JUSTICE..."One day you`ll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you....Then you`ll see what it`s like." 

How can you tell elephants love to travel ? They always pack their own trunk!

Why did the witch stay in a hotel?  She heard they had great broom service!

 Where do sharks go on vacation? Finland!

 Where do sheep go on vacation?The Baaa-hamas!

Where do hamsters go on vacation? Hamsterdam!

How do rabbits get to their holiday destination? By hare-plane!

What did the pig say on the beach? I’m bacon!

Where do cows go on vacation? Moo York!

What did the Pacific Ocean say to the Atlantic Ocean? Nothing, it just waved.

Yankel from Williamsburg puts up a sign that says "BOAT FOR SALE". Yoily, his friend says, "But Yankel you only own a house and a car". "Dat's right" Yankel responded "And dey are boat for sale"

Berel Greenblatt left the snowy city for a vacation in Florida. His wife was on a business trip in Atlanta and was planning to join him in Florida the next day. When Berel reached his hotel, he decided to send his wife a quick e-mail. Unable to find the scrap of paper on which he had written her e-mail address, he did his best to type it in from memory.

Unfortunately, he missed one letter and his note was directed instead to an elderly Rebbitzin whose husband had passed away only the day before. When the grieving Rebbitzin checked her e-mail, she took one look at the monitor, let out a piercing scream, and fell to the floor dead. At the sound, her family rushed into the room and saw this note on the screen:

 Dearest Wife,
Just got checked in. Everything prepared for your arrival tomorrow.

Your Loving Husband 

P.S.: Sure is hot down here.

Izzy owned a small deli in Stamford Hill, in London. One day, a tax inspector knocked on his door and questioned him about his recent tax return. Issy had reported a net profit of $250.000 for the year and he wanted to know all about it. "It’s like this," said Issy. "I work like a maniac all year round and all of my family helps me out whenever they can. My deli is closed only five days a year. That’s how I made $250,000."
"It's not your income that bothers us," said the taxman. "It's the business travel deductions of $80,000 that worries us. You entered on the tax return that you and your wife made 28 business trips to Israel, Italy, Switzerland, France, the US, Hawaii, and the Caribbean Islands. What are all these business trips about?"
"Oh," said Izzy, smiling. "I forgot to tell you that we also deliver!"
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Answer is D–  OK this is two weeks in a row that I got a question wrong. I’m still pretty far ahead and I think I passed the point where I know I passed the exam as you only need a 65 score. But still it’s annoying to get questions wrong and this question is one that I had no clue for. Not only did I not have a clue but I googled the answer and couldn’t find it there either. See I knew that Ashkelon was one of the correct answers. First of all, it’s mentioned in two answers that’s usually a good sign that it is correct. As well, although I missed our tour of Ashkelon in our tour program, I remember reading about how the largest ancient dog cemetery is there. Now I didn’t remember anything about dogs in Jerusalem, and I figured that Gaza was a philistine city as was Ashkelon so that was probably the ancient custom there. Turns out I was wrong. How do I know? I posted it on my Tour Guide Whatsapp group and the consensus was that by the City of David there was indeed an ancient Persian period dog burial site that was found. Oh well… So the score is Schwartz 34 and 8 for MOT (Ministry of Tourism) on this exam so far.