Insights and Inspiration
from the
Holy Land
from
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz
"Your friend in Karmiel"
March 20th 2020 -Volume 10 Issue 22 24th
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
**************************************************************
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
- Lod
- Zipori
- 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
10th 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.
**********************************
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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