Signs Language- Parshat Shemot 2026 5786

 Insights and Inspiration

from the

Holy Land

from

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

"Your friend in Karmiel"

January 9^th 2026 -Volume 16 Issue 12 20^th of Tevet 5786

 

Parshat Shemot

 

Signs Language

 

"I talk and I talk and I tell you again and again and it's like I'm talking to a wall!" my mother would tell me. "It's like it goes in one ear and comes right out the other".

 

I would of course correct her and explain that she was wrong. It never even went into the first ear. In general all of her important exhortations repeatedly to me, to buckle down, to do my work, to brush my teeth, to clean my room, to take out the garbage, to say Shema before I went to sleep, to listen in class, to do my homework, to be nice to my sister, to not engage in unhealthy activities, to look both ways before I cross… etc etc etc… And that's just what she told me yesterday 😊. They never even made it into the first ear. It's like I have this soundproof cone of silence thing (for those that remember "Get Smart" show) that would drop down over my ears and just make all that Mussar into a nice calming sound canceling Yoga like meditation hummmm ooooommmmm… that just never registered. What can I say? I just seem to have developed this Mussar Acceptance Deficiency syndrome. Maybe it was a side effect of some vaccine I had when I was a kid. Note to Trump – Thank you for your attention of seeing to this matter.

 

Now the truth is she has the final laugh, as most Jewish mothers do. Because her traditional Jewish mother's favorite curse that my children should give me as much "nachas" as I gave her was certainly fulfilled. Yup, what goes around comes around. As we plant so shall we sow. Yet, it seems this problem is not just a Schwartz family issue. It's generational that began way back when from the beginning of our nation. It starts back in Egypt. It starts in our parsha. It's the beginning of our exile and the secret to our redemption.

 

The book of Shemos begins with us coming down to Egypt. The truth is we really didn't even necessarily have to be there in the first place. We left off in Parshat Vayechi with all of the Jews pretty much heading back to Israel to bury Yaakov. We were there already. Why did they come back? Sure, Hashem had promised Avraham back by the Bris Bein Ha'Besarim that covenant He made with us that we would be persecuted in a foreign land for 400 years and then we would be redeemed. But as we know we were only there for 210 years. Hashem started the count way back from the birth of Yitzchak. Which would mean that we could've fulfilled that "foreign land" promise even in Israel, as did Yitzchak and Yaakov and the tribes even before coming down. Because, as the commentaries explain, Eretz Yisrael was still not ours. Kind of like we have it galus in Israel today still.

 

Now you might then ask well what does it make a difference if we are in galus in Egypt or in Israel? I've had some tell me that as the reason why they feel more comfortable staying in America then making aliya. But here it's being under house arrest, over there your locked away in a jail somewhere. House arrest could understandably be worse, after all you're locked up with your kids and spouse all day long in close quarters and if you don't get along with them, then you're in trouble. But hey, that's a lot better than gas chambers and concentration camps or being in a prison yard with Bubba. Obviously Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov never felt any need to "self-exile" out of Israel to fulfill this covenant. Neither did the tribes, until they sold Yosef. If Hashem wants us to be there, then He's fully capable of making that happen. But if we have and had an opportunity and the ability to go back, shouldn't we have done so?

 

Now the truth is one might argue that they couldn't go back to Israel. Pharaoh wouldn't let them. Well first of all just a few minutes before Yehuda said he would wipe out the whole Egypt to save Binyamin. Shimon and Levi took down the whole city of Shechem. When we want to do something, we do it. Hey look how this little fledgling army of Hagana fighters in 1948 of 50,000 wiped out a half a million Arabs from five countries in the War of Independence.

 

Now yes, Pharoah did kind of hold their babies behind as a collateral, when we went to bury Yaakov and actually did leave Egypt and return to Israel. Their cattle as well, it seems. As he didn't think just holding our babies would be enough. We might just leave the kids and make new ones, I guess. Hey, we were popping 'em out a half a dozen at a time. But our sheep, our cattle, our nursing homes and our meatboards, our Teslas and Dubai chocolate, that we couldn't take with us. He knew that we would never leave all that behind. And he kept them to make sure. But surely there must have been plenty that didn't have kids. That weren't married. That were retirees. Why didn't any of them stay in Israel? Why come back on those trains that were heading straight to the Egyptian slave pits. To the gas chambers of Mitzrayim.

 

I saw a fantastic Chasam Sofer last week, that says that is in fact the reason why right when they came back they were worried that Yosef was going to take revenge against them. It's why Yosef never explicitly said he forgave them. He just told them that it's all from Hashem. He says because Yosef was upset that they even came back. The famine was over. There was nothing holding them there. Why head back to Egypt. Why not go home? He thought maybe it's because they would think that they would it have it better there with their brother in the White House. They had protektzia. So what did he do. He turned them a cold shoulder. He stopped inviting them over. He wanted them to understand the tide had turned. They should head out. They should go back to Israel. Finish off the galus there.

 

Yet, they didn't get the message. They stayed and populated Egypt. They became the largest zip code in the entire country. If you didn't see the reference there… the 08701 zip code officially became the largest, fastest growing one in the entire United States of America yesterday- mamash this week's parsha va'yifru va'yirbu va'ya'atzmu bi'meod me'od- they became fruitful and multiplied and became very very great there. And thus Yosef only at the end of his life resignedly turns to them and tells them pakod yifkod- Hashem will have to take you out of here. It looks like you guys are here for the long hall. You ain't never leaving until the God Almighty Himself will shlep you out. So please take my bones with you when you do. And thus the Egyptian exile begins. All because we didn't listen. It went over our heads. In one ear and out the other. Yup it's an ancient problem that repeated itself and does so today, every single generation that thinks "this place will be different".

 

But how does it all change? How do we change? How do we start unclogging our ears and eyes? How does the redemption come? It's not my question. It's not my mother's either. It was Moshe's question. There they are for about a week or so by this burning bush back and forth arguing about saving the Jews and heading down to Egypt. Moshe wants to know what Hashem's name is. How he could do if he's got all types of speaking disabilities and stutters. Why would Pharoah listen to him. And Hashem answers him back with all types of deep and mystical answers and promises of miracles. And then comes the big question and excuse.

 

"But they won't listen to me. They won't believe me. They'll say Hashem never appeared to me".

 

Moshe knows our people. He doesn't wear a black hat. He doesn't have a shtreimel. He doesn't daven their nusach. He's a Baal Teshuva. He never learned in Brisk. His parents were divorced. He couldn't get his kids into a mesivta in Lakewood, probably not even into a camp in the Catskills, let alone make it to the Moetzes Gedolei Ha'Torah, Fuggedabout convincing the Jews to make Aliyah. Reb Aharon never moved to Israel, Reb Yaakov didn't. The Lubavitcher Rebbe didn't. Reb Moshe didn't. So what makes this guy called Moses who was raised in Egyptian palace and married a Midianite priests daughter and who has a jail record and outstanding warrant for his arrest for "Divine Name-icular homicide" think he's going to get through to this people.

 

And so Hashem gives him the answer. He asks him a simple question.

"What's that in your hand, Moshe?"

 

Now Moshe is obviously holding his staff and He knows that Hashem knows that as well. So he assumes probably that what Hashem is pretty much telling him is that the answer to how to get the Jewish people to listen to him is via the staff. Don't spare the rod. Smack 'em on the head. Give them some petch. Beat them. I've had rebbeim like that back in the day. Snap that belt. That should work. Except he's wrong.

 

Hashem's got a better plan. The beating people over the head thing never really does the trick. We've got thick skulls. We just dig in deeper. Rather Hashem tells him to throw it on the ground. Chuck the stick. Been there tried that. Time for a new plan. Rather what happens next is amazing. The staff turns into a snake and Moshe sees it and is frightened and runs away. Woahhh. Since when did a little snake scare Moshe. As we will see later in the Torah when Hashem brings a plague and tells them to put up a copper snake and it will heal them. It's not the snake that heals or kills. It's sin. So why is he scared? The answer is because, as Hashem tells Moshe, he sinned. He spoke Lashon Harah against the Jewish people. You said that they won't listen. That they won't believe you. That's Lashon Harah. That's looking at them with a bad eye. That's snake stuff. That's why Moshe runs away. He feels that now he's for sure done. He can't redeem the Jewish people anymore.

 

But then Hashem calls him back and tells him something even more amazing.

 

"Pick up the snake by the tail, Moshe"

 

Own your aveira. Don't run away from your sin. Grab it. Hold it by the tail. Turn it around. Make that your strength. And boom that turns into your new staff. That can become your tool do get them to listen to you. That will be the first sign that will start to convince them that I appeared to you. That they should start to listen to you. Staffs don't work, but you know what does? Speaking down to people with a stick, with a threat, with fear tactics, none of that stuff really works in the long term. Do you know what does? When you come to them and tell them. I sinned. I spoke Lashon Harah about you. I made the same mistake you did. I have the same flaw that when I left Mitzrayim, I thought that you had as well. Rashi tells us that after Moshe kills them Mitzri and he's confronted by Dasan and Aviram, Moshe says Achen noda ha'davar- Now I understand why they're in exile. They deserve it. They snitch. They speak lashon ha'rah. They look down on one another. And now Moshe himself falls prey to that same sin. He found the snake in himself. Now he can come back to them and tell them. I'm also guilty. I'm not holier than thou, or any better. I'm in the same Nile as you. Let's take our snake by its tail and own it as well. Now let's get out together.

 

But it's even more than that. Because Hashem gives him a second sign. Because there's still a problem. OK, Moshe, they might tell him. We believe you're one of us. But who says we can get out of this? We do have a problem. We do look down. We do judge. We don't accept others. Not in our schools. Not in our camps. Not in our shuls. How will we be redeemed? So Hashem gives him sign number 2.

 

"Now take your hand and put it in your chest.". That hand that you just picked up that snake with. That hand that is now holding that sin. That hand with which you looked down upon when your brothers raised it against one another. Take that hand and put it on your chest and on your own heart. Klop al cheit with it. Take that lashon harah hand and see the tzora’as on it. And say al cheit. Say you're sorry. Say you learned your lesson. Say you want to do teshuva. And then klop and put it back again and poof. It's back again normal. You've been restored. That's all it takes. One klop. One teshuva and Hashem forgives you. It's not hard. It doesn't take a lot. Our essence is really pure. We can jump and skip out of the 49^th level of tumah with one skip. With one sacrifice. With one statement that we want to be redeemed. Hashem wants us to come out. He saved me from death. He cleaned my impurity, my sin. He can do the same for you. He can bring us home. We can leave.

 

Those two signs are the way to get through to the people. It's the way that we can have our faith restored. It's how we can begin to come together. Exile, galus is when we are fighting. When the shechina can't shine and have one Bais Ha'Mikdash to come down to and shine it's light out of to the world. If we are divided then Hashem can't be one amongst us until we find that oneness amongst ourselves. Until we realize we are all on the same boat. Until we have that humility and that owning of our own sins then we can't speak to other people about theirs.

 

Yet, Hashem gives Moshe one more sign. He tells him that if there are still Jews that the first two signs are not enough for, there's one more sign that we all can agree with. There's one last thing that all Jews unite and can appreciate that will bring us to the redemption. He tells Moshe to take the water from the river and pour it on the ground and see it turn to blood. Do you know what that blood is? It's not the blood of the plagues. Because if it was, why would that convince them more than any other plague. Reb Zalman Sorotzkin suggests that perhaps it is the blood of their children that were drowned in the Nile. That blood-stained water of the Nile will unite us. All of us lost children to Egypt. We all suffer equally. Our neighbors, our enemies, our cousins, our "host" nations don't care what type of hat or Kippa we wear. They don't care if I'm a Kollel Rabbi or a left wing chiloni kibbutznik from Be'eri or even a Palestinian flag waving Harvard student or Neturei Karta-nik. We've all lost children in the Nile. Their blood is calling to us from the ground. We're all bereaved parents. We really are all in the same boat and know that we have to be redeemed. That Hashem won't let this go on any longer.

 

The book of Shemot that we have begun reading is the Book of Redemption. The Geula is around the corner. We have seen all of the signs. It's just time to open our hearts and our eyes to one another. To truly believe in Moshe. Our Father is talking to us. It's time to start listening.

 

Have a spectacular Shabbos,

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz 

 

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YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE WEEK

 " Der vos farshtait zein narishkeit iz a kluger."- He who is aware of his folly is wise

 

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK

answer below at end of Email

 

15. Synagogues in Israel in which there are no chairs and benches and instead worshippers use

prayer rugs, belong to the __________ stream of Judaism.

 

Which two sites in Nazareth are connected by the "Pilgrims' route" which serves tourist

and pilgrim groups in the city?

A. Catholic Church of the Annunciation and Mary's Well

B. Mount Precipice and the Catholic Church of the Annunciation

C. Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation and Mary's Well

D. Mount Precipice and Synagogue Church

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S COOL VIDEO OF THE WEEK

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqp0a6E2hOo&list=OLAK5uy_mjwSa44x4OcZXT4s680UUq97iftEFv2WQ – Shwekey's latest Shabbos Drop Shabbos Tefillos- what amazing songs!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsOH-VEWUKE&list=RDCsOH-VEWUKE&start_radio=1   -  What an amazing long listen. A kumzitz for Yigal Calek first Yartzteit!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYuZL9ZIOPs&list=RDEYuZL9ZIOPs&start_radio=1    – Yitzchak benezra amazing Shabbos medley.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0GcF_HTAys&list=RDN0GcF_HTAys&start_radio=1 – A new Fried Shalom Aleichem ! nice… I like fast ones..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDzR-xHCcPQ&list=RDGDzR-xHCcPQ&start_radio=1   – MBD preforming Oy Rebbe in memory of the Ribnitzer Rebbe.

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

When Jews get too comfortable and public… - 370 BC- So as we said last week, Darius/ Daryavish ruled over the entire Middle East and lots of Asia too. He divided the empire up into three regions with 120 vassal countries and they were run by achashdarpanim- ministers of which Daniel was the head of them all. He had a special place for this yiddeleh- as do many smart heads of State, particularly since he foretold and interpreted the dreams and visions of Belshatzar that told of Dairus's victory and ultimate ascension to power. Yet with Jewish popularity and influence begins the protocols of Elders of Zion. We're running the world behind the scenes and the goyim don't like it. They never do…



Now Daniel's enemies though were in a bit of a bind. How do they get the Jew that Darius the King loves and respects. The answer is simple. They use the Supreme Court. Always the enemy of the people and the tool of those that seek to destroy us. They convince Darius that it's worthwhile to pass a law in honor of his ascension that anyone that needs anything, that has a special request could only bring that request to the King who will then fulfil it. It's forbidden to pray and make requests of other kings or even gods. For Darius is like a god himself. He's the all powerful. He's Trump. You don't mess with him and he is the only one that can make things happen. Anyone that is caught praying or requesting anything from any other being- divine or human, will be considered a traitor and will be sentenced to death by being thrown into a Lion's den. Nice.

Now Daniel had this funny custom that seems like started by him which was called davening three times a day. See while the Temple was around, nobody really davened, besides basically just asking Hashem for what they wanted. We had sacrifices instead in the morning and evening and cleared away the ashes and burnt the remains in the evening. Our prayers are in place of those korbanos. But Daniel insitituted his own custom of davening and thanking Hashem and prostrating. He would do this by the window where all could see him. He wasn't really asking Hashem for requests so he technically wasn't even violating he decree, which is why he would've never endangered his life for this custom. Yet, it didn't help him. He was arrested while davening and set to trial. And here we have the first Dreyfuss trial in Jewish history post-temple, with Daniel vs State and the King couldn't even do anything to save him. What happens next…? Stay tuned.

RABBI SCHWARTZ’S TERRIBLE LISTENING JOKES OF THE WEEK

 

I wish I'd listened to what my parents told me when I was young...

What did they tell you?

Me: I don't know, I didn't listen

 

I told myself I should stop drinking...But I'm not going to listen to some drunk who talks to himself.

 

When Beethoven passed away, he was buried in a churchyard. A couple days later, the town drunk was walking through the cemetery and heard some strange noise coming from the area where Beethoven was buried. Terrified, the drunk ran and got the priest to come and listen to it...

The priest bent close to the grave and heard some faint, unrecognizable music coming from the grave.

Frightened, the priest ran and got the town magistrate. When the magistrate arrived, he bent his ear to the grave, listened for a moment, and said, "Ah, yes, that's Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, being played backwards."

He listened a while longer, and said, "There's the Eighth Symphony, and it's backwards, too. Most puzzling."

So the magistrate kept listening, "There's the Seventh... the Sixth... the Fifth..."

Suddenly the realization of what was happening dawned on the magistrate.

He stood up and announced to the crowd that had gathered in the cemetery, "My fellow citizens, there's nothing to worry about. It's just Beethoven decomposing."

 

What kind of paper likes listening to music? Rapping paper

 

My wife said to me "Are you even listening to me?!"

Strange way to start a conversation.

 

People these days think all kids in the 90s listened to boomboxes. That’s just a stereotype.

 

My grandpa warned people the Titanic would sink and no one listened. He kept warning them until they got sick of it and kicked him out of the theater.

 

I asked my wife to rate my listening skills and she said, “You’re an 8 on a scale of 10.”

I still don’t get why she wanted me to urinate on a skeleton...

A woman is sitting at her husband's funeral listening to the eulogies being read...

A man in the pew behind her leans forward to ask, "Do you mind if I say a word?".

"No, not at all", she replies.

The man stands and clears his throat.

“Bargain", he says, and sits back down.

"Thank you", the woman responds, "it means a great deal."

 

After listening to me sing, my high school music teacher said that I should be tenor…

Ten or twelve feet away from all musical instruments at all times.

 

What was the drunk driver listening to? The Cars' Greatest Hits.

 

My wife let me listen to her audiobook, but I accidentally deleted it halfway through.

Now I’ll ….never hear the end of it.

 

What's the difference between a good listener and a kidnapper? A good listener takes people seriously.

 

A cowboy is riding across the plains when he comes across a Pawnee indian lying down with his ear placed against the ground & mumbling something.

Knowing what great trackers the Pawnee are the cowboy gets off his horse and puts his ear to the ground, but he can't figure out anything just from listening.

So he gets up close to the Indian to hear what he's saying:

4 horses.

Pulling covered wagon.

2 people riding in front of wagon.

1 man, one woman.

2 children in back of wagon.

1 boy, 1 girl.

Girl have cake on lap.

Writing on top of cake say, Happy Birthday Jenny!

The cowboy jumps up in amazement & says to the Indian, "That's fantastic! You can tell ALL that just by listening to the vibrations from the ground!!!!!"

The Indian replies: "No. Them run over me half hour ago!".

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The answer to this week's question is A– So I definitely would've skipped this one, although I ended up getting the Xtian part of the question right by process of elimination. I had no clue about the first one, and the truth is if I would tour Jerusalem a bit more maybe I would've got it right. But the Karite synagogues really are not at the forefront of my mind. So I really didn't have anything to answer. As far as Part B. as I said I don't really do the whole Christian thing But I did remember Mary's well there. I think it had to do something with a story they stole from us I think about Hagar and an angel revealing and saying she's gonna have a kid. They never come up with their own stuff. The reason I remember it is because I found it funny that this was probably just a water hole used as a sewer in Byzantine times and wasn't even around back then. Another Bubbeh mayseh… But I wasn't sure if it was Catholic or GO and I went with he Catholics and was right! So I got that one half right and the new score is Rabbi Schwartz having a 11 point and the MOT having 4 point on this latest Ministry of Tourism exam.

W'ater You About?- Parshat Beshalach 2020/ 5780

Insights and Inspiration

from the

Holy Land

from

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

"Your friend in Karmiel"

Febuary 7^th 2020 -Volume 10 Issue 16 12^th Shvat 5780

Parshat Beshalach

Wat' er You About?

 It is a wet winter here in Eretz Yisrael. According to the news reports, January saw two weeks of rain of over 100MM, that's the most since 1969!  See what a good Seattlite Oleh can bring to this country. Although from what I understand they broke the record there as well with 30 days straight of rain… another reason I'm glad I escaped that city…. It's, how different I feel about rain in America versus here in the Holy Land. As I told my shul here that in Israel when it rains you feel a sense of blessing, everyone is excited and appreciative of the much-needed water and plod happily through the puddles. In America though it just feels, gloomy miserable and depressing-icky.. wet... sloshy... cold. You just wanna roll over and go back to bed. Not that the rain in Israel finds favor with my tourists who somehow felt that they would be coming to our Mediteranean climate country and have their rain rain go away attitude. But hey, they were the ones that said V'Sein Tal U'matar and Morid Hageshem that morning. Is it my fault that Hashem answered their prayers?

 So what does a tour guide do when his tours cancel because of rain? We head to the Beit Middrash to grab in some extra learning of course. Trying to escape the damp weather, I open the weekly Torah portion for some cut and dry Torah reading. Whadaya know? My luck, this week's Torah portion is of course the wettest one in the entire Torah. The portion starts off with the great conclusion of our Exodus at the Red Sea. Water turns to dry land for the Jews and for the Egyptians ...not so much. A few days later when the Jews run out of water they come to a wonderful place called Marah-bitter- because of the undrinkable water they found there. Yet miraculously Moshe throws a stick in and it turns sweet. 

Shortly after that the Torah tells us they come to a place called Eilim where they find 12 springs of water-obviously symbolizing the 12 tribes of Israel. And just when you thought you pretty much had enough water stories for one Parsha, the Torah tells us one final one, the incident of Masa-UMeiriva -(testing and quarrelling), where it seems from the commentaries understanding of the text, that there was once again a complaint of the water not being sufficient enough for the Jews satisfaction-as if we are ever satisfied!- and Moshe is commanded to hit the rock (after he complains that the people are getting ready to stone him in their doubt of God and his leadership) and water pours forth.

This rock seemingly continues to do accompany them for the next 38 years until much later in the Book of Bamidbar when we once again-are told the final water story when it seems the water runs out and Moshe makes the egregious error of hitting the rock once again instead of speaking to it as commanded.

 Yes it is a wet wet Parsha...The question is why? What is it about water that the Torah seems to put such an emphasis on its role in the development and becoming of the Jewish people? Even more interesting perhaps is that the story of the destruction of Egypt starts with smiting their source of water-which in fact they worshiped- the Nile River and their end is also through drowning in water.
 For those of you that like word plays- The word for Egypt is Mitzrayim, which is made up of the letters Mayim (water) with the word Tzar, which means enemy or narrow, written in the middle r breaking up or "splitting" the word Mayim. From there they go to a place of Mayim which is Marim (bitter)- almost the same letters as Mitzrayim with just the letter Reish- as breaking up the word Mayim. And then ultimately coming to 12 springs of good water; the journey from Mitzrayim-to Marim-to Mayim has been completed. But what does this all mean?

 Rav Avraham Hakohein Kook, the first chief Rabbi of Palestine in the 1930's reveals a deep concept regarding water and the journey of the Jewish people or "birth" through the trials and lessons of water. He notes how water is the most essential element of human existence. It provides man with energy to move and to withstand outside temperatures. The lack of water creates an almost primordial burning thirst that brings man in touch with the frailty of his existence. It is for this reason that water and the thirst for it is used repeatedly as the metaphor for what one's spiritual desire and connection to God should feel like.

 "Tzam'a Lech Nafshi- Mys Soul thirsts for you," King David says, "My whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water." "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.

 In Egypt the one thing that was never lacking was water. The Nile itself was revered as a God that provided for men who were therefore never thirsty. As a result they indulged themselves. Our sages refer to Egypt as Shtufei Zima- flooded in licentiousness (flood being another water word). Measure for measure that flood of self-indulgence was where they would find their end.

The Jews, as newly released slaves, first lesson that they had to learn was to develop a thirst for life. Water, that life-giving force and the lack of it for the first time was a wakeup call that their spirits that had been dulled and dead for so long was now burning with a thirst to live. Yet they also had to learn that water just to fill their thirst and satiate their physical needs alone could be bitter or sweet. Having left Egypt, bitter god-less water would no longer suffice them. They needed and were given the sweetened miraculous waters of Hashem. Coming to their next stop in Eilim they were shown that the water for them was meant to be special. It was not just that Hashem would sweeten water for them, but in fact there were 12 springs that awaited them which symbolized that their water was from a deeper source. It was meant to be a spiritual connection for the 12 tribes to connect with Hashem and to fulfill their individual thirst for Him from their own independent springs of life.

 Having quelled their thirst and developed this finer more spiritual taste, the Jewish people had another lesson to learn. The water and thirst for Hashem will only come with the breaking of their physical nature that seeks only to satisfy its body and not its soul. The strangely worded verse tells us that the Jews camped in Refidim and "there was no water to give drink to the people". The commentaries note that it's not that there wasn't water for them to drink rather that the limited water they had was not "drink" for them. It wasn't coming easy and flowing anymore. Their thirst was more for the easy physical and easy spiritual path. It was a test of God and of Moshe. Here Hashem gives them lesson two, that the flow will and can come even from a rock, yet you have to make the effort to break your own internal heart of stone by maintaining your faith even when you don't see the water flowing. By utilizing your thirst for Me, to push yourselves a little harder and break that simple search for the satisfying easy sweet path, the water will flow. Hashem commands Moshe here specifically to use the staff of the miracles of the Nile. The old Egyptian water thirst was destroyed by your faith in Me symbolized by this staff. Your future challenges as well will be overcome as you once again have that strength to believe and continue to strive for greatness.

 Finally, we come to the last water incident. The water before they come to Eretz Yisrael. Once again their water and rock dries up. The Jewish people are at this point 38 years later about to enter the newest and what was supposed to be final stage of their nationhood; their promised Holyland. Here, the Rav notes, as opposed to in Masa Meriva where Moshe is told to hit the Tzur- a term that refers to a hard rock, Moshe is commanded to speak to the Sela- a soft easier pliable rock. The Land of Israel and the Jewish people in their homeland have a more natural connection to Hashem and spirituality. That burning thirst for holiness becomes a warm flame in Hashem's country. That huge heart of stone that seems unbreakable in the wilderness and Diaspora will crumble and produce soul nourishing life force with a few simple words of prayer in Eretz Yisrael. The connection to those springs of holiness can be found in the division of the 12 portions of Israel to its tribes that draw forth from them. It is here where the rain is always a bracha-blessing. It is why the measure of our spiritual connection to Hashem in the Torah is always connected to the barometer of the rainfall that we are either blessed in a plentiful way with or god forbid not meriting in receiving.

 Yet Moshe failed in his mission to give us that message and for that he was not permitted to enter the land and bring about the final redemption. So we were exiled from the land. The soft and easily accessible rock of Eretz Yisrael was desecrated by our people in our sins and lack of faith. We forgot our thirst. We were too physically satiated and didn't even notice that our souls were starving and parched. Today that we have the blessing once again to be in Eretz Yisrael, we can once again rebuild our nation by nourishing our inner thirst for a connection to Hashem. When it rains everywhere else it's wet, sloshy and icky. Here there is a sense that our prayers that we recite each morning have been answered. It is an incredible feeling to be connected to Hashem through the daily weather report. May our inspiration increase our thirst for an even greater connection to Hashem so that we may soon merit to the day when the prophecy of

Ush'Avtem Mayim B'Sason M'Mayenei Ha'yeshuah- And we will draw water with rejoicing from the springs of Salvation be fulfilled.

Have a "wetty" blessed Shabbos and Fruity Tu B'Shvat

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

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RABBI SCHWARTZ’S FAVORITE YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE WEEK

“Fun fartrikenteh baimer kumen kain paires nit arois..."– No fruit grows out of withered trees.

RABBI SCHWARTZ’S COOL VIDEO  OF THE WEEK

https://youtu.be/d7awxGWmIV0 - The incredible holy Beinoni Niggun of the Rebbe by Eli Marcus

https://youtu.be/D5i8PbrORWQ     Kosher Halftime Show for Super Bowl with Meir Kay Simcha Leiner and Comedian Ashley Blaker

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1fwrXL9eBo – And this one is just LOL!! TRUMP enters State of the Union

https://youtu.be/MgD1eXtVBfM- Check out the Kinneret rising and ancient mikvas and hot springs coming to life!

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK

answer below at end of Email

13)  Burial of dogs in the country on a relatively large scale was exposed in:

A.    Caesarea

2. Yaffo
3. Tel Qasile
4. Ashkelon

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S PARSHA/MITZVA CONNECTION OF THE WEEK

V'Anveihu– Beautifying Mitzvos – One of the high moment of our Song at the Sea when we left Mitzrayim in this week's Torah portion was when we sang out the words

Zeh Keli V'Anveihu- This is our God and I will glorify Him

There was this sense of euphoria and understanding that we were taken out of Egypt not just merely to serve Hashem but to make His presence and His commandments beautiful. In fact our sages tell us in the Talmud and Midrash that that one should glorify Hashem through the performance of mitzvot.  Therefore, one should have a nice sukkah, a nice lulav, a nice shofar, nice tzitzit and a nice sefer Torah.   Whether this mitzva is a biblical one of Rabbinic one seems (like many mitzvos) a matter of debate.  The Ra'avad cited in Chidushei Anshei Shem, suggests that hiddur mitzvah is a biblical concept.  The Ritva, writes that it is a rabbinic concept. The latter commentaries take sides of course and the matter seems inconclusive. One thing is for sure though it is certainly a key part of the way we do mitzvos.

Now what does it mean to beautify the mitzvah and how much should one spend. The Talmud tells us that one is obligated to spend a third more for a nicer object of mitzva. The question is a 1/3 more than what? There are some that suggest that it is 1/3 more than the minimal kosher one and others 1/3 more than for a nicer one that one would have taken. So for example if there are two Etrogs or if one is buying a Sefer Torah or Teffilin either pay 1/3 more than the minimal price for a nicer one or if one has a choice of two he should buy the nicer one if the price differential is only 1/3 more.

There is another interesting question is what makes a mitzva nicer? For some things its easier to tell than others. So for a scroll it could be a nicer script or more added stringencies in the writing. A cleaner Esrog with a nice shape can make it more attractive. What about Tzitzis? The talis seemingly is just a garment, the mitzva is the strings. Should one have to get a nicer garment? My Rosh Yeshiva Reb Moshe Shmuel Shapiro said that he felt one should, but when he mentioned that to the Brisker Rav he told him that then would have to get a nicer house to fulfill the mitzva of Mezuza! Maybe that's what some of those palaces I saw in Lakewood and the five Towns are all about…

There are other commentaries that suggest it's not just about getting nicer objects of mitzva it's also about how we preform our mitzvot. With proper kavana, dressed nicely, perhaps going to the Mikva to fulfill the mitzva in a purer state. My personal is hiddur that I recommend to a lot of people is to fulfill the mitzvot in Eretz Yisrael! It's where they have the most meaning. What an incredible Hiddur!

Finally just an incredible idea about this mitzva, The Jews had this beautifying mitzva as the sea split. They recognized that just as Hashem went out of His way to give us a glorious redemption with over 250 miracles by the Sea in the most amazing way when He could have just teleported us away, was to appreciate how we should in turn beautify Him. That is why we sang and promised we would do the same. May we merit to fulfill all of Hashem's mitzvos in Eretz Yisrael with the Beit Hamikdash.

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

Shimshon- Gaza-Gate  959 BC- Coming off of the week of Trump-Gate or Ukraine-gate whatever they're calling it, it's perfect timing to understand the origin of that term "gate" to describe a scandal. Now I'm sure some of you assume it started with Richard Nixon and Watergate. That's an understandable mistake as this week is the Parsha that is full of water (see above E-Mail). But like all things in the world, it really starts with us. With our Torah, with our Navi. So let me introduce you to the original Gate scandal. Shimshon's Gaza-Gate.

Our sages tell us that the downfall of Shimshon begins in Gaza. After his incredible defeat of the Plishtim who had tried to kill him after he had been handed over by the men of the tribe of Yehuda, Shimshon heads over to Gaza to flex his muscles a bit. Let them know that he is around and they shouldn't mess. This was not a good idea. This expression of his strength and lack of fear of them led to him "wandering after his eyes" and picking up a woman of "ill repute" there. The Philistines see this and plot to kill him. They figure they will wait to the morning and hit him as he leaves the gates of the city. Shimshon however one-ups the once again. He gets up in the middle of the night and seeing that they locked him into the city rips up the 60 Amos wide gates (about 120 feet!) and brings them on his shoulders to the city of Chevron and places them there. Now you know where the Hercules, Atlas and Superman bubbeh maysehs come from- I told you it's all in the Torah!.

Our sages see in this some interesting observations. First of all, Shimshon doesn’t' seem to have the power anymore to kill the Plishtim. He can only shlep their gates. It seems that with his sin with this woman his might and Divine assistance is fading. Second of all it's interesting to note that the measurements of these gates 60 amos is the exact measurement of the length of the Temple that Shlomo Hamelech will build. Chevron, of course is in the portion of Yehuda. The same Yehuda that seems to have stepped down from its role once again of leadership by handing Shimshon over to the Philistines. By Shimshon bringing the Philistine gates to Chevron he is sending a message that it is their tribes job to bring the redemption. To build the house of Hashem we were brought to Israel to build. Shimshon's blessing of Jacob is that he longs for the salvation. He is a lion like Judah is a lion. They both have a role in bringing the redemption. Shimshon is failing in his so he hands over the mantle to Yehudah.  It will take some years but ultimately King David will arise and establish his kingdom in Chevron…not far from Shimshon's gates. It is there Yehudah begins the return to Yerushalayim the ultimate resting place of Hashem.

I can't really take tourists to Gaza these days, and Shimshon's gates are no longer in Chevron. But the story of the lion of Yehuda and Shimshon is something I regularly point out when we look at the emblems of Yerushalayim which of course has that lion upon it.

RABBI SCHWARTZ’S TERRIBLE TU B"SHVAT FRUIT JOKES  OF THE WEEK

The local ice cream shop has introduced a new mixed fruit flavour of ice cream dedicated to the president of the United States-They call it the Im-peached orange.

What kind of fruit can you have two of, but never have one of? A pear.

What’s my wife’s favorite fruit? Honey-do.

What do you call the vanishing fruit? Disappear.

What happens when you knock over a fruit stand? An apple-anche.

What's the worst way for a fruit farmer to die? Berried alive

Why was the Apple uncomfortable in the fruit bowl? Pear pressure

 Chana a young Jewish girl walks up to Berel the fruit stand sales man in the shuk and she's crying…

Berel : Hey what’s wrong?
Chana  My boyfriend and I tried to run away and get married but we were caught by my parents. My parents wanted a big formal wedding but we don’t want to do that.

Berel: Oh I’m so sorry, can I offer you some fruit on the house?
Chana: Oh thank you, I would love some. What do you have?
Berel: Cantaloupe
Chana: OYYY…

My wife is on this tropical fruit diet. Our kitchen is full of this crazy food.-It’s enough to make a mango crazy.

What do you call a fruit that’s very sympathetic? A compassion fruit

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Answer is D–  I personally have never toured in Ashkelon- I missed that one in my tour guiding course and never went on a tour there, and thus I've never toured tourists there. Although I've been there by the beach and some water activities. Yet, in studying for my exam I had to know everything about everywhere. I don't know if I studied this then or I got the right answer from this weekly E-Mail on one of the questions from a previous year's exam. It's one of the reasons why I have this column. Anyways I remembered that the dog cemetery in Ashkelon where they found over 1000 dog skeletons each buried nicely from the Persian period (about 500 BC) in this city was a mixed Phonecian, Persian and Jewish city.  It was discovered in the 80's and is certainly one of the strangest finds in the world. But I got it right! So the score is Schwartz 8 and 5 for MOT (Ministry of Tourism) on this exam.