MidrESHET Hayil

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Parashat Ki Tesseh-Don't BE Right, MAKE IT RIGHT

BS''D
Parashat Ki Tesseh- Don't BE Right, MAKE IT RIGHT


BS''D

Parashat Ki Tesseh-Don't BE Right, MAKE IT RIGHT


You’re driving down the road and you have the green light. The right of way is completely yours. All of a sudden from the periphery of your eye you sense a teenage driver speeding in from the right and he is about to pass through the red light on the road he’s on. Do you continue driving?

Of course not!

But why not? The right of way is yours completely! You did everything correctly! You obeyed the law to the fullest extent, you had your seatbelt fastened and checked your mirrors and drove under thirty miles an hour and had your license and registration neatly set in your glove compartment. You did it all! If you did everything correctly, don’t you at least deserve the right to continue driving down the road without anybody slowing you down?

However, if you did continue driving, you would get hit (has ve’Shalom). It’s true that you got your way, but did it really help you?

Sometimes, getting our right of way can work against us. Just because we are right, it does not necessarily mean that we have to exercise that right.

Parashat Ki Tesseh is laden with 74 precious Missvot. Many of these Missvot revolve around investing our individual right for a greater cause. For instance, if someone finds an object that is lost, it is human nature to want to take this object for one’s own self, however, the Torah HaKedoshah gives us specific instructions on how to return the lost object. In fact, there was even a place in Yerushalayim where anyone who lost an object or anyone who found an object would go to, and people would identify their object and restitutions were made. Mi Ke’Amekha Yisrael? Who is like your nation, HaShem? Only Yehoudim would do such a thing! Anyone else could rightfully keep the lost item, ‘finders keepers’ as they say—but even if we have this ‘right’, we are ready to give it up in order to do above what the secular law dictates.

HaShem tells us, if you are working in your fellow’s vineyard or olive grove, you are permitted to eat as many grapes or olives as your heart desires. However, you are forbidden from filling up your own vessel with this produce and take them home to eat later. It is true that we have the right to eat all of these delicious grapes and olives—HaShem tells us Help yourselves! However it does not mean we have to exercise this right, that is why it is forbidden to take these goods ‘to go’.

Another Missvah we find in this Parashah is the Missvah not to charge another Jew interest. In America, business owners can do as they please to exploit the customer. As long as a client is willing to pay, the businessman can charge him as he wishes—he has all the right to. However, the Torah HaKedoshah is so sensitive and understanding to both the client and the clerk. It’s true that technically one can charge another anything he likes, but just because he can doesn’t mean that he should. We see that a person has the right to charge interest—this is why we can charge goyim, but we also see that we cannot take advantage of this right—this is why we are forbidden from charging other Yehoudim interest. We Yehoudim have a special code of conduct that trandscends personal, selfish motives.

Another more dramatic account in the Parashah where we see the insight of not taking advantage of our rights is by Ben Sorer uMoreh, a wayward and rebellious son. The Torah HaKedoshah tells us that if a couple has son who meets certain (highly specific) qualifications of being a rebellious son, they have the right to justly kill him by stoning him to death. The Torah allows it! It is even a Missvah to do! However, just because parents have this right, does it mean they should go ahead and exercise it as they wish? Absoluetly not!! Which parent in their right mind do such a thing? It is for this reason the Talmud reveals to us, such a case never happened in history--ever. All these parents understand that just because they have this right, it doesn’t mean they should take advantage of it only to vindicate themselves. Just because they could kill their son who, it’s true he acted up, does it still ever mean that they should??

The incident where this concept is most prevelant in in the case of Eshet Yafat To’ar. When a Jewish man goes to war and sees a beautiful woman from the enemy’s side, surprisingly, HaKadosh Barukh Hu allows him to take her as a wife—but only if he follows proper protocol first. She must shave her head and grow her nails and sit at home as a mourner for 30 days, and only after this process, if the Jewish man still wants her as a wife, she is permissible to him.

Umm, HaShem? This doesn’t sound too Jewish to me. What’s going on here, how would You allow such a thing?

The truth is, this is the most Jewish concept there is. HaKadosh Barukh Hu in His infinite wisdom understands the nature of man. HaShem knows that if He forbids this, man would still go ahead and take her as a wife, thus being involved in a tremendous averah, transgression. Since He doesnt want us to trangress has ve’Shalom, HaShem gives us the option that if we want to do such a thing, we should at least do it the right way and not be held accountable for it. We technically have the right to take this Eshet Yafat To’ar.

However, the Torah HaKedoshah warns us, just because you have this right, it does not mean you have to exercise this right. The section in the Torah proceeding right after the section of Eshet Yafat To’ar is that of Ben Sorer uMoreh, a rebellious son, who is ultimately stoned to death. Ouch. How would such a son come about? Rashi explains that any man who takes an Eshet Yafat To’ar as a wife will ultimately have such a son who will rebel to this extent. Just because a man has the right to take a beautiful captive in war, it does not mean that he should exercise this right. Even though the law allows it, we must go above and beyond the law.

The word for going above and beyond the law is called ‘Hesed’. There is Sedakah, which is obligatory by law, and the next level above this is considered to be Hesed. By not giving in to the basic law and passing over our rights in order to attain a greater positive cause, we are, in effect, doing Hesed.

We are now in the midst of Hodesh Elul at full force. This is s time where we should be working on ourselves more and more each day. Although Sedakah is one of the antidotes to bring about Teshuvah, it is also worthwile for us to engage in this kind of Hesed in order to advance our Teshuvah. Starting this Hodesh, anytime we might feel that we have the right of way, let us stop to consider if exercising this right will be beneficial to us and everyone around us. If has ve’Shalom you feel an argument coming, EVEN IF YOU KNOW THAT YOU ARE COMPLETELY RIGHT, let it go. Someone took your parking spot? Let it go. Your sister borrowed your sweater without asking? I know you’re right, but let it go. Exercising your right won’t help you here, but loosening your ego and humbling yourself will.

Let’s try to make things right instead of trying to be right.

Be’Ezrat HaShem may we be massliah in mending broken relationships and maintaining the ones we have now. May we focus on working things out with others instead of just being preoccupied with our own personal rights and desires.  Just as we are prepared to overlook other people’s ‘faults’, in this zekhout , may HaKadosh Barukh Hu overlook our faults. May we make the best of our Hodesh Elul and elevate ourselves above and beyond what we are destined to be!


Wishing everyone a Shabbat Shalom uMevorakh! Kol Tuv!
Ariellah Samimi


--
www.flyingsoul-o.com
Make Your Neshamah Fly!

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Parashat Shoftim- Clear Your Fear My Dear


BS’’D
Parashat Shoftim- Clear Your Fear My Dear

You are about to get a crash course in Physics 101. Here we go.  In physics, there are different ways to measure energy. There is kinetic energy which measures energy based on physical movement of an object; and then there’s potential energy which is ‘stored’ energy. This energy isn’t put into action….yet. It’s a reserve that could be tapped into when more energy is needed and accrues based on an objects’ location and position in relation to others. When the object is moved due to work, it gives off some of this stored energy.

 Okay, enough nerd talk. Let’s get to the real deal.

Hodesh Elul has just begun, and based on my conversations with others, I think the generally feeling going around is a certain anxiety and fear that Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur are coming up so soon. Suddenly, we realize that we have only 40 days to make up for our past year in order to ensure a better one next year.

What exactly are we fearing though? There are different types of fear.

Not-good fear: My goodness, I messed up so badly this year, I won’t ever be able to make up for it now. I’m so scared of being punished! There’s no hope left….

Good Fear: Wow I have 40 days to make the best of this. I’m going to try my best to take advantage of these days. There is so much potential to improve! I only fear that I won’t be doing enough!

It comes down to this: Is your fear taking you down or building you up? That’s the difference.

During Hodesh Elul, everything comes into perspective and we realize we could have done so much more this past year. We fear that we haven’t taken advantage and will miss out because of this, Has ve’Shalom. We have the potential to experience tremendous abundance next year based on these next few weeks, and so we are afraid we might mess up. Yet, we must exploit every moment of these 40 days in order to reach our full potential for the upcoming year and hopefully, for our entire lives.

In Parashat Shoftim, we have a specific Missvah that when we go out to war, we are not allowed to cut down the fruit trees in the area. Why? The Torah HaKedoshah tells us, ‘Ki HaAdam Ess HaSadeh’- because the tree of the field is akin to a person. These trees bear fruit, they have potential- we are forbidden to destroy them. The Torah tells us that we are very much like these trees. Just like these trees have tremendous potential, we do too-and it is completely forbidden to devastate that potential.

Right after the Torah HaKedoshah gives us the privilege to keep this Missvah, it continues on to another Missvah of Eglah Aroufah. In a case where an unidentified body is found between two cities, the councilmen and Kohanim of both cities must meet, summon a baby calf which specifically has never worked in its life, and break its neck declaring that neither side was responsible for this person’s death.

What is all this violence about? What does a cow have to do with anything? What did the poor calf do??

Those who witness the calf being murdered feel the remorse of a life lost prematurely. They feel regret upon a cow who had the potential to work but was never able to- this is why they must choose a baby calf who has never worked in its life. The same way the calf’s potential is gone, so is the potential of this unidentified person- the murderer disrupted the entire cycle of his life. His potential was snatched from him entirely. But how come they chose a calf specifically? Couldn’t they choose a small bird at least or something of the sort? What’s the connection?

The word for ‘calf’ in Lashon Kodesh is ‘Egel’- that is why it’s called ‘Eglah Aroufah’. Egel implies ‘ma’agal’ (the letters are the same in Hebrew)- which means round, a cycle. When they break the calf’s neck, they are breaking the ma’agal, they are breaking its’ cycle of life; they are shattering its potential completely. And this is devastating.

In the same section, the Torah speaks about those who are exempt from going out to fight in battle. Among them is the person who planted a vineyard and has not begun to benefit from it, whoever has built a house and not dedicated it, and whoever has betrothed a woman and not taken her. The people who have not fulfilled their potential are fully exempt from war in order to go finish off what they started, because there is nothing worse than unfulfilled potential. HaShem tells them, You have more to give? I have a reason to keep you here. I understand that you started something so beautiful and I don’t want to interrupt.  I want to give you the opportunity to finish it through. Don’t worry, you don’t have to fight, it’s on Me. You just go back home and thrive.

HaShem takes care of those who strive for more. These aren’t people who are afraid of war- they are people who are afraid of losing out on all the good that they could possibly have. The same feeling that we are supposed to be having this time of the year. These people don’t fear what is, they fear what could be but is not.

These 40 days, there will be times where you might feel afraid. Don’t let it be the type of fear that will restrict you. This fear should propel you forward. You have so much potential inside you! This is the best time of the year to tap inside and unleash it. There is nothing  greater than fulfilling your entire potential in this world. Take advantage of every moment you have these next few weeks to help work on yourself, improve, and to become closer to HaKadosh Barukh Hu. There is no better time!

Be’Ezrat HaShem, May we identify our potential in life and fulfill it. May this be the start to a sincere and heartfelt Teshuvah Shelemah and may this be a tremendously productive Hodesh Elul.  May we walk into Rosh HaShanah confident that we did our utmost best and that HaShem will shower us with wonderful Berakhot in return!

Wishing everyone a fulfilling Shabbat Shalom uMevorakh!
Ariellah Samimi


Thursday, August 16, 2012

Parashat Re’eh- Don’t Make Today Tomorrow’s Yesterday

BS''D


Parashat Re'eh- Don't Make Today Tomorrow's Yesterday

'If there will arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of a dream, and he gives you a sign or a wonder and the sign or the wonder of which he spoke to you happens, [and he] says, "Let us go after other gods which you have not known, and let us worship them," You shall not heed the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of a dream; for HaShem, your G-d, is testing you, to know whether you really love the HaShem, your G-d, with all your heart and with all your soul.' (Perek Yud Gimmel, 13)

HaKadosh Barukh Hu warns us that if somebody walks up to you and says 'In 3 minutes a brick will fall down from that roof'—and this happens (he probably paid someone off 50 bucks to do it) — and uses this to validate himself as a prophet, and then uses his title to go against HaShem has ve'Shalom, we shouldn't listen to him, since HaShem is using this as a test to see how committed we are to Him

In Parashat Re'eh we are told not to trade in our current commitment to HaShem for something perceived in a vision of the future, just as this false prophet is trying to do to us.We shouldn't base what we do now on something we feel will happen later in time. The only way that something that will happen in the future can exist now is as a function of our imagination- not in any other way, there is no other way to figure out what the future will hold. It's all in your mind. We are warned not to become slaves of the world around us based on extrapolations of time created only in our own minds; we must live in here and now. What do I mean?

Sometimes, we trade in what we have in our hands already because we think we will acquire something much greater later on based on what we are conditioned to think the future will be. This is what the pasuk is speaking about. We are warned not to exchange our love and commitment to HaShem based on a conclusion made about the future, even if it looks guaranteed to us, and logically proven to be so. Often times, we think we know what the future will be because it repetitively happened in the past. Just because something happened many times, by no means can we guarantee that life will continue to take that path. Past occurrences should not serve as an oracle for the future. This is the delusion by which the human mind is narrowed.

Think to yourself, HOW MANY TIMES DO WE GIVE UP WHAT WE HAVE TODAY BECAUSE WE THINK WE WILL HAVE A BETTER TOMORROW? How many times do we repress our ambitions, miss opportunities, and sacrifice precious time because we think we know what the future will be and shape our present day based on something that did not even happen yet? HaShem Yitbarakh warns us not to fall victim to this fabrication of the imagination; these are all tests coming from Him, and we must ensure that we pass them every time.

We cannot give up the opportunities we have TODAY because we are unsure of what will be tomorrow. It's like amassing money in your wallet, only to never use it. Likewise, we cannot direct and mold our lives based on what we think the future will be.

Like the false prophet, It is not our job to determine the future; we must only try to understand the present situation that we are given. We must loosen our grip and stop trying to be in control of things that do not lie in our hands. Just because we want our future to turn out a certain way does not mean by any means that it has to be so. This is something that we have to earnestly internalize. Do not ever allow your past or future to set a limit on your potential that you have today. If you want to achieve something, put your ENTIRE self into it and do it TODAY.

I often say that sometimes, life is like standing behind a glass window. We stand behind it observing the entire world, inspecting and analyzing and wanting to change things everywhere because we think that is how it will operate best. But as much as we scream and yell and jump up and down and wave our arms, NOBODY CAN HEAR US, nothing will change. After all, we are behind a glass wall, remember? Our time would be better spent pleasantly observing the passersby, maybe exchanging a smile, taking in what we can in order to better ourselves in order to become closer to HaShem Yitbarakh.

This is our test. How much Emunah do we have in HaShem that we stop trying to determine our futures and let Him take the lead? That even if we think we see signs and illusions, we should close our eyes and open our hearts to what HaShem really wants for us. This is true love for HaShem. The pasuk says 'with all your heart and all our soul'; NOT with your mind. We don't need to do any calculations. HaShem tells us with our hands we should kill that prophet who pretends he knows what the future is and based on that tries to change your commitments; somebody who lives their life that way is deserving to be killed.

If you sit down with yourself and think about the things that make you worry, you would see that most of it exists in your mind more than anywhere else.
'What am I going to do next semester?'
'The bills are due next week'
'What is she going to say when she sees I broke her vase?'
'If I don't get in touch with her now then we won't be able to speak until Monday, and by Monday it's too late because I'm going to leave the country and it'll be hard to communicate overseas. And then there's the time change. So by the time I get back a month will have gone by and she'd already make the sale to someone else.'

My goodness, calm down. You didn't even call yet. And what if she picks up? Breathe and trust that whatever happens. It's meant to play out that way-and that it's for the best. Don't play the future in your head- it rarely works out how you imagine it. This way you're setting yourself up to fail because success would mean that .01% chance of reality actually coinciding with the incident that you conjured up in your mind. Your thoughts are contained in your head- the universe has no way of translating these visions into reality. So get real and work with what you have at hand this moment.

Of course we need direction and a measure of planning in our lives but all of this is a function of the mind and doesn't even exist in real life, it hasn't happened yet. And yet it is the biggest cause of anxiety and worry in our lives. Is it next semester yet? Is it next week now? Next month? No! You're always going to be at a state of 'now'. Did you realize we never actually get to tomorrow? It's always considered 'today' isn't it? So yalla don't worry about 'tomorrow', you won't seize such a thing.  Enjoy what HaShem is giving you NOW and trust that it's playing out exactly how it needs to. They say worrying is like a rocking chair-it gives you something to do but doesn't get you anywhere.

If all this abstract talk is making you worry more, here's a practical way to put it. Do you have a problem? No? Then don't worry. Yes? Alright, so could you do something about it? Yes? Then don't worry, you can fix it! No? Then don't worry! It won't change anything!

I can't help myself but to go back to being abstract again. Remember, don't ever make today the collateral for tomorrow; there will always be a tomorrow, but you will never get your collateral of today back. Don't make today tomorrow's yesterday before the day even passes. Just live in the moment and break past all shackles of time that we tend to be bound by. Every second is an opportunity to grow. Worrying doesn't fit anywhere in this equation.

Be'ezrat HaShem may we all have the clarity to realize this and the strength to internalize this.
Wishing everybody a Shabbat Shalom u'Mevorakh!

Ariellah Samimi

--
www.flyingsoul-o.com 
Make Your Neshamah Fly!

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Parashat Re’eh- Don’t Make Today Tomorrow’s Yesterday

BS’’D
Parashat Re’eh- Don’t Make Today Tomorrow’s Yesterday

If there will arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of a dream, and he gives you a sign or a wonder and the sign or the wonder of which he spoke to you happens, [and he] says, "Let us go after other gods which you have not known, and let us worship them," You shall not heed the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of a dream; for HaShem, your G-d, is testing you, to know whether you really love the HaShem, your G-d, with all your heart and with all your soul.’ (Perek Yud Gimmel, 13)

HaKadosh Barukh Hu warns us that if somebody walks up to you and says ‘In 3 minutes a brick will fall down from that roof’—and this happens (he probably paid someone off 50 bucks to do it) — and uses this to validate himself as a prophet, and then uses his title to go against HaShem has ve’Shalom, we shouldn’t listen to him, since HaShem is using this as a test to see how committed we are to Him

In Parashat Re’eh we are told not to trade in our current commitment to HaShem for something perceived in a vision of the future, just as this false prophet is trying to do to us. We shouldn’t base what we do now on something we feel will happen later in time. The only way that something that will happen in the future can exist now is as a function of our imagination- not in any other way, there is no other way to figure out what the future will hold. It’s all in your mind. We are warned not to become slaves of the world around us based on extrapolations of time created only in our own minds; we must live in here and now. What do I mean?

Sometimes, we trade in what we have in our hands already because we think we will acquire something much greater later on based on what we are conditioned to think the future will be. This is what the pasuk is speaking about. We are warned not to exchange our love and commitment to HaShem based on a conclusion made about the future, even if it looks guaranteed to us, and logically proven to be so. Often times, we think we know what the future will be because it repetitively happened in the past. Just because something happened many times, by no means can we guarantee that life will continue to take that path. Past occurrences should not serve as an oracle for the future. This is the delusion by which the human mind is narrowed.

Think to yourself, HOW MANY TIMES DO WE GIVE UP WHAT WE HAVE TODAY BECAUSE WE THINK WE WILL HAVE A BETTER TOMORROW? How many times do we repress our ambitions, miss opportunities, and sacrifice precious time because we think we know what the future will be and shape our present day based on something that did not even happen yet? HaShem Yitbarakh warns us not to fall victim to this fabrication of the imagination; these are all tests coming from Him, and we must ensure that we pass them every time.

We cannot give up the opportunities we have TODAY because we are unsure of what will be tomorrow. It’s like amassing money in your wallet, only to never use it. Likewise, we cannot direct and mold our lives based on what we think the future will be.

Like the false prophet, It is not our job to determine the future; we must only try to understand the present situation that we are given. We must loosen our grip and stop trying to be in control of things that do not lie in our hands. Just because we want our future to turn out a certain way does not mean by any means that it has to be so. This is something that we have to earnestly internalize. Do not ever allow your past or future to set a limit on your potential that you have today. If you want to achieve something, put your ENTIRE self into it and do it TODAY.

I often say that sometimes, life is like standing behind a glass window. We stand behind it observing the entire world, inspecting and analyzing and wanting to change things everywhere because we think that is how it will operate best. But as much as we scream and yell and jump up and down and wave our arms, NOBODY CAN HEAR US, nothing will change. After all, we are behind a glass wall, remember? Our time would be better spent pleasantly observing the passersby, maybe exchanging a smile, taking in what we can in order to better ourselves in order to become closer to HaShem Yitbarakh.

This is our test. How much Emunah do we have in HaShem that we stop trying to determine our futures and let Him take the lead? That even if we think we see signs and illusions, we should close our eyes and open our hearts to what HaShem really wants for us. This is true love for HaShem. The pasuk says ‘with all your heart and all our soul’; NOT with your mind. We don’t need to do any calculations. HaShem tells us with our hands we should kill that prophet who pretends he knows what the future is and based on that tries to change your commitments; somebody who lives their life that way is deserving to be killed.

If you sit down with yourself and think about the things that make you worry, you would see that most of it exists in your mind more than anywhere else.
‘What am I going to do next semester?’
‘The bills are due next week’
‘What is she going to say when she sees I broke her vase?’
‘If I don’t get in touch with her now then we won’t be able to speak until Monday, and by Monday it’s too late because I’m going to leave the country and it’ll be hard to communicate overseas. And then there’s the time change. So by the time I get back a month will have gone by and she’d already make the sale to someone else.’

My goodness, calm down. You didn’t even call yet. And what if she picks up? Breathe and trust that whatever happens. It’s meant to play out that way-and that it’s for the best. Don’t play the future in your head- it rarely works out how you imagine it. This way you’re setting yourself up to fail because success would mean that .01% chance of reality actually coinciding with the incident that you conjured up in your mind. Your thoughts are contained in your head- the universe has no way of translating these visions into reality. So get real and work with what you have at hand this moment.

Of course we need direction and a measure of planning in our lives but all of this is a function of the mind and doesn’t even exist in real life, it hasn’t happened yet. And yet it is the biggest cause of anxiety and worry in our lives. Is it next semester yet? Is it next week now? Next month? No! You’re always going to be at a state of ‘now’. Did you realize we never actually get to tomorrow? It’s always considered ‘today’ isn’t it? So yalla don’t worry about ‘tomorrow’, you won’t seize such a thing.  Enjoy what HaShem is giving you NOW and trust that it’s playing out exactly how it needs to. They say worrying is like a rocking chair-it gives you something to do but doesn’t get you anywhere.

If all this abstract talk is making you worry more, here’s a practical way to put it. Do you have a problem? No? Then don’t worry. Yes? Alright, so could you do something about it? Yes? Then don’t worry, you can fix it! No? Then don’t worry! It won’t change anything!

I can’t help myself but to go back to being abstract again. Remember, don't ever make today the collateral for tomorrow; there will always be a tomorrow, but you will never get your collateral of today back. Don’t make today tomorrow's yesterday before the day even passes. Just live in the moment and break past all shackles of time that we tend to be bound by. Every second is an opportunity to grow. Worrying doesn’t fit anywhere in this equation.

Be’ezrat HaShem may we all have the clarity to realize this and the strength to internalize this.
Wishing everybody a Shabbat Shalom u’Mevorakh!
Ariellah Samimi


Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Parashat Ekev- HaShem, I Want to Be You!


BS’’D
Parashat Ekev- HaShem, I Want to Be You!

22. For if you keep all these commandments which I command you to do them, to love the HaShem, your G-d, to walk in all His ways, and to cleave to Him.

כב. כִּי אִם שָׁמֹר תִּשְׁמְרוּן אֶת כָּל הַמִּצְוָה הַזֹּאת אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוֶּה אֶתְכֶם לַעֲשֹׂתָהּ לְאַהֲבָה אֶת יְ־הֹוָ־ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם לָלֶכֶת בְּכָל דְּרָכָיו וּלְדָבְקָה בוֹ:
My friend once lost her cell phone, lo aleinu. I’ve never seen anybody so frantic in my life. We sent a whole search team for this phone. We finished Sefer Tehillim for her. HaShem had so much Rahamim that we finally found this phone. Looking back, one must wonder, how come somebody would get so distraught over losing a piece of metal? I mean, calm down it’s a just cell phone, it could be replaced! But still, to most people, losing a phone means losing connection to others, and this is reasonable enough a cause to warrant such a response.

Even though we do not need to be in constant contact with our ‘contacts’, we still feel a sense of security and reassurance knowing that we are always able to reach them. Just the idea of having all communication cut off creates a sense of anxiety and discomfort within. How valuable would a constant and direct channel of communication be to us if we could establish such a thing?

Did you ever think that our relationship with HaKadosh Barukh Hu is such a way? Since we cannot directly see and physically feel HaShem, we at least rely on the assurance that we can always ‘call’ Him; HaShem is certainly reachable. However, the truth is that we could have that direct connection with HaShem that most people think does not exist. It’s actually a Missvah in the Torah. Parashat Ekev reveals to us the Missvah of Devekut ba’HaShem, ‘cleaving to or sticking’ to HaShem Yitbarakh. We are commanded to continuously be bonded with Him. Our job now is find out what is that connecting factor between us and HaShem? What means of communication can we tap into to reach and feel HaShem more directly and to ultimately become one unified body with Him?

In the same pasouk that we learn about the Missvah of Devekut ba’HaShem, we are also commanded to be exactly like HaShem- ve’halakhta be’khol derakhav- ‘You shall go in all His ways’. The way we can bond to HaShem is by being just like Him. The more we can act like HaShem, the closer we become to Him. (BH we will learn what exactly some of HaShem’s qualities are).

In chemistry, there is something called a diatomic molecule, which is a single molecule made of two of the same atoms. The two atoms are bonded together. The bond holding these two atoms is called a covalent bond, which is the strongest chemical bond that exists. What makes it so strong? Rabbenu Wikipedia explains, ‘Covalent bonding is a common type of bonding, in which the electronegativity difference between the bonded atoms is small or nonexistent. ’ Which, for normal people, means: the fact that the difference (in the electric force) of the two atoms is so small, that’s what allows them to bond so strongly. Likewise, the smaller the difference between us and HaKadosh Barukh Hu, the stronger the bond between Us. When we act like complete animalistic humans, we are different than HaShem, and therefore are less ‘compatible’ so to speak and bonding becomes less feasible. But when we try to act G-dly, when we tap into our divine senses, we become more similar to HaShem and therefore more ‘compatible’ for bonding.

The question is, do you want to be a manimal, a blend of man and angel or a mangel, a hybrid of man and angel?
If it is an elevated human being you want to be, keep reading.

To become such a person, just ‘Follow His ways’, the ways of HaShem. Rambam in Hilkhot De’ot of the Mishneh Torah teaches:  ‘Just as HaShem is called compassionate, so you should be compassionate. Just as He is described as merciful so should you be merciful. Just as He is called holy so should you be holy. And it is in this fashion that the prophets described HaShem in terms of character traits -- slow to anger, abundant in kindness, righteous, perfect, powerful and strong etc. -- to teach us that these are upright and positive traits, and a person is obligated to conduct himself according to their Example, and thus to make himself like HaShem as far as it is in his power’. (translation adapted from Aish.com)

Rav Moshe Cordovero in his Sefer Tomer Devorah discusses this idea at great length. He guides us by explaining that HaShem has Thirteen Divine Attributes that we can learn from and apply to ourselves.  We all have character traits, each in their own measure, or middah- some are subtle and some are more extreme. Nevertheless, we must direct and refine our middot, our character traits, by emulating HaShem. HaShem is our number one role model. Just like He doesn’t get angry quickly, we shouldn’t either. Just like He is always giving with immense love, we should be doing the same. HaShem is compassionate, patient and merciful- this means we must be compassionate, patient and merciful as well. By becoming more like HaShem, we are also becoming closer to Him, since He essentially is become more and more a part of us.  I don’t know much about chemistry, but I’m certainly liking the sound of this diatomic bond.

Be’Ezrat HaShem may we develop ourselves into the Divine beings we are destined to be. May we emulate HaShem to the best of our ability and in this way, become even closer to Him.

Wishing every special Neshamah a Shabbat Shalom uMevorakh!
Ariellah Samimi

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Parashat VaEt’hanan-Tefillah Time

BS''D
Parashat VaEt'hanan-Tefillah Time

4. Hear, O Israel: HaShem is our G-d; HaShem is one.

ד. שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ ה' אֶחָד:

There is a halakhah not to directly request HaShem for a Refuah for someone in Tefillah on Shabbat Kodesh (unless of course, it is very serious in which a halakhic authority should be consulted). Until recently, I never really understood why this is, and I would sometimes sneak in a little (okay, big) personal Tefillah during the Amidah.  It felt wrong not to be able to daven fully. I thought to myself, Shabbat Kodesh is the most spiritual day of the week! If anything, wouldn't this be the best day to daven for something? Barukh HaShem, I finally learned the reason why this is.

 I was reading HaRav Shimshon Dovid Pincus's sefer, Nefesh Shmishon, and he explains that Shabbat Kodesh is the day that we should be building our relationship with HaKadosh Barukh Hu in the most intimate way. To do this, we need as little distractions as possible. Just like we don't do creative work on Shabbat, because this would both distract and detract from our relationship with HaShem, intensively asking for things can 'get in the way' so to speak. Shabbat itself is so Kadosh that it already brings the Berakhot we want to ask for; additional Tefillot wouldn't even be necessary on this day. All we have to do on Shabbat is to build a relationship with HaKadosh Barukh Hu and serve as witnesses that He created the world and gave us Shabbat Kodesh. By keeping Shabbat, we are saying, HaShem, I agree that You created the world in six days, and made the seventh day one of rest, called 'Shabbat', and this is why I am 'resting today'. We have the other six fays to daven intensely.

Even on the other six days though, sometimes we can feel that our Tefillot seem to go unanswered. In this week's Parashah, Moshe Rabbenu davens over and over again, 515 times, to be permitted to enter Eress Yisrael. The gematriya (numerical value) of VaEt'hanan, 'And I pleaded', is 515. After all this davening, HaShem still didn't want Moshe Rabbenu to enter. And so, Moshe Rabbenu accepts his predicament. The truth is, there is no such thing as an unanswered Tefillah. Every Tefillah is answered. To each Tefillah the answer could be:
Yes, my dear child.
Yes, my child, but not right now. I'm going to save this Tefillah for a time you will need it more.
No. – 'No' is also an answer.

You're going to have to trust that HaShem knows best for you. He will apply your Tefillah at the most appropriate time. Your Tefillah will always be answered, you just might not always be able to detect the results.

Regardless of what the answer to our Tefillah will be, we must understand that whether it's a 'Yes' or a 'No', it all comes from ONE source. HaShem decides yes and HaShem decides no. It's not that all the 'Yes's' come from a good place, HaShem, and all the 'No's' come from a bad place. Both 'Yes' and 'No' come from a source of good, from HaShem.

This is also why, in addition to the concept of Shabbat and the concept of Tefillah, Parashat VaEt'hanan hosts perhaps the most fundamental pasouk to Benei Yisrael's credence. Shema Yisrael.

Shema Yisrael HaShem Elokeinu HaShem EHAD-'Hear Yisrael, HaShem is our GD, HaShem is ONE'

You hear that? Hakadosh Barukh Hu is ONE.


We must firmly believe, understand, and internalize that everything comes from One Source. Everything, good or seemingly 'bad' comes from one place- from HaShem. If it's coming from HaShem Yitbarakh, that means it's always good. Our minds are just limited, so sometimes we can't grasp this idea or see it in our lives moment to moment. The best we could do though is to serve as HaShem's witness and testify, HaShem is ONE! What is happening in my life can only be GOOD! What is happening in your life is good TOO! I can promise you, I'm a witness!

And guess what? The two letters in the pasouk of Shema that are written enlarged in the Torah are the Ayin of 'Shema' and Daled of 'Ehad'. What does this spell? 'Ed' which means 'witness'.

A witness has to firmly believe what they are testifying, they cannot falter. They must be ready to swear on their word. A witness must be objective and only speak truth. There is one truth. The truth is HaShem is ONE. Go prove it to everyone. It's your responsibility.

Knowing this, we should never give up on Tefillah, since we know our prayers will ALWAYS be answered. We should mamash be davening/praying every second of the day, every chance we get. We can learn this from the Shema as well. The 'Shin' in Shema stands for Shaharit, the 'Mem' stands for Minha, the 'Ayin' stands for Arvit—the three times a day that we daven. We should be praying be'shivtekha be've'tekha—as you sit in your house, u've'lekhtekha va'derekh—as you walk on your way, u've'shakhbekha—as you lay down, u've'kumekha—as you get up. These are the words of our beloved Shema. Listen to them.

Shema also stands for 'Se'u Marom Eynekhem'- 'Lift your Eyes Upwards (Towards Shamayim)'. Nothing should ever stop us from davening. Just look up to Shmayim, open your heart and pour out your most genuine Tefillah. This is what I call TeFEELah. There is no way it won't be answered.

Be'Ezrat HaShem, may all our Tefillot be answered le'Tova u'le'Berakhah! May we develop the patience and understanding that just because our Tefillot may not be answered immediately, it does not mean that they are not heard. May we internalize that no matter what HaShem decides for us, it is from ONE source, a GOOD source. Remember this the next time you say the Shema.

Wishing everyONE  a Shabbat Shalom uMevorakh!
Ariellah Samimi

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