Shabbos Parshas Terumah

In this week's Parsha HaShem lays out the exact specifications of the Sanctuary to be built by the Jews in the desert.  "They shall make Me a sanctuary and I shall dwell amidst them."

HaShem demands the best of everything; precious metals, vividly colored wool, flax, goat hair, wood, pure olive oil, rich spices and precious gems.  HaShem also asked for the skins of animals both mundane and exotic.

The contributions came from everyone in the camp.  We all gave the best of what we had to honor HaShem and bring Him to dwell with us.

Today living in Golus, we no longer have HaShem's Sanctuary.  We pray every day that Moshiach should come and rebuild it.  In the meantime, each of us has a Mikdash Me'at -  a small sanctuary.  A person's home is his own Mikdash Me'at.  Today it is our responsibility to give HaShem the best of what we have to bring Him to dwell with us.

Does that mean that we should have a roof made of animal skins, goat hair and wool? Should we have gold-plated walls?  No.  The gold that HaShem wants from us today is our Mitzvos.  A door with a Mezuzah, a Kosher Kitchen, a home revolving around Taharas HaMishpocha - theses are the adornments of a Mikdash Me'at. 

Make this Shabbos Shiny!

Give it the best you've got!  The Shabbos table is like the altar in the Beis HaMikdash - dressed finely and equipped with Challah and salt and wine in a special cup.  We are also commanded to eat the most delicious food on Shabbos.  If you discover a special delicacy during the week, you should save it for Shabbos. 

This Shabbos, make an effort to have something special and delicious at your table.  Enjoy it and realize that in doing so, you are serving HaShem with joy and pleasure.  Share your Shabbos treat with a friend!

Leave me a comment with your special Shabbos recipe! 

Shabbos Parshas Yitro

This week's Parsha is a Very Big Deal.  The essence of everything we are supposed to learn from HaShem's teachings is in this week's Parsha.  If you were to boil down the Torah, Yitro is what you would get.  Yitro is Torah buillion (for those of you who don't make soup from scratch. Ahem.)

And what do you think that essence is?  Totally obvious to anyone who's read the Parsha, right?

The Ten Commandments!

Wrong.  Well, in my humble opinion, you're wrong.

What do *I* think the very buillion of belief is?

Na'aseh V'Nishma - We will DO and we will listen.

That little phrase is the cornerstone of my faith.  It defines the motivation for why I dress, eat, speak, worship and live the way I do.  There are days that it is my sustenance.  Declaring "Na'aseh V'Nishma," is telling HaShem, "In everything I will put You first.  I will serve Your will without question.  I have greater faith in You than I do myself."

Now isn't *that* a doozy of a concept in today's day and age?  Look at your life and ask yourself, "Who is the ultimate authority? Who's glory am I living for?"  Is your answer "Me!  Mine!"?  Are there Commandments you don't follow because they aren't logical?  Things you don't do because they "just don't make sense," to you?  We're living in a "We will listen and then we will (maybe) do," time.  In everything, we consider our options, see what fits and choose our path accordingly.  There are some situations for which that is absolutely the right course of action.

There are some situations for which it is not.  In this Parsha, HaShem gives us Ten Commandments.  Before that, we accept them, sight unseen.  In two (Hebrew) words (six in English), we tell Him that whatever he tells us to do, we'll do it.  Every Jewish soul was at Sinai.  Every Jewish soul told HaShem, "I will do, and I will listen."  Even yours.

To me, believing, truly believing that G-d's is the ultimate wisdom is the greatest comfort in my life.  It is a sweet, relieving freedom to know that He is in control and has a plan.

Make this Shabbos Shiny

Do.  Then listen.  Humble yourself before G-d this week and recognize the gift He has given you in Torah.  Concentrate on recognizing His authority and wisdom.

I'm sure you're all itching to hear what I have to say after last week's break.  I hope not to let my adoring public down...all two of you.

Shabbos Parshas Beshalach - Shabbos Shira

This Shabbos is called Shabbos Shira because the Parsha recounts the splitting of the Red Sea and the song the Children of Israel sang in Praise of HaShem.

The entire Parshah talks about the amazing things HaShem did for us - split the sea, bring us through it, provide us with food and water in the desert.

HaShem is still doing amazing things every day, though they may not be accompanied with such special effects as food from nowhere and water from rocks.  But we know that He's still involved in our lives, otherwise, we wouldn't say Brachas.  There's a bracha for everything you ingest - even  a glass of water.  Every day, all day we thank G-d for the gifts He gives us and the things He does.

Make this Shabbos Shiny!

Make an extra Bracha and thank HaShem in a way you may have been lacking in before.  Recognize the amazing things He's doing in your life every day.  Did you know there's a prayer for when you hear lightening?  Next time there's a storm, get under cover and grab a siddur!

Shabbos Parshas Va'eira

In this week's Parsha, HaShem makes a promise He intends to keep.  He reveals himself to Moses.  G-d tells Moses of the complete redemption of the Jewish people from slavery - He will take us out of Egypt, deliver us from slavery, redeem us and acquire us as His own.  It is a four-pronged promise, incomplete simply in the guarantee to release the Jewish people from bondage.  He promises to release us, care for us, guide us through the desert and then wed us to Him by giving us his Holy Torah. 
 
Every year we celebrate the keeping of this promise when we celebrate Passover and then Shavuos.  In Chassidus, we learn that when we mark the anniversary of something, we relive it spiritually.  That means that every Passover, we relive our redemption.  On Shavuos, we relive the commitment we made with HaShem. 

Do we have to wait until these holidays to relive these moments?  I don't think so.  Every time we do a Mitzvah, we recall the promise HaShem made to us. He took us out of Egypt, delivered us, redeemed us and made us His by giving us the Torah.  Performing the Mitzvahs from the Torah HaShem gave us, strengthens the bonds of our Marriage to G-d.  It reminds us that we are His and that He is ours.  It reminds us that He promised to redeem us and brings us one step closer to our final redemption.

Make this Shabbos Shiny!

Is there a promise you haven't been keeping?  To HaShem?  To others?  To yourself?  Let HaShem shine through you this Shabbos by reaffirming your promises and get a little bit closer to the person you want to be.

Shabbos Parshas Shemos

This week's Parsha is really action-packed.  Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses) is born in Egypt and we learn about his adolescence and early adulthood.  Moshe Rabbeinu is raised as a prince, but abandons the posh life to serve his people.  Not content to live to be served, he recognizes that his people need him and instead lives to serve.  It is in the course of this role that he discovers his true purpose.  While serving as a simple shepherd for his father in law, Yitro (Jethro), a sheep wonders away.  Moses follows the sheep to the Burning Bush where HaShem addresses Moses directly for the first time. 

I think it's significant that Moses ' role of leader of the Jewish people is revealed to him while he is working as a Shepherd.  After all, it was Moses who Shepherded us out of Egypt and it is his Neshama (soul) that will return in Moshiach and lead us once again out of Exile. 

At the end of the Parsha, HaShem promises Moses that the redemption of the Jewish people is close at hand.  Let us hope as we read the Parsha this week that we can relive it and hear G-d's promise once again.

Things to think about to make this Shabbos Shiny

Moses was lucky.  HaShem told him plainly what He wanted Moses to do.  HaShem isn't so direct with us.  Look around you.  Is HaShem trying to give you a message about something He wants from you?  Try to get a little closer to Him this Shabbos.  Let Him shine through you and maybe you can help others get a little closer, too.


 

Find the Parsha in a Nutshell here.