Parsha Post: Nesivos Shalom

  Because I am Hashem Who raised you up from the land of Egypt in order to be for you Elokim, and be holy, because I am holy. Georah - usually says vehotzeiti, here, unusual, hama’aleh etchem, unique.  Rashi - on condition that you’ll accept/receive my mitzvot, and I will raise you up through them. Why this statement, here, in midst of forbidden food, specifically. Ramban - Kedoshim Tihiyu, kadesh atzmechah bemutar lach.  After listing assur things it adds not to be navel bireshut haTorah.  That explains too why after forbidden food rules comes this- veheyitem kedoshim, to make yourself holy with what is permitted.  All eating/consumption should be done in holiness and purity.  This meaning of “I am Hashem Who raises you up…” It was on condition of being holy.  Yetziat Mitzrayim has 1- being taken ut from the bad, the fleshpot of the world and the JP were embedded in the 49th level of tum’ah. 2- To be for you a G-d.  By being brought out we were t...

  Parshat Viyikrah, R Shloo Katz Rebbe of Lechovitch explaining medrash: Praiseworthy is a person who humbly allows his wife to awaken him in good ways. he can learn from this how to walk with G-d, to appreciate when G-d awakens him. But sometimes we are startled when awakened, but need to remember that we want to be awakened. Sometimes it's the Rebbe that wakes one up as he takes counsel of Tzadikim regarding his desires and midot and takes in the advice. But then, if the ears have been shut to these two, then parnassah awakening a person - needing it - is the last resort to awaken him. From Shamayim you are awakened in these ways. Vayikrah el Moshe. Moshe heard a calling and knew it was Hashem speaking to him. He addressed the callings he hard, the issues, the needs, like the ones described in the medrash, as being from Hashem, and gave that attribution/credit. And he woke up immediately. If a person is focused on one thing, everything else reminds him of that one thing. Wh...

    א : “Command Aaron and his sons, saying, This is the law of the burnt offering: That is the burnt offering which burns on the altar all night until morning, and the fire of the altar shall burn with it.” -Vayikra 6:1,2  Rashi explains that this pasuk teaches us that the offering of the innards and the bones - hekter chalavim ve’eivarim - is kosher all night long. An explanation is needed as to why this law, which applies to all korbanot, is taught specifically regarding the Korban Olah.  There is also a need for explanation regarding why the Olah is completely burned, why it is different than other korbanot-offerings, particularly the Chatat, which is for a wrong action, as opposed to an Olah, which is only for a thought. The sacrifice for wrong thoughts is treated more stringently than the sacrifice for wrong actions!  The Olah is in the tzafon, because someone doesn’t know the hidden thoughts of his friend.  And the chataat is in the same place, but w...

On Sinning Unintentionally and Subsequently Sacrificing There are several sources that indicate that a korban chatat, a sacrifice for an unintentional sin - shogeg - is considered by G-d as an affront against Him, and that the bringer of the sacrifice needs to realize that it should be him and not the animal being killed and only via his broken heart is he spared. If the transgression we bring a korban for was done by accident why is it framed in this dark light? The fundamental Chassidic/Kabbalistic idea behind this is the following: If a person has a connection to G-d he won’t sin even accidentally because he’s watched over from Above. If one falls into sin it’s because he’s detached himself from Deveykut - connection to G-d and the guarding is automatically lost. This explains why even an unintentional sin is considered an affront to G-d. If things were right with a person's soul they would be watched over from above and not come to sin. It's only because of hesech hada...

  Nefesh Ruach Neshamah need clarification, was it accidental that we sinned, so why do we speak with this parable of sinning against ME, which refers to intentional sin.  Also, offering a korban via holy books is that in essence it’s the sinner’s broken heart. Psalm 51 - G-d does not reject/despise a broken, humble heart.  As long as someone’s heart is unbroken, the fire on the Mizbeach was shaped like a dog.  Then when the heart broke it resembled a lion in its shape, as his korban was accepted willfully.   Ramban: Think that all that happens to this animal should have been done to you, offering its blood, etc. When the innards and kindneys are burnt, the organs of thought and desire- should have been your body.  Because your heart is broken it’s the korban tat is offered, goes up as reach nichoach. Q - If the korban is for the unintentional, why be brokenhearted. A - If a person has a connection to G-d he won’t sin even accidentally because he’s wat...

“Moshe gathered - Vayakheil-  - Adat Benei Yisrael, these are the words Hashem commanded to do, six days you should work and…” The commentaries address the phrase used here, speak to Adat Bnei Yisrael, while in other places it says “speak to,” or “command Bnei Yisrael.”  Why this different language here? Later in this portion Moshe says to gather contributions to G-d and this same term, “Adat Bnei Yisrael,” is used.  And again at the end of the parsha it says “Adat Bnei Yisrael” went from Moshe. Needs explanation.  Also, why specifically in the command of “Kedoshim Tihiyu” is this phrase used. The explanation may be that the essence of exile is losing da’at, awareness/connection - as Yishayahu says, “my exiled nation is without wisdom.”  The Medrash says that if you have da’at you lack nothing and if you lack da’at what do you have?  Further, the Gemoreh in Sotah says that “one only does an aveirah-transgression when foolishness enters them,” awareness/conn...

"I came to my garden, my sister, my bride." It says MY garden, not garden, because it is referring to The Garden that was G--d's dwelling place, as it were, when The Shechinah was primarily in The Tachtonim, as alluded to the description of Adam and Chavah hearing G-d's voice traverse through the garden. - Shir HaShirim 5:1 The cheit - sin/mistake of Adam sent The Shechinah to the first level of heaven, then one by one, six more people down the generations - Kayin, Enosh, The Generation of the Flood, The Generation of the Tower of Babel, The People of Sedom, The Egyptians In Avraham's Time - exiled The Shechinah from level to level until it got to the seventh heaven. Ten The Shechinah was lowered through the seven heavens back down to earth by seven people: Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov, Levi, Kehat, Amram, Moshe. The Shechinah came back to earth on the day Moshe established the The Mishkan - Vayehi beyom kalot Moshe lehakim et HaMishkan. That's when G-d return...