Month: March 2009

Daily Reminder – 7th Nissan, 5769

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Chasam Sofer – When Tefilos Don’t Work

When the great Gaon Rav Meshulam Igra was sick, the people beseeched Hashem with Tefila to spare his life. Their tefilos went unanswered and Rav Meshulam was niftar. Seeing the disappointment of the people the Chasam Sofer stood up to be Maspid him as follows. He told a Mashal of a broken ax trying to chop down a tree. The mightiest logger can swing away all day at the tree but if the ax is broken it will not help.

Surely said the Chasam Sofer, when people gather to daven with Kavana, Hashem answers their tefilos and grants their request. However the tool for tefila is the mouth and when the mouth is contaminated with forbidden speech it simply doesn’t function properly. No matter hard one davens, broken mouths cannot accomplish the task.

“Zachor Eis Asher Asa Hashem L’Miriam BaDerech B’Tzaischem MiMitzrayim”

The Ramban and other Rishonim count among the Mitzvos Aseh Min HaTorah the mitzva of remembering and saying with your mouth each day what Hashem did to Miriam when she spoke about her brother Moshe. The Chofetz Chaim in Shaar Tvunah Perek 12 says that being Mikayem this mitzva can save you from the aveira of Lashon Hara. More than just saying the pasuk, says the Chofetz Chaim, one must think about the incident in order for it to have its intended effect.

From: RevachL’Neshama

Teachings of the Sages – 7th Nissan, 5769

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R’ Pinchas said that even a piece of straw lying on the ground does so at G-d’s decree. Divine Providence dictates that it lies with one end facing this way and the other end facing the other way.

By Rebbe Pinchas of Koretz – ON DIVINE PROVIDENCE

From: Two Tzaddiks

Daily Torah Quote – 7th Nissan, 5769

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See greatness in others, and be great.

“Be Happy and Succeed” by Avraham Tzvi Schwartz

From: Breslev.co.il

Daily Kabbalah Dose – 6th Nissan, 5769

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You’re On It

By Yehuda Berg

I know many people don’t have all day to dedicate to spiritual study and actions. Duties call, bills need to be paid, the hectic pace of life sweeps us up. And when we do have time for spirituality, we feel we have strayed too far off the path to continue.

I have news for you: If you’re looking for the path, you’re on it!

Today, take some steps forward on this path. Do an act of unconditional, out-of-the-blue sharing. Expect no return on your investment. The bigger your action, the bigger the step.

Teachings of the Sages – 6th Nissan, 5769

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“[R’ Pinchas] emphasized in his teachings that one can really be considered a Tzadik, a saintly person, if he does not possess even a speck of evil within himself and does not see any evil in others”

By Rebbe Pinchas of Koretz – ON THE ROLE OF THE TZADDIK

From: Two Tzaddiks

Daily Torah Quote – 6th Nissan, 5769

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Rabbi Ishmael would say: One who refrains from serving as a judge avoids hatred, thievery and false oaths. One who frivolously hands down rulings is a fool, wicked and arrogant.

Avot 4

From: Breslev.co.il

DAILY MITZVAH (Maimonides): 6th Nissan, 5769

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By Malka Touger

Today’s Mitzvah – Positive Commandment 200
Paying Wages on Time

Deuteronomy 24:15 “Give him his wage on the day it is due“

When you baby-sit or mow the lawn for someone, you appreciate getting paid for your time and effort. Even if you do not receive your payment upon completing the job, you feel confident that you will get paid at some later time. Nonetheless, you’re much happier when you are paid immediately after you finish the work.

The Torah warns us to be careful when paying people who work for us. We are commanded to pay them on time and not withhold their wages.

Today’s Mitzvah – Negative Commandment 238
It is forbidden to delay payment to a hired worker

Leviticus 19:13 “The wages of a hired worker shall not be left with you overnight until the morning“

Manny’s father works in a firm and gets a monthly salary.

Ricky’s mother is a teacher and receives her check every two weeks.

Bassi’s father is a self-employed painter and charges by the hour.

No one would think of paying him a month later for his day’s work.

The Torah cautions us not to delay payment that is owed to a hired worker.

If he worked during the day, we must pay him by the next morning. If he is employed on a night job, he must be paid by the end of the next day.

From: my free Daily Mitzvah (Maimonides) Email Newsletter: Chabad.org

DAILY MITZVAH (Maimonides): 5th Nissan, 5769

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By Malka Touger

Today’s Mitzvah – Positive Commandment 243
The Paid Watchman

Exodus 22:9 “If a man gives his neighbor…to watch“

When Rubi’s parents were touring Eretz Yisrael, they planned to spend Shabbat with relatives in Zefat.

However, they wanted to do some sightseeing around the old city of Zefat before they went to their host’s home.

As they got off the bus at the central bus station, Rubi’s mother noticed a sign on a shop: “Don’t lug your luggage. Store it!”

“Thank G-d!” she exclaimed. “Just what we need! Let’s leave our luggage there and collect it later.”

“Good idea,” said Rubi’s father. “It will be a pleasure not to carry around our suitcases.”

They walked over to the shop and paid for the service. Receipt in hand, Rubi’s parents set out for a comfortable walking tour of Zefat.

The man at the counter of the storage business is considered a paid watchman.

His responsibility towards the article placed in his keep is detailed in the Torah.

This Positive Mitzvah outlines his obligations when the entrusted article is lost or stolen. A person who rents an article is also bound by these same responsibilities.

From: my free Daily Mitzvah (Maimonides) Email Newsletter: Chabad.org

From our Sages on the Parshah

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And the fire upon the Altar shall be kept burning in it… and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning (Leviticus 6:5)

Although a fire descended from heaven upon the Altar, it is a mitzvah to add to it a humanly produced fire.

(Talmud, Eruvin 63a)

This is a rule that applies to all areas of life: the gifts of life are bestowed upon us from Above, yet it is G-d’s desire that we add to them the product of our own initiative.

The Chassidic Masters

From our Sages on the Parshah – Chabad.org

Teachings of the Sages – 5th Nissan, 5769

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“The essence of prayer is d’vekut [cleaving to G-d] with the Creator of the world; and the essence of d’vekut is hitpashtut ha-gashmiyut [a state of elevated mystic consciousness where one is divorced from any awareness of materiality or the body], which is similar to the exit of the soul from the body”

By Rebbe Pinchas of Koretz – ON PRAYER

From: Two Tzaddiks

Daily Torah Quote – 5th Nissan, 5769

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Peace brings us to prayer, and by means of prayer we attain the General Peace, which is Peace in all the Worlds.

Rebbe Nachman of Breslov

From: Breslev.co.il

Aryeh’s DIARY – 4th Adar-10th Nissan, 5769

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DIARY
29th March – 4th April, 2009
4th – 10th Nissan, 5769

The first ten days of Nissan correspond to the letter Yod of A–D–N–Y; the four days of checking the Paschal lamb from 11-14 Nissan correspond to the Dalet The fifty days from the first day of Pesach to the eve of Shavuot correspond to the Nun and Shavuot itself corresponds to the Aleph, signifying our complete acceptance of the kingship of G-d through our service in this period.

Please spare a thought for the many who cannot afford Matzot and other Pesach needs. In this period it is customary to give Kimcha d’Pischa — special charity to the poor to cover their “flour” (kimcha) and other Pesach needs.

Sunday 29 March / 4 Nissan:
We are now in the count-down to Pesach. As we work to clean out the Chametz and make our other preparations for the festival, let’s remember to cleanse ourselves inwardly and offer our personal prayers from the heart for all that we need personally and collectively.

Friday night-Saturday 3-4 April / 10 Nissan:
Shabbat HaGadol, the “Great” Shabbat:
Torah reading: TZAV (Leviticus 6:1-8:36), setting forth the laws of the sacrificial rituals in the Temple.
Special Haftara for Shabbat HaGadol, the last Shabbat before Pesach:
Malachi 3:4-24 prophesying G-d’s coming Day of Judgment.
It is customary for the rabbi of the community to give a special sermon on themes relating to the coming festival of Pesach. It is also customary to read the main narrative portion of the Pesach Haggadah on Shabbat afternoon in preparation for the Pesach Seder night.

Today, 10th Nissan, is the anniversary of (1) The taking of the paschal lamb by the Children of Israel in Egypt without the Egyptians daring to attack them even though the lamb was their god; (2) Death of Miriam in the 40th year of wandering in the Wilderness; (3) Miracle of the splitting of the River Jordan when the Israelites entered the Land under Joshua.

This Information taken from: Aazamra.org - Torah for Our Time