|
|
CHUMASH
Parshas Eikev - Sheini with Rashi
|
|
Moshe Rabbeinu is continuing to farbreng with the Yidden and speaking to them, to get them ready to go into Eretz Yisroel. He reminds them that all of the brachos they will have there are all from Hashem, and remembering this will help make sure the Yidden have the zechus to stay in Eretz Yisroel!
When you come into Eretz Yisroel, you will build houses and become rich. You might make a mistake and think that you have all of these things because you are special and smart! You might say “Kochi Ve’Otzem Yadi Asa Li Es HaChayil Hazeh!” “It was MY koach that made me have all of these good things!”
But the truth is that it is HASHEM who made all of the nissim in the Midbar, and it is the same HASHEM who will give you the koach to have hatzlacha in the things you are doing! “Vezacharta Es Hashem Elokecha, Ki HU Hanosein Lecha Koach Lasos Chayil!” “Remember HASHEM, because HE gives you the koach to succeed!”
If you forget and think about Avodah Zarah instead (chas veshalom), Hashem will not be happy. You will lose the special zechus to live in Eretz Yisroel!
Now you are going into a land with very strong kings. They are much stronger than you — but you don’t have to be afraid, because Hashem is with you and will help you conquer the land!
|
|
|
|
Today’s kapitelach of Tehillim are Samach-Tes to Ayin-Alef.
One of the pesukim in Kapitel Samech-Tes is “Va’ani Sefilosi Lecha Hashem Eis Ratzon.” We ask Hashem that our Tefilos should come at a special time! We say this posuk every day in Mah Tovu.
There is another place we say this posuk as well — before we take the Torah out on Shabbos at Mincha time. The reason why we say it by Mincha on Shabbos is because that’s ALSO a very special time, the most special time of the whole Shabbos! This special time of Mincha on Shabbos has its own name in the Zohar, it is called “Raavah Deraavin.”
|
|
|
TANYA
Igeres Hakodesh Siman Hey
|
|
It says in the posuk, “Vaya’as Dovid Sheim” — “Dovid made a name.” The Zohar explains that Dovid Hamelech made HASHEM’S name!
How can a person make Hashem’s name? Isn’t Hashem’s name already there?
In this Igeres Hakodesh we will see how this can be, and that the way we do it is through giving tzedakah.
But first let’s learn something about the way a person speaks. We see something very interesting about speaking: A person THINKS about what they are going to say! But we don’t think about the way we move our mouth to talk — that part comes from a deeper part of the neshama than the WORDS we want to say. That’s why a little kid can understand what’s happening, and WANTS to say something, but can’t say the words yet. Because that part of the neshama takes more time for the body to grow into.
What does this have to do with making Hashem’s name? We will see IY”H over the next few days!
|
|
|
|
Reminder: When we lein the Aseres Hadibros in shul on Shabbos, stand up and face the Sefer Torah.
Shema was in last week’s Parsha, Parshas Vaeschanan. In today’s Hayom Yom, we learn a deeper meaning of one of the pesukim in Shema:
In Shema, it says “Vedibarta Bam” — “you should say them.” What is “them”? The words of Torah! But there are 4 kinds of learning Torah that this posuk is hinting to:
1) Beshivtecha Beveisecha (when you sit in your house) — the way the neshama learns Torah when it is “home” in Shomayim, before it comes down in the world.
2) Uvelechtecha Baderech (when you go on your way) — When the neshama comes down into the world, into a body. There, it goes “on its way” its whole life!
3) Uveshachbecha (when you lie down) — when a person passes away. Even then the Torah protects him!
4) Uvekumecha (when you get up) — when the neshama has Techiyas Hameisim and comes back into a body, and we will learn Torah even more, in a very special way!
|
|
|
|
Today we are finishing the mitzvos about non-kosher food! We are also going to start learning the mitzvos of Shechitah. First we learn a few last mitzvos about food we aren’t allowed to eat:
1) (Mitzvas Lo Saasei #193) We are not allowed to eat vegetables or grain that grew in a vineyard (where you grow grapes). This is called Kilai Hakerem.
We learn this mitzvah from a posuk in Parshas Ki Seitzei: פֶּן תִּקְדַּשׁ הַמְלֵאָה הַזֶּרַע
The details are explained in Mesechta Kilayim.
2) (Mitzvas Lo Saasei #153) We are not allowed to eat food before the Terumos and Maasros (presents to the Kohanim, Leviim, and poor people) are given. This is called Tevel.
We learn this mitzvah from a posuk in Parshas Emor: וְלֹא יְחַלְּלוּ אֶת קָדְשֵׁי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵת אֲשֶׁר יָרִימוּ לַה׳
The details are explained in many places in Mesechta Demai, Mesechta Terumos, and Mesechta Maasros.
3) (Mitzvas Lo Saasei #194) We are not allowed to drink wine that was used for Avodah Zarah, called Yayin Nesech.
We learn this mitzvah from a posuk in Parshas Haazinu: אֲשֶׁר חֵלֶב זְבָחֵימוֹ יֹאכֵלוּ יִשְׁתּוּ יֵין נְסִיכָם
The details are explained in the last perakim of Mesechta Avodah Zarah.
We also learn a mitzvah from our new set of halachos:
4) (Mitzvas Asei #146) We need to shecht an animal before we can eat it.
We learn this mitzvah from a posuk in Parshas Re’eh: וְזָבַחְתָּ מִבְּקָרְךָ וּמִצֹּאנְךָ וְגוֹ׳ כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתִךָ
The details are explained in Mesechta Chulin.
|
|
|
RAMBAM
Hilchos Maachalos Asuros - Shechitah
|
|
Today we learn the last perek of Hilchos Maachalos Asuros, perek Yud-Zayin, and the first two perakim of Hilchos Shechitah. In today’s first perek, the Rambam tells us about MANY important inyanim we need to know about kashrus! Here are some of them:
- Ben Yomo — if a pot was used on that same day to cook non-kosher food
- Toiveling dishes
- We don’t need to kasher a dish only used for cold non-kosher food
- Kashering pots and dishes that were used for non-kosher hot food (hagalah)
- The special halachos of kashering knives
- Bishul Akum (food cooked by a non-Jew)
- Pas Akum (bread baked by a non-Jew)
- Aino Oleh Al Shulchan Melachim — food that a king wouldn’t serve at his table doesn’t need to be Bishul Yisroel
We also learn about the issur of “Bal Teshaktzu,” not doing things that are disgusting, like eating from dirty dishes. This issur also includes that if a person needs to go to the bathroom, he HAS to take care of it right away!
The Rambam finishes this set of halachos by reminding us that these things are what make us holy, to be like Hashem!
Now we start learning the halachos about shechting animals.
One halacha is that the knife used for shechting has to be sharp and smooth! The shochet checks his knife before he shechts, to make sure that it didn’t get a nick in it since the last time he shechted.
|
|
|
|
In addition to making brachos before we enjoy things, the Chachomim taught us that we need to say brachos to Hashem as a way of thanking and praising Hashem constantly. Some examples for those are the brachos we say in Birchos Hashachar every morning, Shehecheyanu, and Hagomel. (Can you think of any other examples? In this perek of Rambam, you will see many more of these kinds of brachos!)
Did you know that there is a bracha for good news, and a bracha ALSO for things that don’t seem good at all? Because it’s a mitzvah to thank Hashem for NOT-good news just like we thank Him for good news!
At the end of this perek, the Rambam tells us to remember to ask Hashem for help, thank Hashem for what He does for us, and praise Him as much as we can!
|
|
|
|
In today’s Chumash, Sheini of Parshas Eikev, Moshe Rabbeinu tells the Yidden about the Midbar that they traveled through.
The Rebbe tells us that Moshe Rabbeinu wasn’t only talking about the Midbar that the Yidden went through on their way to Eretz Yisroel. He was also hinting to the long Golus that the Yidden are going through now! This last Golus before Moshiach comes is compared to a desert.
The way Moshe Rabbeinu tells us about the Midbar also teaches us what this Golus is all about, and shows us how we can fight the Golus and bring the Geulah!
The first thing Moshe Rabbeinu tells the Yidden about the Midbar is that it was a Midbar Gadol V’Norah — a great and mighty desert. This shows us the first problem that Golus can give us: To make us think that the parts of the Golus are special and important. Really, a Midbar isn’t so great and special — it’s just a Midbar! Even though many parts of Golus SEEM so important, like being rich or famous — it’s just a Golus!
This also shows us the first way to FIGHT the Golus: By being a proud Jew! Don’t look at the Golus as so important, because there is nothing more special than being a Jew and keeping Torah and mitzvos!
See Likutei Sichos chelek Beis, Parshas Eikev (p. 371)
|
|
|
▼ Jump to Coloring Books & Downloads ▼
|
|
|
|
The eighth posuk of the Yud-Beis Pesukim is the posuk of Veshinantam. This posuk comes from the Torah, and is a part of the Shema that we say every day!
The posuk means:
Veshinantam Levanecha — You should teach the words of Torah to your children (and your students)
Vedibarta Bam — and discuss it with them
Beshivtecha Beveisecha — when you are sitting in your house,
Uvelechtecha Vaderech — and when you are going on your way,
Uveshachbecha — and when you lie down to go to sleep
Uvekumecha — and when you wake up.
The Yud-Beis Pesukim all have important lessons for us. What is the lesson of Veshinantam?
The Rebbe tells us that kids need to make sure that they are getting what they deserve! Parents and teachers have the achrayus to do Veshinantam Levanecha, to teach their kids and their students Torah! And not just a little bit of Torah — but in a way that we will have Torah with us all the time! Our house should be a Torah house, when we go places it should be in a Torah way, and we should go to sleep with a word of Torah and get up in the morning the way the Torah teaches!
Kids can be very stubborn about things, and this is a GOOD thing to be stubborn about! We should tell our parents that we want to have A LOT of Torah! We want to go to a Jewish camp and a Jewish school, to have the BEST Chinuch, so that we will know Torah and be able to live with it all the time.
See sicha Lag B’Omer Tof-Shin-Lamed-Vov
|
|
|
|
“Ani Betzedek Echezeh Panecha.” “With tzedek I will see Your face.”
The Chachomim explain this posuk to mean that with tzedakah (tzedek) we will see Hashem’s face in davening. It teaches us that in order to be close to Hashem when we daven, we should first give tzedakah.
The Rebbe adds that learning Torah is also coming close to Hashem, “seeing Hashem’s face.” So based on this posuk, we should also give tzedakah before learning Torah!
Giving tzedakah before learning also helps our learning. One of the rewards for giving tzedakah is that our mind and heart become a thousand times more clear. This will help us have hatzlacha in our learning!
See Toras Menachem 5749,vol. 2. p. 223, Shulchan Menachem vol. 4, p. 231
|
|
לעילוי נשמת הרה״ח ר׳ דניאל יצחק ע״ה בן ר׳ אפרים שי׳ מאסקאוויץ
שליח כ"ק אדמו"ר נשיא דורנו למדינת אילינוי
|
|
|
|
Perakim Lamed-Ches and Lamed-Tes of Yechezkel speak about the war of Gog and Magog, a war that will happen when Moshiach comes.
The Rambam says that this war will happen in the beginning of the times of Moshiach, and that Eliyahu Hanavi will come before that.
Who is Gog? Who is Magog? What kind of war is this?
Some Chachomim say it is a Ruchnius war, others say it is a Gashmius war. Some say that Gog and Magog are the names of nations, and others say that it is between two people.
The Rambam writes that this is one of the things that we don’t know.
In many parts of Torah, the Chachomim have a kabbalah — they heard an explanation from their teachers, who heard it from their teachers, who heard it from Moshe Rabbeinu. But with Milchemes Gog Umagog, along with other things that will happen when Moshiach comes, there is no kabbalah. The Chachomim know only what it says in the Neviim.
Even though Yechezkel has many pesukim about this war, they are not written in a clear way. That’s why there are so many different opinions about this war. When Moshiach comes, we will understand what everything meant!
See Yechezkel 38 and 39; Rambam Hilchos Melachim perek Yud-Beis halacha beis
|
|
|
|
|
לע"נ התינוק זאב ארי' ע"ה בן יבלט"א הרה"ח ר' שניאור זלמן שי' גליק
נפטר ב' מנחם אב ה'תשע"ג
|
|
Give children around the world the gift of Kids Chitas!
KidsChitas.org/sponsor
|
|
|
