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Torah Weekly בס״ד Torah Common Denominator more esoteric which drives but the man who honors the This week's parshah tells of the each and every one of us. In place.”(Taanit 21b.) We are not Weekly census taken of the Jewish particular, when we feel defined by our circumstances. It people. A census places tempted to look down on is what we do with our somebody else because of their circumstances that defines us. July 5 - 11, 2020 everyone on an equal footing. 13-19 Tammuz, 5780 Somebody on the highest apparent "station in life," we In Parshat Pinchas, we read spiritual levels is counted must remember that really each about the apportioning of the Torah: Pinchas: Numbers equally to somebody on a of us is equal. By Rabbi land amongst the tribes 25:10 – 30:1 "lower" level, with nobody Mordechai Wollenberg of Israel, which was determined by lottery. The name of a tribe taking priority over anybody G-d Is in the Details Haftarah: would be drawn, along with a Jeremiah 1:1 - 2:3 else. The reason for this is not Buying a house in Brooklyn? slip of parchment delineating simply to make it easier to Fuhggedaboutit. Recently my PARSHAT PINCHAS count. There is a common the borders of that tribe’s friend shared with me her woes denominator which applies share. Rashi, in his We have Jewish regarding her foray into the commentary on the Torah, adds across the entire nation. On the Brooklyn, New York, housing Calendars. If you a mystifying detail: The lot would like one, surface, we each appear market. She and her husband different—each with different itself would speak, announcing, please send us a live with their growing family skills and talents which make “I, the lot, have come up with letter and we will in a modest rental apartment. these borders for this tribe.” us "individuals." Some are For years they worked hard and send you one, or more creative, some more Generally, G-d does not break ask the saved money, and they finally the rules of nature without good Calendars analytical, some are more Rabbi/Chaplain to reached a point where they cause. In this case, having the intellectual, and so on. Each were ready to begin house- contact us. lot itself speak seems like a person has his or her own hunting. In the interim, though, particular quality which makes completely unnecessary Do you have family their neighborhood suddenly miracle. The main goal was to them unique. When we are on the outside became one of the hottest real- divide and settle the land—why looking at these external estate markets in the country. struggling? qualities, we cannot say that did the method matter so much, Please contact or The cost of housing shot up to the point that the lot itself everyone is equal. Quite the 500%, and homeownership is have them contact opposite—what makes a called out the results? no longer on the table for them. Conquering and settling the our office to learn person special and unique are It is simply out of their reach. more about our those personal qualities which Land of Israel is a metaphor for She became quite despondent the purpose of our entire family programs. each person possesses in as she described all the efforts You and they are different measure. This only existence—to transform the they made over the years to world in which we live into a Family Programs Family not alone, we are applies, however, to our reach that ultimately elusive dwelling place for G-d. We are here to help. external makeup. Each of us goal of owning a home. She felt each given our own portion in possesses another quality, one defeated, as if she had spent ten the world to transform, and which surpasses any of our We offer free Grape years of her life chasing a futile each task has its time when it "individual" qualities. Each of dream. It’s an all-too-common Juice and Matzoh us is created in the image will be completed. There are for you to be able to story, a struggle that many many steps in this process, and of G-d. Each of us possesses a families face. And it forces us make the blessings soul which is an "actual part of some seem to be only a means every Shabbos. to rethink some basic to an end. However, since each G-d," as unlimited as G-d assumptions. What does it Please have your step serves the overall purpose himself is. Our soul is our real mean to have a good life, a chaplain / Rabbi being. When we shed the outer of making the world into a successful life? How do we dwelling place for G-d, it contact us to enroll layers, the soul is what remains handle life when it doesn’t (available to all at our core and essence. In this reflects G-d’s will and cannot bring us everything we hoped be dismissed as a minor detail. Grape Juice & Matzah & Juice Grape prisons). regard, each of us is equal. How for? For some people, it’s a Just as the lottery, a seemingly can somebody be higher or house; for others, it may be a insignificant “means to an end,” Hyman & Martha Rogal Center lower than somebody else job, a life partner or another 5804 Beacon Street deserved its own miracle, when we are dealing with important relationship. It’s that Pittsburgh, PA 15217 spirituality, with infinite likewise every detail of our 412-421-0111 one aspect of life where qualities? It is good to be aware life’s mission is necessary and Fax: 412-521-5948 satisfaction eludes them, where of our revealed qualities and to important. Life can feel very www.alephne.org they feel trapped, unable to disjointed at times, with use our talents for good [email protected] fully enjoy the abundance in the conflicting demands and purposes. We must not forget, other areas of their life. inevitable disappointments. however, that there is The Talmud teaches: “It is not something higher, something The key to maintaining our the place that honors the man, balance is to realize that while IN JEWISH HISTORY we may not be able to control the outcome, we are Sunday, July 5, 2020 --- 13 Tammuz, 5780 able to control our actions. Only we can choose R. Yosef Yitzchak Freed (1927) how we are going to proceed on this journey, and On the 13th of Tammuz of 1927, the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef how we are going to face the challenges that beset Yitzchak Schneersohn, received the documents authorizing his release from a us. We may not want to put in so much effort; we sentence of exile to Kastroma in the interior of Russia. The Rebbe was actually may feel ready to move on. But if we find notified of his release on Tammuz 12, but since that day was a legal holiday, the ourselves stuck in one place, that’s a sign that Certificate of Release freeing him to travel home was issued only the next day. there’s still work to be done where we are. Thus both the 12th and 13th of Tammuz are celebrated as a "festival of liberation" A chassid who lived in Russia once came to by the Chabad-Lubavitch community. the Tzemach Tzedek, the third Chabad rebbe, and asked him for permission to settle in Israel, so that Tuesday, July 7, 2020 --- 15 Tammuz, 5780 he could further his spiritual development. The Passing of R. Chayim ben Attar (1743) Tzemach Tzedek answered him, “Mach doh Eretz Passing of the famed Torah scholar and mystic Rabbi Chayim ben Attar (1696- Yisroel. Make this place Israel.” The Tzemach 1743), author of the Ohr HaChayim commentary on the Torah. Born in Morocco, Tzedek was not dismissing the chassid’s he also lived and taught in Algiers, Italy, Acco and Jerusalem, where he settled a aspiration to live in Israel. But with this response year before his passing. Many stories are told of his holiness and greatness, and of he was saying, “Why are you rushing off to Israel? the repeated unsuccessful attempts by Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov to reach the Have you already accomplished everything that Holy Land and meet with him in the belief that together they could bring you need to do here? Have you transformed your the Moshiach and the final redemption. own surroundings into a place that exudes Passing of R. Aryeh Leib, Author of Shaagas Aryeh (1785) holiness?” The Rebbe related a story with a similar theme: A group of young men were at a chassidic R. Aryeh Leib was an outstanding scholar known for his diligence in study and gathering with the fifth Lubavitcher rebbe, the penetrating analysis. He served as rabbi of Metz and authored Shaagas Aryeh, a Rebbe Rashab, who was preparing to say a collection of analytical discourses on the laws of Orach Chaim (daily life and the chassidic discourse. Before he said the discourse, festivals). This classic work enjoys much fame and is indispensable for any serious the chassidim sang a traditional preparatory student who desires to plumb the depths of Jewish law. melody. As they were very eager to hear the In addition to Shaagas Aryeh, R. Aryeh Leib authored Turei Even and Gevuras Ari, discourse, they sang the melody rather hastily. The in-depth commentaries to a number of Talmudic tractates. Rebbe Rashab was not pleased with this, and he told them, “A chassid is a pnimi, an inwardly Wednesday, July 8, 2020 ---16 Tammuz, 5780 Golden Calf Made; Hur Killed (1313 BCE) focused person.
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