בס״ד TORAH WEEKLY 5 ‑ 11 May, 2019 Parshat Kedoshim Whether you believe darkness out there too. And if 30 Nissan ‑ SPIRITUAL VS. that those who practice spi‑ we are not dealing with Jewi‑ 6 Iyar, 5779 HOLY ritualism are indeed making sh prophets of old or bona fide Torah: In a Parshah whe‑ contact or not, makes little holy mystics, we may, G‑d Leviticus 19:1 ‑ 20:27 re we read the golden rule difference from the Jewish forbid, get burned. And, who of Love Thy Neighbor as perspective. Imaginary or knows if our connections are Haftorah: Thyself and numerous other real, the Torah forbids it. Even not seen as interference. We Ezekiel 20:2‑20 “social” mitzvot, I find it ne‑ if it is real that doesn’t mean may well be guilty of distur‑ cessary to focus on another of it isright. Not everything that bing the dead, in which case can be done ought to be done. we might actually be doing CALENDARS our Parshah’s commandmen‑ Most people seem more harm than good. We have Jewish ts—one which in our own day to be confused by this. They My brother‑in‑law, Calendars, if you would seems to have been forgotten, much to our own detriment, I become convinced that if it Rabbi Shabsi Alpern, is the like one, please send us fear. really is able to happen then Chabad shliach in Brazil. a letter and we will send Under the general this legitimizes it. Often, Many such practices occur you one, or ask the Rab‑ command to “Be Holy” it is those who have been in his community. He once bi / Chaplain to contact (Leviticus 19:1), the Torah bereaved, especially under asked the Lubavitcher Rebbe us. instructs us not to engage tragic circumstances, who are what to tell people about this. in sorcery, superstition and anxiously seeking answers The Rebbe answered to tell FAMILY other related activities which and grasping for comfort them that every Jew has a PROGRAMS were practiced by the heathen through these unholy sources. direct connection to G‑d and Do you have nations of old. Elsewhere Unholy, you ask? Yes. we do not require a medium family on the outside in Deuteronomy the Torah You see, there is a fundamen‑ to connect. In fact, why take who are struggling, proscribes other practices tal difference between spiri‑ the circuitous route if you can tual and holy. Not everything go direct? please contact or have such as consulting the dead. Jews are told to be “sincere spiritual is necessary holy, If we want to help the them contact our office and wholehearted with G‑d,” and not everything holy need deceased, Judaism has many to learn more about our to follow the Torah way of be spiritual. worthwhile suggestions. family programs. You life and, when in doubt, to Balaam was a hea‑ Kaddish, tzedakah, and any and they are not alone, consult the prophet or the then prophet (Numbers 22‑ mitzvah in memory are all we are here to help. recognized spiritual leaders 24). He was able to commu‑ good deeds which have posi‑ and Torah authorities of the nicate with G‑d. But he was tive effects on the soul. Torah GRAPE JUICE & day. Sorcery, dabbling in the very unholy. He tried to put study, particularly Mishnah, MATZAH occult and “crossing over” a curse on the Jewish people is highly recommended. Aleph offers free are serious infractions to be which would allow their ene‑ By all means should Grape Juice and Matzoh strenuously avoided. mies to destroy them com‑ we all deepen our spirituality. for you to be able to A Jewish grand‑ pletely. They had done him Study the esoteric side of To‑ make the blessings every mother once took her grand‑ no harm. He was a greedy, rah with reliable, trustworthy lustful anti‑Semite—far from teachers to gain an apprecia‑ Shabbos. Please have son to a séance. After making a holy man. But he was very, tion into Jewish Mysticism. your chaplain / Rabbi her magic, the crystal ball lady claimed she had made very spiritual. Clearly, not But be wholesome with G‑d. contact us to enroll, it is contact with the woman’s everything spiritual is holy. Don’t dabble in forbidden available to all prisons. deceased husband, Chaim. Money is very, very fields. Be holy—in the way Indeed, they heard a male physical. But if you use it for our holy Torah tells us to be. ALEPH INSTITUTE voice saying how everything holy purposes like charity, By Rabbi Yossy Goldman Hyman & Martha Rogal was well with him on the it becomes holy. Clearly, not Center other side and he answered everything holy need be spiri‑ THE GIFT OF 5804 Beacon Street all their questions. Then, little tual. It may be possible to FORGINESS Pittsburgh, PA 15217 Harry the grandson piped up “Resentment is an “cross over.” But, in the pro‑ 412‑421‑0111 and asked, “Zayde, may I ask acid that damages its contai- cess, we may be getting our‑ Fax: 412‑521‑5948 you one more question please. ner.” selves involved with unholy www.alephne.org When did you learn to speak From my perspecti‑ English so well?” forces. There are forces of [email protected] ve as a family therapist, the greatest treasure in our Torah‑inheritance is the instruction to free ourselves of anger and resentment, especially in In Jewish History dealing with close relationships. Literally hundreds of sour‑ Sunday, 30 Nissan, 5779 - May 5, 2019 ces in Jewish writings over the ages warn us that sustained Passing of R. Chaim Vital (1620) anger is forbidden, destructive and ultimately irrational. Nissan 30 is the yahrtzeit (anniversary of the The Biblical injunction is found in Leviticus 19:17‑19: “You passing) of the famed Kabbalist Rabbi Chaim Vital shall not hate your brother in your heart…You shall not take (1542?‑1620), author of the mystical work Eitz Chaim. revenge and you shall not bear a grudge.” Rabbi Chaim was the leading disciple of Rabbi Isaac The Talmud goes on to note that “anyone who Luria (the “Holy Ari,” 1534‑1572) and the transcriber of foregoes revenge merits that G‑d forgives all of his sins.” his teachings, which form the “Lurianic” Kabbalah. (Tractate Yoma 22b‑23a). It further advises (Tractate Pesachim Passing of R. Joseph Ibn Migash (1141) 113b) that G‑d loves a person “who does not get angry … As a young man, R. Joseph Ibn Migash studied and who does not insist on his due measure.” Maimonides under R. Yitzchak Alfasi for fourteen years. After the goes further (Laws of De’ot 7:7.), requiring a person to “wipe latter’s death, he succeeded him as head of the Talmudic the wrong from his heart entirely, without remembering it academy in Lucena, Spain. His halachic opinions were at all.” A contemporary psychologist will paraphrase this as sought after from afar, and he taught numerous disciples, “The challenge of relinquishing anger presents an incredi‑ including R. Maimon, father of Maimonides. Although he ble opportunity for personal growth.” did not study under him personally, Maimonides viewed Does this mean that we should be passive victims R. Joseph as his own teacher and greatly praised his eru‑ in the face of abuse? Absolutely not! The very same Bibli‑ dition. cal portion cited above tells us that we must verbally con‑ Passing of R. Jacob Emden (1776) front someone who has wronged us, in order to avoid hating R. Jacob Emden, son of R. Tzvi Ashkenazi— him in our heart. We must do so directly and emphatically, known by the acronym Yaavetz (Yaakov ben Tzvi)—was but without hatred and without destroying the relation‑ a great scholar and author who lived in Emden and then ship. Similarly, we have an obligation to protect ourselves in Altona (Germany). He was known for his zealousness and not put ourselves in a vulnerable position where the and his willingness to fight for what he felt was right, offense may be repeated. At the same time, we need to do disregarding any opposition. Among his works is a prayer so without speaking hostilely or taking an action that goes book with commentaries known as Siddur Yaavetz. beyond self‑protection, without vengeance, or withdrawing Monday, 1 Iyar, 5779 - May 6, 2019 into a cold, judgmental contempt, or prolonged silence. Construction of 2nd Temple (370 BCE) Many counselors report a recurring tragic family Fifty three years following the destruction of the scenario: Over the years, a man has maintained an angry First Holy Temple (see Jewish History for the 9th of Av), distance from a relative (a parent, child or sibling). Sud‑ Zerubabel and Joshua the High Priest began construction denly, the relative dies, and the man’s love, long masked of the Second Temple, with permission from King Cyrus by a veneer of anger, erupts into awareness and the man is of Persia. racked by regret and guilt. “How could I have wasted these The offering of sacrifices had actually com‑ years, when I could have….?” menced a few months earlier, on the vacant lot where the Traditional Jewish philosophy offers us some 1st Temple stood, however it was only after the con‑ protection from such tragedy. Torah says: 1) Do not believe struction started on the 1st of Iyar that the Levites began that you cannot forgive…it is always your task to achieve accompanying the service with song and music. forgiveness; 2) understand that anger and resentment are The construction was later halted after the hostile sustained by irrational thoughts…if you deeply examine Samaritans supplied false slanderous information to your anger, you will identify and correct these cognitive Cyrus about the Jews’ intentions.