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You Think That YOU've Got Stress?
With all the stresses of pre- and post-Aliyah, we sometimes feel like the weight of the world is on our shoulders. And then we "meet" someone like RivkA and thank God for the many, many blessings in our lives - including the courageous example she is setting for the world to read online.
Please daven for (or send happy, healing thoughts to) RivkA bat Teirtzel - if you could do it at the Kotel that would be especially wonderful, but prayers from anywhere will be greatly appreciated.
Rabbi Nachman Kahana on Parasha Balak 5769
BS"D Parashat Chukat and Balak 5769
The unique difficulty which sets para aduma apart from other mitzvot is the mystifying halacha that the individuals who are involved in preparing the ashes of the red heifer in order to extricate a person from the state of halachic tum'a become themselves tema'im.
Another enigma is defining the nature of the para aduma in the light of the duality which surrounds the mitzva. On the one hand, the para aduma is not part of the Bet HaMikdash sanctification ritual, because it is prepared on the Mount of Olives with no connection to the altar as are all other animal sacrifices. In contrast to this there are functions which identify the para aduma with the other sacrifices. Those involved in its preparation must be kohanim. The kohen who receives the blood of the para aduma sprinkles it seven times while looking on a straight line into the Holy of Holies.
Rabbi Nachman Kahana on Parashat Chukat 5769
BS"D
A: Continuation of Parashat Korach, B: Parashat Chukat 5769
A: Korach
Korach hoisted the banner of rebellion against the authority of Moshe Rabbeinu by claiming that since all Jews are equal in holiness, the privileged status of Kehuna is fundamentally wrong. Moshe challenges Korach and predicts that the ground will open and swallow Korach and his followers.
The Gemara (Shabbat 87a) relates that Moshe Rabbeinu initiated three acts without being instructed by HaShem, but to which He agreed after the fact. 1. Moshe divorced his wife, 2. He broke the Holy Tablets and as a consequence, HaShem was compelled (as it were) to prepare another set of Tablets. 3. Although HaShem instructed Moshe to declare two days of preparation for receiving the Torah, Moshe initiated a third day - thereby postponing the revelation at Sinai by one day. Since we do not find anywhere in the Torah that HaShem informed Moshe regarding the fate awaiting Korach, the earthquake is a fourth act which Moshe initiated. So why is it not listed in tractate Shabbat as one of Moshe's initiatives?
Rabbi Nachman Kahana on Parashat Korach 5769
BS"D Parashat Korach 5769
It is apparent that the Creator imbedded absolute laws into the affairs of human beings, as He did with the "immutable laws" of nature we find in the various disciplines of nature (physics, chemistry etc.)
One of the "laws" governing human affairs is that no man can bring about two revolutions in his lifetime.
- Noach saved humanity, but then fell into disgrace and did not merit to be the progenitor of the Jewish people.
- Avraham established the Jewish spiritual presence in Eretz Yisrael but was unable to eradicate idolatry from the world.
Aliyah Dollars and Sense
The Nefesh B'Nefesh e-mail list has been hopping lately with prospective olim asking questions about whether or not it makes sense to ship their appliances, electronics and/or furniture to Israel on their lift or container. And others have written to me off-list about realistic budgeting of their living expenses during the first year. I've been responding to as many as I have time for regarding the cost of shipping vs. selling at garage sale prices and buying new here, along with ball-park living expense figures. This morning it dawned on me that it might be beneficial to publish the information here until I get the Aliyah Handbook ready for its online debut, so here goes...
Rabbi Nachman Kahana on Sh'lach 5769
BS"D Parashat Sh’lach 5769
The wise man knows that the presence of the word "why" in a sentence dealing with the omnipotent Creator leads to an unfathomable intellectual abyss. Nonetheless, having been created with insatiable inquisitiveness, we continue to challenge our minds and imaginations in our never-ending quest to understand what will forever be out of our intellectual reach; with the hope that we may be able to achieve a degree of understanding that will make our limited existence in this world somewhat rational.
Israeli Government Resources in ENGLISH!
The Israeli government has launced a new Forum in English - this is great news and a great service for new and potential olim.
While clicking around from the announcement page, I also found the following very useful sections of the government's site that you may find helpful:
School Friendship Event
Advanced planning and notification doesn't seem to be a strong point for Yisrael's teacher - and maybe this is just the way Israeli schools operate. Last Monday, Yisrael came home and told me that four boys would be coming to our house on Tuesday. Why? He wasn't sure but the teacher said they were coming and we were supposed to do something with them. I wonder, are all boys like this - or is it just mine? If Jessica had been in this situation, she not only would have been able to tell me what the teacher expected, but she would have told me what SHE expected and already planned with her friends!
Being one of those just say "no" moods, I told him that I wasn't accepting this responsibility until someone explained to me what exactly was expected. And that of any possible weekday, Tuesday was the worst choice because he has occupational therapy at 11:30 on the other side of town and school gets out at 12:35 (we don't have a car).
Where Can You Turn When Your Dreams are Falling Apart?
I had an incredible experience at the Kotel today. My day began with a trip to Geula to buy new tzits-tzits for my son. From there I walked to Ben Yehuda to purchase some inexpensive craft items for a friendship event we’re hosting for 6 boys from his class tomorrow. When my shopping tasks were completed I decided I needed to go to the Kotel and daven, so I walked down Yaffa and through the Arab shuk to the Kotel. On my way in, I gave tzedakah (charity), as is my practice, and found myself suddenly surrounded by dozens of women loudly demanding money and grabbing at me. My immediate response was annoyance and judgment of their chutzpah; I kept saying "rega" (wait) while trying to find more money in my bag. In between their demands I told them "baali ayn parnassah" – the closest I could come in my infantile level of Hebrew to "my husband doesn’t have a job". In a completely out-of-character act, I gave myself a mental slap reminding me that it is all Hashem's money anyway, and gave more than I had planned. Still more were coming and following me to the Wall. Where were they coming from? As I was feeling overwhelmed, an older woman stopped them and told them to leave me alone while I prayed.
Rabbi Nachman Kahana on Parashat Beha'alotcha 5769
BS"D Parashat Beha'alotcha (in Eretz Yisrael) 5769
Part A: The Hidden Light
Today, in Cairo, the American president made a reconciliatory address to the Moslem people. It was a vision of the impossible where people of diverse histories, cultures and religions all live together in near perfect harmony - just like the Flatbush neighborhood where I grew up in the 40s and 50s, when I played with little Italian and Irish boys.
It was a great valedictorian speech, like the kind which creates momentary feelings of nachat (nachas) from the grandparents and parents of the young promising graduate but have no influence on reality. Within the many ear-pleasing platitudes there were two plans whose realization the US president will be applying his total credibility to.