Parashat Tzav: What is the Connection Between the Eternal Fire and the Land of Israel?

Printable Version

Parashat Tzav
What is the Connection Between the Eternal Fire and the Land of Israel?

How Can we Keep Our Fire Going While Constantly Breathing Continued Life into Others?

“I don’t know how I can go on anymore – everything is just too much,” cried a student (let’s call her Sarah) at my kitchen table. “I just want a simple life, enjoying the closeness with Hashem experienced here in the Holy Land in peace and quiet,” she continued. “There are so many demands on me – everyone wants my attention, and to engage in deep heart-to-heart conversations with me, it’s just all too much!” Sarah’s words reflected my own feelings of being overwhelmed with demands, dealing with various emergencies, and tedious administrative tasks on top of all the Pesach cleaning. I wish I could just peacefully settle on my land, softly playing my harp, prayerfully tending to the garden, and writing my books without all the interruptions. Sarah’s words, “I need a break; I can’t go on anymore!” couldn’t have reverberated more in my own heart. How can I keep my fire going when I am constantly having to breathe continued life into my institution? How many years have I had to write new rules? Dealing with challenging students and staff, ensuring we have enough money to pay our bills and avoid going into minus, tossing and turning in bed about losing a staff member, and trying to shift staff roles to make sure all the vital chores would be covered? For nearly 30 years, I have nursed and diapered, pulsating my blood, heartbeat, and essential life force to keep everything going. I, like Sarah, longed for peace and quiet to serve Hashem without interruptions. Yet, how do we grow in the Torah way and in our relationship with Hashem? Perhaps our understanding of serving Hashem is topsy-turvy. “What does it really mean to serve Hashem without interruptions for a Jew?” I asked Sarah. “Doesn’t the name Yisrael mean, ‘You have struggled with G-d and with people and you have prevailed’ (Bereishit 32:28)? Don’t we learn from this that it is precisely through the interruptions to our ‘peace and quiet’ that we serve Hashem in the highest way?” So perhaps we need to exchange our mindset – from assuming that the challenging drama with people and with figuring out the way of G-d are interruptions to our Divine service – to realizing that it may be the ‘peace and quiet’ that interrupts our true Divine service of continuous struggle.

The Eternal Fire on the Altar: A Flame Burning in the Soul of Every Jew
Reading the opening in Parashat Tzav describing the eternal flame of the altar encouraged me to keep my own fire burning. It is only when we allow the chametz (ego) of Amalek to inject the poison of doubt into our bloodstream that we feel our strength ebbing out. Our fire will remain steadfast, as long as we keep strengthening our emunah that whatever challenge we are undergoing, it is 100% designated from our Creator to help us grow. There is no greater way of serving Hashem than keeping the fire of emunah going. Perhaps this is why the Torah repeats how the fire on the altar must never be extinguished:

ספר ויקרא פרק ו פסוק ה וְהָאֵשׁ עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ תּוּקַד בּוֹ לֹא תִכְבֶּה וּבִעֵר עָלֶיהָ הַכֹּהֵן עֵצִים בַּבֹּקֶר בַּבֹּקֶר וְעָרַךְ עָלֶיהָ הָעֹלָה וְהִקְטִיר עָלֶיהָ חֶלְבֵי הַשְּׁלָמִים: פסוק ו וְאֵשׁ הַמִּזְבֵּחַ תּוּקַד בּוֹ לֹא תִכְבֶּה:

“The fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it; it shall not be extinguished. The kohen shall kindle wood upon it every morning, and upon it, he shall arrange the burnt offering and cause the fats of the peace offerings to go up in smoke upon it. “A continuous fire shall burn upon the altar; it shall not go out” (Vayikra 6:5-6).

The repetition of keeping the fire of the altar burning suggests that this fire did not simply serve to cook the sacrifices offered to Hashem upon the altar. Rather, the eternal burning of the flame was crucial in and of itself, as an independent value, to arouse our internal flame – to keep going against all the odds – and burn away the doubts that weaken our spiritual determination.

A Sacred Tool for Spiritual Endurance

This eternal flame is not merely a technical detail of ritual worship. It symbolizes the ever-present relationship between Israel and Hashem. The fire and flame that must never be extinguished reflect the spark of divine connection that is meant to burn constantly within the heart and soul of every Jew.  The Maggid of Kozhnitz, author of Avodat Yisrael, quotes a teaching from the Siddur haAri, citing a tradition from the prophet Eliyahu, that a spiritual remedy for distracting thoughts, is to recite the verse: אֵשׁ תָּמִיד תּוּקַד עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ לֹא תִכְבֶּה/Aish tamid tukad al hamizbeach lo tichbeh – “A constant fire shall burn on the altar; it shall never go out” (Vayikra 6:6). This verse serves as a spiritual tool to remove impure thoughts and ignite inner holiness. The Maggid takes this further, identifying the Yetzer Hara – the evil inclination – as one who schemes “to kill his fellow,” meaning the Yetzer Tov (good inclination), through devious and misleading thoughts. These words seem to speak directly to Sarah and me, reminding us, as Rebbe Nachman is famously known to say: כִּי אֵין שׁוּם יִאוּשׁ בָּעוֹלָם כְּלָל – “There is no despair whatsoever in the world” (Likutei Moharan Mahadura Batra 78). When the yetzer hara gets the better of us (G-d forbid), making us feel that we can’t go on, reciting, אֵשׁ תָּמִיד תּוּקַד עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ לֹא תִכְבֶּה pulses renewed emunah into our spiritual arteries, strengthening our determination and stamina to keep going – as the old proverb says, “When the going gets tough, the tough gets going!” (Joseph P. Kennedy). The Maggid interprets the verse, “From My altar you shall take him to die” (Shemot 21:14), to mean that by invoking this verse about the eternal flame, we awaken the soul’s passion for holiness and dispel impurity – let me add: the impurity of despair. (Avodat Yisrael, Parashat Mishpatim, v’Chi Yazid Ish al Re’ehu l’hargo b’Ormah etc.). This teaches us that the inner fire of the Jewish soul, sparked by Torah and mitzvot, is deeply connected to the fire on the altar.  The eternal flame thus becomes a metaphor for our spiritual endurance – a fire that must be safeguarded, fed, and kept alive.

Eretz Yisrael – The Only Home for the Eternal Mikdash

The eternal flame, though kindled through divine service everywhere, reaches its full brilliance only in Eretz Yisrael. Although Parashat Tzav takes place during the Israelites’ wilderness period, the mitzvot surrounding the offerings and the constant fire are destined for ultimate fulfillment in the final Beit Hamikdash (Temple). According to Ramban all the details of the Mishkan are essentially a blueprint for the Temple in Jerusalem. Scripture alludes to this when it says, “For I have not dwelt in a house from the day that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle. In all places wherein I have walked among all the children of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the tribes of Israel whom I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying: ‘Why do you not build for Me a house of cedar?’” (II Shemuel 7:6–7; see Ramban on Bamidbar 16:21). This reveals a deeper truth: the Mishkan was a temporary vessel for the eternal Temple, which could only find permanence in the Land of Israel. The Shechinah accompanied Bnei Yisrael in the desert, but her true home is in the land that Hashem chose. As it states, “For Hashem has chosen Tzion; He has desired it for His dwelling place” (Tehillim 132:13). This makes Eretz Yisrael not only our homeland but also the spiritual address for divine presence, and for the fire that must never go out. Just as the offerings must be brought only in the place that Hashem chooses, so too the ongoing spiritual service of the Jewish people reaches its apex only in the Land of Israel.

The Fire of the Soul – Kindled in the Land

The spiritual air of the Land makes one wise (Babylonian Talmud, Baba Batra 158b). It also deepens our connection to Hashem, heightens our awareness of His presence, and attunes us to the inner fire. Parashat Tzav reminds us that true divine service is not sporadic or seasonal – it is constant. The eternal flame is not just on the altar but within us. The fire that must never go out reflects the spark of divine connection that is meant to burn constantly within the heart of every Jew. That flame finds its fullest expression only in the place where it was divinely kindled – Eretz Yisrael. The Zohar teaches: “A constant fire on the altar – this is the Torah, about which it says: ‘Is not My word like fire?’” (Yirmiyahu 23:29; cited in Rav Tzaddok of Lublin, Pri Tzaddik, Parashat Tzav 4).  The eternal flame on the altar alludes to the inner fire of the Jewish soul – a flame kindled through Torah and mitzvot. Each act of divine service fuels that fire, like a new log placed on the altar of the heart, keeping the inner fire alive and glowing, especially in the sacred atmosphere of Eretz Yisrael. During the ongoing challenges of Israel’s current war, we witness the holiness of the Jewish flame of endurance. It is only through the eternal flame of emunah that our brave soldiers get their strength to keep fighting for everlasting peace. The Shelah HaKadosh writes that although the fire descends from heaven, it is still a mitzvah to bring fire from below. This teaches us that our earthly effort to maintain a spiritual flame invites divine response – our inner fire awakens the heavenly flame (The Shelah Hakodesh, Mesechet Pesachim, Matzah Ashira). Shelah’s message comes to life in the way the IDF and world Jewry are aroused to keep the flame of emunah burning – drawing down the Divine response of protection and miracles as never before.

Returning to the Place of the Flame

Just as the altar’s fire in the Mishkan was a continuation of the fire from Sinai – where the mountain burned with divine presence – so too did this fire descend from heaven and rest specifically on the altar of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. No other place was worthy of it. In our days, as we continue to yearn for the rebuilding of the Beit Hamikdash, we must remember that the foundation of that eternal house is built by our daily commitment to keep our inner altars alive. Living in Eretz Yisrael, learning her Torah, loving her holiness, and praying for her redemption – these are our logs and oil. The altar fire is not only a divine gift, but also a human calling. The faithfulness of the Temple fire is an invitation: keep your own flame burning. By nurturing the flame of emunah, we can overcome the temptations of despair and despondency. Just as the altar must be stoked daily, so too must we cultivate the fire of faith within us, until our inner flame becomes an everlasting light. In a world that seeks to dim the Jewish flame, the Land of Israel stands as the place where we can keep it burning – with faith, with love, and with tenacity. Just as the fire of the Tabernacle altar was never extinguished, and continued to burn upon the Temple altar, so too will it burn eternally in the final Temple we await. May we soon see the fire return to its rightful place – and may the holy flame within each of us rise up to meet it.

Parashat Ki Tetze: How Do We Learn to Appreciate Our Happy Occasions by Erecting a Fence on our Roof?

Printable Verison

Parashat Ki Tetze
How Do We Learn to Appreciate Our Happy Occasions by Erecting a Fence on our Roof? 

Respecting and Caring for Our Home – The Extension of Our Selves                                            One day after teaching at B’erot while looking for a certain book, another unexpected book rolled into my hand. “What is a book about space clearing and Feng Shui doing at a Midrasha library?” I asked myself. “Hmm, looks interesting, let me take it home and look into it.” It so happened that I had planned to do a thorough Rosh Hashanna cleaning of my home during the summer vacation, since my mom hadn’t graced us with a visit in more than a year, I didn’t have the occasion for some deep cleaning, and it showed! So perhaps the space-clearing book would come in handy. I was planning to return it to B’erot after reading it, but although it was donated to B’erot in the memory of a loved one, I found it so filled with idol worship. Therefore, as part of my Torah space-clearing I had to get rid of it after filtering out the nuggets. Many of the good ideas in the book are familiar to me. Hailing from generations of mothers who take pride in their homes, I always knew that our home is an extension of ourselves, and we need to treat it with respect and care. For me, this entails keeping my windows clean as the windows are the eyes of our home. They affect the way we view life. If our windows are grimy, our vision of life may be restricted. Yet, being a collector of stuff (as a child I collected napkins, stamps, beads, and more) clutter is my biggest problem. So, the book helped me understand how clutter is stuck energy. Clutter accumulates when energy stagnates. Healthy energy is moving energy, when we get rid of everything in our lives that has no real meaning for us, we literally feel lighter in body, mind, and spirit. When everything we keep around us is sacred to us, our whole life becomes sacred. With my limited time, I go through the process of clearing the space of my home gradually, room by room. Getting rid of the extra stuff (like my old computer which I hadn’t used in 2 years) and the spiderwebs behind the bed, is such a great feeling of renewal, it is almost as if I’m moving into a new home! This is suitable as I’m celebrating one more year around the sun and the moon when we read my Bat Mitzvah Parasha  Ki Tetze.

Blessing Hashem for the Opportunity to Make a Guard Rail

I like to be busy, perhaps because I was born during the busiest Parasha of the year: Parshat Ki Tetze which is filled with mitzvot, 74, to be exact. This is the most mitzvot in any parsha of the Torah. One of my favorite Mitzvot that I had the merit to do twice is the mitzvah to put a rail on your roof. I recall 25 years ago exactly, at the beginning of the month of Elul, we moved into our current home with an elevated flat porch. Since it was my birthday, my husband left me one nail to hammer in to complete the guard rail. It was very emotional for me, and I almost cried when I recited the Bracha: 

 בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה הָשֵׁם אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לַעֲשֹוֹת מַעֲקֶה:

“Baruch Ata Hashem Elokeinu Melech Ha’olam Asher Kidishanu bemitzvotav vetzivanu la’azot Me’akeh.” …Who has commanded me to make a rail.” Although the general rule not to recite a blessing for removing any danger, when a roof is obligated to have a fence, many Poskim (from Rambam, Brachot 11:8, to Likkutei Sichos Ki Seitzei 2 p. 89) rule that a blessing is recited. The reason that a blessing is said upon building a fence is because the mitzvah of making a fence is in addition to the mitzvah of preventing danger from our home, so it deserves its own blessing (1 Imrei Ya’akov 10:16; Shulchan Aruch HaRav, Should a blessing be recited when building a fence around a roof?). The second time I merited to fulfill the mitzvah of making a fence was in 2018 when we planted the memorial garden for my father near the then-new retreat center. Since the backyard of B’erot land hadn’t been developed until then I only then discovered that there was a very steep incline at the end of our land and if a child would run fast in that direction, he could G-d forbid fall down the cliff, and I don’t even want to think about how grave that danger would be. So, I was again moved by the feeling of being engaged in such an important mitzvah when I quickly had a fence installed all around the edge of B’erot backyard land. 

Gratitude for the Opportunity of Doing a Mitzvah that Leads to More Mitzvot

ספר דברים פרק כב פסוק ח כִּי תִבְנֶה בַּיִת חָדָשׁ וְעָשִׂיתָ מַעֲקֶה לְגַגֶּךָ וְלֹא תָשִׂים דָּמִים בְּבֵיתֶךָ כִּי יִפֹּל הַנֹּפֵל מִמֶּנּוּ:

“When you build a new house, you shall make a guard rail for your roof, so that you shall not cause blood [to be spilled] in your house, that the one who falls should fall from it [the roof]” (Devarim 22:8).

It is a positive mitzvah to make a fence on his roof as it says, “You shall make a fence for your roof.” Anyone who leaves his roof without a fence has nullified a positive command and has transgressed a negative command as the verse continues, “Do not spill blood in your home.” This refers to building a gate or fence around the roof of our home to prevent anyone from falling from it. So, by building a fence on our roof we fulfill both a positive and negative Torah commandment. Rashi makes me appreciate this mitzvah and the rest of the 74 mitzvot in Parashat Ki Tetze even more when he explains the domino effect of the sequence of one mitzvah leading to another. If you have fulfilled the commandment of “sending away the mother bird from her nest,” you will eventually build a new house and fulfill the mitzvah of “guard-rail,” because the fulfillment of one mitzvah leads to another. You will then come to possess a vineyard, a field, and fine clothes. Therefore, these passages are juxtaposed (Rashi, Devarim 22:8). How awesome is it to contemplate the concept of מִצְוָה גּוֹרֶרֶת מִצְוָה/mitzvah gorreret mitzvah – “One mitzvah pulls along another” (Pirkei Avot 4:2).  Hashem, in His, kindness has imbued in His mitzvot an accumulative mechanism to grant us more merit.  When I think about the layers of opportunities of doing just one little mitzvah of the 74 mitzvot in Parashat Ki Tetze, I’m filled with immense gratitude.

Elevating All Our Happy Occasions to Hashem Alluded to in Your Roof 

When we arrive at any happy occasion bestowed upon us by the Blessed Creator, we must express our happiness within the letters of the Torah. This way we express our gratitude for the happy occasion through prayer, songs, and praises to allow our happiness to cleave to the Above – to the Blessed Creator.  All this is alluded to in “When you build a new house…” This can be understood to refer to the general happiness for anything new. “…Then you must make a rail guard” – this is to elevate your happy occasion through the letters of the Torah. This is the meaning of the “rail” that is built in the highest places. This is also alluded to in the word גַגֶּךָ/gagecha – “your roof,” for its numerical value is 26 the gematria of Hashem’s four-lettered Name. Through the wording of the mitzvah of making a rail on your roof, we bring our happiness into the letters of Hashem’s name. These letters of Hashem’s name refer to the inner will that moves all the letters and everything in the universe forward (Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev, Kedushat Levi, Parashat Ki Tetze). The Kedushat Halevi teaches us a deeper revelation about the ideal form of enjoying joy. Just as we may experience joy when building a new house, so can we build up and elevate any new joy we experience. It starts with the realization that it all comes from G-d and we need to demonstrate gratitude to Him. Just as we may build a rail on our roof – the highest point of our house – so can we direct our highest emotions of joy toward gratitude. By articulating gratitude through words of Torah, prayer, songs, and praises to G-d, we can connect our joy to its divine source. The power and force behind the words of praise we use is the name of Hashem. Its numerical value (26) is identical to the numerical value of “your roof” (26) showing the deep connection between these concepts. When we experience joy and raise it up by being grateful to Hashem – its ultimate source – by articulating and exhibiting gratitude, using holy words directed to G-d – we extend, enhance, and raise our joy to a continued higher dimension.

Erecting the Rail of Setting Limits in Life 

Besides alluding to any joyous occasion, building a new home also reflects our selves. The mitzvah to build a fence around our home teaches us that it’s not enough to serve Hashem through love, because this could cause us, G-d forbid, to fall into the lusts and lower worldly pleasures. Therefore, we need to also serve Hashem out of יִרְאָה/yirah –‘awe.’ “When you build a new house” – when you want to build holiness through your good deeds, then you must make a fence on your root, referring to the ‘awe’ needed to guard the אַהֲבָה/ahavah – ‘love.’ The word ahavah 2x equals 26, the numerical value of גַגֶּךָ/gagecha – “your roof,” while yirah equals 215, the numerical value of מַעֲקֶה/ma’akeh – “rail” with the kollel (counting 1 for the word itself). This teaches us that only through both awe and love together can we serve Hashem wholeheartedly (Imrei Yosef, Parashat Tetze). Along the same lines Rav Chaim Mordechai Rosenbaum of Nadvorna, in Devar Chaim suggests that erecting a fence on our roof can symbolize setting responsible limits in life. Our home may also represent the totality of our material existence. The mitzvah to erect a fence urges us to set limits on our expenditures of obtaining material comforts.  Just as a home, which is meant to provide us with safety and security, could cause danger without a physical barrier around the rooftop, likewise, the process of securing material comforts could pose the risk of financial ruin without a “fence” – i.e. without appropriate limits. In our quest for luxury and enjoyment, we might end up hurting ourselves through reckless spending.  The Torah warns us to erect a “fence” around our “home,” to exercise discipline so that our “home,” will be a source of blessing, and will not cause us to “fall” into the trap of the yetzer hara (negative impulse). The Torah’s mention of a new house provides a paradigm for all general growth. Because bigger houses come with bigger challenges. The more we engage the outside world, the more we must protect ourselves from falling. How do we protect ourselves? With a fence on our roof. This implies our protection is through something that is beyond ourselves. Simply put, the higher we rise, the tighter we need to connect to the One who will always be far above us. In this way, we will not fall. Neither will those who enter our house.

Gratitude Focus for the Week of Parashat Ki Tetze –

Some Tips on How to Appreciate Your Home

To feel genuine gratitude for all the comforts of your home, look on the bright side or that soothingly dark corner. This is your sanctuary that you want to make an abode for the Shechinah (Divine Indwelling Presence). It’s natural to get a little down on your home from time to time, this gives you the impetus for renewal, which will affect your life positively. Feeling content at home is available to everyone, no matter the size or condition of your space. By appreciating your home and developing a relationship with it you can gain a deeper appreciation of your house, and all the blessings Hashem imbues within it. 

• Consider What First Drew You to Your Home – No matter where you live, there was likely something that attracted you to your house when you first saw it. Was it the sunny yard, charming porch, or original wood floors? Once you are living in a place, it’s natural to focus more on home improvements. Yet, taking a moment to thank Hashem for the roof over your head and recalling the favorite things about your home help you feel gratitude. 

• Appreciate Your Home with Your Senses – you can zero in on the pleasures of home. Take a quick sensory tour of your home and note anything positive: the cozy comfort of your couch, the smell of coffee brewing, the feel of a fluffy rug between your toes. The aroma of Challot in the oven heralding the Shabbat Queen. 

• Imagine You’ve Just Been on a Long Trip – and you are arriving home for the first time in weeks. You close the door behind you and take a deep breath. What are you most looking forward to about being home at that moment? Think about the ways your home comforts and supports you and give thanks to Hashem for His perpetual protection. 

• Make Your Front Entrance Welcoming – Just as people enter and leave through the front door, so is it also a portal through which energy flows in and out of our lives. As you enter your home, what you see, and experience represents your approach to your own life. Leaving your home represents your approach to the outer world. Make a habit of kissing the mezuzah when you enter and leave your home, to recall the holiness that resides there. Keep your front path as clear and welcoming as possible, so that everyone will feel glad to enter. If you have a number or a name on your front door position the second and subsequent digit or letter slightly higher than the first. This will give you an energy lift every time you walk through your front door. 

• Consider the Mitzvah of Welcoming Guests – Is your home a source of mitzvot where various guests are welcome and taken care of? Make a point of keeping the energy of your home uplifting and relaxing to soothe anyone who walks through your door. 

• Plants and Flowers – Plants filter the air, increase the oxygen content, and generally lift the energy of a space. To offset the electromagnetic rays, have one plant per computer or television placed as near as possible to the equipment, and other plants as necessary to compensate for other electrical apparatus. Use plants that by their shape symbolically represent what you want to create. Round-leafed, upward-shooting plants work best. Avoid spiky plants in confined areas because they can cause arguments and irritation. Research funded by NASA discovered ways of cleaning the air in space capsules. They found that several ordinary types of houseplants have the ability to cleanse many of the most common pollutants from the air, including formaldehyde. They are Peace Lilies (Spathiphyllum Wallsisii); Peperomias; Arrowhead / Goose Foot Plant (Syngonium podophyllum); Dwarf Banana Plants, and Golden Pothos (Scindapsus Aureus).

• Your Bedroom – It is generally recommended to site bedrooms as far away from the front entrance as possible, especially the master bedroom. This will give you the sense that you can see things coming into your life and have time to consider your options and decide what is the best thing to do. If you sleep too close to the front door, things happen suddenly and take you by surprise, so you may miss opportunities and make choices you regret. When you feel more secure during sleep, you naturally feel more secure as you go about your life. It therefore becomes much easier to manifest Hashem’s will in your life. 

• Regard Your Home in a New Way – Consider collecting your thoughts in a gratitude journal. I also encourage you to pay attention to precisely what makes you feel grateful at home – thank Hashem for these blessings and work on increasing them! Then the blessings of your home will expand. As you are working in the garden, kneading challah dough, or reading a story to a child you will feel more content with things as they are. 

Parashat Va’etchanan: What is so Special About Living in Israel Even During These Times of War?

 Printable Version

Parashat Va’etchanan
What is so Special About Living in Israel Even During These Times of War?

Divine Promise and Increased Aliyah Rates
I am always moved to tears whenever we get up to Parashat Va’etchanan where Moshe expresses his deepest love and yearning for the land of Israel, and the pain that he won’t be able to live here. This Parasha is also permeated with words of the overflowing goodness awaiting those of us who merit to make Aliyah to the Promised Land. If you feel afraid of Iran, Chamas, and Hezbollah, the end of Parashat Va’etchanan brings strength and encouragement: “When Hashem, your G-d, brings you into the land to which you are coming to possess it, He will cast away many nations from before you… nations more numerous and powerful than you. But Hashem, your G-d, will deliver them to you, and you shall smite them. You shall utterly destroy them; neither shall you make a covenant with them, nor be gracious to them” (Devarim 7:1-2). Rashi explains, וְלֹא תְחָנֵּם NOR BE GRACIOUS TO THEM - Do not grant them a settlement (חֲניָּה) in the land (Babylonian Talmud, Avodah Zarah 20a). How pertinent is this divine message to the present political conflict! Even during the current long-winded war, I’m so grateful to be one of the 7,427,000 Jewish residents of Israel! I feel so privileged to be living under Hashem’s direct supervision and much safer than anywhere else in the world, as international antisemitism is on the rise. Although sadly European Jews are canceling their flights to Israel these days, it turns out that the current war is not deterring Jews from the USA, Canada, and Mexico from making Aliyah to Israel, rather, interest has only increased. After years of a consistent Aliyah decline from these countries, since October 7, we have seen an Aliyah surge from North America. These are numbers we haven’t seen in decades. Compared to last year’s 7.2 million Jewish inhabitants in Israel over two hundred thousand more Jews live here today! I find it especially touching that several parents of fallen lone soldiers decided to make Aliyah to honor the memory of their sons. Many of the women who attended my annual lectures in North America over the years are now either building homes here or streaming into Israel with their families as it is becoming clearer than crystal that Israel is the only place for every Jew. I look forward to welcoming such a new family to Bat Ayin next month B”H (With Hashem’s help)!

Waking Up to Sing Hashem’s Praises With the Birds of Our Homeland! 
Moshe’s personal repetition of the Torah is sprinkled with words of encouragement describing the goodness to be enjoyed in the Holy Land and his yearning for it: “Pray let me cross over and see the good land that is on the other side of the Jordan, this good mountain and Levanon” (Devarim 3:25). “For I will die in this land; I will not cross the Jordan, but you will pass over, and you will possess this good land” (Devarim 4:22). With words like these Moshe instills in us the gratitude for being able to enter the Land of Israel and even more so to conquer it and to live permanently within it. He also admonishes us that the privilege of living in Israel comes with strings attached to keeping the laws of Hashem’s holy Torah. This too, is a great advantage for us as “what great nation is there that has G-d so near to it, as Hashem our G-d is at all times that we call upon Him? Which great nation has righteous statutes and ordinances, as this entire Torah, that I set before you this day? (Devarim 4:7-8). When I think back to all the pogroms, exploitation, and poverty my ancestors have lived through on foreign soil, how can I not wake up singing Hashem’s praises with birds of my homeland, enthusiastically jumping into the mitzvot of being involved in Torah and tending the Land of Israel?  How can I not keep my windows clean and let all the light of the holy land shine through? How can I not continue to thank Hashem all day long for taking me under His wings and bringing me close to Him? We must strengthen our emunah that every single day, Hashem performs miracles for His Chosen People, even if it isn’t written in the daily news. Learning about some of the recent miracles teaches us to extrapolate and believe that G-d, the Almighty does many more hidden miracles to protect his people. Even if we don’t deserve it – if we don’t all keep his mitzvot or don’t keep them well enough – we do deserve Hashem’s love and protection! This is due to all the suffering we have been through during the last century and all the brave soldiers and pioneers who have sacrificed their lives so that we can live relatively safely in our homeland. We must stop having guilty consciousness – let us stop being afraid, negative, and fearful. Our attitude of hope, prayer, and faith will attract deliverance and bring about the final redemption!

Ensuring Perpetual Goodness for the Jewish People
In Parashat Va’etchanan, Moshe’s Repetition of the Ten Commandments includes several changes. There are two views in the Talmud regarding these changes. According to Rabbi Tanchum bar Chanilai the Ten Commandments mentioned in Shemot were written on the first set of tablets. Whereas the repetition in Devarim represents what was written on the second tablets. According to the other approach, the Ten Commandments as recorded in Shemot is the exact quotation of G-d’s words, while in Devarim they are Moshe’s personal paraphrasing (Babylonian Talmud, Bava Kama 54b-55a). One of the changes that strikes me is that in Devarim during the fifth commandment to honor your parents the phrase “that it be good for you” is added:

ספר שמות פרק כ פסוק יב כַּבֵּד אֶת אָבִיךָ וְאֶת אִמֶּךָ לְמַעַן יַאֲרִכוּן יָמֶיךָ עַל הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר הָשֵׁם אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לָךְ:

“Honor your father and your mother, so that your days be lengthened on the land that Hashem, your 

G-d, is giving you” (Shemot 20:12).

ספר דברים פרק ה פסוק טז 

כַּבֵּד אֶת אָבִיךָ וְאֶת אִמֶּךָ כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוְּךָ הָשֵׁם אֱלֹהֶיךָ לְמַעַן יַאֲרִיכֻן יָמֶיךָ וּלְמַעַן יִיטַב לָךְ עַל הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר הָשֵׁם אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לָךְ:

“Honor your father and your mother as Hashem your G-d commanded you, so that your days be lengthened, and that it may go well with you on the land that Hashem, your G-d, is giving you” (Devarim 5:16).

It does not mention the word good in the first tablets, since they were ultimately destined to be broken… If this term had been mentioned in the first tablets, all good would have, G-d forbid, ceased from Israel once they broke (Babylonian Talmud, Bava Kama 54b-55a).  Therefore, only the second version, written after the breaking of the tablets, contains the word ‘good,’ so that there would always be good for the Jewish people. Moshe adds to the individual reward for honoring parents – longevity – the general reward for fulfilling all the mitzvot. Thus, the mitzvah to honor parents becomes a model for all the mitzvot and its reward similarly is the model of the reward for fulfilling them all as it states, “In all the way which Hashem, your G-d, has commanded you, you shall go, so that you may live and that it may be well with you, and so that you may prolong your days in the land you will possess” (Devarim 5:30). 

Only in the Land of Israel is it Surely Good for the Jews
As is well known, the mitzvah of honoring parents is the only one of the Ten Commandments whose reward is explicitly stated both in er Shemot and in Devarim: “So that your days be lengthened.” This reward for honoring parents makes sense: When we honor our parents, who gave us life, we too will merit life – i.e. to live a long life. Yet, it strikes me that both Torah verses mention an additional aspect of the reward for honoring parents, which is often overseen. The reward of a long life is promised specifically “on the land that Hashem, your G-d, is giving you.” Not only is the reward for honoring parents to live a long life, the reward also includes the privilege of living in the promised land. This second lesser-known reward for honoring parents is surely no less valuable than the first. But what is the connection between honoring parents and being fortunate to live in the land of Israel? Perhaps we can explain that living in the land of Israel is the greatest honor. Rather than bowing our heads with a hunched over back through the effect of millennia of exile antisemitism, here in Israel we live to see the fulfillment of the prayer, “May the Merciful One break the yoke of exile from our neck, and may He lead us upright to our land” (Grace after Meals). As a reward for honoring our parents, we become honored to live an upright life in our homeland also called our Motherland and Fatherland. In a certain sense, the land of Israel is our parent, as all human souls are created at the Temple Mount. The Temple below is connected to the Temple above. From this place, the souls descend and ascend on the ladder (Kli Yakar, Bereishit 12:1). Since the land of Israel is linked to goodness in several Torah verses such as “For Hashem your G-d is bringing you to a good land…” (Devarim 8:7); it may also be that Moshe added the phrase “that it be good for you” in the book of Devarim because now that the Israelites are on the verge of entering the Holy Land, only now will it surely be good!

Gratitude Focus for the Week of Parashat Va’etchanan – 

Some Tips for Appreciating the Land of Israel Even During Times of War

Friends from abroad often ask, “Are you ok? Is your life in danger?” “What’s it like to live in Israel now in times of war?” Especially during wars or trying times, people question, “Isn’t it scary to live in Israel?” Of course, there are challenges, as with all good things in life. Indeed, our rabbis teach that the Land of Israel is acquired through tribulation (Babylonian Talmud, Brachot 5a). There are many strong positives about living in Israel. The strongest is very much a sense of belonging – of a shared destiny. Even with people you don’t know or don’t agree with there is a strong sense that we are all in it together. People are also truly friendly in Israel. I am not talking about the American friendliness of smiling and saying, “have a nice day!”
The population is both diverse and similar at the same time. I have never come across such a sense of community in any other place. Imagine, on Yom Kippur, most Jews (both religious and secular) fast for an entire day and stay away from any electronics. In almost all of Israel, everything shuts down, stores, businesses, cars, and more.  The whole country stops, and there is no traffic in the Jewish areas whatsoever. When you believe that Israel is the destiny of the Jewish people, living here you have a sense of history, and being part of it.

Tips for Loving the Land

• Israel is One of the World’s Safest Countries – The media is continually reporting that Israel is at war, that there are explosions, terrorist assaults, rockets, and so on. This is quite rare. The benefit of Israel is that the country is always prepared for a military emergency; the Iron Dome system shields us from the sky, and soldiers are stationed on the borders, ready to defend. Simultaneously, homes in Israel are outfitted with bomb shelters, and in new homes, there is a security room located in the apartments, so inhabitants do not have to run far to find cover. All of the people of our small country are united by war. It is a fantastic sensation when everyone becomes more tolerant and considerate of one another.

• There Simply isn’t Another Country for Jews – If Russians, Germans, British, Americans, Swedes, and other nations may live anywhere in the globe without encountering hostility, the tendency to reject Jews and occasional outbreaks of violence against us is concerning. In this aspect, “we have no other country. As a result, we cleave to this small piece of land, we love it so much, we raise families here, and we wish each other to live to the age of 120. Without Israel, where would we be?  There simply would be no place for us, G-d forbid.

• Israel Gives Me the Feeling of Being at Home – What does it feel like when you land at Ben-Gurion International Airport, and everyone claps? The clear Tel Aviv sky stretches before you; the warm air of Israel surrounds you like a cocoon. The palm trees wave in the breeze as if greeting your arrival. To me and so many others, it feels like home. In Israel, wherever you go and whatever you do is a Jewish experience. From shopping to using public transportation, you are bound to mingle with fellow Jews and learn something special about them in the process. A person on the bus sitting next to you, may ask you to listen to her blessing over her drink and to answer, “Amen.” I am grateful that our children grew up in an atmosphere where being Jewish is the most natural thing in the world, where we can feel at home among fellow Jews.

• You Really Experience Jewish Holidays in Israel – When winter approaches we are surrounded by Chanukah menorahs and decorations that bring the festive atmosphere to highways and malls. Even the radio stations air familiar Chanukah songs. Around Pesach, the soda bottles have an attractive new design and bear the words, “Chag Sameach!” (Happy Holiday). On Lag B’Omer, traditional bonfires illuminate almost every park and lot throughout the country. Yom Kippur is particularly heartwarming. The roads are car-free, as the sanctity of the day pervades all of Israel. White-clad Jews of every religious denomination mingle in the streets, wishing each other a happy and blessed year.

• Miracles Are the Norm – In Israel, G‑d’s Divine Providence is apparent. The numbers don’t always seem like they will work out on paper; but somehow, things miraculously fall into place. We experienced this personally after we made aliyah. I recall making a budget and writing all our expenses on one side of the paper and our meager income on the other. The numbers didn’t match up. In the end, I just tossed the paper and somehow we never lacked the essentials even though we both learned full-time and none of us worked consistently. We tasted G‑d’s blessing to the Land of Israel: “Forever are the eyes of Hashem your G‑d upon it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year” (Devarim 11:12).

• Experiencing Jewish Unity – One of the best things about living in Israel is witnessing the kindness and unity of our people. This is especially evident at the holy sites in Eretz Yisrael. At King David’s and Rachel’s Tombs, drinks and pastries are distributed in abundance. Children offer books of Tehillim as gifts to passersby. At the Kotel (Western Wall), young girls may share packages of homemade challah and treats, soothing crying youngsters and warming the hearts of all those present. Wherever we go in Israel, while the styles of dress and religious backgrounds are different, the look of excitement and belonging in every pair of eyes is alike. These experiences strengthen our love and passion for being here. We pray for the time when G‑d will gather all Jews from around the world and return us as a nation to our beloved homeland! (Inspired by Nechama Dina Hendel, Three Reasons I Love Living in Israel).

How Can We Transform Our Homes from the External to the Internal Dimension?

Printable Version

 Parashat Metzora  How Can We Transform Our Homes from the External to the Internal Dimension?

 

How do I Reunite the Torn Apart Pieces of my Psyche? 

I feel the ground is being torn down from under my feet. Everything is topsy-turvy! The house never looks as messy as at the peak of Pesach cleaning. With my head in the depths of the kitchen cabinet and pots and pans scattered all over the kitchen floor, I am overwhelmed by a feeling of dissolvement.  It is as if all the different parts of myself are turning into torn-apart pieces, that I must sort out and bring back together in a different composition. There are treasured, vital items in the kitchen, and in my character that I must give their proper place, remove any external grime or dust, and make them shine. Some things are still important and usable, yet to a lesser degree. I will also remove their external attachment and keep them while relegating them to the backstage of my kitchen cabinet and psyche. There are other items that I painfully must be ready to let go of. It could be a favorite tunic or utensil that has been used up and become utterly threadbare and tattered or completely dilapidated. Correspondingly in my psyche, this could refer to a strong will to keep a thought, an attachment, or a relationship that no longer serves me. In the wake of Pesach, we are shedding layers on many levels and learning to let go. With every chametz crumb – we discard – we mustn’t forget to include its inner dimension and let go of any ego attachment. When I become humbled by feeling powerless and unable to keep my life under control, that is when I invite Hashem inside to help me reorganize my torn-apart pieces into a new and greater whole. 

The Blessings in Disguise within Plagues 

Even among the hardest tests we undergo, we can find many matters for which to be grateful. Parashat Metzora which is mostly about the plague of the spiritual skin disease of tzara’at, teaches us about the treasure found within the agony of the plagues.  Similarly, we have experienced positive effects during our recent plague of the coronavirus pandemic, such as reduced road traffic accidents, better communication, closeness among the family units, and other blessings in disguise. I believe the Coronavirus has helped us to discard the external or superfluous while treasuring the essential and internal. It has taught us that rather than dispersing our energy to the outside, it is vital to strengthen our connection with our loved ones, focusing, and investing more in them. In other words, the coronavirus has taught us a lesson on living more inner lives. 

ספר ויקרא פרק יד פסוק לד כִּי תָבֹאוּ אֶל אֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי נֹתֵן לָכֶם לַאֲחֻזָּה וְנָתַתִּי נֶגַע צָרַעַת בְּבֵית אֶרֶץ אֲחֻזַּתְכֶם:

“When you come to the land of Canaan, which I am giving you as a possession, I will place a lesion of tzara’at upon a house in the land of your ancestral possession” (Vayikra 14:34). 

This is [good] news for them that plagues would come upon them, (Torat Kohanim 14:75), because the Amorites [residents of Canaan] concealed treasures of gold in the walls of their houses during the entire forty years that the Israelites were in the desert, and in consequence of the plague they would demolish the house and discover them  [Vayikra Rabbah 17:6]; (Rashi, Vayikra 14:34).

How Can Plagues be a Result of Elevating the Sparks?

Rashi explains that the plague on the house is good ‎tidings for its owner because tzara’at required the owner to tear down the whole ‎house, which revealed treasures buried underneath by the previous ‎Canaanite owners, amounting to far more in value than the worth of the entire house.‎ The inner meaning of the “good tidings” is not only finding the material treasure” but the process of elevating divine fallen sparks. Kedushat HaLevi reminds us about the rule that the true joy we ‎experience is when we elevate the fallen sparks from the ‎‎Shechinah bringing them to the level of serving their ‎Creator. When we succeed in elevating fallen sparks, then the innerness within these sparks elevates not only the inner part of ourselves but even the sparks of the exterior part of ourselves, ‎known as the ‎חצוניות‎/chitzoniyut, so that we are enabled to discard this part of ourselves.‎ Our house has an internal and external dimension. The internal dimension is comprised of elevating the sparks, whereas the discarded parts constitute the external dimension. Comparing the human soul to the inner spark, and the body without the soul to the exterior, explains why the body of a deceased becomes impure. This is because it has lost the inner spark that connects it with the divine – the source of purity.  Similarly, once the sparks within the external parts of our home are elevated, then these external parts likewise become impure by losing their connection to the Divine. When our Torah verse speaks of the house’s exterior ‎suddenly displaying signs of a plague, this is nothing other than ‎the foul-smelling residue left behind in their house after the ‎Israelites had elevated fallen sparks by fulfilling G-d’s mitzvah (Devarim 20:16) ‎not to allow any of the Canaanite residents to survive.  ‎‎Rashi speaks of the glad tidings for the ‎Jewish people when they discover tzara’at upon the houses in the land of Israel that they newly conquered, referring to their joyful discovery of being able to raise the sparks so that they became elevated to spiritually higher regions. Yet after these sparks had left the houses, the houses became exterior and had to be demolished. This is the good news for the treasures that were found after demolishing the houses are the sparks, for the main happiness is to raise up sparks (Based on Kedushat Halevi, Parashat Metzora).

What is the Recipe for Elevating Sparks?

People often ask me “How do we elevate sparks?” I explain that raising sparks entails focusing on and connecting with Hashem through even the most pleasurable or the most painful experiences. For example, when we eat the most delicious Shabbat meal in a way that rather than succumbing to the temptation of taking selfish pleasure, we dedicate the pleasure we experience to serving Hashem by honoring Shabbat. Conversely, when we go through the hardest pain, which could easily make us feel that Hashem has forsaken us, yet we nevertheless choose to trust Hashem believing that this too is for the best, then we also elevate sparks. In both situations, a person is naturally so entrenched in the intensity of his experience that it is a great challenge to devote this personal experience completely to G-d. This principle applies firmly to the original war of conquering the Land of Israel without “allowing any soul to live from among these peoples’ cities, which Hashem, your G-d, gives you as an inheritance” (Devarim 20:16). Being a combat soldier ready to kill in a war is about the greatest pain a person can experience. It can tempt a person to succumb to his lowest animal instincts of anger and aggressiveness while fighting for the sake of victory for its own sake. When the soldier rises above his own selfish survival instinct to engage in violence and rather focuses on the mitzvah of serving Hashem by obliterating every single person among the evil enemy, what could be a greater way of raising up fallen sparks? 

A Woman’s Pesach Cleaning – The Rectification from the Tree of Knowledge 

The strong connection with Hashem that is necessary against all the odds to raise up sparks transforms us from living in the חצוניות/chitzoniut – ‘exterior realm’ to entering into the פנימויות/penimiut – ‘internal realm.’ Rav Shlomo Carlebach teaches us that during Pesach Hashem illuminates such a great light for us, through our innerness, that we are bound to enter the internal realm. When Hashem wants to give us something so heavenly, we need to purify the external so we can stand completely ‘inside,’ without allowing any stronghold for the ‘exterior realm.’ Cleaning the house is one of the greatest rectifications for the sin of the Tree of Knowledge. This rectification is handed over to the woman. It may seem lonely at times, for as much as the husband and children try to help, they can never enter totally into the domain of the woman’s rectification. In the place where a woman cleans and organizes while investing so much depth and seriousness – in that place, she is truly alone (Based on Rav Shlomo Carlebach, Lev HaShamayim: Pesach pp.85-88). Everything about the Tree of Knowledge is about the external dimension. It is what brought about the very first exile, from the utmost innermost place – the Garden of Eden. When we clean the house mindfully, we shed its external layers of dust and grime and thereby transform our home from the external dimension of the Tree of Knowledge to enter the internal dimension of the Tree of Life. Through Pesach cleaning, we have the opportunity to touch such an elevated place, which only a woman can reach. 

                     

Gratitude Focus for the Week of Parashat Metzora

“Japanese people have always regarded cleaning as more than a common chore. It’s normal there for elementary and junior high school students to clean their classrooms together. Cleaning is carried out not because there is dirt, but because it’s an ascetic practice to cultivate the mind.” (Shoukei Matsumoto, Guide to a Clean House and Mind p. 3). Every year, before Pesach, we are commanded to prepare our homes by getting rid of all the chametz, to start fresh and clean, to sweep out all the gunk and crumbs. We can do the same thing with the homes called our bodies, where we store a lot of aches, pains, annoyances, disturbances, stresses, maladaptive habits, etc. Guided meditations are a great way to clear your mind/body of the “chametz” before Pesach.

• Invite Your Community to Join Your Guided Meditation – preparing their minds and psyches for Pesach. Set the mood by lighting candles or dimming lights and turning off phones and other distractions. You may ask the following four questions as part of your Pesach meditation. 

1. What will you be cleaning for Pesach?

2. Why will you be cleaning for Pesach?

3. Does cleaning your space free you to be able to focus your attention inwards?

4. Which items are meaningful to you? How will these items help inspire you this Pesach?

• “We are Closer to G-d when We are Asking Questions Than When We Think we Have Answers” (Avraham Yehoshua Heschel) – While you go about your Pesach cleaning ask yourself questions about the chores you are doing that will inspire you to shed exterior layers of yourself. For example, when cleaning a certain kitchen drawer, you could ask how this drawer is a reflection of the state of your psyche, and how you can reorganize it in a way that will affect your inner being positively. When you scrub suborn stains, you could ask, what are the stubborn stains of my character that I need to remove? and what would be the most effective way to remove them? How do you think the process of cleaning and searching for chametz impacts your spiritual preparation for Pesach?

• Look for Hidden Treasures – Pray to Hashem to find your lost objects while you clean for Pesach. Perhaps during your ordeal of Pesach cleaning you may find a long-lost precious earring or any other item you may have displaced. Rejoice and feel grateful to Hashem for opening your eyes to find hidden treasures!

• Allow Yourself to Be Grateful for the Healing Opportunity of Cleaning – While we focus on removing all of the physical chametz from our homes, notice how the act of cleaning can spark an internal process of introspection, and strengthen your connection to Hashem. You can make your Pesach cleaning a collaborative event by engaging in a post-cleaning discussion and celebration to share what you gained from the experience and discuss what stands out to you most about your experience of cleaning for Pesach.

• Set an Intention for Your Pesach Cleaning to Remove the External Chametz for the Sake of the Mitzvah – so that you can elevate the sparks and transform your home to be aligned with the inner dimension. Focus on how the process of cleaning for Pesach is a way to rectify eating from the Tree of Knowledge – the source of everything external.