MATZAH – THE ORIGINAL SOUL FOOD

Parashat Metzora (Shabbat HaGadol)

Nisan 12, 5784 / April 19-20, 2024

Torah: Leviticus 14:1 - 15:33

Haftarah (Shabbat HaGadol): Malakhi 3:4-24

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PESACH IS COMING!

My 5784 Pesach Resources sheet is available at:

https://rav-rich.blogspot.com/2024/04/pesach-resources-5784.html  

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This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah and a speedy and safe return of all the hostages being held by Hamas.

This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for all who have been wounded in the terrorist attacks and in fighting against the terrorists, as well as innocent non-combatants caught in the crossfire.

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Lunch and Learn meets Mondays at 12:30 PM on Zoom and Facebook Live. There is NO Lunch and Learn on April 22 or April 29. We'll resume on May 6. On May 6, we'll be at BT Shabbat 152a, page 209 of Ein Ya'akov (Glick edition) Volume 1 - 

 '...א"ל רבי לר"ש בן חלפתא מפני מה לא הקבלנו פניך'  

"Rabbi said to R. Simon b. Chalafta: why were we not permitted to see you…”

Ein Ya'akov (Glick edition) is available for on-line reading or as a downloadable PDF at: https://hebrewbooks.org/9630  

A pointed Hebrew text version with different pagination is available at Sefaria:

https://www.sefaria.org/Ein_Yaakov?tab=contents  

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Rabbi Van Leeuwen has a blog which you should read at:

https://rebjasonblog.wordpress.com/blog/  

Dr. Steve Pearlman writes up the "Midrashim of the Week", which you should read at: 

https://midrashsrp.wordpress.com  

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Please pass this on to a friend - and please cite the source.

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MATZAH – THE ORIGINAL SOUL FOOD

“Then the priest will command for the one who is to be cleansed two pure living birds, cedar wood, scarlet thread and hyssop.” Leviticus 14:4

Rashi – “Because plagues come from pride. What is his remedy, that he should be cured? He should lower himself from his pride like a worm (a play on the Hebrew word for scarlet thread) and hyssop (a low bush).”

For the Rabbis, the “leprosy” (tzara’at) visited on the Israelites was the symptom of a spiritual disorder. The ritual discussed in our portion was carried out only after the victim had been separated from the community, and had taken time to reflect upon his sins and to change his ways.

There is another ritual which symbolizes the elimination of haughtiness and pride, and that is the observance of Pesach.

“For seven days, chametz (leavening) shall not be found in your houses - anyone who eats chametz, that soul shall be cut off from the assembly of Israel ...” Exodus 12:19

Chametz, such as yeast, causes dough to bubble and rise, and is symbolic of the inflation of one’s ego. The commandment to remove all of the chametz from our homes may be seen as an instruction to remove pride from our lives. By reducing ourselves to eating matzah for the Passover holiday, we remind ourselves of the sin of pride and the need to deflate our egos. Pesach is "The Festival of Freedom", and matzah is food for freeing the soul.

Remove the chametz from your home and your life for a time; attend a Seder (or two!), and learn about freedom from the slavery of self-importance; eat only “the bread of affliction” for the duration of the holiday; take the hot air out of yourself. Removing chametz from your life can be a spring cleaning of both the physical and the spiritual.

Shabbat shalom - a Shabbat of peace!

Chag Pesach Sameach! Happy Passover!

Rabbi Richard A. Flom

Rabbi Emeritus, Temple B’nai Hayim

הַלּוֹמֵד מִכָּל אָדָם ?אֵיזֶהוּ חָכָם

Who is wise? The one who learns from every person.

Ben Zoma - Pirkei Avot 4:1

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My weekly divrei torah are available through free subscription to the Cyber Torah e-mail list. No salesman will call! Cyber Torah list management:

To subscribe to Cyber Torah, send an e-mail from the receiving address to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net with the heading “Subscribe Cyber Torah”.

To unsubscribe from Cyber Torah, send an e-mail from the receiving address to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net with the heading “Unsubscribe Cyber Torah”.

To dedicate a Cyber Torah in honor of a simchah in memory of a loved one or for a refuah shleimah, send an e-mail to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net with the heading “Dedicate Cyber Torah” and provide details in the message body.

AN ANCIENT PLAGUE

Nisan 5, 5784 / April 12-13, 2024

Parashat Tazria

Torah Leviticus 12:1 – 13:59

Haftarah: 2 Kings 4:42 – 5:19

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PESACH IS COMING!

My 5784 Pesach Resources sheet is available at:

https://rav-rich.blogspot.com/2024/04/pesach-resources-5784.html  

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This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah and a speedy and safe return of all the hostages being held by Hamas.

This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for all who have been wounded in the terrorist attacks and in fighting against the terrorists, as well as innocent non-combatants caught in the crossfire.

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Lunch and Learn meets Mondays at 12:30 PM on Zoom and Facebook Live. There is NO Lunch and Learn on Monday, April 22. On Monday, April 15, we'll be at BT Shabbat 152a, page 209 of Ein Ya'akov (Glick edition) Volume 1 - 

 '...א"ל רבי לר"ש בן חלפתא מפני מה לא הקבלנו פניך' – "Rabbi said to R. Simon b. Chalafta: why were we not permitted to see you…”

Ein Ya'akov (Glick edition) is available for on-line reading or as a downloadable PDF at: https://hebrewbooks.org/9630  

A pointed Hebrew text version with different pagination is available at Sefaria:

https://www.sefaria.org/Ein_Yaakov?tab=contents  

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Rabbi Van Leeuwen has a blog which you should read at:

https://rebjasonblog.wordpress.com/blog/  

Dr. Steve Pearlman writes up the "Midrashim of the Week", which you should read at: 

https://midrashsrp.wordpress.com  

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Please pass this on to a friend - and please cite the source

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AN ANCIENT PLAGUE

'And the one with leprosy in whom the plague is, his/her clothes shall be torn, his/her hair shall be uncut, and s/he shall cover his/her lips, and shall cry: "Impure! Impure!" All the days that the plague is in him/her, s/he shall be impure; s/he is impure; s/he shall dwell alone; outside the camp will be his/her dwelling.' Leviticus 13:45-46

The Torah goes to great lengths to describe tzara'at, the ailment generally mistranslated as "leprosy". It does not appear to be any known physical disease. This seems obvious from a close reading of the text. The Talmud says that "metzora", "leper", is really a contraction of "motzi shem ra" - one who brings forth a bad name, i.e., a slanderer.

The Rabbis taught that tzara'at was a "miraculous" disease, inflicted by God as punishment for slander, which could not be cured by physicians. Indeed, the Torah describes no cure for the disease, merely the acts one must take while suffering from it - covering the mouth, warning others and separating from the community - and the rituals for when the disease disappears.

How can a punitive ailment inflicted by God disappear?  The cure, or at least the possibility of a cure, is within the individual suffering from tzara'at. Tzara'at is the physical manifestation of a spiritual ailment - the haughtiness and false sense of superiority of the person who slanders another. Once the slanderer realizes this, s/he is required to publicly confess through self-denunciation, and then do penance, alone, until the disease is gone. The slanderer is "treated like a leper".

What do the Torah and the Rabbis know that seems so difficult for us to grasp? Why is slander/gossip a growth industry in our society, when it has been recognized as a contagious plague for 3500 years? How many of us ask ourselves, "Did I do or say anything today which makes me impure? Am I fit to be with other people?"

It has been said that what comes out of one's mouth is as important as what goes in. If you are what you eat, perhaps you are what you say. Time maybe for all of us to go on a verbal diet.

Shabbat Shalom!

Rabbi Richard A. Flom

Rabbi Emeritus, Temple B’nai Hayim

הַלּוֹמֵד מִכָּל אָדָם ?אֵיזֶהוּ חָכָם

Who is wise? The one who learns from every person.

Ben Zoma - Pirkei Avot 4:1

------------------------------------------------------

Cyber Torah list management (no salesman will call!):

To subscribe to Cyber Torah, send an e-mail with the subject heading “Subscribe Cyber Torah” to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net 

Send requests for dedications of Cyber Torah in honor of a simchah, in memory of a loved one or for a refuah shleimah to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net 

To unsubscribe from Cyber Torah, send an e-mail with the subject heading “Unsubscribe Cyber Torah” to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net 

THE ORDER OF THE TORAH

Adar Hasheni 27, 5784 / April 5-6, 2024

Parashat Sh'mini (Shabbat Hachodesh)

Torah Leviticus 9:1 - 11:47

Maftir: Exodus 12:1-20 (Hachodesh)

Haftarah: Ezekiel 45:16 – 46:18 (Ashkenazim - Shabbat Hachodesh); Ezekiel 45:18 – 46:15 (Sephardim - Shabbat Hachodesh)

Mevarkhim Hachodesh (Blessing of the New Month)

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PESACH IS COMING!

My 5784 Pesach Resources sheet is available at: 

https://rav-rich.blogspot.com/2024/04/pesach-resources-5784.html 

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This d’var torah is offered in honor of the best wife and mother ever, Lynn Kronzek, on the occasion of her birthday, April 8. Ad me’ah v’esrim – until 120!

This d’var torah is offered in memory of Lynn’s father, Abraham Kronzek, whose yahrzeit falls on Rosh Chodesh Nisan, Tuesday, April 9. Y’hi zikhro barukh – his memory is a blessing.

This d’var torah is offered in memory of the seven World Central Kitchen workers who were killed in an Israeli missile strike. May their holy work continue.

This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah and a speedy and safe return of all the hostages being held by Hamas.

This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for all who have been wounded in the terrorist attacks and in fighting against the terrorists, as well as innocent non-combatants caught in the crossfire.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Lunch and Learn meets Mondays at 12:30 PM on Zoom and Facebook Live. There is NO Lunch and Learn on Monday, April 8 or on Monday, April 22. On Monday, April 15, we'll be at BT Shabbat 152a, page 209 of Ein Ya'akov (Glick edition) Volume 1 - 

 '...א"ל רבי לר"ש בן חלפתא מפני מה לא הקבלנו פניך' – "Rabbi said to R. Simon b. Chalafta: why were we not permitted to see you…”

Ein Ya'akov (Glick edition) is available for on-line reading or as a downloadable PDF at: https://hebrewbooks.org/9630  

A pointed Hebrew text version with different pagination is available at Sefaria:

https://www.sefaria.org/Ein_Yaakov?tab=contents 

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Rabbi Van Leeuwen has a blog which you should read at:

https://rebjasonblog.wordpress.com/blog/ 

Dr. Steve Pearlman writes up the "Midrashim of the Week", which you should read at: 

https://midrashsrp.wordpress.com 

------------------------------------------------------

Please pass this on to a friend - and please cite the source

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

THE ORDER OF THE TORAH

“This is the law (torah) of the beast, of the fowl, and of every living creature that moves in the waters and of every creature that swarms upon the earth. It is to separate between the impure and the pure, and between the living thing which may be eaten and the living thing which may not be eaten.” Leviticus 11:46-47

Rabbi Simlai taught that just as the creation of humanity came after that of all the animals, the Torah of humans comes after the Torah of the animals. He was referring to the readings for the next two weeks, Tazria and Metzora, as well as to this week’s reading. Here, the kosher (clean; permitted to be eaten) and tahor  (ritually pure) animals, on the one hand, and the treif (unclean; forbidden to be eaten) and tamei (impure) animals are discussed. In Tazria-Metzora, various conditions of ritual purity and impurity of human beings are described. For each condition, just as with the animals, the Torah concludes with the words “this is the law” - “zot hatorah”.

The Chatam Sofer

The Chatam Sofer (Moses Schreiber, aka Moshe Sofer; 1762-1839), teaches that the reason the animals come first, in creation and in matters of purity, is to knock us humans down a peg. An animal can become impure only after it is dead, by happenstance. But we become impure (physically, ritually and spiritually) while we are alive, through our thoughts and deeds. It is our arrogance and our pride in believing and acting as if we are the rulers of the world and of all creation that cause our impurity. Not only do we treat animals in that way, but we all too often treat each other that way. Consider this: how do human violence, hate, pride, greed, narcissism, etc., make us superior to animals?

It's time to reorder our priorities. We cannot change the Torah to make ourselves come first. But we can change ourselves to make the ethics of the Torah come first.

Shabbat Shalom! Chodesh Nisan Tov!

Rabbi Richard A. Flom

Rabbi Emeritus, Temple B’nai Hayim

הַלּוֹמֵד מִכָּל אָדָם ?אֵיזֶהוּ חָכָם

Who is wise? The one who learns from every person.

Ben Zoma - Pirkei Avot 4:1

------------------------------------------------------

Cyber Torah list management (no salesman will call!):

To subscribe to Cyber Torah, send an e-mail with the subject heading “Subscribe Cyber Torah” to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net 

Send requests for dedications of Cyber Torah in honor of a simchah, in memory of a loved one or for a refuah shleimah to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net 

To unsubscribe from Cyber Torah, send an e-mail with the subject heading “Unsubscribe Cyber Torah” to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net 

PESACH RESOURCES – 5784

PESACH RESOURCES – 5784

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Chaverim yekarim - Dear friends:
 
Well, it’s almost time for Pesach! You know, the “Festival of Freedom”, the holiday on which we celebrate our release from slavery to Pharaoh in Egypt by abiding by the very strict dietary and ritual rules created by the Rabbis and Jewish Tradition, including eating the hardtack called matzah for eight days. Freedom, you say? God said, “Send forth My people, so they may serve me.” That’s how it is typically translated. But the Hebrew word for “so they may serve me”, “v’ya’avduni”, might easily be translated as “so they will slave for Me”. The root for “serve”, “avad”, is also the root for “eved” – “slave”. So, how do you manage Pesach in such a way as to avoid complete slavery?
 
Here are some simple rules:
1. Accept that you are not perfect – and neither is anyone else! You don’t have to do it all! You can’t do it all!
2. Prepare the house by cleaning and removing the chametz. A short but very useful guide to kashering your kitchen and home and identifying foods that are or are not kosher for Passover can be found at: 

https://www.rabbinicalassembly.org/pesah-guide-5784 

3. Prepare the food for the Seder.

4. Prepare the food for the remainder of the holiday by shopping for it before Pesach.
5. Prepare yourself and your family spiritually.
6. Prepare yourself and your family intellectually.
7. Do not drive yourself or anyone else crazy – see number rule #1.
8. Remember that Pesach really is about freedom; freedom is fun; have fun! See rule #7.
9. Any questions? Ask a rabbi!

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Shmurah Matzah - chabad.org

By RCB ** - https://www.flickr.com/photos/29233640@N07/3425839221/, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=101979491

Are you looking for ways to make your Seder more meaningful, more accessible, more involving for children, more interesting, shorter, etc.? Then check out these resources on-line:

 
a. The Rabbinical Assembly’s Pesach Guide 5784 can be downloaded at the following site: 

https://www.rabbinicalassembly.org/pesah-guide-5784 

a.1. The Rabbinical Assembly has published "A Prayer for the Hostages in Gaza" by our colleague Rabbi Maayan Belding-Zion of Rishon LeZion as as a hagaddah supplement. Please feel free to read/download at the following link. And please don't wait until your seder to offer this prayer:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AhsQSvgS6yc4StWUEwn09TMXX0b8zPot/view?usp=sharing  

b. Additional Pesach kashrut and other resources from the Rabbinical Assembly may be found at: 

https://www.rabbinicalassembly.org/jewish-law/holidays/pesah/pesah-prep-and-resources  

c. Pesach kitchen kashering from a strictly Orthodox perspective can be found at:
 
https://artscroll.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/kosher-kitchen_ch-15.pdf
 
d. MyJewishLearning.com is, IMVHO, the best Jewish educational resource on the web, and has material on virtually everything you might ever want to know about Judaism, but don't know how or whom to ask. The homepage is easily navigable. For Pesach, explore this page, with its 33(!) additional pages of links to all kinds of information and resources:

https://www.myjewishlearning.com/category/celebrate/passover/    

 

e. Passover according to Chabad in a straightforward manner. Lots of useful material. Follow the various links on this page:
 
https://www.chabad.org/holidays/passover/default_cdo/aid/109747/jewish/Passover.htm  

f. Especially good for beginners, National Jewish Outreach Program’s extensive and accessible collection of how-tos, background materials and videos, from the folks who bring you Shabbat Across America (also has Shabbat and other holiday resources):
 
http://njop.org/resources/holidays/complete-guide-to-holidays/passover/passover-seder-101-web-series/ 

g. How about a downloadable Haggadah? Check out:

The Express Haggadah at: https://expresshaggadah.com 

A Google search for "free downloadable haggadah" will lead to many useful and many not-so-useful resources. If you go this route, be sure they are legitimate and not come-ons from missionary groups.

One of my seminary teachers suggested that, in addition to whichever Haggadah of choice you use for your Seder, you should every year acquire a new Haggadah with commentary and illustrations to help you prepare and make your Seder more enjoyable. Ask your local Jewish bookseller, consult with a rabbi, explore the web – there are beautiful and accessible Haggadot available. Here are some of my favorites for getting ready:

 

 
1. Passover Haggadah – The Feast of Freedom. The Rabbinical Assembly, 1982. Clear spiritual commentary. 

 
2. A Passover Haggadah – Go Forth and Learn. Rabbi David Silver. Jewish Publication Society, 2011. A new classic.
 
3. The Haggadah Treasury. Rabbi Nosson Scherman. Artscroll, 1978. Midrash and traditional teachings.
 
4. From Bondage to Freedom – The Passover Haggadah. Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski, M.D. Shaar Press, 1995. Tradition blended with insights relating to addiction and dependency.
 
5. A Different Night – The Family Participation Haggadah. Noam Zion and David Dishon. Shalom Hartman Institute, 1997. Difficult to use at the seder, but lots of great ideas - especially in the leader's guide.
 
6. Studies on the Haggadah from the Teachings of Nechama Leibowitz. Urim Publications, 2002. Deep Torah from a great scholar.
 
7. The Hirsch Haggadah. Samson Raphael Hirsch. Feldheim Publishers, 1993. The 19th century voice of Orthodoxy.
 
8. A Feast of History. Chaim Raphael. Steimatzky’s, 1972. (Out of print but available used) The lengthy historical essay is interesting and useful.
 
9. The Origins of the Seder. Baruch Bokser. JTS Press, 2002 (Paperback edition). Not a Haggadah, but for those interested in an academic treatise that opens the eyes to history.
 
10. Passover – The Family Guide to Spiritual Celebration. Dr. Ron Wolfson. Jewish Lights Publishing, 2010 (2d edition) A straight-forward how-to guide with explanations and insights for the table.
 
Some other important reminders about Pesach and the lead-up to the holy days:
 
1. All first-borns (except Levi’im and Kohanim) are obliged to engage in a fast, called Ta’anit B’chorot, others say Ta'anit B'chorim, from pre-dawn until the seder on the 14th of Nisan, on Wednesday, April 22, in recognition of the 10th plague. To avoid the fast, the custom has become for the firstborn to engage in Torah study and then have a festive "meal" (a siyyum) at the completion of their study. Reb Jason will hold on-line  Torah study and siyyum on April 22, at 8:30 am, streaming at https://www.facebook.com/BnaiHayim/ and via Zoom - Zoom details will be in the synagogue e-mail notices, or you can contact me at:

ravflom@sbcglobal.net for the Zoom link.

 

2. Temple B'nai Hayim/Congregation Beth Meier is holding an in-person

Community Second Seder this year, Tuesday, April 23 at 6:30 pm.

For more information on the Community Second Seder, contact the synagogue at (818) 788-4664 or office@bethmeier.org  

3.  DON’T FORGET TO REMOVE AND SELL CHAMETZ!! – AUTHORIZE RABBI VAN LEEUWEN TO SELL ON YOUR BEHALF NO LATER THAN 3:00 pm, April 16, 2024.

A fillable on-line form is available here: https://forms.gle/jY2uUCbLaEGYQLRy6 

 
4. Kitniyot (beans, rice, corn) on Pesach? Yes! Read the latest from the Rabbinical Assembly at:
 
http://www.rabbinicalassembly.org/sites/default/files/public/halakhah/teshuvot/2011-2020/Levin-Reisner-Kitniyot.pdf
 
I guess it's time to start thinking about Pesach!
 
Wishing you a Chag Pesach Sameach, Kasher U’Mashma’uti – A Passover that is Happy, Kosher and Meaningful!

Rabbi Richard A. Flom

Rabbi Emeritus, Temple B’nai Hayim

הַלּוֹמֵד מִכָּל אָדָם ?אֵיזֶהוּ חָכָם

Who is wise? The one who learns from every person.

Ben Zoma - Pirkei Avot 4:1

HOLY AFIKOMAN!

Parashat Tzav (Shabbat Parah)

Adar II 20, 5784 / March 29-30, 2024

Torah: Leviticus 6:1 - 8:36

Maftir (Parah): Numbers 19:1-22

Haftarah (Parah): Ezekiel 36:16-38 

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Reb Jason is on a well-deserved vacation this Shabbat. Rabbi Flom will be conducting an A Capella Shabbat Evening Services (Zoom and Facebook Live only) at 7:00 PM. Rabbi Flom and Dr. Steve Pearlman will be conducting Shabbat Morning Services (in person and on Zoom and Facebook Live) at 9:30 AM. If you do not already have the Zoom or Facebook links, please email Rabbi Flom at: ravflom@sbcglobal.net 

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This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah and a speedy and safe return of all the hostages being held by Hamas.

This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for all who have been wounded in the Hamas terrorist attacks and in fighting against the terrorists, as well as innocent non-combatants caught in the crossfire.
 
This d'var torah is offered in memory of all the victims of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Hezbollah. Y’hi zikhronam liv’rakhah – May their memories be a blessing. And may the memory of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Hezbollah and all their supporters be forever erased.
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Lunch and Learn meets Mondays at 12:30 PM on Zoom and Facebook Live. On Monday, March 25, we'll be at BT Shabbat 151b, page 207 of Ein Ya'akov (Glick edition) Volume 1  -  '...תניא ר"ש בן אלעזר אומר' – "It was taught in a Baraitha that R. Simon b. Elazar said ....”

 
Ein Ya'akov (Glick edition) is available for on-line reading or as a downloadable PDF at:
https://hebrewbooks.org/9630   
 
A pointed Hebrew text version with different pagination is available at Sefaria:
https://www.sefaria.org/Ein_Yaakov?tab=contents  
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Check out our wonderful community, and get lots of info about our various programs and becoming a Member at: https://bnaihayim.org/ 
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Rabbi Van Leeuwen has a blog which you should read at: 
https://rebjasonblog.wordpress.com/blog/ 
 
Dr. Steve Pearlman writes up the "Midrashim of the Week", which you should read at: 
https://midrashsrp.wordpress.com 
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Please pass this on to a friend - and please cite the source

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HOLY AFIKOMAN!

"That which is left of (the meal offering) shall be eaten by Aaron and his sons; it shall be eaten as unleavened bread (matzot) in the holy place…. It shall not be baked with leaven (chametz); I have given it as their portion from My offering by fire; it is most holy, like the sin offering and the guilt offering.... Anything that touches these shall become holy." Leviticus 6:9 – 11

Only some of the minchah (meal) offering is burned on the altar.  The remainder is eaten by the priests in the form of an enriched matzah (not quite the same as Pesach matzah - it's mixed with olive oil). Like some of the other sacrifices, it is "most holy". Anything that touches it becomes holy as well.

Olive Oil "Matzah"

Our Seder Shel Pesach is a re-enactment of an ancient ritual of sacrifice. We are a kingdom of priests and a holy people (Exodus 19:6). Our table is the altar. The candles represent the flames of the sacrifices. The wine represents the libation the priests poured over the sacrifices. The shank bone and roasted egg represent the Pesach sacrifice and the Festival sacrifice respectively. As commanded in the Torah, we consume matzah and maror (bitter herb), but we do not eat or offer a sacrifice. The three matzot? The top two are used for the commandment to eat matzah and the commandment to eat maror (along with charoset). The third matzah? Half of it is used to eat the “Hillel sandwich” in the style Hillel consumed the Pesach sacrifice. And the other half of the third matzah? That is a substitute for the Pesach sacrifice – the afikoman.

The Seder Shel Pesach is more, much more than a big family feast - it is a deep connection to our roots and to those who have gone before us, as well as a significant link to our future. It is an act of kedushah - of holiness. The afikoman is not dessert, though it is the final thing we eat at the seder. As it is representative of the last morsel of the Pesach sacrifice, it is, like any sacrifice, holy. And its consumption makes us holy as well.

Pesach is coming!

Shabbat Shalom uv’rakhah - Wishing you a Shabbat of peace and blessings!

Rabbi Richard A. Flom

Rabbi Emeritus, Temple B’nai Hayim

הַלּוֹמֵד מִכָּל אָדָם ?אֵיזֶהוּ חָכָם

Who is wise? The one who learns from every person.

Ben Zoma - Pirkei Avot 4:1

------------------------------------------------------
Cyber Torah list management (no salesman will call!):
To subscribe to Cyber Torah, send an e-mail with the subject heading “Subscribe Cyber Torah” to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net 
Send requests for dedications of Cyber Torah in honor of a simchah, in memory of a loved one or for a refuah shleimah to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net 

To unsubscribe from Cyber Torah, send an e-mail with the subject heading “Unsubscribe Cyber Torah” to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net  

NO IFS, ANDS, OR BUTS!

Parashat Vayikra (Shabbat Zakhor)

2 Adar 13, 5784 / March 22-23, 2024

Torah: Leviticus 1:1 - 5:26

Maftir: Deuteronomy 25:17-1

Haftarah (Zakhor): 1 Samuel 15:2-34 (Ashkenazim); 1 Samuel 15:1-34 (Sephardim) 

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This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah and a speedy and safe return of all the hostages being held by Hamas.

This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for all who have been wounded in the Hamas terrorist attacks and in fighting against the terrorists, as well as innocent non-combatants caught in the crossfire.
 
This d'var torah is offered in memory of all the victims of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Hezbollah. Y’hi zikhronam liv’rakhah – May their memories be a blessing. And may the memory of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Hezbollah and all their supporters be forever erased.
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Lunch and Learn meets Mondays at 12:30 PM on Zoom and Facebook Live. On Monday, March 25, we'll be at BT Shabbat 145b, page 205 of Ein Ya'akov (Glick edition) Volume 1  -  "... הבאים ישרה יעקב יציץ" – "In the future shall Jacob yet take root ....”

 
Ein Ya'akov (Glick edition) is available for on-line reading or as a downloadable PDF at:
https://hebrewbooks.org/9630   
 
A pointed Hebrew text version with different pagination is available at Sefaria:
https://www.sefaria.org/Ein_Yaakov?tab=contents  
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Check out our wonderful community, and get lots of info about our various programs and becoming a Member at: https://bnaihayim.org/ 
----------------------------------------------------------------
Rabbi Van Leeuwen has a blog which you should read at: 
https://rebjasonblog.wordpress.com/blog/ 
 
Dr. Steve Pearlman writes up the "Midrashim of the Week", which you should read at: 
https://midrashsrp.wordpress.com 
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!משנכנס אדר, מרבין בשמחה - With the beginning of Adar, we increase joy! (BT Ta'anit 29a) 

HERE'S A LITTLE PURIM TORAH CONTEST 

As this is a Jewish Leap Year, it raises a question, and the person who gives me whatever I believe to be the best answer will be awarded one slightly used bottle of slivovitz (the decision of the judge and the amount of slivovitz he drinks from the bottle first are in his sole discretion and are final): Since we are instructed by our rabbis to be joyful in Adar, and Adar is twice as long this year, does that mean that we have twice as much joy this year than in non-leap years, or, does it mean that on any given day in the months of Adar, we are only half as joyful as we would have been in a non-leap year because our joy must be spread over twice as many days? There is no right or wrong answer! Be (very) creative with proof texts!
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Please feel free to pass this on to a friend, and please cite the source.

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NO IFS, ANDS, OR BUTS!

"When (asher) a ruler a sins, and commits one from among the commandments of the Lord his God which may not be done - unintentionally - and is guilty; or if his sin is known to him, he shall bring his offering..." Leviticus 4:22-3

"Fortunate (ashrei) is the generation whose ruler directs his heart to bring an atonement for his unintentional error; how much more so when he repents of his deliberate sins." Rashi, based on the midrash from Sifra

The Altar of Incense, Altar of Burnt-Offering, and Laver from the Biblical Tabernacle; illustration from the 1890 Holman Bible

Unlike with regard to priests, commoners, and the people as a whole, the Torah says "when" rather than "if". The commentator Sforno says this implies that sins by those in power are inevitable. This cynical view seems obvious enough to us ("power corrupts"), but it was equally obvious 3000 years ago. The prophet Samuel had warned the people not to have a king over them, because he would make their lives burdensome. They insisted that they wanted to be like "all the other peoples". And that is what they got.

Rashi, using word play, takes this cynicism, and points out that people are fortunate to have a ruler who sins and repents - not only if he atones for his inadvertent sins, but especially when he atones for his intentional sins. This seems to go against human nature.

If we act inadvertently, we tend to make excuses in order to avoid the punishment. "It was an accident." "I didn't mean to do it." But when we act with intent, we have no choice but to repent. We're busted, and there is no escaping it. Not so with those in power. Repenting for an unintentional act is easier for a ruler precisely because he has an excuse, and it makes him look good in the eyes of the people when he atones for something for which all agree he was not fully responsible. But for a ruler to atone for an intentional act, he has to admit that he acted arrogantly, that he was abusing his power.

Does this mean we hold our rulers to a higher standard? Well, yes, and it is precisely because we have given them power over us. This, says Sforno, is why it says "his God" - to remind the ruler that he is not really in charge, but that the Ruler of Rulers is above him. We know that the ruling authorities watch us. When they atone for their intentional acts, then we know that they too answer to a higher authority.

Shabbat Shalom uv’rakhah - Wishing you a Shabbat of peace and blessings.

And Purim Sameach! Barukh Mordechai! Arur Haman!

HaRav HaGa’on Abba Reuven ben Menachem Mendel Flom, Sh’lita
Av Beis Din – Chelm
Slivovitz Taste Tester
משנכנס אדר, מרבין בשמחה
From the beginning of Adar, we increase joy.
BT Ta’anit 29a
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Cyber Torah list management (no salesman will call!):
To subscribe to Cyber Torah, send an e-mail with the subject heading “Subscribe Cyber Torah” to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net 
Send requests for dedications of Cyber Torah in honor of a simchah, in memory of a loved one or for a refuah shleimah to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net 
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FINDING MEANING IN THE MUNDANE

Parashat Pekudei

Torah: Exodus 38:21 – 40:38 (Chazak!)

Haftarah: 1 Kings 7:51-8:21 (Ashkenazim); 1 Kings 7:40-50 (Sephardim)

Adar Hasheni 6, 5784 / March 15-16, 2024

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This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah and a speedy and safe return of all the hostages being held by Hamas.

This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for all who have been wounded in the Hamas terrorist attacks and in fighting against the terrorists, as well as innocent non-combatants caught in the crossfire.
 
This d'var torah is offered in memory of all the victims of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Hezbollah. Y’hi zikhronam liv’rakhah – May their memories be a blessing. And may the memory of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Hezbollah and all their supporters be forever erased.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Lunch and Learn meets Mondays at 12:30 PM on Zoom and Facebook Live. We will not be meeting on March 18. On Monday, March 25, we'll be at BT Shabbat 145b, page 205 of Ein Ya'akov (Glick edition) Volume 1 – "In the future shall Jacob yet take root ....” -  "... הבאים ישרה יעקב יציץ" 

 
Ein Ya'akov (Glick edition) is available for on-line reading or as a downloadable PDF at:
https://hebrewbooks.org/9630   
 
A pointed Hebrew text version with different pagination is available at Sefaria:
https://www.sefaria.org/Ein_Yaakov?tab=contents  
---------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Check out our wonderful community, and get lots of info about our various programs and becoming a Member at: https://bnaihayim.org/ 
----------------------------------------------------------------
Rabbi Van Leeuwen has a blog which you should read at: 
https://rebjasonblog.wordpress.com/blog/ 
 
Dr. Steve Pearlman writes up the "Midrashim of the Week", which you should read at: 
https://midrashsrp.wordpress.com 
------------------------------------------------------

!משנכנס אדר, מרבין בשמחה - With the beginning of Adar, we increase joy! (BT Ta'anit 29a) 

HERE'S A LITTLE PURIM TORAH CONTEST 

As this is a Jewish Leap Year, it raises a question, and the person who gives me whatever I believe to be the best answer will be awarded one slightly used bottle of slivovitz (the decision of the judge and the amount of slivovitz he drinks from the bottle first are in his sole discretion and are final): Since we are instructed by our rabbis to be joyful in Adar, and Adar is twice as long this year, does that mean that we have twice as much joy this year than in non-leap years, or, does it mean that on any given day in the months of Adar, we are only half as joyful as we would have been in a non-leap year because our joy must be spread over twice as many days? There is no right or wrong answer! Be (very) creative with proof texts!
-------------------------------------------------------------------  

Please feel free to pass this on to a friend, and please cite the source.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
FINDING MEANING IN THE MUNDANE

“Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled upon it (alav); and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.” Exodus 40:35

Etz Hayyim: It is unclear whether entry is literally blocked or is not permissible or that Moses dared not enter.

The erection of the tabernacle and the Sacred vessels, as in Exodus 4017–19; from the 1728 Figures de la Bible

The playwright David Mamet (in Five Cities of Refuge, co-authored with Rabbi Lawrence Kushner) asks an interesting question. “But is there something in the notion that Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud rested on him?”(reading the word “alav” as “upon him” rather than “upon it” - the Hebrew is ambiguous) He goes on to suggest that when Moses was filled with the Holy Spirit, in direct communion with the Divine, he was thereby unable to act as a servant to either God or the Israelites.

There has lately been a quest by Jews and non-Jews alike for “spirituality”. These searchers want a connection with God that is uplifting, meaningful, emotional, etc. And often, they want it immediately - they want a moving personal experience when they want it. This is a difficult proposition for rabbis and cantors, clergy of all types, who cannot always deliver spirituality on demand. One also must wonder whether God takes orders in quite this way - or in any way at all!

I am not in any way denigrating the spiritual needs of people. I also desire that connection, however ephemeral or short-lived it may be. But whenever I am having my individual experience with the Divine in a way that is not through any physical act, such as meditation or even singing, or when my spiritual moment is divorced from the world around me (something that I do seek from time to time), I am not then able to fulfill the Divine will. That is to say, we are commanded to act in this world through gemilut chasadim (acts of loving kindness), through tikkun olam (repairing brokenness in the world), and through tzedakah (justice or charity). One might argue these are only ordinary acts. But I think they are extra-ordinary and powerful ways to worship God. We all know that there can be joy in performing these mitzvot, as well as joy in the results. By acting as God’s servants, by feeding the hungry and burying the dead and protecting God's Creation and loving the stranger and giving charity, we make the spiritual (and human!) connection that God wants, even if it is not necessarily the connection we want when we want it.

If indeed God is Hamakom, the One That Is In Every Place, then in a narrow sense, God is within us as well. Although we may seldom if ever experience an ecstatic connection with God, we can nevertheless have an emotionally and spiritually satisfying connection whenever we want - by finding meaning in the mundane; in ordinary, everyday Jewish living. You want to find God?  Go - perform an act of chesed or tikkun or tzedakah and save the world! One small piece at a time.

Shabbat Shalom!
 
HaRav HaGa’on Abba Reuven ben Menachem Mendel Flom, Sh’lita
Av Beis Din – Chelm
Slivovitz Taste Tester
משנכנס אדר, מרבין בשמחה
From the beginning of Adar, we increase joy.
BT Ta’anit 29a
------------------------------------------------------
Cyber Torah list management (no salesman will call!):
To subscribe to Cyber Torah, send an e-mail with the subject heading “Subscribe Cyber Torah” to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net 
Send requests for dedications of Cyber Torah in honor of a simchah, in memory of a loved one or for a refuah shleimah to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net 
To unsubscribe from Cyber Torah, send an e-mail with the subject heading “Unsubscribe Cyber Torah” to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net