Back in 1996, Rabbi Finman was asked to speak to the niece of one of his students. After spending many hours answering her questions, the woman gave Rabbi Finman her e-mail address. Rabbi Finman wrote the woman a note and included in it a short insight into that week's Parsha and a short Chasidic story.
Realizing that this was something no one was yet doing,, Rabbi Finman sent the missive to his mailing list of about 30 people. Requests from recipients friends came pouring in. The next week Rabbi Finman sent the e-Parsha to 100 people. Within a year more than 2000 people were receiving it. Today, more than 14,000 receive the e-Parsha weekly and the requests keep coming in.
Vaera 5785
Shmos 5785
Vayechi 5785
Vayigash 5785
Miketz-Chanukah 5785
Vaera 5785
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YouParsha Vaera https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slUF97w4T3M You CAN do it!
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Moshe resigned his leadership at the end of last week's Parsha. This week - Parshas Vaera, Exodus 6:2 - 9:35 - Hashem refused his resignation. By resigning, Moshe showed that he and the Jewish people believed that the exodus would never come. Hashem answered him threefold:
I appeared to you in a manner unlike that of the Patriarchs. Avrohom, Yitschok and Yaakov. They did experience Divine revelation and miracles. Their experience with the Divine was through intermediate stages (E-L Shadkai). Moshe and eventually the entire Jewish people with the exodus, splitting of the sea and Sinaitic revelation experienced Hashem face to face.
I swore to the patriarchs to return their children after four generations to the Holy Land. Swearing, in Judaism, is considered very serious. The Baal Shem Tov nearly lost his place in the world to come due to an oath. Our sages say that which Hashem commands us, Hashem also does. Those promises to the patriarchs were solemn - not to be taken lightly.
I judged the land and saw their affliction. The Egyptians made the lives of the Jews miserable in three ways: Through harsh taskmasters, working with brick and mortar and drowning their sons in the Nile. Hashem revealed four expressions of salvation to Moshe. He took them out from under the dominion of the task masters, saved them from harsh labor, redeemed them by killing the first born Egyptians as payback for throwing Jewish babies into the river and went one step further by saying I will take you as my nation at Sinai.
There is a fifth expression - I will bring you to the land - which includes the final redemption with Moshiach. Hashem's promises and assurances came to fruition 3300 years ago. We can be certain the final promise will also be fulfilled. Speedily.
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Rabbi Shnuer Zalman - The Alter Rebbe - First Lubavitcher Rebbe -whose yahrtzeit is this week, visited the city of Shklov - a stronghold for those opposed to Chasidic philosophy. The opponents, in their anger, plotted to throw stones at the Rebbe when he was to leave. When the chasidim heard of their plan they met to decide on a course of action to protect the Rebbe. One of them, a particular strong and robust 18-year-old named Dovid, stood up and declared that he would accompany the Rebbe and make sure that nothing happened to him.
When the time came to leave, a crowd of people armed with stones surrounded the Alter Rebbe's carriage in a threatening manner. Young Dovid ripped a tree out of the ground and faced the menacing group: "I will kill anyone of you who dares to lift a hand against this holy tzadik!" he roared. The crowd backed off, fully believing that he would carry out his threat. Dovid was then able to accompany the Rebbe to the outskirts of the city untouched.
As soon as they were outside the city, the Alter Rebbe climbed out of the carriage and said to Dovid, "You were responsible for actually saving my life. May you live to be 120!" A century later, one day before he was to turn 120, Dovid called the the burial society to his bedside. Although now a very old man, Dovid was still in good health. Together, he and his guests made a 'lechaim' on some whiskey. The next day, on his 120th birthday, Dovid passed away.
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