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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.
Pinchas 5786
Chukas Balak 5786
Korach 5786
Shlach 5786
Naso 5786
Pinchas 5786
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This week's YouParsha Pinchas http://youtu.be/WcbKvgGqaaQ Moshe Forgot
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This week is the portion of Pinchas, Numbers 25:10 - 30:1. A major point in the Parsha concerns the daughters of Tzelaphchad. The land of Israel was apportioned to heads of households. Tzelaphchad had only daughters and therefore excluded from their entitlements. They complained to Moshe. Moshe took their complaint to the Almighty. The Almighty granted their request and they each received a portion in the land of Israel.
The Rebbe would often comment that Women have an innate love of Judaism and the land of Israel. It is explained in Chassidus that each person has male and female characteristics. Each one of us, being Jewish, has an innate love of Judaism. This love can be realized through meditating on G'd’s greatness as creator, doing mitzvahs and other acts of kindness or by simply being aware that we are here on a Divine mission to make the physical world a better place.
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Special for the three weeks:
It is explained that when we learn the laws of the Holy Temple; its structure, the services and sacrifices practiced there, it is as if we are building it. Therefore, the Rebbe stressed that during the "Three Weeks" we should spend time studying what the Holy Temple will be like.
THE MITZVAH TO BUILD
Adapted from the Laws Concerning the Building of the Temple written by the Rambam (Maimonides).
When the Jews received the Torah at Mt. Sinai, they were commanded to build a Holy Sanctuary for Hashem, called in Hebrew, a Mikdash. The purpose of the Mikdash [Temple] is to provide Hashem with a place to dwell in this world, a House where offerings may be brought. Men and women must help build the Temple. It is a mitzvah to build it as beautifully as possible. If money is available, one should even cover the whole structure with gold! However, children may not be taken away from learning Torah, even for the sake of building the Temple. We do not build the Temple on Shabbos or on Yom Tov. A person is meant to go to the Temple three times a year, to celebrate the Festivals of Pesach, Shavuos, and Succos.
A BIT OF HISTORY
The first Sanctuary was built by Moshe and the Jews. It was movable, and could be transported with the Jewish people from place to place in the Wilderness. Nearly 400 years later, King David, designed a permanent Temple for Hashem in Jerusalem. It was built by his son, King Solomon. This was the first Holy Temple. It stood in the holy city of Jerusalem for 410 years. The first Temple was destroyed by the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar, who cast the Jews into exile.
After 70 years in Exile, the Jews were able to return to Eretz Yisrael, under the leadership of Ezra the Scribe. He supervised the construction of the Second Temple. This occurred soon after the story of Purim took place. The Second Temple was larger than the First, and stood for 420 years. It was destroyed by the Roman, led by Titus. The Third Temple will be rebuilt on the same spot where the first two Temples stood, when Moshiach comes, may it be very soon!
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The end of the Parsha describes the various communal sacrifices. These sacrifices are discussed in the Talmud in the chapter entitled "Eizehu Mimkoman, These are the places where the sacrifices are offered". This chapter of Mishna is recited as part of the morning preliminary prayers. Reb Boruch of Mezhibuzh, grandson of the Baal Shem Tov, would begin saying this chapter and would translate "eizehu" as "where are the places of the sacrifices?" He would then weep bitterly over the destruction of the holy Temple and the loss of the sacrifices. The Alter Rebbe, the first Lubavitcher Rebbe, would ask the same question while reciting this Mishna, "Where is the place of the sacrifices?" He would then fall in to a state of Divine rapture and answer the question, "In the heart of each and every Jew."
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