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.
Chukas Balak 5786
Korach 5786
Shlach 5786
Naso 5786
Shavuos 5786
Chukas Balak 5786
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YouParsha Chukas Balak https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2fIUJ_T-V0 The Red Cow
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I just love double Parshas - there is just so much to talk about. Ezra the Sofer - beginning of Second Temple - required that certain Parshas always be read at certain times. To facilitate this, he doubled Parshas. The Rebbe would often comment that the reading is not two Parshas but one long double Parsha This week's (outside of Israel) is Chukas/Balak Numbers 19:1- 25:9. The Tangency between the two is in the fourth part, which starts with the end of Chukas and includes the beginning of Balak. These include the war with Og and King Balak's dilemma. Og was the local superpower. Hashem told Moshe, "Do not fear him because I will give him and everything with him into your hands.
Og was a huge giant who believed he was stronger than G'd. At Yitschok's bris, Og said, "What's the big deal. I could squish this little kid with one finger." Hashem's responded, "You wicked one! This "little" one's descendant will squish you." Balak was the king of Midian. His anti-Semitism was propelled by baseless hatred. Balak was Og's vassal. Og was the protector and guarantor of Balak's security.
Og and Balak, as every character in the Bible, represent traits within us. Balak is the unwarranted hatred that one expresses towards another Jew. Moshe was later commanded to annihilate Midian because of their baseless hatred. The Rebbe Reshab, Fifth Lubavitcher Rebbe, writes that the source of Midian is rooted in the attribute of will and desire. As a nation, Midian was the impetus for all the other nations to hate the Jews. The power behind desire is pleasure. Og would have had no greater pleasure than destroying the Jews. Og represents the pleasure one feels in trying to get away with something. G'd told Moshe, "Don't worry. You go out and fight and I will destroy him." We must put up the initial effort in our service to Hashem. Hashem will take over the fight (It is written in Tanya that Hashem fights the battles for the good inclination against the evil inclination). Eventually, with the destruction of our personal Ogs, our pleasure will come from being the vassal of Hashem.
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In 1940, the Previous Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn - whose birthday and liberation from Soviet prison are celebrated this week, was miraculously saved from the Nazis and arrived on the safe shores of the United States. Soon after the Rebbe's arrival, he revealed that his mission in the United States was to transform it into a place of Torah. There were those who attempted to inform the Rebbe that, "This is, after all, America; it is not like the 'old home.'" To these people, the Rebbe replied, "America is no different; with regard to Torah study and observance of its commandments, America is no exception!"
In the months after the Previous Rebbe came to the United States, he composed a "Prayer for the Welfare of the Nation." The idea of praying for the government has a Biblical source, in the book of Jeremiah: "Seek the welfare of the country where I have sent you into exile; pray to the L-rd for it, for your welfare depends on its welfare." In the Mishna, Rabbi Chanina the deputy High Priest said, "Pray for the welfare of the government, for without the fear of it, man would swallow his fellow alive." (Ethics of the Fathers 3:2) Throughout the ages, Jews have always prayed privately and communally for the welfare of the government and the leaders of the government of the countries in which we find ourselves. Today is no different. Following is the Rebbe's prayer:
"Our G'd and G'd of our fathers, great, mighty and revered. G’d, we beseech You, in Your abundant mercy restore the world unto its true basis, under the guidance of kings and rulers who shall reign with justice and righteousness, without discrimination between nation and nation, race and race. "We beseech You, O merciful and gracious G'd, guide our illustrious President whom You have chosen leader of these United States. Strengthen and encourage him and his honorable ministers and counselors of state and the honorable representatives of the citizens in both houses of Congress. Bless their efforts to save this land and the neighboring lands from war and destruction, and wherever they turn in the cause of humanity and in behalf of this land and for the benefit of Your people Israel, send the angels of blessing and success to welcome them, and cause war and its calamities to be ended and an era of peace and justice with its blessings to begin even in their and our days. Amen."
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