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.
Achrei Mos Kedoshim 5785
Tazriya Metzorah 5785
Tzav-Pesach 5785
Vayikra 5785
Pekudei 5785
Achrei Mos Kedoshim 5785
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This week's YouParsha - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gUK-8tNvT0
The Beard.
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This week's Parsha is Kedoshim, Leviticus 19 - 20. The theme of the portion is to be holy, "Because I (Hashem) am holy." It is interesting to note, that aside for the mentioning of a few details of sacrifices, the mitzvahs listed here deal with basic human decency. Included are: Loving a fellow as one's self, the prohibitions of tattoos, giving bad advice, shaving the beard, and practicing witchcraft to name a few. The holiness barometer is not measured by the time one spends engaged in prayer, study and meditation, but rather, by one's mentchlichkeit.
One commandment is the prohibition of "Lo samod al dom reyecha, Do not stand by as your friend is in danger." Rashi, the classic Bible commentator explains, "You see someone in a perilous situation, like drowning or attacked by a wild animal or robbers and you have the ability to save them." This commandment is not only to be taken in a physical sense, but spiritual one as well. The Hebrew word for drowning is toveiya. It means sunk and is related to the Hebrew word for nature - tevah. G'dliness is sunk and hidden within nature. It is very easy for a person to be totally consumed and overwhelmed by the pleasures of the world. Wild animals, (as my bubby called us, vildeh chayas) and robbers can also refer to one's desires. The animal does not have to be external but rather our own internal animal drives. If a person sees someone so overcome by the world, the Torah encourages us not to stand by idly and watch.
A person may say to themselves, "Who am I and what am I? I am not a professional and I have my own problems anyway." The Baal Shem Tov writes that whatever a person sees or hears is specifically related to them and their service to the creator. Nothing in the world was created for no purpose and everything in the world was created for Hashem's honor. Rashi writes that you have the ability to save them. This is not a conditional statement but one of fact. The Almighty has shown this to you. It is now your job.
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Another of the prohibitions in this Parsha is delaying the wages of a hired worker.
Reb Zuzya of Anipoli - 200 years ago, Russia, was extremely poor. His wife once lamented that she needed a new dress. Finally, they saved enough to buy fabric. She was fitted by the local tailor. A week passed and the Rebbetzin went to pick up her new dress.
She came home and sighed. Reb Zuzya asked her what was wrong with the dress. She responded that while she was trying on the dress, the tailor lamented that he had a daughter that was of marriageable age and they could not afford clothes for her suitable for dating. The wife felt so bad that she gave the new dress to the tailor.
Reb Zuzya asked her, "And did you pay the man?" She responded, "I gave him the dress!" Reb Zuzya insisted that his wife go and pay the poor tailor saying that this man was depending on the funds to help pay his bills, his family could not eat a new dress.
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