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.
Succos 5784
Yom Kippur 5784
NItzavim-Vayelech 5783
Ki Savo 5783
Ki Teitzei 5783
NItzavim-Vayelech 5783
Please click on the link below to receive the e-Parsha in the way cool HTML version right to your inbox. http://visitor.constantcontact.com/d.jsp?m=1103523647591&p=oi
======================================
This week's YouParsha Nitzavim-Vayelech - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JURPwU3HTg Where Are You Standing
===================
Parshas Nitzavim - Deuteronomy 29:9 ff - is always read before Rosh Hashana. The Alter Rebbe writes in his Code of Jewish Law that immediately following the reading of the Torah, one should prepare for the blowing of the shofar. Blowing of the shofar is the only mitzvah mentioned by the Alter Rebbe that requires preparation. Maimonides (who predated the Alter Rebbe by more than 600 years) writes that the reason we blow shofar on Rosh Hashana is to arouse the listener to Teshuva. It is not the shofar blowing that requires preparation, but this aroused feeling of wanting to get closer to Hashem. The Lubavitcher Rebbe negates this answer, maintaining that if the main reason for blowing shofar was to arouse a person to teshuva, the Rambam would have written about it in the laws of Teshuva, not the laws of shofar.
The reason for blowing shofar, as is explained in the Talmud, is to arouse a feeling of acceptance of Hashem as king. Every day, we say the shma as a declaration of our accepting Hashem's dominion. If so, why do we need to blow shofar? Chasidus explains; we derive the ability to accept Hashem as king on a daily basis because of the great power we received on Rosh Hashana by our accepting Hashem as king at the blowing of the shofar. Shofar provides a general strength for each particular ability to say shma.
The same would be true as the need for preparing to do any mitzvah. The holiday is called Rosh Hashana - meaning head of the year, not new year or beginning of the year. The brain contained in the head relates to every detail of the body including the movement of every corpuscle and nerve impulse. We could pinpoint exactly which part of the brain controls every detail of every process if we knew how. Preparing for the blowing of the shofar on Rosh Hashana provides enough power for us to prepare for every specific mitzvah.
We wish all our readers to be written and inscribed in the book of life for a happy and healthy new year.
=====================
A man once came to the Tzemach Tzedek - third Lubavitcher Rebbe, circa 1830's (whose birthday is Sunday) - for counseling. The man was plagued with doubts of his faith in Hashem. Hearing the complaints of the man, the Rebbe asked him, "So why does it bother you that you have doubts?" To which, the man responded, "But Rebbe, I am a Jew!" "If that be the case," answered the Rebbe, " You have nothing to worry about."
=================================
In memory of Yisroel Yaakov ben Hirsh Leib – Niftar Kislev 26, 5783 and
Chana bas Dovber HaLevi Niftar Teves 8, 5783.
Chaim Elozar ben Dovber HaLevi Niftar Lag B'Omer 5783
May their families be comforted among all the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.
============ ==========
Listen Weekly to the Jewish Hour Podcast. www.rabbifinman.com/radio. Now available on iTunes, spotify, audacy, stitcher and wherever you park your podcasts.
The Torah e-Parsha is a project of Jewish Ferndale. For information on sponsoring the Torah e-Parsha in memory or for the recovery of a loved one, in honor of a simcha or you just feel like being nice, contact via reply. All contributions are tax deductible. Please forward this message to as many friends and associates as you like. © 2023 by Herschel Finman.
===================
In memory of Yisroel Yaakov ben Hirsh Leib – Niftar Kislev 26, 5783 and
Chana bas Dovber HaLevi Niftar Teves 8, 5783.
Chaim Elozar ben Dovber HaLevi Niftar Lag B'Omer 5783
May their families be comforted among all the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.
======================
Listen Weekly to the Jewish Hour Podcast. www.rabbifinman.com/radio. Now available on iTunes, spotify, audacy, and wherever you park your podcasts.
The Torah e-Parsha is a project of Jewish Ferndale. For information on sponsoring the Torah e-Parsha in memory or for the recovery of a loved one, in honor of a simcha or you just feel like being nice, contact via reply. All contributions are tax deductible. Please forward this message to as many friends and associates as you like. © 2023 by Herschel Finman.
Contact Rabbi Finman for information on sponsoring the e-Parsha
