Latest Essays

• The Mystery of The Lit Candle

  Apr 11, 2022 Admin 0 Comments

  Have you ever wondered why we light a candle during the Bedikat Chametz, or the Search for the Leavened Bread? This may seem like an ancient ceremony to the outsider, but as always, there may be reasons for it, and we should look into it.
  
  On the night of Bedikat Chametz, we use a candle and look for 10 pieces of bread that we hid before. Also, let me mention that we use a lit candle on Motzeh Shabbat during Havdalah. Why do we do that? Is there a connection between these two candles? There is, so let's examine it closely.
  
  The first time the fire is mentioned is in the Midrash for Parashat Bereshit, when Adam and Chavah left Gan Eden. When the night falls, it says that Adam gets scared since this is the first time he has experienced nighttime. Hashem told him not to worry since it is a normal occurrence. He taught him how to start a fire with stones, which gave Adam peace of mind and calmed him down. But more could be added to this Midrash, or it could be explained from a different angle.

   

  Let's start with a question: how come Adam and Chavah ended up outside of Gan Eden?

   

  In Parashat Bereshit, right after Hashem created the world, Hashem told Adam not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge; in turn, Adam told Chavah not to touch the tree. Later, when Adam wasn't around, Chavah was approached by a Nachash, a primordial snake. This is when the snake persuaded her to eat from the Tree of Knowledge by telling her Lashon Hara, or slandering Hashem, and she fell for it. There are several opinions about the tree's fruit - apple, grape, bread, and others... but I strongly believe this tree had ready-to-eat bread growing as fruit. 

   

  So there was Chavah - she took the fruit of that tree - a piece of bread from the Tree of Knowledge, and right before she ate it, the snake placed his poison into it - and Chavah ate the poisoned bread. And at that moment, the Yetzer Hara, or an Evil Inclination, went into her, and then she made Adam eat it as well. There they were, with Yetzer Hara, or Evil Inclination — also known as the bad character traits, such as jealousy, anger, hatred, dishonesty, rudeness, and more — deeply rooted in them and passed on to billions of people throughout the generations until today, all across the world.

   

  Hashem wasn't happy about this. He punished Adam, Chavah, and the snake, but humanity was still infected, and Hashem had to figure out how to somehow cleanse the people from it.

   

  And this is what Hashem did.

   

  Remember the time when Moshe Rabbeinu came to Egypt and took the Jewish nation out of Mitzrayim? In Parashat Beshalach, Hashem has given us manna in the desert—pure bread—food for the angels. It was bread that was digested fully by the body with no waste. There's a reason why Hashem has put millions of people in the desert on this diet—only one reason—to raise the nation spiritually to the level Adam HaRishon was at when he was in Gan Eden. 

   

  But later, when we get to Parashat Shelach, suddenly, the selected few get the idea of spying out the Land. Hashem is not so excited about this idea, but He still lets Moshe send out an expedition, which he does. After forty days, when they come back, what do they do? This time, they slander the Land of Israel. Hashem tried to cleanse the nation from that original sin that happened in Gan Eden, and raise the nation to high spiritual levels by giving them manna, but they fell for the same sin again, and this time by slandering the Land. So, Hashem decided to kill all the males between the ages of 20 and 60 years old of that generation, and only their children went to Israel years later. 

   

  But the Evil Inclination still dwelt in those who went to Eretz Yisrael.

   

  So, in Parashat Bo 12:11 it says, "So shall you eat it: your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand. You shall eat it in haste. It is a Passover offering to G-d." It continues in 12:34 & 39: "The people picked up its dough before it could become leavened, their leftovers bound up in their garments upon their shoulders. They baked the dough they took out of Egypt into unleavened cakes, for they could not be leavened, for they were driven from Egypt, for they could not delay." 

   

  So, for generations, eating unleavened bread—matzah, a pure bread with no chametz—has been set as a holiday of Pesach. 

   

  The Sages teach us to celebrate the night of Pesach and feel as if we are leaving Mitzrayim. But I don't believe that by leaving Mitzrayim, they meant that we should leave any physical location. Our Mitzrayim is our OK with the current situation, our contentment with it, and our will to continue living in it. Because the moment we understand what happened, we realize we have lost—and we have lost BIG.

   

  On Motzeh Shabbat, when we make the blessing for a lit candle, we look at our fingernails, which remind us of Adam HaRishon, since it says in the Midrash that his whole skin was covered by fingernails like skin, but now we have nails only on our fingers and toes. But this is not the only loss; it should remind us of others. It should remind us that we no longer live in the Gan Eden. No longer have ready-to-eat bread growing on the trees, and have to toil daily for a piece of bread. We no longer have a close relationship with Hashem and thus live in the darkness. No Bet Hamikdash, and no Eretz Yisrael, with wars, diseases, hunger, death, conflicts, and a whole lot of troubles across the globe.

   

  Therefore, while we look for chametz with a lit candle and gather the pieces of chametz—the leavened bread —we realize: Chametz, it is because of you that we have lost so much. The life we have, and the life the whole world has is not what Hashem initially intended it to be - and instead, we suffer today because of the poison the snake put into the bread - which is the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge - which in turn has infected us, humans, with the Yetzer Hara or Evil Inclination from which we suffer daily. We take that bread and burn it, and with it, we annul all the Chametz that may be in our possession -- thus weakening its influence over us for the next 7 days.

   

  And to all those who think that G-d has abandoned the Jewish nation, should know that He has neither abandoned nor given up on us.

   

  He has commanded us to celebrate the Holiday of Pesach for seven days. And on this holiday, we are commanded to eat unleavened bread—the bread with zero chametz—the matzah. When we eat the matzah, we grow in our belief in G-d, and most importantly, in kedushah - the holiness. And this will eventually lead to the ultimate redemption, Mashiach, and the Third Bet Hamikdash. May this happen speedily in our days. Amen!!

   

  Shmuel Katanov
  
  

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• 100, 20 and 7 years - why does the Torah break down the years of the life of Sarah Imeinu?

  Oct 25, 2021 Admin 0 Comments

  וַיִּהְיוּ֙ חַיֵּ֣י שָׂרָ֔ה מֵאָ֥ה שָׁנָ֛ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וְשֶׁ֣בַע שָׁנִ֑ים שְׁנֵ֖י חַיֵּ֥י שָׂרָֽה׃ - Sarah’s lifetime—the span of Sarah’s life—came to one hundred years, and twenty years, and seven years. (Bereshit 23:1)
  
  Here, Torah broke down the years of her life into the stages of 100, 20 & 7 years. This is what Rashi says on it:  ויהיו חיי שרה מאה שנה ועשרים שנה ושבע שנים And the life of Sarah was 127 years (literally, 100 years, 20 years and 7 years) — The reason the word שנה is written at every term is to tell you that each term must be explained by itself as a complete number: at the age of one hundred she was as a woman of twenty as regards sin — for just as at the age of twenty one may regard her as having never sinned, since she had not then reached the age when she was subject to punishment, so, too, when she was one hundred years old she was sinless — and when she was twenty she was as beautiful as when she was seven (Bereshit Rabbah 58:1).
  
  But my question is, why would Torah break down her years, and what is Torah hinting at?
  
  The Yalkut Shimoni (16:78) says that Avraham Avinu was 25 years old and Sarai was 15 when they married, which makes them a barren couple for 75 years.
  
  When Avraham Avinu and Sarah Imeinu got married they brought into their marriage their past experiences. On top of it, during their life together, Avraham Avinu went through many more trials in his life: being childless for 75 years and everything that comes with it, problems in the community, being singled out in his hometown for his monotheistic ideas, being thrown into a fiery furnace, and many other tribulations in his path of life.
  
  And during all of this, one thing we know for sure: Sarah Imeinu was there for him and with him all that time, feeling his pain and supporting him through all his trials and endeavors.
  
  When the angels came to them in Parashat Vayera, she was there in the tent (Bereshit 18:9), working tirelessly, doing the work to support Avraham's endeavor of hosting guests and spreading the faith of One G-d.
  
  When Hashem told him to leave his hometown in Parashat Lech Lecha, she travelled with him from place to place for many months, enduring much suffering along the way. 
  
  When she gave Hagar to Avraham Avinu as a maidservant to have a child through her, and Hagar got pregnant for the first time, Sarah Imeinu suffered much from Hagar later since she started shaming Sarah, because she couldn't conceive.
  
  She was there when he was in trouble and in pain. She was there for him as he brought people back to Hashem, tirelessly doing the work that needed to be done. And she was there when he was in triumph at the birth of his son Yitzchak.
  
  100 years—Sarah Imeinu didn't live her life—her life had a purpose, a vision; she was part of something BIG, something that drove her existence. She was like a moon reflecting Avraham Avinu's life struggles, accomplishments, and vision. So when Avraham Avinu reached the age of 100, it was her age and achievement as well; it was as if she had reached that age, since she had been with him through the good and the bad.
  
  So what are the 20 years? Shlomo Hamelech said in the song of Eshet Chayil, צ֭וֹפִיָּה הֲלִיכ֣וֹת בֵּיתָ֑הּ - She oversees the activities of her household. When Sarah Imeinu saw the behavior of Yishmael - shooting the arrows toward Yitzchak, as a play, she foresaw this as a future problem, so she asked Avraham Avinu to send Yishmael away, thus making sure Yitzchak would be the only heir through whom the nation would be built. Avraham Avinu did so; for the next 20 years, she raised Yitzchak in the way of Torah, instilling in him the values of Torah and the idea that he would be the next patriarch to build the future of the nation.
  
  The next 7 years were the years in which she worked on her love and full dedication to Hashem. When Yitzchak asked his father Avraham Avinu, Where's the korban that will be brought when they get to their destination? Avraham Avinu answered him that Hashem would choose the korban, and this was when Yitzchak understood that he would be the korban. It says, "Vayelchu Shnechem Yachdav" - "And the two of them walked on together" (Bereshit 22:7-8). He understood and accepted that he would be the korban that his father would bring, and he walked together with his father to his death. He was not made the korban; they brought a sheep as a korban instead (Bereshit 22:13), but since he had accepted the decision of Hashem, he was elevated to the holiest level, worthy of becoming one of the Avot.
  
  Avraham Avinu came from the Akedah and saw that Sarah Imeinu had passed away. Torah says that he didn't mourn for long (Bereshit 23:2-3). He needed to get up and do what needed to be done. Why? Because, remember, they were on a mission - Sarah Imeinu and Avraham Avinu were a team and were together on this all along - working tirelessly day and night for years. To build the nation and ensure its future, one must claim ownership of the land. So he purchased the land, which is a Maarat HaMachpela, where Adam and Chava were already buried. Right after that, Avraham Avinu started looking for a wife for his son Yitzchak.
  
  Avraham Avinu married Ketura and had children with her. Years later, he sent them all away to the East, thus to separate them from the future Am Yisrael and Yitzchak. Following their example, years later Rivkah Imeinu made sure that Yakov gets the beracha from his father Yitzchak Avinu, which made Yaakov Avinu the next patriarch of the nation.
  
  The last sentence in the song Eshet Chayil, written by Shelomo HaMelech says: תְּנוּ־לָ֭הּ מִפְּרִ֣י יָדֶ֑יהָ וִיהַלְל֖וּהָ בַשְּׁעָרִ֣ים מַֽעֲשֶֽׂיהָ׃ - Extol her for the fruit of her hand, And let her works praise her in the gates. The fruit of her hands - as Rashi explains, Glory and greatness, strength, beauty and the ruling power. I would like to also add wisdom and the loyalty to be by her husband's side, to stick to the goal of building the nation, to foresee the trouble that may lay ahead, and to raise the family in the values of the Torah. This is what Sarah Imeinu accomplished and this is what she has entrusted all the women after her - to follow in her footsteps and to continue her work and the work of Avraham Avinu. That is why all men sing to their wives every Erev Shabbat: אֵֽשֶׁת־חַ֭יִל מִ֣י יִמְצָ֑א וְרָחֹ֖ק מִפְּנִינִ֣ים מִכְרָֽהּ׃- What a rare find is a capable wife! Her worth is far beyond the gemstones.
  
  Shmuel Katanov

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• The Shattered Dreams

  May 31, 2021 Admin 0 Comments

  As you know, in Parashat Shelach, the nation asks Moshe Rabbeinu to send out spies to spy out the land, even though Hashem has told them to go into the land. Moshe is not too excited about this idea, so he asks Hashem. Hashem tells him to send them for himself—Shelach Lecha Anashim in Parashat Shelach 13:2. We all know the end of this episode in history—the meraglim return with a bad report. Due to the sin of slandering the land, all the males ages 20 to 60 were buried in the desert, and were not able to enter the Promised Land. 
  
  It seems harsh that, because of biased calculations by a few, so many people are punished. Here they are, standing just a few days away from Eretz Yisrael, and about to enter the land. Suddenly, people come and ask Moshe Rabbeinu to send out the spies. This is something Moshe Rabbeinu doesn't want to do, since Hashem already told him to go into the land, since it is yours and Hashem is with the nation. But the few turn everything around and put Moshe in a difficult position, forcing him to ask Hashem for permission to send people as spies, risking that something might go wrong. And something does go wrong—the meraglim return with a bad report, slander the land, and Hashem tells everyone to turn around and go back into the desert...
  
  Have you ever thought for a second how Moshe Rabbeinu felt?! When Moshe Rabbeinu watched those people slandering the land, and Yehoshua and Kalev defending it, Moshe Rabbeinu knew it was trouble, not only for those who slandered but for the whole nation. 
  
  The years of work that he has put in were crumbling right in front of his eyes. His dream to go into Eretz Yisrael, and to serve Hashem in the Holy Land, was being taken away from him - right there in the broad daylight.
  
  Have you ever had that feeling? You worked on something for years, and suddenly it is being taken away from you by some evildoers and by circumstances over which you have no control.
  
  Not a good feeling. 
  
  But let's look into it from a different angle. 
  
  There's a mitzvah that is hard to understand and makes one wonder why Hashem has given it to us, but in the light of the above explanation, it will start to make more sense.
  
  There are many explanations for the mitzvah of Shiluach haKen, but I would like to take Zohar's explanation and expand on that. The Zohar says that this mitzvah is meant to awaken and intensify Hashem’s mercy on His creations. The pain the mother bird suffers when she is sent away and forced to abandon her young "awakens the forces of mercy in the world" and releases an outpouring of mercy from the Heavens above, alleviating all kinds of human suffering. 
  
  I would like to add to the above with your permission. 
  
  Not to go into the details of this mitzvah, but to touch on it in general: if you have ever performed this mitzvah, the feeling you are left with after completing it is not enjoyable. Besides the fact that you have made the mitzvah, you are left with an egg, and you have left the bird feeling bad - very bad. You have taken her egg or a chick and created that void in the heart of the bird—you have broken her hopes of building a family and ruined her plans for a "bright birdie future".
  
  And here Hashem comes and gives us this, as a mitzvah.
  
  Moshe Rabbeinu worked hard in his 80s, dealing with the nation, which was not easy—a stubborn nation with lots of demands and quarrels. On top of that, the leaders who worked under him ideally had to be on the same page with him, but for some reason, they had their own agenda that he never agreed to or even knew about. All this brought to one result - that generation never made it to Eretz Yisrael, Moshes' goal crumbled, and he had to witness the passing of all the males ages 20 to 60. 
  
  The meraglim didn't just destroy the dream of that generation; they also destroyed the dream of Moshe Rabbeinu. They brought suffering to our nation to this day, and they have totally changed the nation's plans, and everything unfolded not as Hashem had envisioned.
  
  So, Torah tells us to go ahead and do the mitzvah, to go through that uncomfortable feeling, and to let it sink in—feel that bitterness of the committed act.
  
  When we send away the mother bird and take her egg - it may seem, like the meraglim behaved back in the day towards the nation, when they went to Eretz Yisrael, and brought back the bad report that caused a lot of people to suffer - and here we are, taking away the eggs from the shooed away mother bird thus causing her pain and suffering.
  
  As for the mother bird—whatever she is going through —it is like the feeling of what Moshe Rabbeinu and millions of other people not privy to the scheme of the meraglim felt: betrayal of the assigned mission and the shattering of the dream of entering the Eretz Yisrael. 
  
  And as we stand there with an egg in our hands, we need to understand one thing - whatever we do or say in our life, may be breaking the Divine law and order and hurting a lot of people around us, whether intentionally or unintentionally, just by giving in to our biased desires and calculations, as was with the case of the meraglim.
  
  Armed with the above understanding, it should bring us to pray to Hashem and to ask for forgiveness for the sin of the Meraglim, and for that whole generation. This would be the perfect time to ask for forgiveness for our own miscalculations, where we thought and said not in the best of intentions.  And this would be the best time to ask for forgiveness for our nation as a whole, and to ask for the full redemption and reunification with that passed on generation, so we can meet with Moshe Rabbeinu and other members of our nation of the past who were not able to enter the Land, due to the bad schemes of others.
  
  By fulfilling this mitzvah, one is rewarded with marriage, children, and a new home. But most importantly we are taking responsibility for the wrong committed in the past by others, by actively fixing the sin of the past which brings Hashem's mercy onto this world, that stops human suffering and brings the redemption closer.
  
  Shmuel Katanov

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• Why men are obligated to light the Chanukah candles?

  Dec 15, 2020 Admin 0 Comments

  In the story of Chanukah, when the Maccabees returned to Jerusalem, they entered the Temple and removed all the idols that the army of Antiochus had placed there. When they wanted to light the menorah, they found only a small jug of pure olive oil bearing the seal of Rabbi Yochanan Cohen Hagadol. It was sufficient to light only for one day. By a miracle of Hashem, it continued to burn for eight days, till new oil was made available. That miracle proved that Hashem had again taken His people under His protection. In memory of this, our sages appointed these eight days for annual thanksgiving and candle lighting.

  
  Chachamim z"l tell us that the Second Temple was destroyed for only one sin - Sinat Chinam - Baseless Hatred. Only one sin brought down the House of G-d, and I believe we are still battling with it till today. There's no unity, and plenty of lashon hara, dislike, and ill will floating between the communities and among people. I believe that the destruction of the Bet Hamikdash is the sin of the men - this is something we as men are responsible for. 
  
  That's why the obligation to light the Chanukah menorah lies on men, and we have eight days to do it - in our own homes, each one, no matter what part of the world he is in, or what the situation he may be in. In addition, the Sages say that there's a segulah in looking at burning candles, and hopefully this will give us chidushim — new insights — into the Torah. But maybe it could also mean that we should look at the candles and ponder: how can we fix the divisiveness, the hatred, and the distancing between communities and people? We got the whole eight days to think,  and the rest of the year to carry out the plan. If anyone can do it, then it is we, men.
  
  Since the destruction of the Second Temple, Hashem has no home to reside in; the Shechina is in exile; the nation is spread around the world; and there are plenty of problems in families, the nation, and the world as a whole. 
  
  Perhaps, this is the time we say: We've had enough of it?!
  
  Perhaps, this is the time to approach this consciously?!
  
  Either, we can keep on lighting our menorahs for years to come - in exile and in our warm homes, distanced from each other, comfortable and in disagreements, or we put our egos aside, make up with each other, unite as a nation and light the Golden Menorah next year in the House of Hashem - our own Bet Hamikdash Shlishi?!!
  
  Shmuel Katanov

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• Modesty or The Holy Scroll

  Aug 17, 2020 Admin 0 Comments

  Modesty or Tzeniut... When one hears either of these words, the first thing that usually comes to mind is: Oh come on! Do I really have to wear all that? It is so hot outside, I feel so layered up, like an onion... There are lots of excuses one can come up with, but allow me to show you the outcome of whichever choice you make.
  
  I looked up the word "Modesty" in the dictionary, and this is what I found: Modesty is a mode of dress that intends to avoid encouraging sexual attraction in others. The word "modesty" comes from the Latin modestus, meaning "keeping within measure." 
  
  The word Tzeniut means: it describes both the character traits of modesty and discretion, and a group of Jewish laws pertaining to conduct. In modern times, the term has become more commonly used in reference to the rules of dress for women in Judaism.
  
  The Sages say that if a woman keeps the laws of modesty as a reward, she will merit to marry a Cohen and have Cohanim Gedolim come from her. She will have children who may be Jewish judges, great sages, righteous people, and so much more—all of this just by being modest.
  
  But what is it about modesty that so much can be gained from it?
  
  In the book Power Points by Rabbi Ephraim Nissenbaum, there's a story in Parashat Nasso about a young woman who became observant and was bothered by the fact that Jews hold lavish Bar Mitzvahs for boys. At the same time, for girls, the Bat Mitzvah passes unnoticed.
  
  So she asked her Rav, to which he replied, "The Vilna Gaon says that tzeniut or modesty is to a woman what Torah study is to a man, meaning it is her vehicle for spiritual growth. When a boy turns 13, he is counted as part of the minyan and called to the Torah. These are public events, and the celebration is, therefore, public as well.
  
  When a girl reaches bat mitzvah, her defining moment is marked by an image of royalty through modesty. So with this spirit of modesty, her celebration is less public and more reserved."
  
  An image of royalty is a great way to view it, but there could be more to it.
  
  The Sages compare a woman to a Sefer Torah scroll. Since the Sefer Torah is holy and valuable, we dress it beautifully and hide it in a safe box or the Aron. Not only that, but if any of the letters in the scroll are missing or broken, the whole scroll becomes invalid or not kosher.
  
  But what is the scroll made of? It is made of the skin of a kosher animal—klaf—and the sofer, the person who writes it, writes it in holiness and while meditating on the names of G-d.
  
  The Midrash Tanchuma, Bereshit 1 says: How was the Torah written? It was written with letters of black fire on a surface of white fire or black ink against the white parchment. 
  
  I believe there could be more to the black fire on white fire.
  
  We can literally compare them to a married couple—a woman as white fire and a man as black fire.
  
  Just like in the Torah, if a letter is broken or falls from its original place, the scroll becomes invalid. So is the woman; if she is dressed immodestly, not according to Jewish law, she loses that energy or her white fire.
  
  But what is this energy or the white fire?
  
  In Bereshit 2:24 it says: "עַל־כֵּן֙ יַֽעֲזָב־אִ֔ישׁ אֶת־אָבִ֖יו וְאֶת־אִמּ֑וֹ וְדָבַ֣ק בְּאִשְׁתּ֔וֹ וְהָי֖וּ לְבָשָׂ֥ר אֶחָֽד׃ - Hence a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, so that they become one flesh." What happens when the two of them become one flesh? Once the man and the woman are united in a holy act, when permitted by Jewish law, they combine their energies or their fires—black fire and white fire—and this is when the Presence of Hashem comes to dwell in their home, helping them grow in holiness.
  
  When a woman dresses immodestly, she loses her energy, or white fire, and thereby her holiness. This causes the couple to get distracted from serving Hashem, and their goals switch from spiritual to physical, but this is not the only loss. This distraction weakens all the members of the family in their service to G-d and slowly moves them further and further away from Him. Since she has been with her husband, but he cannot cling to her, and they cannot become one flesh - thus they lose out in this world and the next. This is when the issues of Shalom Bayit and other problems arise.
  
  When a woman keeps the laws of Modesty, she becomes a holy parchment—the white fire. A man becomes the black fire or the black ink. When they are together in the holy act, the couple becomes a Holy Letter of the Torah, with their children around them as crowns on that letter written on the holy parchment. 
  
  As families around the world strengthen in their modesty, they slowly grow in holiness. Hashem handpicks them to be part of his own Sefer Torah—The Living and Breathing Sefer Torah. These holy couples keep the laws of modesty and the laws of Torah, either from birth or by returning to their roots later in their lives, thus becoming part of the Holy Scroll of Hashem. And if the woman reveals little in an immodest way, that letter loses its place in the Holy Scroll of Hashem, but not only does the woman lose her place, the whole family is affected by it as well.
  
  In the Megilat Ruth 2:5 says, "וַיֹּ֤אמֶר בֹּ֙עַז֙ לְנַעֲר֔וֹ הַנִּצָּ֖ב עַל־הַקּֽוֹצְרִ֑ים לְמִ֖י הַנַּעֲרָ֥ה הַזֹּֽאת׃ - Boaz said to the servant who was in charge of the reapers: Whose girl is that? Rashi explains, To whom does this maiden belong. What did Boaz see in Ruth? He saw her modest and wise behavior, how she picked up the wheat stalks, and did it modestly by sitting."
  
  This act alone led to her marriage to Boaz, thus paving the way for a royal lineage to come from her—King David, King Shlomo, and the long-awaited Mashiach himself —because of her modesty.
  
  But let's look at this from yet another angle. 
  
  It is written in the Torah, "The Israelites journeyed from Raamses to Succoth, about 600,000 men on foot, aside from children." (Shemot 12:37) They all traveled with their wives and children, and as it says in the Masechet Sotah 11B, "Rav Avira taught: In the merit of the righteous women that were in that generation, the Jewish people were redeemed from Egypt."
  
  Also, the word "ישראל - Israel" can be read as an acronym for "Yesh Shishim Ribo Otiot LaTorah", meaning: "There are 600,000 letters in the Torah." Therefore, the nation of Israel did not leave Egypt until 600,000 holy couples were included in Hashem's Sefer Torah.
  
  So, if problems come into this world, we have probably fallen short of our minimum of 600,000 families or letters in Hashem's Sefer Torah for modesty. If we improve on this collectively, it can be the answer to the problems the world faces today.
  
  As we increase the number to 600,000+ families, we will increase our chances of bringing redemption closer and finally meeting Mashiach in the near future.
  
  - - Part 2 - - 
  
  But let's go a bit deeper.
  
  In Masechet Menachot 29B, we are told of this story:
  
  "Rav Yehuda says that Rav says: When Moses ascended on High, he found the Holy One, Blessed be He, sitting and tying crowns on the letters of the Torah. Moses said before G-d: Master of the Universe, who prevents You from giving the Torah without these additions? G-d said to him: There is a man destined to be born after several generations, and Akiva ben Yosef is his name; he is destined to derive from each thorn of these crowns, mounds upon mounds of halakhot. For his sake, the crowns must be added to the letters of the Torah. 
  
  Moses said before G-d: Master of the Universe, show him to me. G-d said to him: Return behind you. Moses went and sat at the end of the eighth row in Rabbi Akiva's study hall and did not understand what they were saying. Moses' strength waned as he thought his Torah knowledge was deficient. When Rabbi Akiva arrived at the discussion of one matter, his students said, "My teacher, from where do you derive this? Rabbi Akiva told them: It is a halakha transmitted to Moses from Sinai. When Moses heard this, his mind was put at ease, as this was part of the Torah he would receive."
  
  Those couples who are careful about the laws of modesty are like the holy couples that came before King David. Please take a look at this essay: King David's Lineage. These holy couples will merit being inscribed in Hashem's Sefer Torah. As it says in the above Gemara, Hashem ties the crowns to the letters as if Hashem rewards these couples with unbelievable Torah growth, and high-caliber children, who will grow to be prophets, great Talmidei Chachamim, and righteous and holy individuals. And this is how you raise an upright and holy family. 
  
  My Holy Nation -- Reserve and earn your place in Hashem's Living and Breathing Sefer Torah!!
  
  Shmuel Katanov
  8/17/2020

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