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• Why Did Moshe Rabbenu Hit The Rock?

  Jul 16, 2024 Admin 0 Comments

  In Parashat Chukat 20:6-13, Hashem tells Moshe to take a staff and talk the rock, but Moshe hits it. Plenty of water came out, people drank, and the animals drank. But what is this miraculous stone?
  
  In Masechet Chagigah 12A:7, it talks about the Tohu va Vohu, and Vohu are the damp stones from which water emerges. Hashem wanted to introduce the nation to Vohu Stones - the damp stones, a lifesaver in Israel or any dry climate that depends on rain. These stones could help greatly with agriculture since the nation is about to enter Eretz Yisrael. With the knowledge of the type of stone with that capability, the nation can irrigate the land anywhere in Israel’s dry climate, which means good crops and prosperity. 
  
  So, the water came out. As is, it's a great miracle, but why were both of the brothers punished? 
  
  Every time Moshe had a question, he was always consulting with Hashem, but this time, the people were pressuring him to bring the water, and for a second, Moshe, if I may say - lost his cool or got angry - instead, he should of stick to his rule of asking Hashem as he always did in the past. So, in a way, Moshe made the same mistake as Aharon and hurried with his decision - hitting the stone instead of asking Hashem. Moshe said from which we should bring and took credit for both. Aharon was there, and since this scenario was familiar to him, and he did not stop his brother, both got punished pretty much for the identical sin.
  
  Hashem wanted him to talk to the rock, and people would have learned a lesson - look, even the rock listens to Moshe, who tells over the word of G-d, so we, the people, should do the same.
  
  But there may be even a deeper explanation.

  Since the times of Avraham Avinu and earlier, rock has been used for idols. Hashem wanted Moshe to teach them a different way of using rock in service of the Divine. But it didn’t happen. Since then, the nations of the world have used it for idols. There are humongous statues of different deities and other symbols and buildings built across the globe dedicated to anyone but G-d Almighty. Moshe had an opportunity to fix it then but missed it. That’s why the sin is so great. It lasts thousands of years and is practiced by billions across the globe till today, and its impact is simply huge. That’s why Hashem punished them both and forbade them from entering the Eretz Yisrael. That would also be why Hashem didn’t want Moshe to build the Bet Hamikdash since he didn’t elevate the use of the stone properly. Thus, he lost the opportunity to build the Bet Hamikdash, which is made out of stone.

  The above is to familiarize us with the story. But once again, let's go even deeper.
  
  In Parashat Balak, when Bilaam is invited to "bless the Nation", in his first blessing he said: מִ֤י מָנָה֙ עֲפַ֣ר יַעֲקֹ֔ב וּמִסְפָּ֖ר אֶת־רֹ֣בַע יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל תָּמֹ֤ת נַפְשִׁי֙ מ֣וֹת יְשָׁרִ֔ים וּתְהִ֥י אַחֲרִיתִ֖י כָּמֹֽהוּ׃ - Who can count the dust of Jacob, Number the dust-cloud of Israel? May I die the death of the upright, May my fate be like his! -- I would like to stop on the word Kamohu - Like his or can be read Like him. Bilaam is talking about the upright of the generation, but for a second, let's look at what other explanations may be.
  
  Kamohu - like him, we are not exactly sure who he means, and to zero in on the specific personality, we need to go to Parashat Shoftim 18:15,  נָבִ֨יא מִקִּרְבְּךָ֤ מֵאַחֶ֙יךָ֙ כָּמֹ֔נִי יָקִ֥ים לְךָ֖ הי אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ אֵלָ֖יו תִּשְׁמָעֽוּן׃ - From among your own people, your G-d will raise up for you a prophet like myself; that is whom you shall listen. Here it says Kamoni - like me, so we know it is Moshe he is referring to. And later Hashem confirms in 18:17: נָבִ֨יא אָקִ֥ים לָהֶ֛ם מִקֶּ֥רֶב אֲחֵיהֶ֖ם כָּמ֑וֹךָ וְנָתַתִּ֤י דְבָרַי֙ בְּפִ֔יו וְדִבֶּ֣ר אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם אֵ֖ת כׇּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲצַוֶּֽנּוּ׃ - I will raise up for them from among their own people a prophet like yourself, in whose mouth I will put My words and who will speak to them all that I command; Kamocha - like you. 
  
  So Bilaam means Moshe, and he wants his fate to be like his. But Moshe means a prophet to be appointed at the end of days, a Mashiach himself, and he wants him to be like Moshe Rabbenu. Hashem confirms his request and says that He will do so. We need to find out why Moshe is making such a request. Why is Moshe asking that Mashiach should be like Moshe Rabbenu?
  
  Bilaam and Balak came to the desert for one reason only. Balak, the king of Moab, wanted to "bless" the Jewish nation, and Bilaam was invited to carry out the order so that when their armies met in battle or even without it, the Jewish nation would be defeated. This all sounds good, but when they came to the desert to carry out the plan, Bilaam understood this was impossible. 
  
  Ever since Moshe separated himself from his wife Tziporah, starting with Parashat Yitro and in Vaetchanan, Moshe grew in Torah knowledge and got closer to Hashem. When Balak and Bilaam came to the desert, Bilaam saw a giant – and said, “Even I cannot go against a person like him!” Moshe Rabbenu was preparing to meet his challenger - Bilaam HaRasha, and not only him. 
  
  In the Midrash, we are told of a story. One day, Hashem showed Adam HaRishon a prophetic vision of all the personalities that would come from him from the beginning of time until the end of days. Adam watches it all, and then he sees a small child who lives for a few minutes and dies after a short while. Adam asks Hashem why he died. Hashem tells him that this is how his fate or his mazal is, so Adam gives him 70 years of his life, and this child is David HaMelech, who lives a full life of 70 years because Adam has given him a chance to live. 
  
  It is a nice story—but for the kids. Let me ask you a question: Do you think something is not said in this story? Why does Adam suddenly feel so philanthropic and gives away years from his own life to this infant? Many children pass away around the world; why did Adam give to this little kid named David instead of any of them?
  
  With your permission, I would like to fill in the blanks of what may be the reason.
  
  Adam HaRishon watches all the events and personalities and gets nervous towards the end of the days - Ketz HaYamim. Why? Because of the following story. When his oldest son Kayin killed Hevel, Adam decided not to have any more children, so for 130 years, he was sitting inside a river and not coming close - not being together with his wife Chava. But Adam was a young male, and while in the river, unintentionally - he wasted his seed. Since Adam was created by Hashem and was a holy being, his seed gave rise to demonic beings that roamed the earth (Zohar, Parashat Bereshit), and within 130 years, he had created plenty of those creatures.
  
  As he watched this "movie", he was horrified to see how those beings had attacked people and nations throughout history, causing all sorts of problems and events to occur. But then he noticed one man that went against them - the son of David.  As he traced his lineage, he came to a child named David, who died a few minutes after birth, which meant there would be no Son of David and no one to fight those battles in the future. Realizing his mistake - of creating and unleashing these beings into this world, and driven by the desire of teshuvah - fixing his sin, Adam HaRishon has given 70 years of his life to David so he can father Shlomo so the lineage could continue and the Messiah should be born into this world, to fix the mistake of Adam HaRishon - to battle the wars of G-d, Milchamot Hashem.
  
  Hashem wanted to make Yehoshua bin Nun a Mashiach - Mashiach ben Yosef, since he was from Efrayim, the son of Yosef HaTzaddik, and then Yehoshua would have prepared the environment for the arrival of Ben David. But Moshe felt, and he foresaw, since he was a prophet, that it was too early, and the kings who would come later wouldn't be able to do what Moshe did and wouldn't follow the ways of their forefathers. With the capabilities of the Vohu stone - the damp stone, access to drinking water and abundance of it for irrigation, and power and prosperity that comes with it, will be misused throughout the ages, and instead of the good - all would turn out for the worst.
  
  When Miriam was alive, and they had water, Moshe lived separately in the tent - back then, he wore many hats. During the day, he was a leader and a teacher of the nation, but at night, he was their spiritual protector. When Bilaam came and tried to curse the nation, Moshe Rabbenu had already built an invisible wall of protection around the camp. His learning, his prayers, and his being there amongst the nation were enough to ensure no Bilaam's or anyone's curses could penetrate the camp's spiritual defense line.
  
  Moshe was concerned for the nation; too much was at stake. Besides fighting wars on the battlefield, many wars needed to be fought in the spiritual realm. People like Bilaam and Balak are always watching and trying to do evil to the nation by manipulating the unleashed ancient demons or trying to hurt the nation any way they see fit. Moshe felt that Yehoshua and the people that would come after him would not be able to fight them off till the Son of David arrived. Until the year 6,000 mark, or even earlier, it is a long time to expose the nation to situations where others may attempt to take over the land because of its abundance. Hashem has assured him that this task would be taken on by the biggest hidden and known tzaddikim in every generation. Each generation has its giants that are there quietly protecting us, and we may know them or find out about them after a tragedy hits us, and then we realize that it is because that protector is no longer around, so this is when the next generation of tzadikim step in quietly and take their place instead.
  
  So there was Moshe, not talking to the rock but hitting it, not once but twice—fully believing in his choice, making the ruling—psak for the nation, deciding as a leader, and postponing the revelation of the knowledge of the stone.
  
  וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הי אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֣ה וְאֶֽל־אַהֲרֹן֒ יַ֚עַן לֹא־הֶאֱמַנְתֶּ֣ם בִּ֔י לְהַ֨קְדִּישֵׁ֔נִי לְעֵינֵ֖י בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לָכֵ֗ן לֹ֤א תָבִ֙יאוּ֙ אֶת־הַקָּהָ֣ל הַזֶּ֔ה אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥תִּי לָהֶֽם׃ - But Hashem said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust Me enough to affirm My sanctity in the sight of the Israelite people, therefore you shall not lead this congregation into the land that I have given them."
  
  Even though Moshe chose not to follow Hashem's plan, Hashem kept His word by being with the Nation and never abandoning it, even for a second. Yehoshua bin Nun led the nation across the Jordan River, battled and defeated 31 kings, and conquered the Eretz Yisrael, thus becoming one of the greatest generals and prophets in our history. Hashem has also sprinkled, in every generation until our times the hidden and known Tzadikkim, who are giants and always there for us, battling in the spiritual realm in and out of the spotlight. 

  
  This would also explain why in Parashat Matot-Masei, Moshe allowed 2.5 tribes to stay outside of Israel since redemption is not happening soon. And why, in Parashat Vaetchanan, Hashem told him not to pray anymore since Moshe made the choice, and now he has to live with it.
  
  And why do we need that Vohu - the damp stone?
  
  Since it was never revealed to us, the Land of Israel never experienced true prosperity and always depended on rain. Dependence on rain means weak prosperity, a weak economy, and a weak army, which would explain the destruction that has been happening for thousands of years. 
  
  Today, Israel has advanced irrigation technology, and as a result, the deserts have been transformed into lush gardens. Israel has a robust economy and a strong army. But with the coming of Mashiach, Hashem will reveal this Vohu - damp stone to us, and with Kibbutz Galuyot – an ingathering of the exiles, the prosperity will grow exponentially across the board, as it says so in the Book of Prophet Yeshayahu.
  
  But until then, there are wars around the globe, pandemics, mournings, unrest, vacations, elections, parties, fun, and lots of noise going on in every corner of the world. But stop all of that noise for a second and listen. Do you hear the knock on the door? Who is it you may ask? It is the Son of David. Can someone answer the door?
  
  
  P.S.: Below is my opinion, something I've been analyzing and thinking about a lot lately. 
  
  So, what are the Milchamot Hashem - The Wars of G-d?
  
  Here are some of the points I believe many may have missed:
  
  - On October 7, 2023, Israel was forced to enter into a war. Since then, they have expanded their war efforts and fought on seven fronts. The amazing success they have had in going against different groups has been attributed to the learning and davening of the nation. As a nation, we have been learning and davening for centuries, but this type of success we never had.
  
  - Outside of Israel, Chutz La'aretz, the antisemitism is up, but if you look at how it was years ago vs now, the life situation is not bad at all. 
  
  - For the past two years, the Sefirat HaOmer and the Three Weeks of the season of Tisha B'Av, have had almost no fatal accidents. It almost feels like the month of Av has become just another month.
  
  - During the year, life is smooth for many. There are struggles, but they are tolerable.
  
  I could probably go on, but I believe that Milchamot Hashem have started and have been going on for a while, and the Son of David is at it alone and may be struggling. That's why Adam HaRishon gave David HaMelech 70 years of his life so that he could father Shlomo, ensuring the lineage would continue for the Mashiach to come to this world and fulfill his role. 
  
  So there you have it..!!
  

  This may be a successful attempt, or perhaps not, as I have tried to explain some things as I see them. However, as I always say, it’s just my two cents on the issue. 
  
  - 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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• The Pious Sinners

  Oct 28, 2024 Admin 0 Comments

  Each of us lives in the community, and if you look hard enough, you may notice a behavior that many regard as normal. But is it the right thing to do?!
  
  One of the makkot or plagues Hashem brought upon Egypt was the Makkat of Khoshekh, the Plague of Darkness. Torah tells us that it was so dark that no Egyptian could physically move during it. But if you read the Midrash on this, it gets even more interesting. It says that during this plague, around 12 million Jews died, and the sons of Israel went from house to house and buried them under the cover of the darkness so as not to cause shame to the nation. In every plague, it has affected Egyptians, but in this one, we have buried many of our own. 
  
  So, let’s stop here. 
  
  During the three days of darkness, we have buried 8 million people. Some say 12 million or even more, but for this article, I will use the 12 million who were buried; since 20% came out from Egypt, which comes out to 3 million people, we have left behind 80% of the nation within those three days, which in total makes 15 million people were living in Egypt before the plague.
  
  But the amazing thing is, no one screams from the podium about this event; why?? During the Holocaust, we lost 6 million, and we make so much noise about that till today, but 12 million - no noise is made, and not much is said. With your permission, please allow me to shed some light on what might have happened there, or to be the one to make the noise I believe needs to be made. As always, everything that is about to follow is my opinion, which I would like to share with others.
  
  In Parashat Shemot 3:3, when Moshe stood at the burning bush and was instructed by Hashem to go to Egypt to free the nation of Israel, Moshe hesitated, and rightfully so. Two individuals have given Moshe the reason to flee Egypt since they reported him to the authorities when he killed an Egyptian while saving another Jew. Now returning, it was not something Moshe wanted to do besides other reasons; he knew they wouldn’t stop and would continue, and may even outperform and amaze themselves and others at their skill level even more than the previous time. And they did precisely so.
  
  When Moshe Rabbenu went to the pharaoh, he performed miracles and brought or triggered a plague that Hashem had performed. It had the intended effect on the Egyptians, as Hashem wanted, but those two individuals were busy spreading a completely different story to the nation.
  
  When Moshe came to Egypt, he told Aharon HaCohen, his brother, and the elders that G-d sent him. Aharon HaCohen believed Moshe, but the elders believed Aharon HaCohen, since they knew him and not his brother, Moshe. Every time the plague happened, Aharon HaCohen confirmed it as the "Doings of the Almighty." But those two—Dathan and Aviram—had a different plan and a story to tell to others who were willing to listen.
  
  So what did these two tell them? They said that Moshe grew up in the House of Pharaoh and learned to perform those "miracles", with no G-d involved; it was Moshe performing at an advanced level of sorcery. 
  
  But guess what - Dathan and Aviram were not the lazy bunch, and they didn't mind going miles from house to house - since they had no WhatsApp or other technologies we have today to spread slander, they put the time and effort into this "project." So, the elders living far from Aharon HaCohen believed these two since they were persistent and convincing. They walked far and wide and reached 12 million people - the elders and the ordinary folks had believed them that Moshe was not for real, and all of those "miracles" - plagues were just his tricks. Since Aharon HaCohen and the elders loyal to him could convince only 3 million people, Hashem decided to leave the rest of the nation behind, so 80% of the Nation, 12 million people, were buried during the Plague of Darkness.
  
  So, the merit of the deaths of 12 million people belongs to these two individuals - Dathan and Aviram.
  
  - Hashem made Moshe His choice, but these two didn't agree with Him and smeared Moshe, no matter the effort, the time it took, or the consequences it had on the nation—thus challenging G-d's authority and weakening the belief in G-d of the people of that generation and on.
  
  - The nation - those 3 million people - truly believed in Moshe and Hashem later after they crossed the sea, as it says in Parashat Beshalach - Vayaaminu Ba Hashem Uve Moshe Avdo. However, as a result of the actions of Dathan and Aviram, our nation still struggles with faith in Hashem and Moshe to this day. 
  
  - Later in recent history, we have had another similar incident. After thousands of years of following the Derech, or the Way, that Moshe Rabbenu taught us in ancient times, in the early 1800s and on in Europe, new ways to serve G-d were introduced. As a consequence, we lost another 6 million people, and the effects of that are still present today.
  
  As it was, so it will be. The Holy Books tell us of the End of Times. Those past reincarnations will smear the Son of David, and it will be a heavy load. 
  
  But all that is done to test Aharon HaCohen and the Elders of that generation. Whether they will back the one G-d has chosen, side with the ones who smear, or ignore it altogether and go on their way, their actions will determine whether The Nation will leave any of its members behind.
  
  That's why Parashat Korach says, And Korach took but never says what he took. Korach was a bystander who was quietly learning - he had witnessed the performance of The Masters of Defamation - Dathan and Aviram. Korach has taken that "experience" - the knowledge of what the lies can achieve when repeated enough times, and their power to convince and rule the masses, and with that experience, Korach has taken with him the above “experts or the consultants,” and together with other "upstanding scholars", they went against Moshe Rabbenu.
  
  So next time you are out there in public, socializing in the community, look around at those who do the Talking and the Walking and those who quietly stand on the side while gaining that "invaluable experience."
  
  That’s why King David said in the Book of Tehillim 1:1, "Happy is the man who does not walk in the advice of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scorners."
  
  After causing so many terrible problems in the nation and years of accusations of Moshe Rabbenu by Dathan and Aviram, Moshe Rabbenu calls on G-d again to solve this thorny problem once and for all, and goes for the unthinkable.
  
  Parashat Korach 16:28-30 says: "And Moses said, By this, you shall know that it was Hashem who sent me to do all these things; that they are not of my devising: If these people’s death is that of all humankind, if their lot is humankind's common fate, it was not Hashem who sent me. But if Hashem brings about something unheard-of, so that the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, you shall know that those involved have rejected Hashem." 
  
  And so it happened. Dathan, Aviram, Korach, and their families have fallen into the depths. Gemara Bava Batra 74A says that they never died, but they constantly keep on repeating down there deep in the Earth below: Torah is Truth, and Moshe is Truth—a bit too late if you ask me, but they realized that Moshe's doings were directly from G-d. 
  
  The same will be true with the Son of David, who also will do the same per the Will of G-d. Just like Moshe Rabbenu, who has judged Korach and his people, the Son of David will take the judgments to the next level by the sense of smell to root out the Dathans, Avirams, and other pious sinners of his time who have quietly operated for years amongst the nation. 
  
  Shmuel Katanov

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• The Red Heifer? - 1, Why?

  Feb 22, 2024 Admin 0 Comments

  We all have heard of the Red Heifer; the commandment has no explanation, but with your permission, I would like to try to explain it. So, without further ado, let's get started.
  
  There are different types of cows in the world, but the Torah commands us to take the rare cow —the red heifer —for a ceremony. 
  
  In Parashat Chukat 19:2-9 it says:
  
  זֹ֚את חֻקַּ֣ת הַתּוֹרָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר דַּבֵּ֣ר ׀ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וְיִקְח֣וּ אֵלֶ֩יךָ֩ פָרָ֨ה אֲדֻמָּ֜ה תְּמִימָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר אֵֽין־בָּהּ֙ מ֔וּם אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹא־עָלָ֥ה עָלֶ֖יהָ עֹֽל׃ 
  This is the law of the Torah which the Lord has commanded, saying, Speak to the children of Yisrael, that they bring thee a red heifer without defect, in which there is no blemish, and upon which never came a yoke: 
  
  וּנְתַתֶּ֣ם אֹתָ֔הּ אֶל־אֶלְעָזָ֖ר הַכֹּהֵ֑ן וְהוֹצִ֤יא אֹתָהּ֙ אֶל־מִח֣וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה וְשָׁחַ֥ט אֹתָ֖הּ לְפָנָֽיו׃ 
  and you shall give her to Elazar the priest, that he may bring her outside the camp, and she shall be slaughtered before his face: 
  
  וְשָׂרַ֥ף אֶת־הַפָּרָ֖ה לְעֵינָ֑יו אֶת־עֹרָ֤הּ וְאֶת־בְּשָׂרָהּ֙ וְאֶת־דָּמָ֔הּ עַל־פִּרְשָׁ֖הּ יִשְׂרֹֽף׃ 
  and the heifer shall be burnt in his sight; her skin, and her flesh, and her blood, with her dung, shall be burnt: וְלָקַ֣ח הַכֹּהֵ֗ן עֵ֥ץ אֶ֛רֶז וְאֵז֖וֹב וּשְׁנִ֣י תוֹלָ֑עַת וְהִשְׁלִ֕יךְ אֶל־תּ֖וֹךְ שְׂרֵפַ֥ת הַפָּרָֽה׃ 
  and the priest shall take cedar wood, and hyssop, and scarlet, and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer. 
  
  וְאָסַ֣ף ׀ אִ֣ישׁ טָה֗וֹר אֵ֚ת אֵ֣פֶר הַפָּרָ֔ה וְהִנִּ֛יחַ מִח֥וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֖ה בְּמָק֣וֹם טָה֑וֹר וְ֠הָיְתָ֠ה לַעֲדַ֨ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֧ל לְמִשְׁמֶ֛רֶת לְמֵ֥י נִדָּ֖ה חַטָּ֥את הִֽוא׃ 
  And a ritually clean man shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and lay them outside the camp in a clean place. It shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Yisrael for the water of sprinkling: it is a purification offering. 
  
  This reminds me of something in Parashat Toldot. It says there in the Toldot 25:30 - "Esau said to Jacob: Feed me now from that red, red [haadom haadom] dish, as I am tired. Therefore, his name is called Edom". -  These two events in the Torah are connected via the red heifer and the soup that Eisav bought -- red or rare heifer VS הָאָדֹ֤ם הָאָדֹם֙ הַזֶּ֔ה - this red red dish. Hashem wants us to pay attention to Eisav when he asks for that dish.
  
  What is Hashem trying to tell us? 
  
  Hashem is trying to tell us that He is concerned about Eisav, but not the ancient Eisav—the brother of Yaakov Avinu —who has abandoned the path and faith of his father, Yitzchak, and his grandfather, Avraham. The one who ran after the wealth and luxury of this world while ignoring the spiritual side, thus being forever lost to Torah and Judaism, not only himself but billions of his descendants over the centuries till today. 
  
  Hashem is concerned about the other Eisav, the one you and I may know—the everyday Eisav'im. The ones we see on the street, and maybe the one that stares back at you in the mirror. Some are lost to the Torah and mitzvot because they either don't know it or, if they do, choose to ignore it. These are the Eisav'im of today - Hashem does not want to lose. He cares about them, and He wants them back.
  
  And how will He get them back? This is where the Red Heifer comes in.
  
  In the Haftorah for the Parashat Parah, after the red heifer is made to ashes, in Ezekiel 36:25-37, it says the following:
  
  וְזָרַקְתִּ֧י עֲלֵיכֶ֛ם מַ֥יִם טְהוֹרִ֖ים וּטְהַרְתֶּ֑ם מִכֹּ֧ל טֻמְאוֹתֵיכֶ֛ם וּמִכׇּל־גִּלּ֥וּלֵיכֶ֖ם אֲטַהֵ֥ר אֶתְכֶֽם׃ 
  I will sprinkle pure water upon you, and you shall be purified: I will purify you from all your defilement and all your fetishes. 
  
  וְנָתַתִּ֤י לָכֶם֙ לֵ֣ב חָדָ֔שׁ וְר֥וּחַ חֲדָשָׁ֖ה אֶתֵּ֣ן בְּקִרְבְּכֶ֑ם וַהֲסִ֨רֹתִ֜י אֶת־לֵ֤ב הָאֶ֙בֶן֙ מִבְּשַׂרְכֶ֔ם וְנָתַתִּ֥י לָכֶ֖ם לֵ֥ב בָּשָֽׂר׃ 
  And I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit into you: I will remove the heart of stone from your body and give you a heart of flesh; 
  
  וְאֶת־רוּחִ֖י אֶתֵּ֣ן בְּקִרְבְּכֶ֑ם וְעָשִׂ֗יתִי אֵ֤ת אֲשֶׁר־בְּחֻקַּי֙ תֵּלֵ֔כוּ וּמִשְׁפָּטַ֥י תִּשְׁמְר֖וּ וַעֲשִׂיתֶֽם׃ 
  And I will put My spirit into you. Thus I will cause you to follow My laws and faithfully observe My rules. 
  
  וּזְכַרְתֶּם֙ אֶת־דַּרְכֵיכֶ֣ם הָרָעִ֔ים וּמַעַלְלֵיכֶ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־טוֹבִ֑ים וּנְקֹֽטֹתֶם֙ בִּפְנֵיכֶ֔ם עַ֚ל עֲוֺנֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם וְעַ֖ל תּוֹעֲבוֹתֵיכֶֽם׃ 
  Then you will remember your evil ways and your doings that were not good, and you shall hate yourselves in your sight because of your sins and your disgusting practices.
  
  לֹ֧א לְמַעַנְכֶ֣ם אֲנִֽי־עֹשֶׂ֗ה נְאֻם֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהֹוִ֔ה יִוָּדַ֖ע לָכֶ֑ם בּ֧וֹשׁוּ וְהִכָּֽלְמ֛וּ מִדַּרְכֵיכֶ֖ם בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃         
  Not for your sake will I act — declares the Sovereign G-d — let it be known to you. Be ashamed and humiliated because of your ways, O House of Israel! 
  
  When they sprinkle the waters of the Red Heifer on the people, it will purify them, and it will also change the heart of stone we currently have to the heart of flesh, and this is when we will finally understand and regret the times we went against G-d and His laws. 
  
  And this is Hashem's plan to help the Eisav'im of Today - all of us, to come back home - to truly repent and become holy, and to "re-join" the Jewish nation with a heart full of gratitude and dedication to Hashem and His laws.
  
  May it speedily happen in our days, Amen!
  
  Click here for Part 2 to go even deeper and to understand the secrets of the Red Heifer.
  
  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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