CLD #804

The Hida, Rav Haim David Yosef Azulai ZTK’L, was a great Talmid Hacham and legendary Rav of the Sephardic Jewish community in the 1700s. He traveled around the world and lived in Hevron. His greatness comes from his young connection to Torah, Talmud and Kabbalah and his success at writing over 70 books on Torah throughout his lifetime. The Hida was the precious diamond of his generation!

 There is a book today called The Hida Yomi, or the Daily Hida which breaks down everyday of the week (except for Shabbat) for an entire year with three pieces of Torah learning: Halacha/ Mussar/ Torah on the Parasha (Torah portion of the week).

For today’s Hida Yomi, the collector of the Hida’s writing brought down a Hiddush (a new piece of Torah) that discusses a pasuk in our Parasha. The pasuk (Shemot 19:3) says VaYihen Sham Yisrael Neged HaHar, And The Nation Parked Across From The Mountain (before receiving the Torah). The special part of this pasuk lies on two things: 1) the pasuk calls the nation a singular body and not a plural entity by saying vayihen and not vehanu and 2) the Hida’s Hiddush (which is the body of this CLD).

The Hida explains that in order for Am Yisrael to accept the Torah, they needed to be vessels for the holding of the Divine Presence entering the world. For the Divine Presence to rest upon the entire nation, the Jews in the desert needed one thing: unity. The Hida explains that the word Hahar (the mountain) comes out to 210 in gematriya (numerical value). The interesting part is that the number of years Israel was under Egypt’s rule as slaves was 210 years. From this the holy Hida explains that in order for Am Yisrael to receive the Torah and become untied they had to experience 210 years to be mul hahar, across from the mountain to become vessels to accept the Divine Presence of Hashem.

Sometimes we do not know WHY Hashem puts us in the situations He puts us, but we do know that everything He does is for our best (whether we feel it or not).

Judaism=Think.

All donations are going to our current CLD Fundraising Project: Collecting money for a bride in need!

Sponsor theCLD for the Ilui Neshama (memory of) or Refua Shlema (the speedy recovery) of your loved one! Click the Donate Button on the Right Sidebar and BH e-mail us (CLDFundraising@gmail.com) with the name(s)! 

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NEW FUNDRAISING PROJECT

This is our biggest project yet!

GOAL G-D WILLING: $11,000

We are collecting money for a bride and groom in need. They do not have the funds to pay for their wedding in March. We need help and we need support FAST. Please spread the word and ALL DONATIONS GO TO THEIR WEDDING FUND. We have been doing these fundraising projects for years and you can ask the people who support us: 100% of the Cash after the Paypal fees go to the people we collect for!

Be Jewish, Be charitable :D!

The DONATE button is on the right sidebar of the Blog.

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Judaism=Think.

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KOL HASHONEH HALACHOT BECHOL YOM MUVTACH LO SHEH'HOO BEN HA'OLAM HABA

Translated from Yalkut Yosef:

1. What does it mean according to the boundaries of Jewish law to fear one’s parents? One should avoid standing in the place his father prays, sit in the place his father sits in the table or in his store. Also if one’s mother has a spot she always sits in, the child is forbidden to sit there, but standing there is allowed. In the time of the father’s life, the child is forbidden to sit in his father’s place even if his father is not present. This law also stands for an individual who is not a Talmid Hacham (Torah Scholar).

2. The son is not allowed to stand next to his father’s side when both are praying the amida (Shmoneh Esreh), because the law makes the father like the son’s Rav Muvhak (Rabbi). This also stands when both are praying in the congregation in public. However, when it is crowded in Shul (synagogue) and the son must stand by his father’s side, the son should ask forgiveness from the father and may do so. If the father is praying in a place that is on a level (like a bimah) and the son is on the floor; the son is allowed to pray next to his father, even if they are immediately close to each other.

All donations are going to our current CLD Fundraising Project: Collecting money for a bride in need!

Sponsor today’s Halachot for the Ilui Neshama (memory of) or Refua Shlema (the speedy recovery) of your loved one! Click the Donate Button on the Right Sidebar and BH e-mail us (CLDFundraising@gmail.com) with the name(s)! 

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CLD #803

Yesterday's CLD:
Rav Ofer Erez, a famous Rabbi from Israel, has many derashot (Torah classes) on CDs. One time I picked up a CD at one of the mikvehs in Queens and I listened to the Torah class from that CD. Even though an individual listens or attends to a Torah class, each time they listen to it they pick up something else. This time hearing the shiur (Torah class), which spoke about the Yetzer Hara (evil inclination), I picked up a small part of the lecture that was super inspiring.

Rav Ofer Erez spoke about a teaching of Rav Nahman and how Rav Nahman explained that there are seven names for the yetzer hara and the name that is most relevant to the yetzer hara of our generation is the name 'medame.' The word medame means simulator, or an individual who imagines a process. What is the power of the yetzer hara? The yetzer hara is smart enough to bring these crazy and outrageous thoughts into our heads: yes, i will do xyz because it is really good for me. YEAH RIGHT! If one really looks at the behavior they want to execute from an outside viewpoint, they see it makes ZERO sense! This lust/desire/action I want to do is completely against everything I stand for.


At that moment when an individual used their mind to reach the conclusion that it is NOT following in the general service of Hashem: this is the weapon needed in order to overcome the Yetzer Hara! Be'ezrat Hashem with the knowledge that we are commanded to do Mitzvot and this commandment is A PRIVILEGE we will overcome each of our own desires that go against the Torah! With a smile and the correct outlook at each nisayon (challenge), we can always win.

Head up and take your spiritual life by the horns! Be the one in control under Hashem's help!

Judaism=Think.

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KOL HASHONEH HALACHOT BECHOL YOM MUVTACH LO SHEH'HOO BEN HA'OLAM HABA

Translated from Yalkut Yosef:

1. The law of Talmid Hacham (Torah Scholar) still stands today and therefore when an individual sees a Talmid Hacham who is huge in Torah studies, has Fear of Heaven and is a teacher for all of Israel they can say the beracha (blessing) of shehalak Mehochmato L’yirav. One is obligated tor espect and even fear his/her Rabbi even more than his/her father. It is a Mitzvah to stand up in front of each hacham (Torah scholar), even if they are not old and they do not guide the individual like a Rabbi.

2. One who stands for a zaken (older person) or a Talmid Hacham (Torah Scholar) must stand for their honor when the zaken or Hacham is standing or when the zaken/Hacham is in his/her 6 foot radius (arba amot).

Sponsor today’s Halachot for the Ilui Neshama (memory of) or Refua Shlema (the speedy recovery) of your loved one! Click the Donate Button on the Right Sidebar and BH e-mail us (CLDFundraising@gmail.com) with the name(s)! 

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Blood Drive THURSDAY!

SAVE LIVES PEOPLE!

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CLD #802

If we don’t have a stable and honest foundation, then we are bound to fall and fall hard. Today in our society if individuals distance themselves from a life of Torah they can reach very far places, which are completely abandoned from a Jewish lifestyle. Just like it is easy to find a community rich in Torah, at the same intensity one can find a Jewish community poor in Torah.

Where do we see this in our daily activites? Today I had cups of hot soup in my hand and if anyone is familiar with Shuls (synagogues) they know that the chairs are quite different then simple chairs. The chairs in shuls have special wood placement levels on the back in order for the person sitting behind to place things (prayer books, Torah books) on it when learning/praying. Because it was difficult to open up the wood plank to place the hot soup cups on them I saw that a life without a stable foundation will never succeed to stay stable.

The secret to a stable foundation rests in the Torah. When an individual follows in the way of the holy Torah, only then can they really feel and act in a way of holiness! This holiness brings the individual to a state

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KOL HASHONEH HALACHOT BECHOL YOM MUVTACH LO SHEH'HOO BEN HA'OLAM HABA

Translated from Rav Ovadia’s Halacha Emails:

1. All fish that have fins and scales are kosher. Fish must have both signs to be considered kosher and then one can eat all parts of the fish (unlike meat). However, if fish have fins that can only be seen under a microscope, then an individual may not eat from these non kosher fish.

2. Water that has bugs/insects that can only be seen under a microscope, is allowed to be consumed according to the essence of the law. Like water, fruits and vegetables that also have worms that are too small for the naked eye to see

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CLD #801

Yesterday's CLD:

Because the winter break has just ended, it makes sense that many people were recently coming back from overseas and it makes sense to discuss some flight conditions such as waiting in line at customs. When an individual waits in line at customs they can learn fundamental principles of Judaism. The process of doing Teshuva and life in general (getting closer to Hashem) is seen from a
simple twenty minutes of waiting in one of these lines.

How? Each nisayon (spiritual challenge) is like stopping in the line. If one fails they simply don’t move closer to the goal of reaching Devekut B’Hashem (being glued to Hashem’s forever goodness). If one does overcome the nisayon they do stop but the wait until the next time to continue moving onwards is much shorter. All of

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KOL HASHONEH HALACHOT BECHOL YOM MUVTACH LO SHEH'HOO BEN HA'OLAM HABA

Yesterday's Halachot:
Taken from Rav Ovadia’s Halacha Emails:

1. The land of Israel was praised with seven species of fruits as the verse (Devarim 8,8) states, “A land of wheat and barley, grapevines, figs, and pomegranates; a land of olive oil and honey.” (“Honey” here refers to dates as is explained in the Talmud Yerushalmi Chapter 1 of Masechet Bikurim, Halacha 3). The blessing on any one of the Seven Species precedes

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CLD #800

With the milestone of reading 800 CLD’s we would think to post a detailed Devar Torah about mystifying gematriyot (numerical values) and beautiful links to different parts of Torah concepts. However, in reality we believe here at theCLD that the most important type of Judaism is the direct Judaism of Emunah (believing). The simple belief that we are different then the goyim and we behave on another platform then the entire world. The wisdom of this belief is not to say it, but to LIVE IT.

We actually say this principle of faith every single day in Tefillat Shaharit in a boasting manner, in a proud tone of voice! After the section of Ashrei following the amida we say the special prayer of 

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KOL HASHONEH HALACHOT BECHOL YOM MUVTACH LO SHEH'HOO BEN HA'OLAM HABA

Translated from Yalkut Yosef:

1. Our Hachamim (Rabbis) made it assur (forbidden) to eat bread that was made by non-Jews, or simply called pat nochri because they expected intermarriage would result if it was allowed. In places where there is no pat yisrael (bread made by Jews) people are more lenient to eat pat nochri. This holds when there is absolutely no suspicion that there is any mix with the bread/flour of any prohibited foods (such as pieces of non Kosher meat or cheeses) or any meat fat. However, in regards to bread that was made in a non Jewish home, there is no room to be lenient because this causes a definite outcome that families will come to eat together and can lead to intermarriage.

2. Bread that was made by a non Jew in the non Jew’s home is definitely prohibited to be eaten. There is no difference whether the bread was eaten in a Christian home, which is a home of idolatry (since we know Christianity is a religion that believes in more than a single G-d and believes in bowing down to pieces of wood) or whether the bread was made in a home that believes in one G-d, for example in a muslim home. The reason for this prohibition is to prevent intermarriage so any non Jewish bread is prohibited to be consumed.

Shavua Tov!

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CLD #799

Parashat Beshalah, Shabbat Shirah, Shabbat Kodesh alone, Tu Bishvat, most people away from work/school because of vacation, etc. WHAT AN ACTION PACKED SHABBAT PEOPLE! This is enough for chizuk (inspiration), however; the parasha is way too beautiful and intense just to avoid writing something about it.

In the end of our Parasha (which discusses the exile from Egypt, and the event of the splitting of the Red Sea in depth) the Torah tells us the story of Am Yisrael and being away from Torah learning for three days (the mepharshim explain this on Shemot 17:1). This caused the entire nation to lose out on any water (which is a proof that an individual who learns Torah will not lack any necessities and will be financially blessed). The entire nation complained to Moshe and Moshe Rabbenu was so shocked from their behavior he even though they would end up stoning him to death!

What does Hashem tell Moshe? He tells him: (Shemot 17:5-6) “Moshe, relax. Simply go with elders of Israel and take the same rod you took for all the Makkot (plagues) in Egypt and strike it on a rock. From a rock water will come out and everyone will receive their water and everything will go back to normal.” Rashi explains on these pesukim (verses) two things: 1) take some elders so they will testify to everyone the water is really coming from the rock and there was no source of water beforehand and 2) why does the pasuk have to say to use the same rod that was used at the nile river for the plagues in Egypt? Rashi explains it is because Hashem wants to refute the claim that Israel had. What claim did they have?

Israel thought that this rod was given to Moshe only to do bad things. They did not believe there was anything good from it. After all, they did see months of plagues being thrown at Egyptians and it is known that all the diseases in the entire world today was seen in the time of the plagues in Egypt (learned from another verse in our Parasha). What can we learn from this? Sometimes we think we do bad and there is NO WAY I CAN GO BACK TO GOOD! I am filled with impure desires and filthy actions and my past is so spiritually low and crooked. I am going to become good? NO WAY! This is completely false. Hashem is telling us through the Torah HaKedosha that we have it in us to actually turn around our actions 180 degrees!

We have the strength from Hashem to take the next correct turn in our life and become positive people filled with Mitzvot like a pomegranate’s seeds. The pasuk also continues to say that the water will come from a rock. It is known that someone who is distanced from Hashem (like Pharoah) lacks a heart, instead they have a heart of stone (very negative to say about someone). However, Hashem teaches if you take your bad actions (the rod that they all thought was for tragic events) and hit it on the rock (your heart) only then water will come out. What does this mean? Take all your ma’asim lo tovim (your not-good deeds) and learn from them not to return to them and to do positive with those same intentions you wanted for negative things! Be’ezrat Hashem we should have an uplifiting Shabbat Shirah (named after the song of Az Yashir read in our Parasha) and a happy Tu Bishvat!

Shabbat Shalom & Tu Bishvat Sameah!

Sponsor theCLD for the Ilui Neshama (memory of) or Refua Shlema (the speedy recovery) of your loved one! Click the Donate Button on the Right Sidebar and BH e-mail us (CLDFundraising@gmail.com) with the name(s)!

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KOL HASHONEH HALACHOT BECHOL YOM MUVTACH LO SHEH'HOO BEN HA'OLAM HABA

Translated from Yalkut Yosef:

1. It is forbidden to prepare on Shabbat for the weekday (for example Shabbat afternoon for Motzei Shabbat) because this shows a belittlement of the respect of Shabbat. Even if it is something that does not involve doing melacha (an action that is forbidden to do on Shabbat), such as cleaning pots and pans on Shabbat for the weekday, is forbidden on Shabbat.

2. Because there is a prohibition to plant on Shabbat, when people are eating a Shabbat meal in their garden they may not do netillat yadayim on the plants or seeds on the ground. Even though they do not have the intention to plant or help in the planting process, in any case this definitely causes the plants/seeds to grow more efficiently. Even in someone else’s garden (and not only yours) this is forbidden as well.

3. Fruits that are known to be infested with worms need to be opened up and checked in order to say on them the proper blessing. Caution is needed over and over again in regards to check fro worms because to eat them is a severe forbidden act and one who swallows one is punished for violating FIVE Torah prohibitions. On top of that, eating a worm by accident causes one’s soul to become dirty and promotes an impure lifestyle in their service of Hashem.

4. There are those who have the custom to make etrog jam and eat it during Tu Bishvat and these people should not say the sheheheyanu blessing on it because when they said it on Hag Sukkot they already fulfilled the obligation to say it. However, a woman says sheheheyanu on eating an etrog during Tu Bishvat because she does not say sheheheyanu on Hag Sukkot on the etrog (because she does not shake the Lulav).

Shabbat Shalom & Tu Bishvat Sameah!

Sponsor today’s Halachot for the Ilui Neshama (memory of) or Refua Shlema (the speedy recovery) of your loved one! Click the Donate Button on the Right Sidebar and BH e-mail us (CLDFundraising@gmail.com) with the name(s)! 

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*HOLIDAY ALERT*

Tu Bishvat 5773!

Shabbat Shirah - 15 Shevat  (Jan. 25 Sunset - Jan. 26 Nightfall)

Tu Bishvat lasts for one day on the Jewish calendar

We have the custom to greaten the consumption of fruits as it is the New Year for Fruits

We also plant seeds in Israel and learn the Halachot (Jewish Laws) and read the Zohar about agriculture, ma'aserot, terumot, orlah, etc.

Shabbat Shalom & Tu Bishvat Sameah

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CLD #798

There are three certain types of Mitzvot that an individual needs to pay for during their lifetime. A Mezuzah, Sefer Torah and Tefillin are the three major items of Kedusha (purity) that every individual will go through in their life, whether they are paying for their child’s tefillin, or their own homes’ mezuzah, etc.

What can we learn from this? There is a certain difference between a Sefer Torah and tefillin and mezuzot. A Sefer Torah is certainly much easier to check to see if its pasul or kasher (kosher or invalid). When many American Jews come to Israel for the year to learn in yeshiva, they send their tefillin in to check to see if it needs improvement, if the parchment is not melted or the black ink is still painted on well. Also there is a certain minhag (custom) even written in halacha (Jewish law) to check one’s mezuzot in their home during the Jewish month of Elul.

However, when it comes to a Sefer Torah, the individual just sees through the year’s Torah reading if the Sefer Torah is kosher or not! What does this teach us? Especially in our time of Shovavim, Tu Bishvat, Parashat Beshalah (with the exile from Egypt), we need to remind ourselves the power of the Torah. This means that when an individual has a minimum hour or two of Torah learning everyday, they have the power of Hashem’s influence to revive them from any impurity or any type of confusion. In the end of the day being clear in your goals is the key to rise spiritually in your Avodat Hashem (service of Hashem). With Tu Bishvat’s entrance into the world, we should also remind ourself that the direction going upwards is clear and definite for a tree. So how much more so with us!

Be’ezrat Hashem we should enjoy Shabbat Kodesh, Shabbat Shirah and a beautiful Tu Bishvat!

Sponsor theCLD for the Ilui Neshama (memory of) or Refua Shlema (the speedy recovery) of your loved one! Click the Donate Button on the Right Sidebar and BH e-mail us (CLDFundraising@gmail.com) with the name(s)! 

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KOL HASHONEH HALACHOT BECHOL YOM MUVTACH LO SHEH'HOO BEN HA'OLAM HABA

Translated from Yalkut Yosef:

1. The day of Tu Bishvat is the Rosh HaShanah (New Year) for fruits. Saying that thiday is the first day for fruits make a difference in the laws of terumot, ma’aserot, orlah (all different types of laws for fruits).

2. In a year that Tu Bishvat falls on Shabbat (like this year), there are those who are accustomed to bring fruits to bless on them directly after Kiddush and before Netilat Yadayim. One should ponder about this custom and ask whether to do it or not because there is a mahloket (argument) whether or not to do this. In any case, if people ate a certain amount in order to say a beracha ahrona they should not say a beracha ahrona and just say birkat hamazon at the end of the meal with everyone.

Shabbat Shalom & Tu Bishvat Sameah!

Sponsor today’s Halachot for the Ilui Neshama (memory of) or Refua Shlema (the speedy recovery) of your loved one! Click the Donate Button on the Right Sidebar and BH e-mail us (CLDFundraising@gmail.com) with the name(s)! 

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CLD #797

Masechet Ta’anit on 8b says the famous line of the Gemara: And Rabi Yitzhak says blessing of Hashem does not rest upon something unless it is away from the eye, as it says “Hashem will order the blessing to be with you in your granaries.” The word ‘granaries’ in Hebrew is asamecha and Rashi explains that Hazal did not read the word as asamecha, rather they teach it as something that is away from the eye! Being in the days of Shovavim, which we are almost finished with the third week, we need to focus on the Middah of Yosef HaTzadik.

It is known throughout Zohar and holy books of Torah that the great Rabbis in the world’s history treated these 42 days of Shovavim as holy, or even holier than the days of Aseret Yemei Teshuva! We need to apply this fact into our hearts during these holy days to do Teshuva. But the question is: what is the point of doing Teshuva, what do I get out of it? The answer is BLESSING, BLESSING, BLESSING! The Orhot Tzadikkim explains that Yosef HaTzadik is the prime example for an individual who does not listen and gets rewarded. How?

Yosef rejected the countless offers (3 times a day for an entire year) from a gorgeous woman and did not listen to her seduction and plan to get him in a dirty situation. What did Yosef get out of it? 80 years of pure kingship! What does this have to do with the blessing being away from the eye as mentioned above? The answer is that Yosef watched his eyes and was going to die for it! He made sure his eyes did not fall to the seduction of Eshet Potiphar! This teaches us when an individual puts their life on the line not to let their eyes see impure things, they receive an intense amount of blessing.

This is also seen through fish reproduction. Fish stay secret and quiet under the ocean’s waters. They do not show the world how much they have and show off. They are hidden and therefore the blessing from shamayim (the Heavens) rests upon them. We need to learn from this to watch our eyes because we then receive blessing and to always stay modest and quiet regarding our kedusha (purity). When an individual puts their life of the line, they will receive from Hashem the highest ranking reward: the ultimate blessing of kingship and control over their body. When it says Yosef became the right hand to Pharoah, it means he was a king over his desires and that is why we call him Yosef HaTzadik. One is righteous when their Middat HaYesod (shemirat haberit and shemirat halashon) is guarded!

May we always get the help from Shamayim to do teshuva, because in our generation these are the KEY challenges in whatever we do.

Sponsor theCLD for the Ilui Neshama (memory of) or Refua Shlema (the speedy recovery) of your loved one! Click the Donate Button on the Right Sidebar and BH e-mail us (CLDFundraising@gmail.com) with the name(s)! 

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KOL HASHONEH HALACHOT BECHOL YOM MUVTACH LO SHEH'HOO BEN HA'OLAM HABA

Translated from Yalkut Yosef:

1. It is a Mitzvah to have fear in our parents as it says in the Torah (VaYikrah 19:3) Ish Imo Ve’Aviv Tira’u (Every man shall fear his mother and his father). And Hazal (our Sages) say Hashem knows that the child fears his father more than his mother, therefore the Torah teaches to fear the mother first and then the father. And they continued to say that because there is another pasuk (verse) in the Torah that teaches to fear Hashem, our Sages compare one’s parents to Hashem!

2. A married woman also is commanded to fear her parents and therefore she is not allowed to sit in her father’s chair, or the place her mother sits, and also she is not allowed to call her parents by their first names and especially she is not allowed to reject or refute their words.

Sponsor today’s Halachot for the Ilui Neshama (memory of) or Refua Shlema (the speedy recovery) of your loved one! Click the Donate Button on the Right Sidebar and BH e-mail us (CLDFundraising@gmail.com) with the name(s)! 

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CLD #796

Today we are in a world where people always chase for the reward at the end of any action. Why am I going to college? “Because you need it today to get a higher-paying job.” Why am I praying? “Because then I will be more successful.” Why do I learn Torah? “Because I want to be able to answer the Rabbi’s questions at Shul in front of the entire congregation.” Baruch Hashem we are in great thriving communities that support the Torah and everything around it, but sometimes we fail to do certain things for the correct reasons.

Hazal teach us that the best way to do Mitzvot is to give nahat to our G-d, to actually make Hashem happy because He is commanding us to do these Mitzvot. That’s it. With no cherry on top or any whipped cream. The best reason to do something is lishma, for the sake of Heaven. However, there is a loophole where we can have the real reason to do something is just to be wise in Torah, as it says in Masechet Sanhedrin 105 Mitoch Shelo Lishma Ba Lishma, for out of not for the Sake of Heaven comes the Sake of Heaven. Meaning when an individual has the wrong intentions of doing Mitzvot, in the end of the matter they will end up having the correct intentions.

Therefore, since we are such a spiritually low generation, let’s focus on an intention that is great. Olam Haba, the world to come. Hazal explain that there is a judge to this world, Hashem, and He will put the Tzadikkim in Olam Haba and the Resha’im (the wicked) in Gehinam (hell) to put them in spiritual laundry so they can enter Olam Haba ‘clean’ of sin.

However, we are too stuck in this world to understand what Olam Haba is all about. So what do we need to do in order to get us pumped and motivated to do Mitzvot so us too will have the zechut (privilege) to get some of this Olam Haba after 120? The Orhot Tzadikkim answers this question in Sha’ar HaSimha. He explains that there are certain bithonot (trusts) that we need to have in Hashem. One of them is trusting Hashem that He will put the Tzadikkim in this world. What can we take from our world here to understand what the world there feels like?! The Orhot Tzadikkim says that the world of neshamot (souls) is a world with no eating or drinking. However, we can begin to feel a drop of what Olam Haba’s great amazing feeling is like from the following examples: 1) the feeling of an individual who receive revenge against their enemies, 2) when an individual is respected, 3) when an individual sees a beautiful thing, such as a gorgeous scenery or the beauty of nature, 4) when an individual meets a friend/loved one who they haven’t seen for a long time, or 5) when someone hears news to celebrate for.

The Orhot Tzadikkim says: if this is the feeling of bodily pleasure from this world, how much more so in the world to come when there is NO LIMIT for the enjoyment and feeling to be around the Divine Presence!

When we do Mitzvot maybe we should begin thinking of this great pleasure Be’ezrat Hashem waiting to surround us after 120!

Judaism=Think.

Sponsor theCLD for the Ilui Neshama (memory of) or Refua Shlema (the speedy recovery) of your loved one! Click the Donate Button on the Right Sidebar and BH e-mail us (CLDFundraising@gmail.com) with the name(s)! 

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VIDEO OF THE WEEK!

Enjoy.

theCLD: supporting The Holy Torah

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KOL HASHONEH HALACHOT BECHOL YOM MUVTACH LO SHEH'HOO BEN HA'OLAM HABA

Translated from Yalkut Yosef:

1. Mayim Ahronim Hova, the washing of the first two parts of the fingers after one finishes their meal (with bread) is mandatory. Even in our time when the special Salt of Sodom is nonexistent there is still an obligation to wash one’s hands with Mayim Ahronim, especially an individual with dirty hands. One should be stringent with this and avoid the lenient possibilities of not doing mayim ahronim.

2. Women are also obligated to do mayim ahronim even though there are those who write to be lenient in regards to women. Women of all ages should become assutomed to washing with mayim ahronim. It is also good and suggested to educate one’s children who have reached the age of hinuch (6-7) to wash mayim ahronim.

Sponsor today’s Halachot for the Ilui Neshama (memory of) or Refua Shlema (the speedy recovery) of your loved one! Click the Donate Button on the Right Sidebar and BH e-mail us (CLDFundraising@gmail.com) with the name(s)! 

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Special Segulah for Parnassah: TODAY!

Parashat HaMan, according to the Talmud Yerushalmi, is a segulah (merit) for Parnassah (financial support) that is said everyday. However; it is a special Segulah to say this Parasha (portion from the Torah) specifically on the Tuesday of Parashat Beshalah (this Shabbat is Beshalah).

The link for reading Parashat HaMan is provided here: CLICK HERE

Judaism=Think.

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CLD #795

When professors and scholars want to rank an individual based on their genius and wisdom, they simply have an in-depth analysis on their work, published studies, experiments, novels, books, reports, etc. They look into their academic achievements and try to find out how much that work influenced people for the better. For example, if one takes a look into the achievements of the people who invented the automobile they can claim that they really helped society. How much more Mitzvot do people accomplish by driving?

Anyway, when we look at books that include the view of a Torah lifestyle, like Mesillat Yesharim, Orhot Tzadikkim, Sha'arei Teshuva, Moreh Nevuchim, etc., we can calculate more or less how much these books changed the world for the better. For example, when an individual reads Igerret Ramban about the intense evil that the characteristic trait of anger causes, they learn to become more calm and tempered people. How much does this help the world? And guess what: the Igerret Ramban is only a letter written from the great Ramban to his son! How much more so does the Ramban's commentary on the Tanach help the world? How about the Shulhan Aruch and the great Rammah, which mark up the full Jewish Code of Law and includes a ton of Mussar (academic rebuke) to help us live a life of serenity and appropriate Jewish behavior?!

And let us take this a step forward: how much does the Torah, the source and blueprint for this world help the people who inhabit it?! From this simple logic one can come to the greatness and thanks to Hashem, or just a tiny drop of what He is really deserving of. Hashem loves us, He loves the entire population and we need to ingrain this into our minds. How great is Hashem? Even if we take all the words in all the languages and combine them together it does not add up to what we need to say about G-d.

With this in mind, when an individual gives their life to learn and pass on the teachings of the Torah, they take from the greatness of Hashem and His work, they take from the greatness of Torah and become real behaved scholars. We owe so much to Hashem and He gives us life without even expecting  anything in return! How remarkable is the individual who reaches to be like Hashem?

Be'ezrat Hashem may we think about these logical points and let it affect our everyday lives for the best! 

Judaism=Think.

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KOL HASHONEH HALACHOT BECHOL YOM MUVTACH LO SHEH'HOO BEN HA'OLAM HABA

Translated from Yalkut Yosef:

1. It is mandatory to stop those who are accustomed to doing a shortened Minha without the Hazarat HaSha”tz because it does not coincide with Halacha (Jewish Law). However, when there is a minyan that holds a very small number of people and within the ten people there are those who will not answer ‘amen’ and will not put effort to listen to the Hazara the minyan should only do a shortened Tefillah. When there is a minyan with people who are yereh shamayim (have Fear of Heaven) and even more so when there is a lot of people present, G-d forbid should the minyan be lenient and do a shortened prayer. It is therefore mandatory for the heads of communities to make sure a normal Tefillah with Hazarat HaSha”tz is done everyday with people answering ‘amen’ and avoiding reading books in the middle.

2. It is a pleasant and recommended custom to say after every mention of Hashem’s name Baruch Hu U’Varuch Shemo. Therefore, it is the Shaliah Tzibbur’s responsibility to wait a moment after mentioning Hashem’s name to let the congregation answer Baruch Hu U’Varuch Shemo and then finish the beracha as usual.

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CLD #794

The holy sefer (book) Tzeror HaMor, describes key concepts regarding each Hebrew month. With the reality that we are already a week plus into the holy month of Shevat and this Shabbat is Tu Bishvat let us bring a beautiful Torah learning about fruits and trees. It is known throughout Shas and Tanach that human beings are compared to trees (Devarim 20:19, Yeshayau 63:22, Yirmiyahu, Yehezkhel, Taanit 5b etc.). 

The Tzeror HaMor writes in the name of the Maharal that just like a fruit tree works all its lifespan to bring out beautiful fruits into the world, so too the Jewish individual works and puts effort into giving its own types of ‘fruit’ into the globe. The Maharal explains that the tree does everything to bring ripe fruits to their full growth. How much more so with us Jews?! How much should we prepare and put effort into channeling our actions and events to revolve around Mitzvot that are surrounded by spirituality and involve a deep connection with Hashem!

The wisdom behind our holy Torah is the power it has to turn the most physical and gashmi related event/item into a spiritual reality. The Even Ezra explains that the fruit of an invidual is not only there actions and Mitzvot, but also their neshama (soul) and wisdom. The entire effort in life should be used in order to RECOGNIZE Hashem’s power to create and His forever-lasting-ness.

Be’ezrat Hashem may we understand that just like a tree needs its surrounding environment and soil to be perfect for its growth so too our surrounding and home, our bayit ne’eman should be perfect for our growth as Jewish adults.

Sponsor theCLD for the Ilui Neshama (memory of) or Refua Shlema (the speedy recovery) of your loved one! Click the Donate Button on the Right Sidebar and BH e-mail us (CLDFundraising@gmail.com) with the name(s)! 

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