VIDEO: Today’s Halachot

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

"Whoever learns a minimum of two Jewish laws everyday is granted that he will have a share in the World to Come"

Today's Halachot discuss Laws of Deception and taken from the Holy Ben Ish Khai.

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CLD #882

A delicious Devar Torah by the Ben Ish Hai ZTK’L on our Parasha, Parashat Beha’alotcha. There is a part of the Parasha where we find Moshe Rabbenu, the greatest Rabbi and Prophet and individual of all time, pleading to Yitro to stay with am Yisrael and not return to Midyan! The Ben Ish Hai brings down that Hashem loves gerim (converts) and the greatest convert in the Torah is Yitro.

The question is why? What is so special about a convert? There is a difference between a Jew by conversion and a Jew from birth. The Jew by conversion does not know the way of Judaism, he did not grow up with it and everything is foreign and new to him. The convert is changing his nature and battling his Evil Inclination on an hourly basis to stay in line with Judaism and the Torah! The convert is constantly perfecting himself and getting closer to Hashem. The Ben Ish Hai adds beautifully and explains that the Gemara;s story between Rabi Akiva and Rabi Eliezar.

One time there was a decree on the Jewish people in the times of the Talmud and Rabi Eliezer prayed for the nation and nobody saw salvation or any rescue in sight. When Rabi Akiva began praying RIGHT AWAY everything worked out! The Gemara explains that because Rabi Akiva ma’avir al midotav is an individual who is of great ba’al middot and keeps on surrendering his anger, stubbornness, impatience, etc, his tefillot (prayers) are answered. The Ben Ish Hai explains that because Rabi Akiva was a son of converts he also had to change his nature to become a better person, unlike Rabi Eliezer who was from a righteous family!

How much more can we say about the typical ba’al teshuva (an individual who changes his/her entire life to get close to G-d and tries to observe the Torah)?! I think today we can say that a person who goes to yeshiva, who begins putting on tefillin every morning, who decides to start wearing more modest skirts, who says I will wear a kippa today: these individuals are the most precious in the eyes of G-d! B’H we should understand that TODAY is the time to make these life changes and set spiritual goals and a new direction and not after we are married or when we need to start parenting our children. Shabbat Shalom!

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VIDEO: Today’s Halachot

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

"Whoever learns a minimum of two Jewish laws everyday is granted that he will have a share in the World to Come"

Today's Halachot discuss Laws of Shabbat and taken from Rav Ovadia’s Halacha Emails.

Shabbat Shalom!

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VIDEO: Purity

When an individual shares issues of inspiration for purity and holiness they literally FIX the sins they have done!

Shabbat Shalom!

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This Thursday: Blood Drive in Queens!

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CLD #881: The Logic Behind Learning Torah

When we take a moment to understand what the Torah is and who we are in the context of the world we really begin to LOVE Hashem. In reality, Judaism is divided into two major sections: Loving G-d (Ahavat Hashem) and Fearing G-d (Yirat Hashem). Our Sages (Hachamim) teach us in various places that the entire Jew’s life is supposed to direct him/her to a service of loving G-d.

However, there is a catch. The only way to reach this love of G-d is by fearing Him first! How does this make sense? Imagine a father and son. Everyone knows from an outside perspective that the father loves his son, however; the son might not always see that. For example if the son is three years old and he is playing in a playground. All of a sudden the ball rolls out of the playground area and start heading for the street where there are cars passing by once in a while. The boy obviously runs after the ball.

A moment passes and the father is already running after his boy. “What did you do?! How many times do I need to tell you never to run after the ball!!” The boy is crying and yelling about not being able to get the ball, but in reality WHO CARES if the boy is scared of his father?! The boy is still healthy and alive! He won’t understand until he is older.

The same goes for us in life. We go through intense obstacles that avoid us from reaching spirituality because we think we can live life without fear of G-d and follow society’s trends of “free for all” lifestyle. The answer is to know that the only way to BEGIN to love G-d is by fearing Him! As David HaMelech (who died on Shavuot) writes in Psalms (111:9) Reshit Hochma Yirat Hashem…the peak and zenith of wisdom is FEARING G-D! Now it makes sense. The entire reason of Judaism is to love G-d and Judaism is wisdom, so therefore the only way I can reach this wisdom is by fearing G-d and then I can reach loving G-d. If you now ask how to begin fearing G-d the answer is simple: Learning Torah.

B’H through the holiday of Shavuot, the time when we celebrate the wedding  of Shavuot between us and Hashem as a nation and the receiving of the Torah, we should all come to realize that without learning Torah in my daily schedule my connection with Hashem is not strong! Celebrate Shavuot with Torah learning!

Hag Sameakh!

Judaism=Think.

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VIDEO: Halachot on Shavuot - Hag Sameakh!

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

"Whoever learns a minimum of two Jewish laws everyday is granted that he will have a share in the World to Come"

Today's Halachot discuss Shavuot customs and taken from The Ben Ish Hai and Yalkut Yosef.

Hag Sameakh!

Judaism=Think.

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CLD #880

When an individual performs the Mitzvah of Berit Milah (circumcision) on his 8 day old baby there are two special Berachot (blessings) that they say during this day. The first isAl HaMilah (the blessing stating the commandment of doing a Berit Milah) and the second is Lehikanes Leberito Shel Avraham Avinu (which is the blessing to continue the special covenant that was created between our forefather, Avraham, and Hashem). This shows that besides for the actual performance of the Mitzvah, there is also a connection that is created between the Jews and Hashem.

In regards to Shavuot, the central theme is Torah learning and the continuation of Torah throughout history. The two special berachot that an individual says every morning in Birkot HaTorah are Asher Kideshanu…Al Divrei Torah (to stress the commandment of learning Torah) and the second is Asher Bakhar Banu (to stress the special choice that Hashem made that He specifically chose US as His nation).

Rav Pinkus in his sichot (discussions) on Shavuot explains that on Shavuot, on the day of receiving the Torah, not only did we receive Mitzvot (special commandments that make us close to Hashem and receive eternal goodness), but also we received a special golden lock on our hearts that makes us Asher Bakhar Banu. We are chosen. Yes, you and me are chosen by Hashem went placed in front of ALL THE OTHER NATIONS.

Hashem literally tells us on Shavuot night: I WANT YOU! I WANT YOU TO BE CLOSE TO ME! I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I LOVE YOU! And what do we have to do? Eat with our family, say berachot, go to Shul, enjoy singing and praising G-d, learning our holy Torah! What a simkha (happiness)!

Hag SAMEAKH!

Judaism=Think.

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VIDEO: Today’s Halachot

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

"Whoever learns a minimum of two Jewish laws everyday is granted that he will have a share in the World to Come"

Today's Halachot discuss the Holiday of Shavuot and are taken from The Ben Ish Hai ZTK’L.

Hag Sameakh!

Judaism=Think.

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*

SHAVUOT 5773

Matan Torah, Celebrating 3,325 Years Living by the Torah

6-7 Sivan 

Tuesday 14 May (Sunset) - Thursday 16 May (Nightfall)

Ya'aleh VaYavo

Yom Tov

Seudot Yom Tov

Torah Reading

Full Hallel

Mussaf

First Night ALL NIGHT Learning

Hag Sameakh!

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CLD #879

In this week’s Parasha, Parashat BaMidbar, not only do we start a new book of the Five Books ofTorah but we also go in depth into the organization of how the tribes traveled throughout the desert during the 40 year journey. The Hida ZY'A in his book Nahal Kedumim picks up on a beautiful part of this explanation of their journey.

If someone analyzes the Parasha and its description of the Shevatim (tribes) and how they managed around the Mishkan (Tabernacle), you can see a similarity. How did they camp? There were four groups of three tribes meaning for each direction (N,E,S,W) there would be three tribes together. The first group on the east consisted of Yehuda, Yisachar and Zevulun. The southern part of the camp at large included Reuven, Shimon and Gad. On the western side Efrayim, Menashe and Binyamin camped together. Finally the northern section included Dan, Asher and Naftali.

 

The Hida ZY’A notices a similarity that is remarkable. We know from the beginning of the Parasha that Hashem explains in the Torah that each Shevet (tribe) had a leader to it. When looking at the arrangement, one can see that the leaders of the middle tribe in each direction around the Mishkan had a similarity.

East Side Middle Tribe = Yisachar (Leader: Netanel ben Tzuar)

South Side Middle Tribe = Shimon (Leader: Shelumiel ben Tzurishadai)

West Side Middle Tribe = Menashe (Leader: Gamliel ben Pedatzur)

North Side Middle Tribe= Asher (Leader: Pagiel ben Ochran)

The Hida ZY’A says that each first name of the Middle Tribe Leader in each section around the Mishkan ended with one of Hashem’s names: El (which symbolizes strength). This is a hidden message in the Torah to state that Hashem’s Divine Presence is present in ALL of Am Yisrael, there is no such thing as one group having no spirituality or G-dly existence! The second hiddush (Torah teaching) that the Hida ZY’A explains is that the order of these tribes’s sacrifice giving (each one on a different day) makes up Hashem’s name. Yisachar gave on the 2^nd day, Shimon on the 5^th, Menashe on the 8^th and Asher on the 11^th. If you add 2+5+8+11, this equals 26 which is Hashem’s name in Gematriya.

What an uplifting way to end off Rosh Hodesh and enter Shabbat Kodesh tonight by thinking about Hashem’s presence and protection in our lives when singing Lecha Dodi!

Shabbat Shalom and Hodesh Tov!

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: Today’s Halachot

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

"Whoever learns a minimum of two Jewish laws everyday is granted that he will have a share in the World to Come"

Today's Halachot discuss Halachot of Friday Night’s Shabbat Meal and taken from Rav Mutzafi’s Shivat Tzion.

Shabbat Shalom & Hodesh Tov!

Judaism=Think.

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*

ROSH HODESH SIVAN

May 9 (Sunset) - May 10 (Nightfall)

Aleph Sivan 5773

Ya'aleh VeYavo in Tefillah and Birkat HaMazon

Torah Reading

Mussaf

Hallel

Make sure not to wear Tefillin for Shenayim Mikrah (anytime after Mussaf)

Shabbat Shalom &

HODESH TOV UMEVORACH :D!

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CLD #878

Be’ezrat Hashem (with G-d’s help) Shavuot arrives in FOUR NIGHTS. Are we ready? How can we be ready for such a holy night?! Shavuot is The Night that changed the History of the World! It is the night the Torah was brought down from The Heavens into Moshe Rabbenu’s hands to teach us until the end of time.

The Torah is simply a guideline of how to live life to the fullest with religious inspiration and to strengthen the connection we have with Hashem. Our mission in life is to push us to recognize G-d’s reign and kingship in the world. This is why the Torah constantly urges us to do Mitzvot because a Mitzvah is another channel to recognize Hashem.

In the famous book Michtav Me’Eliyahu by Rav Dessler TZK’L, the Rav explains that there are two different extremes of personalities in the world. People are broken down into a Notel (a taker) or a Noten (a giver). There is no such direction of identity building in the middle. Either you revolve your life to giving or you don’t realize that you immerse yourself with taking.

Rav Dessler explains that an individual who aims to give throughout their life will become a successful Jew that constantly sees their relationship with Hashem becoming stronger and stronger. We should all urge eachother to become givers. But what does this have to do with Shavuot? The beauty is in the simple understanding of G-ds kindness in giving us the Torah: The Torah is the source of energy in the world. When Hashem gave us the Torah 3,325 years ago He really transferred to us the source of success! He said all you have to do is learn it and practice it, then you can become the decision makers in the world! By Hashem GIVING us the Torah we are “takers,” so what does Hashem want from us? He literally teaches us to be takers! The answer is that only from the power of learning and practicing the Torah we can train ourselves to become the NUMBER ONE GIVER!

 

There is no such thing as becoming more selfish after living the Torah, you just automatically become a giver.

Judaism=Think.

Shabbat Shalom & Hodesh Tov!

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: Today’s Halachot

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

"Whoever learns a minimum of two Jewish laws everyday is granted that he will have a share in the World to Come"

Today's Halachot discuss the Halachot of Pre-Shabbat Preparations and taken from Rav Muztafi’s Shivat Tzion.

Judaism=Think.

Shabbat Shalom & Hodesh Tov!

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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VIDEO: Today’s Halachot

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

"Whoever learns a minimum of two Jewish laws everyday is granted that he will have a share in the World to Come"

Today's Halachot discuss the Halachot of Hitting Someone and taken from Ve'En Lamo Michshol.

Judaism=Think.

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CLD #877

The Parshiyot this week are intense, Parashat Behar and Behukotai have different studies that all relate to one thing: each study and action lead to a greater connection by livingwith Hashem. Parashat Behar breaks down the laws of the Sabbatical Year (Shemitah) and the Fiftieth Year (Jubilee/Yovel), which all have to do with parnassah (livelihood). Then Behukotai goes into the depths of what happens to us if we, G-d forbid, violate and don’t listen to the Torah’s laws. The results are scary, filled with curses of diseases, plagues, wars, etc. that are in the Torah to wake us up to live a Jewish life with happiness because there is so much reward in this world (obviously in Olam Haba as well) after following Hashem’s ways.

One the central Pesukim throughout this week’s Torah reading is the first Pasuk (verse) in the second Parasha (VaYikrah 26:3), Parashat Behukotai. The first pasuk of the Parasha is an introductory Pasuk that goes into the rewards the Jewish people will receive if they follow the Torah. The second Pasuk already begins stating that all the fruits of the land will be healthy fruit, will grow in a natural manner and everything will simply work out well, etc.

Rashi on these two Pesukim teaches two different things, but we may want to connect them to see how this relates to us TODAY. Sometimes we complain about what Hashem gave us: I am too angry of a person, I love eating, I always have back pain, I never succeed in academics/school, I continuously fail at business, my mind is not fit for the technology world, etc. If an individual sits for three minutes they can list five to ten issues they have with themselves.

On the first Pasuk Rashi writes that there is already another place in the Torah that commands us to keep the Mitzvot. So why does Hashem write to keep the Mitzvot again? Rashi learns that this is to teach us that one should be living a life with a schedule that includes Torah learning! They should live the Torah by learning it. The second Pasuk says what will happen from this: the Jewish people will celebrate life with amazing fruits that are nutritious and filling. They will see no curse in their produce. Rashi says that the type of tree that is discussed in the Pasuk (VaYikrah 26:4), Ez HaSadeh, is not a fruit tree! The great part of this Pasuk is that Rashi explains that if an individual keeps the Mitzvot (as written in the Pasuk before), Hashem will have TREES THAT BEAR NO FRUITS PRODUCE FRUIT!

This comes to teach us that if an individual keeps the Mitzvot, which as taught before means learns Torah and then lives Torah, they will “produce fruit” even in places where they thought no fruit (result) can be produced! This comes to teach us that whatever issue and problem we have in this world (examples listed above) can be resolved from the greatness of Torah learning! Our Hachamim (Sages) taught us that the days of Shabbat and Yamim Tovim were brought to the world to inspire us to Learn Torah!

Shabbat Shalom!

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: Today’s Halachot

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

"Whoever learns a minimum of two Jewish laws everyday is granted that he will have a share in the World to Come"

Today's Halachot discuss the Halachot of Muktzeh and taken from Yalkut Yosef.

Shabbat Shalom!

Judaism=Think.

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 #876

This CLD is for the Ilui Neshama of my Grandfather, Avraham ben Ester Z'L who passed away two years ago on this very day. With G-d's great help I had the zechut (privilege) to do a siyum and have cake at Yeshivat Shuva Israel tonight for finishing Seder Zerayim in Shas Mishnayot. 

The Hid'a (Rav Haim Yosef David Azulai) ZTK'L writes in one of his EIGHTY books that each Seder in Mishnayot (broken down into six different sedarim) are examples for each type of perfection in this world. For example, the tikkun (perfection) that corresponds to the Seder of Zerayim (agriculture) is Tikkun Ha'Achila (the perfection of eating). The words of our Hachamim (Sages) teach us that each individual needs to eat like a human being during meals and not pig out on food like an animal.

Just like there is a tikkun for staying pure and holy in regards to running away from idolatry, murder, sexual immorality, slander, gossip, etc., there is also a great effort in a Jew's life to perfect the way they eat. These have a direct connection since the last word in Seder Zerayim (which is the Seder that corresponds to the perfection of eating) is HaMikdash (the Holy Temple), which signifies purity.

This shows us that everything that has to do with life is written in the Torah. The fact that purity and eating are directly connected is not something new to the world since we know we are always in a battle between our physical desires and the satisfaction of our neshama (soul). So B'H besides for the Mishnayot being a Ilui Neshama for Saba Avraham Z'L, they should also be a lifting for all of Am Yisrael to be in the generaiton of the Mashiakh and to continue servicing Hashem with a smile!

Judaism=Think.

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VIDEO : Today's Halachot

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

"Whoever learns a minimum of two Jewish laws everyday is granted that he will have a share in the World to Come"

Today's Halachot discuss Hilchot Lashon Hara and taken from Hafetz Hayim.

Judaism=Think.

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