CLD #464

For the Ilui Neshama of Avraham ben Ester ZT’L.

Baruch Hashem, its Shabbat Chanukah with a remarkable Parasha, Parashat Miketz!

This Parasha includes the famous interpretation of Pharoah’s dreams. Yosef HaTzadik was stuck in a pit (or known as ‘jail’ 3,500 years ago, imagine the conditions) for 12 years. In a matter of hours Yosef went from being in a 30 feet underground pit to wearing Royal clothing!

Why did Yosef do to have such a zchut (privilege) to come out of the pit after being enslaved by his own brothers so quickly? What is going on here? In the entire story, from the slavery up until the interpretation of the dreams, Yosef ALWAYS brings up Hashem in his life (which affects everyone else). If you look at the Psukim thoroughly you see Yosef says over and over “Not I, G-d will give an answer…” “what G-d is doing He (G-d) has told Pharoah…” “…what He has shown Pharoah” (Bereshit 41:25, 28, 32). Yosef is always bringing into his life and the lives of the people around him the RECOGNITION of HASHEM and HASHEM’s Control of this world!

We need to know that we are each special Chanukah candles to light up the world and show everyone that Hashem is the one controlling the world. And then at the right time, whether it be 22+ years (like in Yosef HaTzadik’s case) or after 6 months (like with some seminary girls who go to Israel for a semester), The person will see people changing. Just like Yosef, which after the entire story of the slavery, traveling, imprisonment, the pit, Potiphar’s wife, having a father weeping and moruning in another country, having brothers who hate you, and on and on at the end of the interpretations Pharoah said: “Since G-d has let you know all this, there is no one understanding…” (Bereshit 41:39).

Only with real faith in Hashem can someone succeed in being on the right path and INFLUENCING OTHERS. We also need to know that we were all at Har Sinai when Hashem gave the Torah to Moshe Rabbenu. This means we have the power of the Torah HaKdosha in our bones, our skin and our blood. Start influencing others and boosting that power with this Shabbat: to sing Zmirot Shabbat on the table and enjoy Oneg Shabbat Kodesh while viewing the glowing Chanukah candles!

Judaism=Think.

Only with the help of Hashem we should all experience a real SHABBAT SHALOM & CHAG SAMEACH!

Want to 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)! All monies go to the current CLD Fundraising Project. 

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KOL HASHONEH HALACHOT BECHOL YOM MUVTACH LO SHEHOO BEN HAOLAM HABA

For the Ilui Neshama of Avraham ben Ester ZT’L.

Taken from Rav Ovadya Yosef shlit’a’s website (halachayomit.co.il):

1. On the Friday afternoon of Chanukah it is preferable to pray Mincha before lighting the Chanukah candles. The reason for this is because the Mincha prayer was established in the place of the daily “Tamid” sacrifice that was brought in the Holy Temple every afternoon, while lighting Chanukah candles was established in commemoration of the miracle that occurred regarding the Menorah of the Temple. The order of the service in the Temple was that first the Tamid sacrifice was brought and only following that was the Menorah lit. It is only suitable then that Mincha should be prayed before the candles are lit. Therefore, many have the custom to pray Mincha earlier on Friday after which they go home to prepare for Shabbat and light Chanukah candles, and finally return to synagogue to pray Kabbalat Shabbat and Arvit.

2. We light Chanukah Candles by Tzet HaKochavim (Nightfall). On the Friday afternoon of Chanukah, however, surely one may not light at such a late hour for the sanctity of Shabbat will already have begun. Therefore, one must light the candles earlier than usual, before Shabbat begins. However, one should not light too early; rather the Chanukah candles should be lit approximately twenty minutes before sunset. Although Chanukah candles are lit earlier than nightfall on Friday afternoon, they must still burn for the same amount of time they would on the other nights, i.e. until approximately a half-hour after nightfall. (This means that the candles should be lit about twenty minutes before sunset and must then stay burning until about fifteen minutes after sunset which is nightfall, plus another half-hour after that.) Therefore, one must make sure to add enough oil or have candles that are long enough to burn until at least half-an-hour after nightfall.

SHABBAT SHALOM & CHAG SAMEACH!

Want to 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)! All monies go to the current CLD Fundraising Project. 

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CLD #463

For the Ilui Neshama of Avraham ben Ester ZT’L.

The Chanukah story is unbelievable. Imagine having 40,000 soldiers from the strongest army in the entire world heading towards your city/town. They are all packed with the newest war technology and filled with the brightest war heros and soldiers.

All this war happened because Matityahu did not want to bow down to the Idols and sacrifice to the Avoda Zara’s (false gods) alter. Also, the Jews at the time were only 13 men! Thirteen verse 40,000! They say that the Maccabim (each one called a Macabbi) is an acronym for Mi Kamocha Baelim Amonai (Hashem’s name). Meaning they were willing to give up their lives for Hashem’s name in the world, to sanctify Hashem’s name and do Kiddush Hashem! In the end they defeated the army and gained back Jewish rule over Israel and Jerusalem! This led to the miracle of the Shemen (olive oil) and lighting the Menorah for one day (where the oil’s quality was so pure that one day’s worth of oil lasted 8 days)!

We can say the same for the enormous power of the Yetzer Hara (Evil Inclination). We can relate to times where we literally sacrifice ourselves just to follow in the path of the Torah. No, I will not go do x,y,z because the Torah forbids it. No, I will not eat McDonalds or the non-Kosher pizza down the block. No, I will not look at the girl’s mini skirt because I cannot let myself fall like that. No, I will not hang out with those people because I know they push me down spiritually. And on and on.

If we go 100% in Hashem’s way, we will ONLY see Yeshuot (miracles/redemptions)!

CHAG SAMEACH!

Want to 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)! All monies go to the current CLD Fundraising Project. 

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KOL HASHONEH HALACHOT BECHOL YOM MUVTACH LO SHEHOO BEN HAOLAM HABA

For the Ilui Neshama of Avraham ben Ester ZT’L.

Translated from Yalkut Yosef:

1. There is a special Beracha (blessing) on Chanukah that is called Birkat HaRoeh (the Blessing of the viewer). If one sees Nerot Chanukah (candles) they can say this Beracha on three conditions and must have all of them filled. One: The person must have not lit candles already. Two: The person will not light candles that night. Three: the person will not have anyone lighting for him/her in their home. So the Beracha is only one out of the two Berachot of Nerot Chanukah, Al HaNisim. One does not say the Beracha of Al Ner Chanukah when fulfilling all conditions for Birkat HaRoeh.

2. There are those who say one that saw the fire of the Candles from a distance cannot say the Beracha of the Roeh (including fulfilling the 3 conditions mentioned above). This view states that only when one sees the actual candle with the oil and the wick, only then they can say Birkat HaRoah. However, we are not susipicious of this view and believe that if one fulfills all 3 conditions and sees the fire, they can say Birkat HaRoeh.

Want to 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)! All monies go to the current CLD Fundraising Project. 

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