Rabbi

Perashat Miketz – Young Wisdom

Posted on November 24, 2013January 6, 2021 by Gindi

Perashat Miketz – Young Wisdom

Unfortunately, there are many people who go through life naive. At eighty they are no wiser than when they were fifteen. The majority of people learn about life and its confusing ways. By the time they are elderly most have learned a lot.

Others have a natural understanding and at a very young age are wiser than average. These are the child prodigies. The prodigies we are used to hearing about play the piano at age three, go to Harvard when they are fourteen and then work in scientific think tanks.

Some children have natural insight. You could sometimes call this Ruach Hakodesh. When children know something that they should not we tend to get upset. Sometimes the insight of these young people can help us get a new perspective. Every one who has had children has been taught something. As the phrase says “From the mouths of babes.”

This is similar to the story of Yosef. We are told that he was a “Ben Zekunim.” Some translate that as he was smart. A Zaken being a smart elder. Yaacov loved him because of his great intelligence.

The brothers despised him because he was younger but more talented than them.

After they sold him Potifar saw that Yosef, although young, was very smart. In the jail he was put in charge of the prisoners for the same reason.

When he was brought in front of Paroh he insulted Paroh by saying that this strange G-d is going to cause havoc on world economy. Paroh overlooked the obvious insult that he was not a god and decided to use Yosef’s blessing to make some money. He also put Yosef in charge.

Joseph's Wisdom brought him very far, even though he was young — Joseph’s Wisdom brought him very far, even though he was young

I hope that we have the strength to accept the truth from anyone even if he is seventeen like Yosef was.

mailto:steve@gindi.co.il

Vintage Wine – Culinary Judaism

Posted on November 19, 2013January 6, 2021 by Gindi

Vintage Wine

For thousands of years Our Rabbis of Blessed memory have praised the benefits of drinking vintage wine. We need to drink wine on many occasions. These include Purim, Kiddush every Shabbat and four glasses of wine at the Seder. Our Rabbis of Blessed Memory also understood the dangers of drunkenness at inappropriate times.

Gemara Pesachim 42a

The rabbis of the Gemara believed vintage wine to be healthier than newer wine. They said: Three products increase bowel movements, make one have bad posture and take one five hundredth of a person’s vision, these are coarse black bread, new alcoholic beverages (new wine) and fresh vegetables. They further stated three products decrease bowel movements, straighten one’s posture and bring sight to one’s eyes. These are: clean white bread, fatty meat and vintage wine. (Pesachim 42a) The Gemara continues to discuss that vintage wine, as well as other items are healthy for the whole body. Some of these other foods are discussed at:

My peppers Torah Discussion and my Ginger Torah Discussion

Vayishlach – Should You Murder a Guy Who Raped Your Sister?

Posted on November 12, 2013January 6, 2021 by Gindi

Vayishlach – Is it Right to Murder The Guy Who Raped Your Sister?

One day Yaacov’s daughter Dinah went out for a walk to see the ladies of the land. The prince Shechem son of Chamor saw her. He took Dinah then raped and tormented her. (Bereshit 34.)

Shechem was a member of the Chivite Majestic family. He lived in a tribal society where the customs and laws of one society could not be enforced in another. Even if laws were enforceable everyone knows that majesty is, you know, different.

After forcibly having his way with Dinah he decided that he actually loved her and would love to marry her. For this purpose he dispatched his dad Chamor.

In the mean time Yaacov learned that his precious daughter had been defiled. He waited for his sons to come from their work in the field. Needless to say that they were all very angry

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What’s Written Inside The Black Boxes of Tefillin? Firstborn

Posted on November 10, 2013January 6, 2021 by Gindi

INSIDE TEFILLIN – FIRSTBORN

And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break its neck

וכל פטר חמר תפדה בשה ואם לא תפדה וערפתו

Tefillin has redeeming the first born donkey

The Torah commands us, in the Perashiot that we don in our Tefillin every day, to redeem all of the Jewish firstborn boys. These are written in the Second Perasha of the Tefillin. At the same time we are commanded to give all kosher first-born animals as a sacrifice to G-d. Most un-kosher animals are exempt from being given to G-d. However, A firstborn donkey must be exchanged for a lamb that is given to the Kohen. The lamb does not need to be sacrificed. The firstborn donkey’s neck is cracked, if for some reason the donkey is not exchanged for a lamb. (Shemot 13)

Redeem the Donkey in tefillin — Redeem the Donkey in Tefillin

Many people daily ponder this concept, which they tie upon themselves daily. However, many do not. The stated reason in the Torah regarding the firstborn is to remember slavery and exodus from Egypt. The greatest plague that G-d brought on Egypt was the death of firstborn Egyptians. This is a central episode in the story of the Jews leaving Egypt. The story of leaving Egypt itself is central to Judaism.

When we daily put on Tefillin we also remember leaving Egypt. This is part of “Kabalat ol Malchut Shamayim – Accepting the yoke of Heaven”

Firstborn male children who are to be redeemed need to be firstborn from their mother. A father needs to redeem every firstborn that different women might bear with five silver coins.

The firstborn Jews were supposed to have been holy to G-d like the Kohanim. The reason for this is due to the killing of the Egyptian firstborn. However, the firstborn were exchanged for the Kohanim. This was done one for one. There were exactly 22000 Kohanim and 22273 firstborn. The extra firstborn needed to exchange themselves with 5 silver coins, as we are commanded to do with each firstborn. (Bamidbar 3)

Another reason that is discussed about laws of sacrificing firstborn kosher animals and redeeming people and donkeys is related to the Bikurim – First fruits. Each individual also brings these to the Bet Hamikdash in a fancy ceremony.

It has been discussed by Our Rabbis of Blessed Memory as to why the donkey is singled out, over all other un-kosher animals, to need redemption. Rashi states these opinions, first, that The Egyptian firstborn were compared to donkeys. The second reason is because every Jew who left Egypt took lots of donkeys that carried tons of cash and gold that was taken from the Egyptians.

mailto:steve@gindi.co.il

Tefillin, Mezuzot and Megilat Esther – Are They Really Kosher ?

Posted on November 4, 2013January 6, 2021 by Gindi

Shalom,

Now is the time to order Tefillin for your son’s Bar Mitzvah, Mezuzot and Megilat Esther. This year is a leap year, very many people order Megilot Esther. Call 00972544572366 or email steve@milknhoney.co.il

Our Torah website http://torah.milknhoney.co.il/ has been redesigned. You can find hundreds of Divrey Torah Discussions there.

You can see samples of my Sofer Stam work at https://milknhoney.co.il/gallery3/

For many years you have been taught to be very careful about from whom you purchase Tefillin, Mezuzot, Megilat Esther and Sifrey Torah from. They say ninety-nine percent kosher equals one hundred percent passul (not kosher)

I am often called upon to check people’s Tefillin. I and the honest Sofrim that I know rarely find Tefillin that aren’t kosher! When I have found Tefillin that are unkosher they are always over 30 years old, written before the Jewish world became more careful in these issues. Indeed, thrity years ago all the honest sofrim would not charge people for checking Tefillin. This is because it was pretty guaranteed that they were clearly not kosher. Today an honest Sofer will always charge to check Tefillin. Sewing up the modern Gassot Tefillin in a manner that will look nice, in the same condition received is a lot of work. So much so that I, personally, contract someone else to sew and seal them.